The drive from Bahir Dar to Gondar is a pleasant three hour excursion north along Lake Tana through farmland, mountains and plains. As with many Ethiopian towns, Gondar is very hilly, making it a hiker's delight and a challenge for those who are less mobile.
Since we arrived on the eve of the famous Timkat Festival, the streets were filled with Christian faithful from all over the region, here to celebrate Ethiopian Epiphany which commemorates the baptism of Christ according to the singular Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In Ethiopia, holidays are different (Christmas is January 8), as is the year (7 years behind the Western calendar) and even the time is told differently (6 pm our time equals noon Ethiopia time).
Gondar is worth a visit anytime to see 17th century castles and churches built by King Fasilidas and his progeny. It also makes for a great base from which to explore the beautiful Simien Mountains, home to endemic species such as Galada baboons, Walia Ibex and Simien red fox. We were here for Timkats, which exceeded my expectations in terms of pageantry, attendance and exuberance. Part religious service, part parade, and part party, it was a celebration in every sense of the word.
Really the festival spans several days. People attending the festival dress in sparkling whites and the priests in brilliant reds, greens, purples and golds. The festival begins with parades of arcs or "holy af holies," without which no Ethiopian church is consecrated. These are mini-replicas of the original Arc of the Covenant which, according to Ethiopian tradition, holds Moses's original 10 commandments and is said to have been brought my Menalik I from Jerusalem after he took it from King Solomon's temple. (Ethiopians believe Menelik I was the son of King Solomon's affair withe the Queen of Sheba who they believe was Ethiopian, though many scholars are not convinced). The arcs are brought from 40-plus regional churches to be blessed with holy water from King Fasilidas's pool.
The parade of arcs is led by bat wielding boys whose enthusiastic chants and jumps kept more than one onlooker far on the sidelines. Next come guards or escorts in red and and attendants in white. Sometimes floats are involved and there is lots of singing and chanting, drumming and horn blowing. Grass and heavy carpets are laid down before the procession of priests carrying the arcs, wrapped in cloth, on their heads, which are shaded by colorful umbrellas. This goes on for hours until all the arcs reach the walled pool. That night there was much singing, dancing and even fireworks in town while the priests spent the night praying by the pool.
The next morning, the faithful and curious trekked back to the pool for the service, some of which was translated into English for the foreign visitors in attendance. The pool is in an enclosed walled compound big enough for the clergy, some dignitaries, and paying tourists. The majority of people gather around the stone walls. The excitement was too much for some locals who created a mob scene as they pushed toward the walls, trapping the ones in front and causing the police to wield their batons with some force. Inside after much praying and chanting the water is blessed by Ethiopia's archbishop and all hells breaks loose as young men jump into the holy water and people use spray guns to hose the pilgrims. The clergy then parade the arcs back out and the people spend the rest of the day celebrating, some of them into the night.
In retrospect, Timkats was one of the most unique and impressive (and frightening) cultural events I've ever seen. It is certainly a sight to be seen for culture lovers, but people who don't like unruly crowds, noise and walking should stay away. There are also annoyances. I lost a bit of cash to pick pockets, which is not uncommon amongst such crowds. Hotel space is limited and reservations are not always honored, even when they have been paid in full.
The best hotel in town is the Taye, followed by the Goha, and the Qura and others like it. Next stop; Kelly accompanies the group to visit the Southern tribes.
From Lalibela, Bahir Dar is just 20 minutes by plane. A very pleasant town of 250,000 people, Bahir Dar sits at the south end of Lake Tana. Tana is Ethiopia's largest lake and the source of the Blue Nile, which meets the White Nile in Khartoum and then flows to Cairo, Alexandria and the Mediterranean Sea.
In Bahir Dar, we spent the morning visiting the Ura Kindnemihret monastery, one of many that are located on islands and peninsulas on Lake Tana. Getting there by boat makes for a pleasant excursion, especially if you get to see some reed canoes, white pelicans and more. The monasteries feature some vivid and colorful paintings illustrating scenes from the bible. After a tasty lunch we headed to the Blue Nile Falls. Much of the river's water is diverted to the hydroelectric damm so in the dry season the falls are not impressive. Even so, there were plenty of interesting sights to enjoy, making for a fun afternoon.
