Leslie & Vickie’s 2026 Safari

Oh golly- where to begin? I’ll start with a few facts about Kigali. As the capital, it is the largest city with 1.75 million residents. During a work week the population can grow to 2.4 million with people coming into the city to work. The main industry is agriculture with coffee and tea exports leading the way.

Driving around the city is an experience. The roads are full of cars, motorbikes, bicycles, and pedestrians each taking a turn or stopping willy nilly! Although it looks like Chaos to an outsider there seems to be a “zen respect”. There is little to no aggression while driving- people weave in and out of traffic and everyone yields. Motorbikes are also a main taxi system and you will find dozens within any given intersection at a time.

Recently it became law that all motorbikes are now electric. Rwanda is very conscientious about keeping its environment clean as plastic bags are also outlawed. And in keeping with a clean environment- Kigali is known for being a safe and spotless city. Everyone pitches in.

You can also find regular bicycles being used as a taxi system. Which boggles our mind since there’s nothing but hills to navigate. Finding an extra person or 2 on a bike is common- as well as transporting whatever cargo is needed.

We see everything on a bike, whether or not it fits.

Our tour of the city included a stop at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Kwibuka 32 marked the 32nd national commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The solemn 100-day period began on April 7, 2026, bringing Rwandans together to honor the victims, support survivors, and reflect on the theme “U Rwanda ntiwapfa kabiri” (Rwanda will not die a second time).

After lunch we head north up winding up miles of long hills. It’s about a 3 hour drive. The number of motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians still occupy the roads and we understand why everyone is so fit. They walk miles of hills daily.

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

We arrived about 5:30 Monday night to the lodge. Our cottage is lovely, complete with a sitting area with a fireplace. We have a direct view of Mount Sabinyo, an inactive volcano that stands at almost 12,000 feet tall. This is the region where we will go for our golden monkey hike.

The Eucalyptus Tree is a main source of lumber for building. They are fast growing so very sustainable. They grow everywhere but there is a forest along the road to our Lodge where they are currently logging choice trees. Workers are out at 6:30 am, cutting and creating planks, firewood and charcoal. Nothing is wasted. How do they get those planks so precise!

Time to head to bed after our dinner. We have some Golden Monkeys to visit on Wednesday!

🙈🙉🐒