Kinigi Travel Guide

  our group of 8 being briefed before...
by sinequanon
  • our group of 8 being briefed before tracking
      our group of 8 being briefed before...
    by sinequanon
  • The silverback in the Hirua group
      The silverback in the Hirua group
    by sinequanon
  • sex and the mountains!
      sex and the mountains!
    by sinequanon
  • the rooms
      the rooms
    by sinequanon
  • Sabinyo
      Sabinyo
    by sinequanon

Explore Kinigi

Things to Do  

Gorilla Tracking
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sinequanon 96 reviews
The silverback in the Hirua group
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Needless to say of course that the main reason to go to Kinigi is gorilla tracking. This is where the headquarters of the Rwandan Tourism Authority are and this is where all groups start for gorilla tracking.

Gorilla tracking is quiet expensive nowdays. It is 500 Dollars at the time of writing. For me it is worth it every cent! Especially because the money goes towards gorilla protection, which is taken very seriously in Rwanda and the support of the surrounding communities.

They are amazing creatures. Despite their size they are quite placid not really interested at the visitors. They go about their daily routine paying little attention at the people.

For us it was really special as the silverback decided right that moment to have sex with one of the girls of his group. That was quite a sight!!!

Updated Oct 5, 2008

Address: ORTPN, Kinigi

Related to:
 National/State Park

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Gorillas
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This is the base of the Parc National des Volcans who arrange gorilla tracking in the nearby Virungas.

For more information, see my Virungas page.

Written Sep 1, 2004

Related to:
 Jungle and Rain Forest
 Safari
 Hiking and Walking

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Hotels  

Kinigi Guest House: Kinigi Guest House

Kinigi Guest House: Kinigi Guest House, Kinigi

 sinequanon Says:  a great place to stay. run by a women's association. well run and maintained. There was a slight problem with the water for the days I was there (only hot water in buckets, so ask ahead). It is right next to the Rwandan gorilla headquarters and has a great view of the... 

Mountain Gorillas Nest: A perfect base

Mountain Gorillas Nest: A perfect base, Kinigi

 grets Says:  The hotel is really super, consisting of a central main building which houses the reception, bar, gift shop and restaurant and the rooms are semi-detached chalets set in amongst eucalyptus groves in the extended grounds. The electricity has been cut off accidentally by... 

Restaurants  

Gorillas Nest: French influence
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grets 3429 reviews

I always like to try any local food available in restaurants, and tonight I’m having Katogo, a dish of goat meat, bananas and peas in gravy. I am embarrassed to say I don’t enjoy it too much, especially as it is Robert’s favourite dish! David orders a rare steak which comes extremely well done, but Gordon and Sue enjoy their soups even though their pizzas were mediocre.

The menu has a distinct French flair to it, and next lunchtime we both order Croque Monsieur with Pommes Frites. Very nice.

Written Sep 1, 2004

Related to:
 Safari
 Jungle and Rain Forest
 National/State Park

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Transportation  

Getting to Kinigi from Ruhengeri
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If you wish to visit the gorillas and you are not booked with a travel agent, like I did, you must find your own means to get to the ORTPN (Rwandan Tourism Office) headquarters in Kinigi, where gorilla tracking starts from. The same if you wish to spend the night at the Kinigi guesthouse instead of hotels in Ruhengeri.

The regional buses will leave you in Ruhengeri and then you either can get a taxi to take you there for about 10000 Rwandan franks (20 USD) or a motorbike taxi for much less. It cost me 3000 R.F. to return from Kinigi but if you are good at negotiating you can get a better deal than that.

It is 12 km from Ruhengeri to Kinigi.

Taxis and motorbikes are readily available where the buses stop so no worries about that.

Written Oct 5, 2008

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4WD required
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grets 3429 reviews

In order to reach the park hotel, you really do need a four wheel drive as the roads are soooo awful. I have seen smoother dried-up river beds; the path really is just a collection of rocks surrounded by potholes, with some very steep sections that make for “interesting” driving!

Written Sep 1, 2004

Related to:
 Road Trip

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Favorites  

All that worry about nothing
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Favorite thing: From my diary:

French is almost non-existent, but we manage to order dinner and join the others in the bar in front of a portable fire. Evening can get very cold here at this altitude (ca 2500m above sea level). As we are talking about tomorrow’s trek and I am sharing my concern about my lack of fitness holding the others up or maybe even preventing me from reaching the gorillas, a group of Americans arrive back. They look awful! Most of them can barely drag themselves along the room, they are covered in mud and sweat and when asked how they got on, they answer “it was the trek from hell!” They’ve been trekking for ten hours, on near-vertical muddy paths through impenetrable vegetation. One girl became so exhausted and scared of tumbling down the valley that she gave up before reaching the gorillas. Now I am really worried – this could be us tomorrow!

Fondest memory: And it turned out that the trekking was nowhere near as bad as I imagined, so I need not have worried at all!

Written Sep 1, 2004

Related to:
 Hiking and Walking

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Guinea Fowl
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Favorite thing: These gregarious and largely terrestrial wildfowl were wondering around the hotel courtyard, picking at grubs and leftover food.

Written Sep 1, 2004

Related to:
 Birdwatching

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Crested Crane
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grets 3429 reviews

Favorite thing: In the gardens of the hotel, a large flock of Crested Crane congregated in the afternoon. This bird is really quite large, growing to a height of 1.1m, with a rather spectacular crown on its head.

Written Sep 1, 2004

Related to:
 Birdwatching

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Map of Kinigi