That night, we enjoyed authentic Ethiopian food in the stylish dining room of our hotel, Kariftu Spa and Resort. Set right on Lake Tana, the hotel is beautiful with huge rooms with wrap-around balconies. The hotel also has a large pool and wide deck with lake views. Guests also get one massage, pedicure or manicure (per room) at the hotel's spa.
Other hotel choices include Summerland, Abyiminch, Tana Hotel, Tana Resort, a Sheraton property.
Photo, left: Amhara man plays the misigo, a one stringed instrument made of goat skin and horse hair.
Lalibela is a must-see on any first visit to Ethiopia, and that's where we headed on the second day of our tour. About an hour's flight from Addis Ababa (if you book the direct flight and twice that with stops), it's a town of approximately 25,000 people who live perched on gorges, bluffs and steep hills in a mountainous and arid region northeast of the capital city.
The main reason to visit are the impressive rock-hewn churches, carved out of stone below ground level in the 12th century. For me, these churches (especially Bet Giyorgis) are spectacular, especially when one considers how and why they were built; the answers to which are clouded in legend as are so many things in Ethiopia. The churches are connected by a series of tunnels, bridges and bumpy paths, which can pose issues for those who are less mobile. The churches are hosted and guarded by priests who dutifully pose for pictures holding their impressive ceremonial crosses -replicas of which are available in a variety of materials and prices in the town's numerous curio shops. Other fun excursions include seeing a traditional coffee ceremony and navigating the bustling Saturday market. The market appeared to draw every single resident, young and old, from a 30-mile radius. My favorite expedition was a trek up Asheton Maryam, a stunning 3,600-meter peak above Lalibela. The trek can be done on foot, but using mules speeds up the trip and adds a lot of flavor, especially when novice riders are involved. Note - mule riders still have to walk up and down the steep parts! There are some very steep and slippery segments, so it's not for everyone.
Lalibela is a poor town in an isolated region, so infrastructure is basic but improving. The best hotels are the Mountain View and Tukul, followed by LAL, Jerusalem and the rather tired Roha. All are simple but clean with good service and decent food.
Next stop; Bahar Dar, Lake Tana and the Blue Nile.
This blissfully big park has abundant game which you can see in a vehicle or on foot. If you're intrepid you can also fly camp for an additional fee (weather dependent!). This involves sleeping away from camp on a bedroll with a mosquito net; nothing much between you and the stars. You'll have all the comforts of camp - the great cuisine, hot bucket showers, the works; but you'll get a deeper and more intimate bush experience. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's very memorable.
I did both traditional safari as well as a walking safari. Walking in Katavi is not on par with Zambia; I did not see nearly as many animals, but I enjoyed it just the same. My guide Phillip was incredibly knowledgable and made the walk very interesting. We saw elephants, antelope (there's lots of Topi in Katavi), giraffe and birds. I also got some tracking tips, and learned where not to stand when near a warthog den!
Because I visited in the green season (about three weeks into the rains), the game was more dispersed than in the dry season. Katavi is most famous for its abundant crocs and hippos. When its dry they can be seen in the thousands. Green season or no, I saw lots of hippos and crocs, as well as more giraffes than I have ever seen anywhere, antelopes, monkeys, buffaloes, and more birds than I can recall. I also saw a few unusual looking animals, such as a broken-necked giraffe and a hippo with his teeth growing more like warthog tusks (both pictured here). Unusual and interesting.
The magic of the green season (other than really attractive pricing) is that the animals are very relaxed. There is food and water for all. I saw monkeys using a young tree as a see-saw to play, hippos each with their own private pools (some on their backs while lolling in the mud), giraffe drinking all over the place (it's the riskiest spot for them to be in), and nobody looked hungry.
Elephants were in camp every day, and something was always nearby at night. My most memorable evening was spent by the fire after dinner. The chorus started with the hippos making their usual nighttime noise followed by a hyena 'whoo-ooo'-ing. The sing-song capped off with lions roaring as they came up the road. All in all, a pretty satisfying end to my day!
As I departed, the elephants came to see me off. Katavi is a camp I'm going to get back to as soon as I can; it's a really special place.
Don't forget you can see more video of our travels on our You Tube channel!
Next: Mahale Mountains National Park and chimpanzees!
