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Top 5 Safari Destinations in East Africa

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Serengeti Wildebeests

Explore the legendary beautiful attractions during your visit to East Africa and enjoy ancient treasures in style. Move along the romantic wildlife base, primate capital and treks such as Serengeti National Park, Masai Mara National Park, Nyiragogongo Volacano, Bwindi Forest National Park, Volcanoes National Park, among others with its amazing bio diversities and numerous cultural tourist features. At the end of your Africa tour, you will prove the saying that Africa is a very exceptional beautiful continent with a lot to offer other than ancient traditions.

Serengeti National Park

Have an amazing experience in Serengeti National park on your Tanzania safari tour the best top wildlife paradise in Tanzania and a home to the big five. Every year travelers to this park enjoy great views of wildlife, wildebeest both at their lodge and in the park without missing elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, jackals, ostriches, hippos, impalas and so many others all seen in just a day. Travelers to this park carry home hug memories of best photo shots of beautiful wildlife something you only find in Africa. Trips here are filled up with nature and natural beauty that no one should miss in life. The roam in Serengeti national park and a visit to other Tanzania wildlife spots like Ngorogoro, Tarangire, and Manyara confirms the saying that Africa is a cradle of life, fun and excitement. If you want to experience some of the most superb game-viewing in Africa, then this will truly be a tour to remember.

Masai Mara National Park

Do you want to see the great wildebeest migration along with wildlife and bird-viewing in Africa, Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya has it all. A safari to Masai Mara takes you to a place with abundant game without people and you explore it to your fullest. Enjoy the wide range of Kenya wildlife adventures for soul, group or honeymoon tours once you ready to experience paradise. It’s not a crime if you combine the Masai Mara trip with other Kenya national parks like Nakuru, Amboseli, and Tsavo among others. Game viewing is the main tourist’s activity that travelers love most and Masai Mara is excellent year round thanks to the huge population of wildlife including the big five. No need to worry about where to sleep because the park offers a wide range of accommodation both child friendly and romantic stays in all budgets. Never miss out a trip to Masai Mara in life if wildlife is your thing. As you plan your visits you can enjoy the Masai Mara big cats on star popular wildlife Tv Series.

Nyiragongo Volcanoes in Congo

Challenge your fitness by hiking the rare active volcano-Nyiragongo found in Goma in Democratic Republic of Congo. Locals call it Mount Nyiragongo remembered for displacing thousands in 20o2. The Mountain is open for tourists ready to climb to the summit and stare down into the world’s largest dazzling lave lake that is active up to present since its last eruption in 2002.Make sure you above 12 years of age since the hikes are tough while ascending to the summit. Pack rain and cold weather gears since temperatures at the summit go below freezing daily. You will arrive to the summit sweating from the steep slopes but cold takes over in just minutes so you may get affected if you don’t have good warm gears. Comfortable walking shoes are other essentials you shouldn’t miss since the entire hike may be affected.Nyiragongo volcano hikes start every day at 9:15am, descending down at 6:30 am or 7:00am next morning arriving at Kibati by 11:30 am a good time to return back to Rwanda. If you want to fly back on the day after the hike, make sure your flight is late in the evening.

Bwindi Forest National Park

For the visitor who has 2 or 3 days in Uganda can visit Bwindi forest National Park for fantastic gorilla trekking safaris and hiking trails experience. Those in love with ancient Uganda cultural trends explore the beautiful batwa trail and dig deep into Uganda ancient culture and life style. Bwindi forest spans the districts of Rukungiri, Kabale and Kisoro, sprawling over steep ridges and narrow valleys of the Kigezi Highlands.

Gorilla trekking is the main activity in Bwindi National Park and the park is a habitant to about 400 mountain gorillas which accounts for almost half of the world population. 12 groups have been habituated with 11 available for gorilla trekking and 1 for research purposes and gorilla habituation programs. Access this park by road and the drive is about 8-9hours with several access routes since the park has four different sectors Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Rusahga. From one is from Kamapala-Kasese through ishasha-kihihi-Butogota Buhoma, another is Kampala –Mbarara through Rukungiri-kihihi-Butogota Buhoma and another is Kabale through Ruhija to Nkuringo good for those trekking gorillas twice among others.

