My last destination on my safari through East Africa was Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. I stayed in a beautiful place outside the city, directly at the beach. The stay was too short and I’m sure I’ll be back on day….
The hike on mount Karisimbi in Ruanda was the best outdoor experience I ever had. The walk was super exhausting because of all the mud…maybe not the best idea to do it in rainy season! The first day I was struggling a lot, but I wanted to reach the basecamp. And I did it 😀
After a night in a tent on 3500 m we startet at 5:30 am for the summit: Me, Deo and Fidel + a group of soldiers to protect us. The guys helped me a lot! Physically and mentally…and finally we reached the top of the volcano on 4500m! I was super happy, a bit proud and very grateful for the help, for this opportunity and for my healthy body that brought me on top of Karisimbi.
In Bwindi impenetrable rainforest a long lasting dream came true: trekking the last mountain gorillas!
It was amazing to hike through the dense rainforest and after two hours hiking in the heat and humidity our guide finally found them: a large gorilla family with 19 members, 3 huge silver backs, 2 babies, and many toddlers climbing in the trees looking for food. We spent one hour with them, watching them in silence to not disturb them. On of the young black backs was too curious and passed directly in front of us, watching us carefully. An amazing and unforgettable experience!
Next stop of my east Africa journey was Kampala. I went there by Matatu, a minibus supposed to transport 15 people…we were 22! I was squeezed between an African mama and a business man, but that was not a new experience as it is the same in Kenya. Anyway, I was so happy when we finally arrived in Kampala and I could jump on a motorbike taxi to get to the hostel.
The next day I explored Kampala…again by boda boda. I found a really nice guy who took me to the Bahai temple, the old Kampala Mosque and through the whole city. I saw the nice and fancy buildings around Acacia Mall but also some poor and busy areas on the way.
The next day was a day on the road and I love Uganda!!! Such a beautiful place on earth….
Out of my comfort zone…that’s what I wanted. So I started my east Africa journey with a bus from Kisumu to Jinja. After some trouble at the border I finally arrived in Jinja, where I spent a fantastic day: having amazing coffee, exploring town and the source of the river nile with a boda boda (motorbike taxi) and finally painting an elephant with an African artist in his workshop!
I felt absolutely safe in Jinja, there was no problem traveling alone. And Uganda is so beautiful! An evergreen paradise! ♡
The African sun on my skin, a fresh breeze whirling my hair wildly, a view that takes my breath away: endless space, lush green, in between the red earth of Kenya, the blue and gray of the sky and everywhere you see these unbelievably beautiful creatures … zebras that somehow look unreal, as if someone had painted them … giraffes stretching their long necks to catch the best leaves … lions and cheetahs lying lazily under shady bushes … a leopard, well camouflaged in the crown of an acacia … many different antelopes and gazelles, jumping, grazing, relaxing … elephants, these gentle giants. I could watch them for hours. And suddenly everything makes sense … I feel the deepest peace, absolute happiness and an infinite freedom …
After I was back from Morocco we left Korando again for our Team roadtrip around Kisumu. In Kakamega rainforest we watched a beautiful sunset from Liranda Hill, slept in tents and cooked on open fire. In the morning the monkeys wer jumping from one tree to the other, curious about the food we had on our plates. Then we drove to Homabay, had a nice fish lunch before we went on to Rusinga Island in Lake Victoria where we spend the night in a camp at the lake shore. Good friends, profound conversations, bonfire, fireflies and sitting under the stars … a wonderful time!
