Sherry & Karen’s Excellent Safari Adventure!

PART TWO

Sherry & Karen’s Excellent Safari Adventure!

Last week I introduced you to Sherry & Karen who traveled with Infinite Safari Adventures to Rwanda and Tanzania in October. Here is more of their story.

After visiting Kigali it was up to the mountains to see the Gorillas. And see them they did. It was also old home week: They also Francois, one of the legendary guides whom had I also met on an earlier trip!

Enjoy!

Wednesday, Oct 15
5:30 a.m. – wake up call
6:00 – breakfast
6:30 – Sam pick up and on our way to lowland gorillas.

Orientation at Volcanoes Park. We met Francoise – famous older tracker who was with Diane Fossey, GORILLAS IN THE MIST Wow! 2 Guides, Felician & Bosco; 4 trackers (holding our hands as needed); porters, too many to count; armed military – front and back. 8 guests. Walking sticks passed out, gators over our pants, and instruction in gorilla speak and proper behavior to not piss off gorillas. Trek begins through the fields, miles up into mountains and mist, guides using machete to carve a walking path through vines and forests.
 
Suddenly, before our very eyes, Arushya group, Mr. Special (the huge silverback), several black backs, females, teenagers, juveniles and babies! 22 babies born on mountains last year. Playful, ingredient in bamboo makes them high, eat plants for water, ants are annoying to them. 1 hour allowed to be in their space and watch and take lots of pictures. Slow walk back through potato fields, through the stone wall and lots of reflection about what we just saw …

Certificates presented to us. Back to beautiful lodge and staff is waiting for us at the front. Kind man takes our filthy, muddy hiking boots and returns them to us a few hours later cleaner and fresher than when we bought them!
 
Lunch outside on veranda, overlooking golf course, burger/fish and deelish tomato soup.

2:30 – Sam is back to pick us up, great weather, to Didier’s Ibyiwacu Cultural Village. Greeted with music, dancing, pygmy’s history education, medicine man, queen mother/wife, King’s bed ( polygamy ) wedding ceremony (is she a virgin?), drumming.
 
Weather gone bad! Colder, dark threatening clouds, we say goodbye and the rain starts. Running back to car – pouring! Back to warm Nest Lodge. Warm bath, fireplace blazing and crackling, dinner of pork chops/ pasta / bread & butter pudding.

Early to bed…

 
[Next – The Golden Monkeys and Wonderful Food]