Today's recipe doesn't come directly from the African kitchen, but that doesn't make it any less delicious. Famous British chef Nigella Lawson gives a global twist to much of her delicious cuisine and this recipe is no different. The drumstick recipe comes from a South African friend of hers and Nigella modified it to suit her tastes. I've added some additional options based on my experience cooking similar South African dishes as well. There would have been a photograph of the chicken to accompany the recipe, but we ate it all before the camera came out. Oops!
1-2 tbsp apricot jam, depending on your preference for sweetness (or chutney is also excellent here - not only apricot, but any fruity chutney)
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
8 chicken drumsticks, preferably organic (can substitute bone-in, skin-on thighs or a mixture of the two)
1 tbsp garlic oil (olive oil is also fine)
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius. Mix the Worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup, mustard powder, ground ginger, apricot jam and chopped ionion in a shalow dish.
Dunk the drumsticks in the marinade to coat them all over. (If it helps, you could at this stage leave them to marinate, covered, in the fridge overnight.) Put the oil into a smallish roasting tin or ovenproof dish, in which the drumsticks will fit snugly, and tip the tin about so that the oil more or less covers the base. Arrange the drumsticks in the tin and pour over them any remaining marinade.
Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting once or twice: (no worries if you forget!) the deeper the dish, the longer the drumsticks will take to colour and cook through.
Serve with a spiced cous-cous sprinkled with almonds or toasted pine nuts and lots of cilantro.
My trip to Ethiopia started with a pleasant flight direct from Washington D.C.'s Dulles International Airport to Bole International Airport in AddisAbaba. With their new specially outfitted 777s, Ethiopian Airlines can now fly non-stop. That makes the trip just 12 hours, much faster than with any other airline. The planes are modern and comfortably outfitted, the service is good and the fares are reasonable. Ethiopian Airlines also has an extensive flight network within Africa, making it a reasonable choice for people traveling to other countries in East and Southern Africa.
Ethiopia has had its share of negative press over the years--famine, war, etc. which has led many people to imagine it to be a dry, barren wasteland. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Much of the country sits on a high plateau which is incredibly fertile. Grains, vegetables, herbs and more are grown in abundance. Ethiopia is purported to be the birthplace of coffee and they make it thick and strong and unbelievably tasty. The people are extremely friendly and crime is relatively rare, even in Addis which has 3-5 million people.
Most visitors to Ethiopia spend one ore two nights in Addis. Undoubtedly the best hotel in town is the Sheraton. It is very luxurious, has incredible gardens and a huge, beautiful pool. Next up is the Hilton, which is frankly looking tired, but has a lively atmosphere. The Intercontinental is a great choice and I really like the Jupiter, which currently has Jazz nights on Thursdays (awesome) and Soul night on Saturdays in the bar.
With one day in Addis you can see most of the major sites. I enjoyed both the National and Ethnological museums, and a trip up Entoto Hill afforded great views of the city. The "palace" and church near the summit are mildly interesting. Back in town, the Mercato is purportedly Africa's largest open air market and is very lively and for me, a little claustrophobic. It employs somewhere near 13,000 people. As with any crowded city market, you're best to keep an eye on your wallet. The Holy Trinity Church is worth a visit if only to see the tomb of Haile Selassie.
Katavi National Park is remote - really remote. From Arusha, it takes about 4 hours, plus a refueling stop in Tabora, to get there. My plane was nearly private - just one other passenger who was on her way to Mahale Mountains National Park (my next stop after Katavi). She was from Italy and was nearly as excited as I was to be headed to some of the most remote areas in Tanzania.
After finally landing at the airstrip near park headquarters, I was met by my guide Phillip. The airstrip close to Chada Katavi is being resurfaced and should be done next season (around July 2011) if all goes to plan. This meant a long-ish game drive back to camp, but also allowed me to see more of the park than I might have otherwise.
Phillip had the vehicle kitted out with all the comforts including fly whisks for the tsetses and cold beverages. There is a bit of mopane woodland to traverse through, which is where the blasted tsetses can be found, but the fly whisks really are handy. It's also interesting scenery; not a lot of animals, but a few interesting things like technicolor lizards and bird life, as well as some human settlements which are very basic. The human activity included charcoal kilns and small trading centers, as well as agriculture.
