Akagera National Park

We had three days of safari in Akagera National Park. We had originally planned to travel in Africa for the last 6-8 weeks of our trip. Early in our travels we realized it made sense to return to Saskatoon for the end of June, reducing our time in Africa to 2-3 weeks. Sophie would need to complete her final exams, having them proctored, the kids would benefit from time to reconnect with friends, do summer camp and activities, and Alastair and I needed time to move home and get organize before jumping right back into work. With this change in plans we had to decide more specifically where to travel in Africa. After some research we elected Rwanda when we learned we could do an African safari (still hoping to see the “Big Five” and many other animals, as well as visit the famous Volcanoes National Park to see the Silverback Mountain Gorillas, and Nyungwe National Park to see the Chimpanzees. We were interested in learning more about the genocide seeing a documentary his book Shake hands with the Devil and the Canadian UN mission in Rwanda. Our Fernie friends Mike and Kathy had spoken highly of their trip her and shared pictures and stories from their trip which also helped put it on our wish list.

Travelling through the countryside you get a true sense for local life in Rwanda “The land of a thousand hills”, it is covered with fields of banana plants, sunflowers, pineapples, corn, sorighum, and valleys are lined with rice patties, usually being farmed by hand. Along the side of the road you see bikes being used as carts, pushed by their owner, transporting huge loads of bananas, large water, milk jugs, and banana beer jugs, or trees, or other heavy construction material. Huge numbers of school children, in their matching uniforms, some as young as 3 or 4 walk in groups or on their own (often without an adult), the communities watch out for each other. The children wave and smile at us, sometime calling out Muzungu (people with lighter skin) or asking for money and treats. Women in their beautiful bright skirts, babies slung to their back, carrying huge package on their head or in their arms. Many motorcycles, often caring numerous people are following strict speed limits and everyone is wearing a helmet (and sometimes winter parkas).

While visiting Akagera National Park, we stayed in a lovely Eco Lodge. The owner Julian was “mixed” her mother was from Rwanda and her father was from Belgium. She had grown up in Rwanda leaving for school in Belgium before the genocide (her mother and other family members had been injured in the genocide and “could never return”). She had travelled extensively and worked for the European Union. At the age of 50 she decided to return to her family home in Rwanda to begin a farm and guest lodge. She has 25 staff members from the community, she has a beautiful farm with many flower, fruit trees and vegetable gardens. She has many animals, including sheep (that look like goats), donkeys, pigs, rabbits, chickens, as well as two friendly dogs and a cute cat. Guest stay in bungalows, they are encouraged to spend time in the welcoming central lodge with it patios and sitting areas which encourages everyone to congregate, it has games, books, and wi-fi. Dinner was a communal affair, set at a long table with an amazing food with a three-course meal based on local food, it had delicious wine and other drinks (it reminded us all of Mimi’s dinner table). It encouraged great conversation; we met some interesting people. Sophie had a fantastic French conversation with a gentleman from Lyon, France, did not speak much English and she conversed and translated a complex conversation for our entire meal. We enjoyed meeting Dutch couple who had spent three years the last three years working in Tanzania in healthcare. The woman was a physician, and her husband had worked as a hospital administrator. It was very interesting to learn about the progress they had made and the frustrations they had encountered. We also met journalist who now does consultant work in policy development in Rwanda, he was traveling with his 28-year-old daughter, visiting from Austin Texas. He had come to Rwanda nine years ago and had fallen in love and married a woman from Rwanda and now has a three-year-old son. While discussing the situation in America his daughter became tearful as she talked about how scary she and her friends find it as left learning young adults living in Texas. His Rwandan wife has studied psychology and has been recovering from her own PTSD related to the genocide, they are currently in the process of opening a woman’s trauma treatment centre.

Three days safari in Akagera was incredible. The first night we began with a drive, seeing Zebras, Baboons, Impala, and a few birds. We then set off with a park ranger for a dusk boat ride touring Lake Ihema. This was an incredible experience. The guide shared that many of the large animals, Elephants (we were lucky enough to see a large bull elephant) and Water buffalo come down to the shores of the lake in the early evening. It is also a time of increased bird activity (yes, I find myself becoming more of a bird watcher) and a good time of day to see the hippos as they move closer to shore for their nightly exodus to land. We also got to see crocodiles lounging on the sand.