Volcanoes National Park

The Volcanoes National Park Rwanda lies in the Ruhengeri Province and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National park in Uganda. The Volcanoes National Park is remarkably the home of the mountain gorillas that are critically endangered world over and it shares 5 volcanic mountains that form the Virunga massif including the Karisimbi, Gahinga, Sabyinyo, Muhabura and Bisoke. This park is an evergreen bamboo forest with grassland areas, swamp, and heath in other areas.it famed to the world for Rwanda gorilla trekking tours and wildlife conservation but it’s also rich with many other exotic activities for one to take on like Golden monkey trekking, Birding, volcano hiking, nature walk, Dainy Fossey hike  among others. Rwanda is among the three countries in the world with mountain gorillas but Volcanoes national park has made the country shine to the world than never before despite the presence of other Rwanda National Parks: Nyungwe Forest and Akagera National Park.

Car Rental With A Driver in Rwanda

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Rwanda Car Rental

Car hire with a professional driver-guide has proved to be one of the best and cheapest ways to explore the depth and hidden trails of the East African flora and fauna. Though some tourists opt for self-drive safaris, most of your time is saved when you hire a car with a driver. You only advise him about all your desired destinations and he will drive you without trying to figure out the path on your own.

Planning to travel and still searching for a Rwanda car rental and driver to get you around? You have come to the right place. Whether you plan to visit a national park, popular attraction or prefer a short excursion around town, we will be more than happy to help you out with our affordable and reliable driver hire services in Rwanda.

Merits of a Guided Tour in Rwanda

Liability in case of Accidents
When you hire car with a driver, you transfer all the liability to the company. You remain in charge of where the driver should drive to but in case of an accident or any damages, you are not held liable.

It also saves you the trouble of analyzing every clause of the contract since hiring with a driver relinquishes you of duties of entering strictly binding contract.

Roads and Signage

It is easy to drive on the main roads, since almost all these roads are in good mechanical conditions, however most of the roads that are off the main roads are in poor condition. You might need some experience to drive on these roads more so when it rains since they have nothing like signage.

Knowledge of the Country

The internet is a very resourceful tool but what happens when you are in a place where there is no internet access, you are left alone to depend on your instincts. This can be resolved when you hire with a driver.

Driver guides are always knowledgeable about where to eat out safely, where to buy authentic stuff, where to stay overnight whether you chose to lodge or camp. They will always save you the hustle of training to find out where to get all these basic services.
Whenever you hire a driver guide, you are assured of great tips and hidden destinations that you can rarely find out on the hard copy maps or google maps. In other words, you job is to ask questions as you explore with a professional driver guide on the unbeaten paths of Rwanda.

Wildlife Viewing

One of the main reasons you need a driver; is wildlife viewing. Whenever you driving in the park you tend to put most of your attention on the road ahead thus getting limited time to really look around; but when you hire a driver, you get the opportunity to also make use of the pop up roof or the sun roof for proper game viewing.

These professional drivers are also good cat trackers; they usually know how to find the lions and leopards which you might not be able to do by yourself in case you opt of a self-drive safari.

Akagera national Park Wildlife, Some stories are worth being shared with certain scenes; while on your trip, you will get the opportunity to learn about Rwanda’s history, as well as sharing with you details about the behavior of different animals and bird species. Their commentary will always be appreciated.

Language Barrier

Language is the basic tool of communication, in case you speak English you are safe but most of the people in the local communities cannot go beyond greeting in English. Therefore having someone who can speak with the local people is an added advantage since at times you might wish to find out certain facts from the local but due to language barrier, you often hindered.

You also feel safer walking around with someone that can interact with the local people more so when it comes to local transactions where you might be overcharged where buying items or services.

Mechanical Knowledge

Changing a car tire is one of the basic mechanic skills needed whenever you are driving in the park. You are likely to get a puncture of flat tire at least once but you can be saved from all this hustle of changing tires, being conned by mechanics by raising fake mechanical issues among other issues.