We stopped for a bush picnic on the edge of the plain en route. It was incredibly peaceful watching giraffe and topi in the distance and gave me a chance to chat further with my guide. It turns out that for the duration of my stay, there were only a total of four guests in Tanzania's third largest park! We did manage to see the other guests once during a game drive, but that was it for seeing any other humans outside of camp!
We got back to camp in the afternoon with time for a cool drink, a shower and a short nap. I was warmly greeted by Mark and Kristen the camp managers. My tent was large and comfortable with a very big bed, a veranda overlooking the plain and a basic but very functional bathroom setup.
Katavi is rustic - no doubt about it, but it is a glimpse back to the glory days of safari. A guest will want for nothing here; the food and service are wonderful. You have power, a library full of interesting books, a campfire to while away the evenings, walking and driving safaris - it's a terrific package. But if you want an ultra luxury experience (or a shower that lasts more than a few minutes), this is not the camp for you. Bathrooms are, as I said, perfectly functional. They recently installed chemical toilets (to replace long drop toilets), and hot water is delivered in the mornings, as well as waiting for you after game drives and in the evenings at bedtime. Hot (bucket) showers are al fresco and are quite nice to get the day's dust off. If you wish, you can arrange for extra water for a slightly longer shower.
The camp is spread out and each tent feels very private. The maximum number of guests is 12 (six total tents), so you really get an intimate bush experience when you stay here.
There are some other guests that frequent the camp on a nearly daily basis - elephants. A large elephant family has found that they enjoy visiting the camp and its tamarind trees. It is a quiet oasis and they have made it part of their routine. The first time they visited during my stay, I was walking out from my tent and Phillip called out that I should stay put. I did as he said and then watched wide-eyed as the elephants materialized out of the woods and moved towards the library tent. They had no interest in me; I got to enjoy an uninterrupted and magical 10 minutes watching them move through camp.
Once they were past the library, I moved to the library and got another long view of the eles - this time from the comfort of a couch! As I said, this was a daily occurrence and often from different venues. It was one of the most special experiences I had in Katavi.
Next: Game activities in Katavi & nighttime lions!
There is no end to the variety of African recipes for pumpkin. This traditional Afrikaans recipe is a delicious side dish or dessert. It comes from the beautiful west coast of South Africa. You can visit Langebaan in combination with the Cedarberg and Namaqualand on a customized safari and get well off the beaten track. If you wish to serve the pumpkin as a sweet end to the meal rather than a side dish, omit the butter and salt, then top with fresh whipped cream.
500g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and chopped 1tbsp sugar 1/2tbsp ground cinnamon 1tsp butter pinch of salt (optional) or 1Tblsp cream or whipped cream (omit butter and salt)
Place pumpkin in a saucepan and partially cover with water. Add the sugar and cinnamon and boil until the pumpkin is soft. Drain, then mash the pumpkin with butter. Add salt if necessary.
Serve this dish with any main course (it's great with bobotie!), or as a pudding in small ramkins with a dollop of cream and a dusting of cinnamon. It multiplies easily.
Before the next installment of Gretchen's trip reports, here is an introduction to the next destination that will be covered. In the (slightly edited/condensed) words of the camp managers themselves (thank you Mark and Kristen!).
It's a good day in Chada Katavi, slightly overcast, winds out of some direction or other, chance of rain a strong maybe, chances of sunshine about the same, and chances of us winning a writing award, nil. From today onward, "Chada" will be how we refer to the camp where we live and host safari guests, and "Katavi" will mean we're talking about the national park in which Chada camp is nestled.
Simply stated: when in Chada, if you walk for days in any direction, seeing another human is not an expected outcome. What you will see are animals. Animals by the savanna-load, so to speak. Herds of buffalo, pods of hippo, prides of lions, flocks of vultures, journeys of giraffe, melodies of larks, blah blah blah. Some people spend hours trying to figure out what a bunch of zebras should be called. We call them a beautiful gathering of wild, striped horses, faster than most other animals out here, except some types of antelope and, of course, the cheetah!
We spend our working hours being civilized, studying wildife behaviour, patterns, seasonal migrations... We have dinner parties with our guests in a big tent, with some rather fine dining, if we do say so ourselves... We take people on professionally guided walks and drives and our local guides' knowledge is staggering... Sometimes our guests do some staggering of their own...
