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RWANDA


since it was designated in 2015. For now, though, Cormoran Lodge is merely a perfunctory pause on the road to Volcanoes National Park. ut the luury offering is definitely on the up in Rwanda. In August, Singita will open Kwitonda Lodge on a 178-acre patch near the park HQ, and One&Only’s second property, Gorilla’s Nest, will follow later this year. The new openings join Wilderness Safaris’ Bisate Lodge. But it doesn’t stop there, with Wilderness also opening a sister property, Magashi Camp, in Akagera National Park at the end of last year. As we drive into the Volcanoes area we see women in colourful fabrics and waving children. Rwanda’s main tourism hub is buzzing with prosperity. It had a head start: conservationist Dian Fossey put the area on the map in 1967 and the  fil Gorillas in the Mist cemented its status.


Gorilla trekking There are 1,000 gorillas left in the world, spread across Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC. Since gorilla trekking in the Congo has been suspended due to safety concerns, that leaves Rwanda or Uganda. Rwanda may be more expensive – permits range from $1,000 to $1,500, compared with Uganda’s $450-600 – but the high-end, low-impact tourism strategy is benefiting the gorillas and counity. As guide Edward Bahizi explains: “At least 10% of every permit goes to the local community for housing and schools, and 5% goes to farmers for the loss of crops caused by wildlife. We only issue 96 permits a day, split into 12 groups, who each get one hour with the gorillas.” Edward has 19 years’ experience in gorilla


trekking. He’s also a character, so after an elaborate display of what different gorilla grunts mean, we head off. We’ve been assigned the Sabyinyo group: a community of 19 named after the volcano around which they live. The group includes the largest silverback, a 35-stone


aspiretravelclub.co.uk


FROM TOP: Ceremonial platform at Volcanoes National Park; Wilderness Safaris’ Bisate Lodge; a baby gorilla Credits: Annabel Illingworth; Shutterstock


FEBRUARY 2019 ASPIRE 67


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