The driver guides always have some advanced mechanical knowledge which saves you a lot of trouble in case of any mechanical issue.

Time Management

One of the things that waste a lot of time is taking a wrong route, all this time can be saved when you hire with a driver.

Reduces Frustration

Driving a car can be a stressful experience especially if you are driving for long distances or stuck in traffic. You don’t have to worry about all this when you have a personal driver as he is trained to handle even the most stressful of situations. Total concentration is always vital when on road so if you have a lot on your mid then its best you leave it to someone who is composed and fit for the road.

Punctuality

A professional driver is trained to get a client to a desired destination in time, something that is no easy task when you are driving yourself. If you are planning a business trip in Rwanda, then you should consider hiring a driver for a timely arrival to the meeting.

Safer

The biggest benefit of hiring a driver is that your don’t have to worry about getting lost or falling into hands of fraudster as you have you personal bodyguard to guide and protect you most especially if it’s your first time in the country.

Ease of work

In essence, nobody wants to tire themselves with a lot of work. That said, it’s easier to focus on your businesses especially if you are in the corporate sector. The chauffeur-driven car will drive you to all the places you wish to go to. Therefore, you reduce any risks while riding on the road.

Conclusion

Are you planning a trip around Rwanda this season and still deciding whether to do a self-drive trip or hire a driver, the above benefits should you give you a reason to choose the latter option.

How to Prepare for Gorilla Trekking in Africa

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Rwanda Gorilla Trek

This is a process required for everyone planning to visit Mountain Gorillas in their nature inhabits where you need to organize yourselves in comfortable way that ensures success in the activity of gorilla trekking. Mountain gorilla trekking is one of the top done activity to be enjoyed by the first travelers and those who have tried it before.

In Africa, the top gorilla trekking destinations include Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R. Congo were 1063 of the world’s mountain gorillas all live. Embarking on gorilla trekking in Africa leaves many filled with lots of memories but usually, great experiences/adventures come with great responsibilities.

If you plan to be part of a gorilla safari in Uganda, Rwanda, or D.R. Congo this year, then you should know how best you can prepare for your life-changing gorilla trekking experience.

Here are tips on how to prepare for gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo

Know where to go for gorilla trekking in Africa

Not all countries in Africa or in the world have mountain gorillas. There are only 1063 of these rare species still living on planet earth and tourists can only have a face-to-face interaction with them in the wild while on a gorilla safari in Uganda, Rwanda, or the D.R. Congo. About half of the total population of mountain gorillas live in Uganda and interestingly, visitors have two options to meet their dreams- visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The two magical gorilla trekking parks are all located in Southwestern Uganda. These are the two places in Uganda where 21 habituated mountain gorilla families can be trekked by Uganda safari travellers.

Visiting Rwanda for gorilla trekking is a great opportunity to explore Volcanoes National Park where Dian Fossey carried out research on mountain gorillas and advocated for their conservation and protection.

In the D.R. Congo, gorilla trips are done in the Eastern side of the country- Virunga National Park, one of Africa’s largest and oldest parks- established in 1925.

Book valid gorilla permits in advance prior to arrival

The must-have document for anyone interested in visiting a habituated gorilla family in Uganda, Rwanda, or Congo is a valid gorilla permit. In each of the 3 African states, the park authorities charge different prices for tourists on gorilla safari to obtain a gorilla permit- in Uganda, you need USD800 for Foreign Non-Resident category, USD700 Foreign Residents while citizens in East Africa on gorilla tour pay UGX300,000 per person per gorilla permit.

Rwanda authorities- Rwanda Development Board issues out gorilla permits at USD1500 and Kahuzi Biega National Park authorities in Congo charge USD400 per gorilla permit.

Book your gorilla tour with the company but choose it carefully

Hundreds of gorilla safari companies are all over Africa but it requires some keenness when choosing one to deal with. First, book your gorilla tour with a reputable, reliable, recognized, and trustworthy tour operator on the ground and not to have regrets, contact Primate Safari Experiences for all gorilla safari planning, booking, accommodation, wildlife safaris, cultural tours, hiking tours, chimpanzee safaris, golden monkey tracking, car hire, etc.

