Rwanda Part I: Kigali and Traveling

 By Richard B. Primack

“Just in proportion to the outward poverty is the inward wealth.” Henry David Thoreau in his Journal.

Abe Miller-Rushing and I recently traveled to Rwanda for the International Conference on Conservation Biology. We had little idea heading into the trip about what traveling around the country would really be like. What we did know, was that Rwanda is a small, densely-populated, land-locked country in central Africa that had experienced horrific genocide in 1994. 

On our first day in Kigali, we visited the Grey-Crowned Crane rehabilitation project at Umusambi Village where captive cranes are being released back into the wild. It was a well-organized facility with knowledgeable guides and modern signage. 

Figure 1. Abe with a park guide (on the left) and Prudence Ndabasanze, a Rwandan conservation biologist (on the right).

Kigali has a large traditional market which, while old, dusty and dark, functions quite effectively. On the whole, Kigali is a safe and well-run city. 

Figure 2. The Kigali market.

From Kigali, we traveled southwest for three hours in a rental car to Huye/Butare, where I visited the University of Rwanda. I presented a talk on how botanical gardens and museums can contribute to climate change research. I met with Beth Kaplin, an American professor who works at the university, graduate student Sandrine Uwase, and many of the highly motivated faculty and graduate students.

Figure 3. At the University of Rwanda.

The hilly Rwandan countryside is densely settled with most of the land cleared for subsistence cultivation of crops. Rice is grown in valleys, and beans and other crops on the hills. The number of people walking around the towns and villages, and on the road, is quite striking. The country really does have a high density of people. 

Figure 4. The densely cultivated hilly countryside of Rwanda.

After three more hours driving to the west, we arrived at Nyungwe National Park. At our lodge in the evening, the local villagers presented us with a cultural show of drumming and dancing. At their invitation, we joined the dancing. 

Figure 5. Traditional drumming at our lodge.

Figure 6. Traditional dancing at our lodge.