The following morning, we were up early to get to the park entrance for opening time. As we toured the rough red roads we met numerous families of baboons, zebras, a solitary male giraffe and many African birds. As we were driving to the Park Rangers headquarters for a tour, our guide Khalif suddenly stopped and reversed. He had spotted something in the grass a few meters from the road. As we climbed on our seats to stare out the top of the safari jeep we were surprised to see a male lion sleeping, with time he slowly raised his head and later walked slowly to a nearby tree (displaying a small limp). When we returned later in the day, we learned that a lioness and two cubs were also nearby, they were further from the road and difficult to see.

Our behind-the-scenes tour of the park was very interesting. We learned about the steps that have been taken to engage the local community and work on anti-poaching. The park is 1/3 of its original size as after the genocide the returning refugees needed farmland. During the genocide many refugees also hid in the park, surviving on bushmeat and contributing to the depletion of certain species. The entire Lion herd was devastated by hunters poisoning the killed cattle carcass, there only way of preventing the lions from killing their livelihood. The population of Lions went from 143 to 26, it has now been rebuilt to 70 lions. Similarly, the black and white rhinos had also been devastated by poachers, their population is slowly being rebuilt and the park ranger that gave us our tours shared that they would be receiving 70 white rhinos from South Africa later in the week of our visit. The entire perimeter of the park is fenced and there are armed rangers that work with the Rwandan police, there are now heavy fines and jail sentences for anyone caught poaching. The works with a NGO, African Parks, which has supported its budget over the last 20 years, allowing it to come to the point of making enough profit to support itself. The Park gives 20% of its profit back to the community in the form of grants that are offered for different community projects and co-operatives. The local community has bee hives just outside the park, benefiting from the flora in the park and there is fishing co-operative who uses Lake Ihema, but must sell a certain amount of their catch to the local community at a set affordable price. It makes every effort to hire locals from the community and has a staff of 350. There are huge efforts towards supporting biodiversity and education. Over 2,000 Rwandan children visit the park a year. We saw the dog team that helps track and check up on the shy black rhinos, but also help the wardens track poachers.

Our behind-the-scenes tour of the park was very interesting.  We learned about the steps that have been taken to engage the local community and work on anti-poaching. The park is 1/3 of its original size as after the genocide the returning refugees needed farmland.  During the genocide many refugees also hid in the park, surviving on bushmeat and contributing to the depletion of certain species.  The entire Lion herd was devastated by hunters poisoning the killed cattle carcass, there only way of preventing the lions from killing their livelihood. The population of Lions went from 143 to 26, it has now been rebuilt to 70 lions.  Similarly, the black and white rhinos had also been devastated by poachers, their population is slowly being rebuilt and the park ranger that gave us our tours shared that they would be receiving 70 white rhinos from South Africa later in the week of our visit.  The entire perimeter of the park is fenced and there are armed rangers that work with the Rwandan police, there are now heavy fines and jail sentences for anyone caught poaching. The works with a NGO, African Parks, which has supported its budget over the last 20 years, allowing it to come to the point of making enough profit to support itself.  The Park gives 20% of its profit back to the community in the form of grants that are offered for different community projects and co-operatives. The local community has bee hives just outside the park, benefiting from the flora in the park and there is fishing co-operative who uses Lake Ihema, but must sell a certain amount of their catch to the local community at a set affordable price.  It makes every effort to hire locals from the community and has a staff of 350. There are huge efforts towards supporting biodiversity and education. Over 2,000 Rwandan children visit the park a year. We saw the dog team that helps track and check up on the shy black rhinos, but also help the wardens track poachers.

Our final day in the park was also amazing. A fantastic giraffe encounter where we got very close and the giraffe crossed the road in front of our jeep (we have an amazing video). We saw many more gibbons, zebras, topi, impala and another sleeping Lion. Throughout our journey in the park we saw many of the famous Rwandan birds including sun birds, hamerkop, weaver, jacanas, blue cheeked bee eaters, African fishing eagles, and lilac breasted roller. Although we were a little disappointed that we could not do a night safari, as we were not staying in a Lodge inside the park. What a fantastic surprise to see a group of three White Rhinoceros at close range as we exited the park at sunset.