When choosing your gorilla safari company, the essential things to put in mind include membership to ground tourism association, online reputation, and reviews from TripAdvisor or visit the company’s website, assess the response time to your inquiry and others.

Keep fit for your gorilla trek

Gorilla trekking is exhausting and being an unpredictable adventure, requires some fitness levels. First, do adequate physical exercises back home or arrive early at your destination and utilize the available hilly landscape of the country to practice from. By doing so, you are familiarizing yourself to high altitude, and tackling the 3500m elevation on an actual gorilla trek won’t be a big issue. There are many ways to keep yourself fit, you can go hiking, walking, jogging, sit-ups, and more.

Gorilla trekking guidelines or rules- a must know

Before setting off to see mountain gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda, tourists are briefed about gorilla trekking rules including among others;

  • Only visitors of 15 years and above are allowed to go track gorillas.
  • Wash or sanitize the hands regularly.
  • A group of 8 visitors is allowed to visit or trek a single gorilla group.
  • No one shall be allowed to trek gorillas if she or he is sick or ill.
  • A valid gorilla permit is an essential tool required for you to be allocated a gorilla family.
  • Where possible, keep a social distance of 2m from each other.
  • When interacting with gorillas, observe a distance of 8-10m away.
  • Talk in a low voice.
  • Avoid touching gorillas.
  • Smoking, eating, or drinking is never permitted when interacting with gorillas.

Know what important things to carry for gorilla trekking

Knowing how and what to pack is part of the preparation for your gorilla safari in Uganda or Rwanda. When packing, you should consider the nature of the environment this adventure is conducted from. Gorilla trekking isn’t the usual walk you have had in urban areas but rather immersing yourself into the dense tropical forests to see gorillas.

The list of gear or items to carry for gorilla trekking include a face mask preferably 2 or more, a waterproof daypack, comfortable trousers, lightweight long-sleeved shirts, hand sanitizer, bottled water, gardening gloves, hiking boots, first aid kit, sunhat, sweater, insect repellent. Others include a camera with no flashlight, sunglasses, rain jacket or poncho, snacks, and more. When choosing what to wear, ensure that you carry neutral color clothes/environmentally friendly clothing and avoid shining or bright colors.

Know when to visit Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo for gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda is open all year-round though the dry season is the best time to experience the best of it. There are two drier seasons every year- the long dry spell that is experienced from June, July, August to September, and a short dry season from December, January to February. The wet season (March to May/October to November) is budget-friendly though this is when much rains are experienced.

How to get there

There are ways to connect to your gorilla trekking destination, but the easiest ones are by road or by air. By road, we at Primate Safari Experiences have you sorted with our wide range of comfortable rental cars and tested professional safari guides/driver guides. By air, chartered or scheduled flights can be planned for instance from Entebbe Airport to Bwindi or Mgahinga National Parks but you land at Kihihi or Kisoro airstrips.

Rwanda’s 4 Challenges to Become Leading MICE Destination

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Nice Uwase

The Kigali Konnect caught up with Nice Uwase, commercial director of the KCC, to find out more about the challenges they have needed to overcome to achieve this status. She shared the following four insights:

Challenge #1 Limited Air Connectivity

Limited air connectivity was a constraint for attracting large-scale events to Rwanda, says Nice. “To address the challenge of limited air connectivity, the Rwandan government has invested heavily in expanding and modernizing the country’s airports. These efforts have made it easier for international attendees and event organizers to access the Kigali Convention Centre,” she says.

RwandaAir, the country’s national carrier, now links the country to twenty-two cities in Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

Other airlines that service the Kigali International Airport include Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, KLM, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

Challenge #2 Limited Capacity

Limited capacity was also a challenge for Rwanda in terms of its infrastructure for large-scale business events. Nice notes, “To address the challenge of limited capacity, the Kigali Convention Centre has invested in expanding its facilities to accommodate larger events. The centre has added additional meeting halls to meet the demand for larger events. Additionally, the centre has improved its technology and infrastructure to support the needs of larger events.”

