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her beloved mountain gorilla digit. A
guide leads the strenuous three-hour
trek. You will need a good six hours
to do the round trip, allowing time to
explore.
Gisenyi
Gisenyi is a bustling market town on
the edge of Lake Kivu and not far from
the border of the Democratic Republic
of Congo (worth a wander to if you
have a spare half hour to see the
bustle of truckers and coaches sorting
out visas to cross into or from Goma).
There are hot springs just out of town
and also the major brewery that brews
the local Primus beer and has a li-
cense to brew Guinness. You can visit
on weekdays by prior arrangement.
Golden monkey trek, Volcanoes
National Park
These elusive cheeky creatures hang
out quite low down in the park, so are
a good warm up for the gorillas. At
$100 a permit they are also consid-
erably cheaper. You will get a guide
to accompany you and tell you facts
about their habitat and habits.
Kibungo (Umutara)
Kibungo, in the east of the country, is
in the centre of a region of lakes and
waterfalls, including Lake Mungesera
and the Rusumo Falls. Gisenyi is the
main centre for excursions in the Parc
des Volcans. Plane trips can be made
from here to view the craters. Situated
on the north of Lake Kivu, it also offers
many opportunities for watersports
or for excursions on the lake. Kibuye,
further south, is another lakeside re-
sort. Near Cyangugu, on the southern
shores of the lake, are the spectacular
grottoes of Kaboza and Nyenji, and
the thermal waters at Nyakabuye.
Nearby, the Rugege Forest is the
home of many rare species of wildlife.
Kibuye
Visit this idyllic lakeside resort where
steep forested slopes rise from crystal
clear water dotted with dug-out canoes
and fishing boats. The town itself is
characterful with a lively market, and
there are a range of hotels and restau-
rants right on the lake shore. A great
place for kayaking around the myriad
islands in the lake.
Rwanda National Ballet
Watch a performance of the Rwanda
National Ballet, famous for its tradi-
tional dancing and singing.
Virunga Volcanoes
Climb the Virunga Volcanoes between
Ruhengeri and Gisenyi. Nyiragongo in
the Democratic Republic of Congo is
the most commonly climbed volcano
from Gisenyi. The Parc National des
Volcans region is composed of vol-
canic mountains, of which two, Ny-
amuragira and Nyiragongo, across the
frontier in the Democratic Republic of
Congo, are still active. These are best
trekked rather than climbed, and are
still for the intrepid.