FEATURE: A journalist's gruelling hike to the summit of mighty Mount Bisoke

Hiking Mountain Bisoke can be an experience of a lifetime but it can also be one of the most challenging things a person can undertake, especially if physically unfit. The hiking is 6 to 7 hours, including 2 hours of descent, but that is for inexperienced hikers. Experienced hikers can take less than 4 hours to hike and come back down to the base. Apart from the experience of hiking on the extinct volcano which is part of the Virunga Mountain range, at the peak, there’s a crater lake known as Lake Ngezi. The trekking starts with an assembly at the park headquarters in Kinigi at 7a.m. Here, each group is assigned a guide who briefs them about the activity they are about to embark on. Our guide, Jean Bosco Iryamukuru, with the aid of a map shows us the route we would take, how long it will take to get to the summit and advises that we should be quick otherwise if it hits 2pm and we are not at the summit, we just turn back. The journey from the offices to the park is about one hour and it is advisable to book the 4x4 vehicle to take you up to the parking base. Otherwise, you risk starting the journey at Bisate Primary School since the road is bad, that adds a hiker an additional 45 minutes to get to the base. At the park headquarters, hikers can hire gumboots, raincoats and gloves since the terrain can be messy. At the base, we meet porters who also give us sticks to use while climbing. We are a group of Rwandan journalists from different media houses which makes the journey exciting but also our physique deals us a big blow. Since we started our journey from Bisate Primary School, by the time we got to base, most of us are panting. Although Mount Bisoke is not the highest (it is 3,711 metres) it is the most visited mountain of the Virunga Massif. The journey goes through Bisate Village and many farmlands of Irish Potatoes and Pyrethrum. There are rocks lined up along the path but they can get slippery when it rains. The long climb to the entrance can take one almost 2hrs but it depends on how experienced they are. This Volcanic crater is found on top of mountain Bisoke. (Sam Ngendahimana) It is at this point that some people give up after running out of energy to continue with the journey. At the entrance we meet three armed soldiers who would escort us into the jungle to protect us from buffaloes in case we encounter them. We are also told that they protect the animals from poachers. At the jungle entrance, one can get an increadible view of the valley and villages. We are split into two groups, the physically fit and the unfit but by the time we make it to the summit, we are in 6 groups. A few people make it to the top of summit. At almost 29,700 meters lie the grave site of Dian Fossey and two mountain gorillas. We haven’t encountered any animals although fresh footprints were visible on the ground. Different species of birds are visible and reptiles such as chameleons. The dehydration almost made some people blackout but the water we had carried helped to ease things out. Getting to the top, the altitude starts to get visible, and the surface is flat unlike other mountains with sharp edges. The lake has a round shape but no one is allowed to go around or to swim in the water body. The top is really cold with fog covering the volcanic crater although due to the sunny weather, it is be seen clearly. Some group members have stiff hands from the cold that it is almost impossible to take a picture. On the way back, the group goes slipping on very steep descent points but wearing gumboots and hiking gear saves them from bruises. Going back to the base, there’s a magnificent view of the valley, locals going around their daily activities and children playing around the fields. All good things come to an end, and so did this trip. By the time we make it to the hotel, it is 6pm; everyone is exhausted, hungry and we decide to postpone our gorilla trekking expedition to another day. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

News

FEATURE: A journalist's gruelling hike to the summit of mighty Mount Bisoke