Currently the KCC has a net floor space of 32 200 m² and can accommodate more than 5 000 delegates at a time. The dome shaped auditorium has a maximum capacity of 2 600, while a further 18 meeting rooms spread over different levels are also available.

The Radisson Blu Hotel Kigali is conveniently located alongside the convention centre, providing the ideal solution for multi-day events. It has 291 rooms available.

Challenge #3 High Costs

Another challenge the local MICE industry faces is the high cost of imports. Nice explains, “Landlocked borders contribute to high costs of services in the country due to the geographic nature of the border. Most suppliers face tariffs and taxes from neighbouring countries, which makes the cost of goods more expensive.”

Presumably, as the MICE sector grows and develops, so will the ability of established local suppliers and services to offer more competitive rates.

Challenge #4 Perceptions of Africa

Nice admits that many foreigners have negative perceptions of Africa as a destination for business and events, which means Rwanda needs to have a robust strategy to overcome these perceptions while marketing itself as a premium destination for business events.

To do so, she says the KCC works closely with local authorities to organize familiarization trips for event planners, journalists and influencers, to showcase the destination’s attractions. These efforts are ongoing, and involve different destination marketing organs in their different capacities, in order to represent the full traveller ecosystem.


Why host your meetings in Rwanda?

  1. Visas are issued on arrival
  2. Gallup reports it is the safest country in Africa and 4th safest in the world (2018)
  3. The weather is temperate all year round (24º – 27ºC)
  4. High speed 4G LTE wireless broadband is available in the major cities
  5. It has an impressive tourism landscape, including access to 1/3 of the worlds remaining endangered mountain gorilla population in the Volcanoes National Park

How to Get Started with Embroidery the Easy Way

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Embroidery

If you want to give embroidery a try, but have been intimidated by the different supplies and vast number of stitches and tutorials, this is for you. This easy guide is also great for you if you are introducing a friend to stitching and want to make sure you cover the basics.

Learning embroidery doesn’t have to be difficult, and it definitely shouldn’t feel like a huge investment of time and money. In fact, it’s a really easy hobby to jump into. You can pick up special tips, tools and techniques that will improve or enhance your stitching, says Mollie Johanson, Embroidery Expert.

To get started, you only need a simple pattern, and a few things.

Materials
• fabric
• embroidery floss
• embroidery hoop
• needles
• water-soluble pen
• scissors 

Stitches/Techniques
• Straight stitch
• Back stitch
• starting/stopping
• finishing tips

Those ten items or techniques are enough to get you started, but here’s a bit more information on each:

Fabric

For your first project, choose a light colored quilting cotton or even weave fabric, such as linen. If buying by the yard, 1/4 yard will be enough for several projects. Don’t use Aida cloth, even though it’s sold alongside embroidery floss (it’s best for cross stitch patterns).

Embroidery floss

How to get started with embroidery the easy way

Select a few colors of cotton embroidery floss. Use floss designed for craft projects (such as friendship bracelets), as it will be frustrating to work with. 

Embroidery Hoop

How to get started with embroidery the easy way

There are many styles of embroidery hoops available, but all you need to get started is a basic wooden or plastic hoop. A 6-inch hoop will serve you well on a variety of projects. 

Needles

How to get started with embroidery the easy way

Like hoops, there are many kinds of embroidery needles out there. Any sharp needle with an eye large enough to thread embroidery floss through will work. However, the easiest thing is to choose a pack of different sizes of sharp needles labeled for embroidery.

Water-Soluble Pen

How to get started with embroidery the easy way

Depending on your project, there are a few ways to transfer a pattern to your fabric, but tracing is the simplest. A regular pencil will work, but to ensure that you don’t leave any stray markings, use a water-soluble pen. 

Scissors

How to get started with embroidery the easy way

There are scissors made for different tasks in embroidery, but before you buy anything fancy, it’s okay to use any scissors you have around. Just be sure that they will cut the floss easily so the ends aren’t frayed.

