When I left Rusizi, I headed to Nyamagabe. This was one of the most scenic routes throughout the 30 Districts Expedition. At some point, I deviated from the highway and navigated the off-road trails, snaking through tea plantations in Giheke Sector.
After crossing the evergreen Gisakura landscapes, I spent about an hour zigzagging along the trans-Nyungwe highway. Nyungwe Forest is the best-kept mountain rainforest in Africa. Covering an area of approximately 1,000 km2, the vast protected area is a sea of flora and fauna.
Nyungwe National Park stretches into parts of Rusizi, Nyamasheke, Karongi, Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts. During my sojourn in Nyamasheke District, I participated in a couple of activities in the said national park. This time around, all I did was cross the forest, en route to Nyamagabe. I would have loved to indulge in more activities, but my itinerary wouldn't let me spend more time in the forest.
I had lunch at Uwinka Restaurant, nestled in the heart of the biggest forest I had ever been to. During the lunch break, I soaked up the beauty of the dense vegetation while listening to my favorite songs. I am talking about the soothing melodies of the birds that call Nyungwe home.
When I finally emerged on the other side of the forest, I checked into Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge in Kitabi Sector. I had been there before, but this was the first time I showed up while traveling solo. More about Nyungwe Nziza Ecolodge will be shared in my last Nyamagabe post.
It was still early, but I chose to sit down and catch up with behind-the-scenes work instead of exploring what Kitabi has in store. Later in the evening, I had a book club session with a small group of foreign tourists. Each participant in the session was given a free copy of the featured book, courtesy of Exposure Publishers.