Tomorrow we are expecting 6 guests, that means our camp will be exactly half full. Yes, we are tiny. Not only are we tiny, but the camp is too. 6 big tents on decks with outdoor showers. The tents are, I just told you, big, so there is space inside for beds, tables, old fashoned wardrobes...it's really not too bad.
Only the insane drive here, so no offense to those few of you who have driven in this season, but the way to get here is to fly. Even by air, people step off the plane, turn in a bewildered circle, and then sprint to the nearest bush to 'check the tires'. These little planes don't have toilets and the flight is long. The drive here takes 4 days from Arusha. 4 days! Having worked in southern Sudan, Kenya, Burundi and Uganda before, we really thought we were living in the middle of nowhere. Maybe we were, but if that was the middle of nowhere, this is another planet.
I can attest to the remoteness, the animals, the dining, the guides' knowledge...and more. Look to my next trip report for all of the details on this amazing spot.
After reluctantly leaving Clouds Lodge, I headed back to Kigali and an afternoon city tour. Kigali is a vibrant, clean and organized city. Taking a half day city tour allowed me to see and learn more about it.
By far, the most moving part of the city tour was my visit to the Genocide Memorial. Rwanda experienced a tragic genocide in 1994 and the Kigali Genocide Memorial is one of many memorials throughout the country that stand as a reminder of the genocide with the intent of preventing it from ever happening again. While touring the memorial is definitely a sobering experience, it provides a deep understanding of what happened in 1994, as well as giving insight into other genocides around the world. If you are in Rwanda, you will not know the country as well without this learning experience.
I once again stayed at the Kigali Serena for my final night in Rwanda. See my earlier trip blog for details on this excellent property. After a good meal and a great, but all-to-short sleep I was off to the airport for my very early flight to Arusha. As I was on a charter flight, we had a few stops along the way, including in Mwanza on Lake Victoria so that we could clear customs.
Arusha is a bustling city and the starting point for most safari activities in Tanzania. There are myriad lodging options from basic to luxurious and most travelers going on safari will spend at least one night here. This trip I stayed at Rivertrees Country Inn in Usa River, about 25 minutes outside of Arusha. If you are joining us on Africaid's Tanzania safari this May, you will have a chance to stay at this delightful property.
I stayed in a cottage on the river. All of the rooms are very nicely appointed, however the two cottages have added privacy and nice touches such as day beds, outdoor showers and pretty patios facing the river. The property rambles along the riverside and is a quiet respite from the city. There is a pool, a bar and restaurant as well as common areas with books, games, cozy gathering spots, and if you must - Internet access. The guest computer has a nice view of Kilimanjaro on a clear day. I'd recommend getting up early to see it before it clouds over!
The food was abundant and excellent, and the staff and owner were very welcoming. Most especially, I needed to recharge a bit after the excitement of the prior week. Rivertrees allowed me to do just that - a quiet spot with lots of nooks to relax in; both indoors and out.
While in town, I also visited the newly reopend Mt. Meru Hotel. It had only been open for two weeks when I visited, however with the polished service and the professionalism of the staff, you would never know it had just opened!
The hotel is elegant and luxurious. There are a variety of room types for the needs of every traveler, and all are very well appointed. Things like flat screen TV's are standard, and little luxuries like upgraded toiletries, robes and slippers are found throughout. The views are excellent; the front of the hotel faces Mt. Meru, while the back overlooks the amazing pool facilities and a beautiful golf course.
There are two restaurants as well as a coffee shop, and a sleek cigar and Cognac lounge. They claim to have the largest selection of wines, cognacs and spirits in East Africa. You'll have to visit to find out for yourself!
Mt. Meru hotel also has a world class spa with 'guaranteed relaxation'. If you need to wrap up a bit of business or check in on what's going on at home, they have state-of-the-art conferencing facilities. Internet speed and availability appears to be above average here.
I would recommend this hotel for travelers that want a bit of luxury before heading off to or coming back from the bush. It would work well for couples as well as families. If you're staying elsewhere in Arusha and just need a cool down, they also have pool access available for a fee.
Thanks to our partners at Mateya Safari Lodge in Madikwe Game Reserve for this recipe. This is a malaria-free area, so its perfect if you wish to experience safari without fussing with malarial prophylactics. Call us if you'd like to plan a visit and try some of their kudu stir fry after a great day of game viewing!
