- Week-long tours in Rwanda are hosted by company, The Slow Cyclist
- Among the most impressive sights are gorillas in Volcanoes National Park
- Though the experience isn’t cheap, it is completely unforgettable
Will Hide For The Mail On Sunday
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Holland would certainly be a good spot for a cycling holiday, wouldn’t it? Or Norfolk perhaps?
Both are nice and flat.
But if you want somewhere far much more challenging, there’s undoubtedly nowhere much better compared to the ‘land of a thousand hills’.
The land of a thousand hills: Will, far right, along with Oli Broom, second left, and their group during the trip to Rwanda
Briton Oli Broom has actually simply launched weeklong tours in Rwanda, the African country probably much better known for its troubled history in the mid-1990s compared to being a place for pootling along on two wheels.
I was there recently on a ‘pre-launch recce’ along with Oli, a former surveyor.
He set off from England in 2009 to cycle to Australia to watch the Charcoals (and raise money for charity along the way), then had a two-year stint in Rwanda, where he helped to set up a national cricket stadium in the capital Kigali.
More recently he launched his own company, The Slow Cyclist, that offers leisurely paced trips in Eastern Europe and Rwanda.
It is natural that people ask whether Rwanda is safe, as their memories drift spine to the truly shocking events of 1994 as soon as concerning one million people were murdered in 100 days.
The answer, I can easily report, is a firm yes – unless you count being chased by giggling kids bellowing ‘Mzungu! Mzungu!’ (‘white man’) as you are struggling on yet an additional climb.
Wild bunch: A once in a lifetime experience, Will certainly saw a troop of 14 gorillas at the Volcanoes National Park
Rwanda has actually a constant government and is peaceful once more, and not for a second during my week-long trip did I feel threatened.
This is a beautiful country along with decent infrastructure and pretty welcoming to those that like holidays somewhere off the beaten track.
I spent my initial few days in Kigali. Unlike several cities in Africa, it’s safe to walk around there at night.
There isn’t a long list of points to do, However the Genocide Museum is a sobering experience, and there are some decent dining establishments and cafes.
I likewise enjoyed a friend’s recommendation to pop in to Club Rafiki, a youth centre that teaches dance to teenagers.
But cycling was the main reason for coming and I joined Oli and three various other guests to pedal to the forests of the Virunga volcano chain that stretches from the Democratic Republic of Congo, across the north-west of Rwanda and in to Uganda.
The chain is house to the mountain gorillas made famous by zoologist Dian Fossey and the film Gorillas In The Mist.
On our initial day we cycled concerning 25 miles, much of it uphill. Fortunately, it was much more of a long, gradual climb compared to short, sharp, lung-busting bursts, so it wasn’t too taxing once I’d mastered the gear changes on the bike.
We passed coffee plantations and numerous villages along with curious locals wondering that were these sweaty, mud-spattered people.
It gave me the possibility to practise some simple phrases in Kinyarwanda, the local language.
Sobering: Prior to his challening ride, Will certainly spent some time in Kigali and visited the Genocide Museum
After spending the night at a guesthouse on the Sorwathe Tea Plantation, we woke up to locate the valley below smothered in a thick mist.
Once we’d set off, our route took us past fields of vibrantly green tea bushes and along red-dirt tracks to the Ruhondo Beach Resort.
I never did locate any evidence of a beach, However as a spot to watch the sun slowly sinking behind the volcanoes while sipping ice cold beers, it takes some beating.
The following day we loaded our bikes on to a rickety boat for a short trip across Lake Ruhondo, and once we were spine in the saddle, we began climbing hills again, despite the fact that we were soon forced to get hold of off and push as the path was so badly rutted.
That evening we arrived at the Rwanda National Cycling Centre, the house of Group Africa Rising which Will certainly be competing at the Rio Olympics.
Oli hopes some of his guests Will certainly get hold of to ride along with the team, However the timing on this trip was versus us, so instead we headed in to the local town of Musanze for pizza Prior to an early start the next morning to trek along muddy paths to see the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.
Gorillas in the mist: The Volcanoes National Park experience isn’t cheap However it is unforgettable
The experience isn’t cheap – a daylong permit costs much more compared to £500 per person – However it is unforgettable.
After a 90-minute walk along with our guides, we came to a clearing and there they were, simply feet away, a troop of 14 gorillas. It was a hushed, heart-stopping moment.
For a final wildlife experience I abandoned my bike and drove across country to Akagera National Park.
Most of the animals here were wiped out during the horrors of 1994, However many, including elephants, leopards, giraffe, hippos, crocodiles and antelopes, are thriving once again.
Our base was the Ruzizi camp by the shores of Lake Ihema, and the superb tented accommodation and delicious meals were some of the very best I have actually suffered on safari in Africa.
It was a excellent means to end my week.
If you’re adventurous and want to see a friendly corner of Africa, then Rwanda is well worth visiting.
After all, you can easily always head to Norfolk next year…
TRAVEL FACTS
The Slow Cyclist (theslowcyclist.co.uk, 020 7060 4487) offers week-long trips to Rwanda from £1,995pp. This includes transfers, accommodation, most meals, guiding and bike hire.
A night half-board at Ruzizi Tented Lodge starts from £115pp – visit africanparks.eu.
Entry to Akagera Park costs £25pp.
Turkish Airlines (turkishairlines.com) flies from Gatwick to Kigali via Istanbul from £501pp.
For further guide see rwandatourism.com.
from Golden Land Travel http://ift.tt/1RcJYu4
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