Royal Drummers Of Burundi
Royal Drummers Burundi. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t that excited about to be traveling to Burundi. Fellow travelers have shared with me their stories of corruption and difficulties with the police. And finally, my research did not result in any must-see landmarks in Burundi. There is no equivalent of gorilla trekking, Grand Mosque, or Table Mountain in Burundi. But, when you are on a quest to travel to every country in the world, your hands are a bit tied. I was going to Burundi. It was going to be my 134th country. Burundi is a small East African nation of approximately 8 million people that is landlocked. It is squeezed in between Rwanda, DRC and Tanzania. The former capital and city of commerce Bujumbura contains about 10% of the nation’s population. Unbeknownst to me, I had learned after my trip, that Burundi had moved its capital to Gitega from Bujumbura just weeks before my arrival. I guess this was not big international news. My guide Hypolite met me at the airport and settled me into my hotel [...]
Burundi – 134th Country
Burundi – 134th Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Burundi is my 134th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! Burundi is a small landlocked country that sits on Tanganyika. The nation of 10 million is comprised of Hutu (85%) and Tutsi (15%) ethnic groups, similar to neighboring Rwanda. Burundi gained its independence in 1962 from Belgium. Since independence, Burundi has become one of the poorest countries in Africa with occasional coups, assassinations, and genocides. Burundi is predominantly a rural country with nearly 90% still living in the countryside. I took the quick flight from Kigali, Rwanda to Bujumbura, the former capital of Burundi. I had planned for a three-night trip being based out of Bujumbura, with a one-day, long road trip visiting some sights out of the big city. Despite some security issues in the country, I found my stay to be both low-key and enjoyable. Check out the [...]
Democratic Republic of Congo – 133rd Country
Democratic Republic of Congo – 133rd Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Democratic Republic of Congo is my 133rd country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa and is overflowing with 80 million people and can be found in Central Africa. King Leopold II of Belgium annexed what was known at that time as the Congo Free State. The local populace was forced into labor to produce rubber with millions dying under horrific conditions. In 1960, Congo won its independence from Belgium. Mobutu Sese Seko ruled the country as a strongman from 1965 – 1997 while being a player in the Cold War. DRC is extremely rich in resources but has been plagued by poverty, disease, civil war, and violence. I flew to Kamebe, which is in the southwest corner of Rwanda and crossed overland into the DRC. Over the [...]
Trekking For Gorillas In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Trekking Gorillas Bwindi Uganda. The howl. The whooping. The sounds projected through the forest. Our ranger looked back at us. “We are close … five minutes.” The hair on my arms stood up at attention. I was about to see my first mountain gorilla in the wild. In the world, there are no mountain gorillas in captivity. I was in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park located in the south-western part of Uganda. It is closer to drive here from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda than Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Bwindi is an UNESCO World Heritage site, and for good reason. It is chock-full of a diversity of species … over 100 mammals, 300 birds, 200 butterflies, and so on. Bwindi was gazetted in 1991, and this 25,000-year-old forest is best known for hosting mountain gorillas. Over 400 endangered mountain gorillas make their home in this lowland forest. Another 600 or so mountain gorillas can be found in three national parks in Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC which overlap the Virunga Mountains. Thankfully, the population growth is [...]
Rwanda – 132nd Country
Rwanda – 132nd Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Rwanda is my 132nd country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! Rwanda is another landlocked country in East Africa. Around 12 million people make their home here with approximately 10% living in the capital of Kigali. Sadly, Rwanda is best defined by its brutal 100-day genocide in 1994. The Hutu, the majority ethnic group, decimated nearly 10% of the country’s population, mostly the minority ethnic group, the Tutsi. A couple of million people were displaced having them scurry to neighboring countries. Since the genocide, the country has gone through an extended healing period. Rwanda has made giant strides under President Paul Kagame including everything from offering universal healthcare and having a monthly day of community service. I crossed into Rwanda overland and headed to Kigali. I spent a couple of days in the capital learning about the [...]
Uganda – 131st Country
Uganda – 131st Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Uganda is my 131st country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! Uganda is a landlocked country bordered by giant Lake Victoria on the south. Forty-five million people are crammed into the East African nation. Uganda became part of the UK in 1894, and then won its independence in 1962. Uganda has had a chaotic history with governments being overthrown and civil wars. Larger than life, Idi Amin ruled during the 1970s with many losing their lives. Currently, Yoweri Museveni holds the office of the presidency which he took in 1986. I spent eleven days exploring Uganda. I spent my first night in Entebbe (where the international airport is located) on Lake Victoria. Then I spent the next several days exploring the hectic capital of Entebbe. Then the rest of the time was spent road tripping across the country to the Rwandan [...]