Traditional Kudu stir-fry
Ingredients
500g boned kudu chuck, cut into strips (may substitute beef or bison) 75ml cooking oil 2 large onions, sliced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and julienned 3 carrots, julienned 200g spinach, shredded 300g sliced mushrooms 1 small cauliflower separated into florets 410g tinned pineapple pieces, drained, juice reserved for sauce salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
•Heat oil in a wok or heavy frying pan. Brown meat in hot oil. •Add veggies in the order given above. Fry for a few minutes, stirring constantly. •Mix sauce ingredients of your choice and add to meat. •Simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens. •Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with cooked rice.
Bon appetit!
Photo courtesy Mateya Safari Lodge - Werner Dippenaar
After our community visit, my guide and I headed off across southwestern Uganda to the Nkuringo area of Bwindi. The drive is breathtaking. After getting back to the 'main' road, we took that road essentially to its end. The hills became steeper, and if possible they seemed greener. That may have been the storm clouds making the scenery looking dramatic!
We drove through the town of Kisoro, arriving just after what must have been a very substantial rain storm. The streets were running with water - knee deep in some places. People were picking their way through town trying to stay somewhat dry while balancing goods on their bicycles or their heads. It was a chaotic, colorful scene.
We had another hour and a half drive from Kisoro to our lodge. The area we drove through seemed less developed and more remote than anything we had experienced so far. There was less agricultural development due to the steepness of the landscape, and the hills were packed ever more tightly together.
We finally arrived at Clouds Lodge around dusk. This beautiful lodge is perched at the very top of one of Bwindi's hills, surrounded by forest. It is community owned, and employs its staff from that same community. The clouds were in fact present, swirling just below us on the mountainside. I was warmly welcomed by the staff and escorted into the lodge for a quick briefing. This had to go in the books as the best briefing ever, as it was accompanied by a complimentary hand and arm massage from the local spa staff.
The main lodge is airy and light. It has several fireplaces for cool nights and is full of couches that just beg to be curled up on with a book or a drink. The bar is at one end, while the elegant dining room is at the other. It has a veranda around 2 sides, with fantastic views of Bwindi and the Virungas beyond. Every day is a different view depending on how clear it is or where the clouds have landed, but every day is beautiful.
My room, or perhaps I should call it a villa, was just down the hill from the main lodge. It had a porch with another tremendous view and was surrounded by flowers and trees, with its own little garden in the front. Once inside, I found an enormous sitting room with those same welcoming couches and my own fireplace. The bedroom was as light and airy as the sitting room with an enormous bed, and access to the same pass through fireplace. The bathroom was large and luxurious with a shower.
Meals at clouds are fantastic. In the mornings, I enjoyed custom made smoothies with mint and ginger, muesli and a cooked breakfast (essential when trekking!). Lunches were hearty but not too heavy; things like salads and fishcakes. Dinners were sublime; three course affairs with expertly executed dishes with surprisingly creative sauces and desserts that I couldn't resist.
My second day of trekking could not have been more different from the first. The ranger station is only a few minutes walk from the lodge, and is much smaller than the Buhoma area. There is only one group to trek to see from here, with a total of two groups in the Nkuringo area. There is a small village and shop area outside the ranger station.
Nearly all of the trekkers wisely hired porters this time (see why that is important here). We began our trek from the ranger station. Trekking from Clouds to the gorillas is downhill, which is unique. It also means your return trek is uphill! The trail is very good for most of the way, and you don't reach the forest until you hit the valley floor and pass by the tracker's camp - about an hour into the hike. We once again lucked out with the weather and needed sunscreen rather than rain gear for our hike.
Once in the forest, it was only a matter of minutes before we were told to leave our gear with the porters and to take our cameras and follow the guides to the Nkuringo family group. We excitedly crept through the forest to the group and suddenly found ourselves nearly in the middle of it. They were feeding on the ground and in trees; there were babies, adolescents, black and silverbacks all within sight.
The gorillas were obviously comfortable with our presence and continued their feeding without interruption. One blackback came and sat directly in front of our group. He had a small wound on his left hip which he almost seemed to be showing us. Our guide confirmed that this family does in fact show the rangers and trackers any injuries they have in the manner we were witnessing. After he gave us a good, long look at his wound, the gorilla moved on to feed some more.
