experience
Kwitonda At every Singita property, you’re greeted warmly and with a hand wash. Each scrub draws from the region. In Rwanda, it’s a coarse mixture of coffee and brown sugar. I was still smelling my hands when I stepped into Kwitonda for the first time. Its walls of umber wood and volcanic stone frame the view through tall panes of glass — a gradient of open grassland to thick rainforest leads up to the volcanoes which give the property its name. This glass runs the full length of the lodge, meaning wherever you are, the landscape is always with you. Three volcanoes define the horizon. Sabyinyo, with its jagged peaks, means ‘the old man’s teeth’. Gahinga means ‘a small pile of stones’ — the humblest of the three, though still by no means unimpressive. Muhabura is ‘the guide’. It’s the only one entirely within Rwanda, where the others spill over into the DRC and Uganda. In the past, Muhabura was used as a waypoint for people Kinyarwanda. Moss softens its volcanic stone walls, and grass sprouts between and atop every structure. Inside, it’s insular and warm — thick mohair blankets, fires almost always burning. It’s a deeply comforting space. Peaceful. Soothing for mind, body, and soul. Outside, couches and chairs circle the firepit, putting you on the ground. The sun peeks through now and then, but the clouds close in quickly. Nourishing rains arrive unannounced, dimming the light until you draw nearer. Buffaloes graze in the middle distance, and the forest spills down toward you. There’s an eternal lushness here — and a pull, eventually, back indoors. finding their way back into the country. Kwitonda means ‘the humble one’ in
The Transfer “Are we ready to go to Kwitonda?” Azalias asked as we hopped back in his car, to-go cup in hand. It’s a three-hour drive, but it passes quickly with so much to see. Endless fields and plantations, gushing rivers, and mountaintop villages with their rows of flat-front buildings painted bright yellow, red, and blue — like the Old West, we said, but with more character. Bicycles and motorbikes carrying towering bags of potatoes creep miraculously alongside you, and trucks slow you down enough to take in the view. Musanze is the next city you reach, and then you pass through the village of Nyange, where murals and wood-carved statuettes of gorillas line the roadside. From there, it’s a short drive to Singita Volcanoes National Park . We turned off the smooth tar onto a dirt track where the Singita sign points you home. Neat rows of potato farms transition into tall, lush grasses, and the air is as crisp as you’ve ever breathed.
Previous spread Rwanda’s pride shows in how well its towns and villages are kept. Right Always, there’s green between the buildings — nature given room to stay.
Powered by FlippingBook