We enjoyed what felt like quite a long time of uninterrupted viewing of the gorillas as they moved around the clearing feeding, as well as the fun of two juvenile gorillas playing up in the trees. The group finally started to move off and as we still had time left in our hour we were able to follow them further into the forest for a bit more observation. At one stage, the silverback slapped the ground two times not far in front of me; I could feel it through my feet! This behaviour is considered to be one that prevents conflict between and among groups.
The final and most exciting part of the day for me was when one of the blackbacks (named Karibu - thank you in Swahili) sat nearly at my feet to feed. Because of the dense vegetation, I was unable to back away, so the guide advised me to stay put. The gorilla sat peacefully feeding for a few minutes before moving on his way, continuing to follow his family. Our time was finally up, and we left the Nkuringo family with regret, but also with joy at the privilege of spending time with one of the planet's most amazing creatures.
I mentioned before that it was difficult to put the experience of observing mountain gorillas in the wild into adequate words, and I feel I've had the same struggle in this blog. What I can say is that it is one of the most profound nature experiences that I have ever had, and is certainly amongst my favorite and most memorable experiences I have had in Africa. When we returned to the lodge, I enjoyed an afternoon massage which worked the fatigue out of my muscles and refreshed me immensely. The spa at clouds is simple, but the treatments are wonderful. I spent the rest of the afternoon in the lodge reading and talking with other guests. During our sundowner drinks, we were treated to a performance by a local youth community group. They sang and danced for the guests, incorporating the importance of gorillas to the community into their performance. (see performance video on our You Tube channel!)
We have several itineraries available that offer gorilla trekking in both Rwanda and Uganda. If you wish to stay at Clouds Lodge (and I can't recommend it highly enough!), we can create a customized itinerary for you. Just give us a call!
Next: Arusha and the newly opened Mt. Meru Hotel!
First photo courtesy Clouds Lodge. Remaining photos and video Gretchen Healey
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi - Habinyanja group - Gretchen's trip report #3
Trekking day, I had a 6:30am wake up call, which gave me enough time for a delicious cooked breakfast and to gear up for hiking. I took the packed lunch that Gorilla Forest Camp provided and loaded it into my backpack along with my rain jacket, camera gear and water. It was plenty heavy once loaded up, but I knew I would be hiring a porter before setting off.
I can't stress enough that anyone gorilla trekking should plan and budget to hire a porter. There are lots of reasons to do so, but the most important one is this: you are providing a local person with employment, which in turn incents them to continue to protect the gorillas and their habitat. Better yet, I can promise you that on a difficult hike, you will be grateful to not be carrying an awkward and heavy backpack and even more grateful that someone is there to help you on particularly difficult terrain. I am fit and I hike nearly every weekend year round at altitudes up to 14,000 feet, and I was plenty pleased to have hired a porter. It was $15 very well spent.
My permit for my stay in Buhoma was for the Habinyanja group, so after the informational session and briefing at park headquarters we headed off in our vehicle for an hour's drive to get to the trekking start point. Our hike began in an agricultural area but was a well utilized trail and was easy going initially. After the first hour or so, we broke off on to a smaller trail through cultivated fields, which was surprisingly steep and challenging with all of the dense crops and vegetation. We had a few stream crossings then eventually came upon a gorilla nest from the previous evening when we neared the edge of the forest.
Our UWA (Ugandan Wildlife Authority) ranger was in constant contact with the trackers, who reported that our habituated group of gorillas had just had an encounter with a wild group and the silverbacks had engaged in fighting. As a result, we had to do a fair bit of back tracking and enter the forest at a different place. In the meantime, the gloves had come out to hang on to vegetation while climbing steep hills, and the gaiters had done their job keeping safari ants and stinging nettles from annoying me.
We finally entered the Impenetrable Forest. We were immediately enveloped into the canopy, which was actually a cool relief from the blazing sunshine that had been upon us all day (lucky weather to be sure). The sounds were dampened and we could hear more birds and primate life around us, replacing the cheerful calls of local residents as we hiked by.
Another 25 minutes of up and down and we were in range of the gorillas. We put down our walking sticks and bags, grabbed only our cameras, then proceeded to a clearing where we spent an enchanting hour with the H group. They were resting under the forest canopy as a family; a few were feeding, but most were grooming and the young ones were playing.
It is hard to express the feeling I had while spending time in such close proximity to these magical apes. They come across as extremely gentle and you can see very clearly that they care for one another. One can also imagine the ferocity that might be possible in a rival silverback encounter, though I would stress that in my two days with the different gorilla groups, all that I witnessed was gentle, calm behaviour.
Each gorilla clearly has their own personality. The young were full of energy, and the youngest, a four-month-old infant, was so obviously treasured by his mother. The dominant silverback was watching over his family, as well as sitting down to groom and be groomed. Interestingly, the gorillas seemed to know when our hour was up; right at the appointed time, they rose from their family relaxation and slowly made off as a group. The hour seemed to go by in a flash, but I remember every moment of it like it only just happened.
The hike back was less arduous as we didn't have any of the backtracking, but the overall hiking time was near six hours. Getting back to the vehicle felt like a victory, and the shower and cold drink back at camp were immensly refreshing! I also took advantage of the opportunity to visit the Batwa (or Twa) community the next morning before my departure. A local guide took us on a walking tour of the nearby village. We were privileged to meet a number of people and get an intimate look at local industry. We saw a (banana) distillery and how banana juice, wine and gin are all produced, we walked through coffee and tea growing enterprises, and we also visited a local witch doctor who showed us a few of his secrets. These were just the highlights. It was nice to get an on the ground picture of the local community and to interact with some of the residents in this beautiful part of the world.
Next: Trekking to find the Nkuringo group from Clouds Lodge!
Video taken with a Flip video camera - it weighs nothing and slips into a pocket. Undoubtedly not the highest quailty, but fun for a novice videographer!
Really the festival spans several days. People attending the festival dress in sparkling whites and the priests in brilliant reds, greens, purples and golds. The festival begins with parades of arcs or "holy af holies," without which no Ethiopian church is consecrated. These are mini-replicas of the original Arc of the Covenant which, according to Ethiopian tradition, holds Moses's original 10 commandments and is said to have been brought my Menalik I from Jerusalem after he took it from King Solomon's temple. (Ethiopians believe Menelik I was the son of King Solomon's affair withe the Queen of Sheba who they believe was Ethiopian, though many scholars are not convinced). The arcs are brought from 40-plus regional churches to be blessed with holy water from King Fasilidas's pool. 
Really the festival spans several days. People attending the festival dress in sparkling whites and the priests in brilliant reds, greens, purples and golds. The festival begins with parades of arcs or "holy af holies," without which no Ethiopian church is consecrated. These are mini-replicas of the original Arc of the Covenant which, according to Ethiopian tradition, holds Moses's original 10 commandments and is said to have been brought my Menalik I from Jerusalem after he took it from King Solomon's temple. (Ethiopians believe Menelik I was the son of King Solomon's affair withe the Queen of Sheba who they believe was Ethiopian, though many scholars are not convinced). The arcs are brought from 40-plus regional churches to be blessed with holy water from King Fasilidas's pool. 
The next morning, the faithful and curious trekked back to the pool for the service, some of which was translated into English for the foreign visitors in attendance. The pool is in an enclosed walled compound big enough for the clergy, some dignitaries, and paying tourists. The majority of people gather around the stone walls. The excitement was too much for some locals who created a mob scene as they pushed toward the walls, trapping the ones in front and causing the police to wield their batons with some force. Inside after much praying and chanting the water is blessed by Ethiopia's archbishop and all hells breaks loose as young men jump into the holy water and people use spray guns to hose the pilgrims. The clergy then parade the arcs back out and the people spend the rest of the day celebrating, some of them into the night.
The next morning, the faithful and curious trekked back to the pool for the service, some of which was translated into English for the foreign visitors in attendance. The pool is in an enclosed walled compound big enough for the clergy, some dignitaries, and paying tourists. The majority of people gather around the stone walls. The excitement was too much for some locals who created a mob scene as they pushed toward the walls, trapping the ones in front and causing the police to wield their batons with some force. Inside after much praying and chanting the water is blessed by Ethiopia's archbishop and all hells breaks loose as young men jump into the holy water and people use spray guns to hose the pilgrims. The clergy then parade the arcs back out and the people spend the rest of the day celebrating, some of them into the night.