Straight Stitch

 How to get started with embroidery the easy way

This simple stitch is so basic you probably already know how to do it without even learning it. But making short straight lines is something you will do a lot as you embroider.

Back Stitch

How to get started with embroidery the easy way

For doing any kind of outlining, back stitch will work and it’s so easy. Focus on making each stitch the same length and you’ll have something that looks really great! 

Starting/Stopping

If you want to learn the best way to start and stop, there are some special techniques you can follow. But it’s also okay to start and end with a knot. 

Finishing Tips

When you are done stitching, your embroidery may need to be rinsed or soaked to remove markings. This also helps remove wrinkles. When it comes out of the water, gently press away excess water with a towel. Then place the embroidery on a folded towel and press from the back with an iron.

Start Stitching

You are now ready to get stitching! With just a bit of practice, you’ll be feeling confident and ready to move from simple patterns to more complex. And once you’ve mastered a couple stitches, you can learn a few more, such as French knots and detached chain stitch.

Pineapples, a Great Deal for Fighting off Stomach Fats

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Pineapples

Pineapples, a part from being a source of vitamins have proved to be a strong natural way of toning the stomach and reducing the fats around it, becoming one of the most essential fruits that are supposed to be in the household’s food basket.

According Angelique Umugwaneza, a therapist, pineapples helped greatly people who have more fats in the stomach area and creates a proper body shape and reduces the challenge of more fats in the body.

“When someone has developed many fats on the stomach normally advise them to take pineapples regularly to have more acids that would break down the fats,” she said.

For a person to tone the stomach you will need to at least take a piece of pineapple every morning to ensure that more carbohydrates and fats are converted into energy used by the body.

Pineapples contain citric acid as well as malic acid which is substance found in the body which is key in creating energy. These acids convert carbohydrates into energy which is consumed but also helps deals with extra fats.

Also, there are other foods such as cabbage that can help reduce body fats as Anthony Williams from medical Medium advises and thus saves a person from acquiring diseases such as hypertension and others heart related diseases.

Taking cabbages especially before a meal helps in breaking down extra fats through reducing calories in the body which minimizes the risk of accumulation of fats in the body.

How to Reduce Bunion Size Using Natural Remedies

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Bunions

Many people suffer from this foot deformity called bunion. A bunion is an unnatural, bony hump that forms at the base of the big toe where it attaches to the foot. Often, the big toe deviates toward the other toes. When this occurs, the base of the big toe pushes outward on the first metatarsal bone, which is the bone directly behind the big toe forming a bunion.

Women are especially prone to developing bunions. Years of wearing tight, poorly fitting shoes especially high-heeled and pointed shoes can bring on bunions. Such shoes gradually push the foot bones into an unnatural shape, producing the visible bump.

Doctors prescribe medications and often recommend surgery to fix this problem. But before thinking of the surgery among others, try these recommended natural remedies found on www.mamabee.com.

Olive Oil

  • All you have to do is to warm up some olive oil and massage the bunion area. Don’t forget to go over the toes and foot.
  • Keep massaging for about 15 minutes. You should perform this procedure twice a day.
  • Massaging with olive oil will improve circulation and blood flow to the foot and toes. The synovial fluid will be encouraged to move freely around the bones lubricating the joints.
  • The whole process will dissolve the excess calcium of the bunion, and it will help it to heal.

Red Pepper

  • With its capsaicin, the red pepper can eliminate pain and discomfort.
  • All you need to do is to cut one red pepper in half and rub the juice over the bunion.
  • Add a petroleum jelly and cover the bunion with a bandage. You need to use this method twice a day.
  • Wash your hands after every application.

Castor Oil

  • The castor oil and its anti-inflammatory properties ease pain and reduce swelling.
  • All you need to do is to heat up some castor oil, dip a thin cloth into it and wrap it around your bunions.
  • You can cover it with a towel preventing the heat from escaping. This procedure will stimulate blood flow and relieve soreness.
  • Repeat this three times a day until the pain subsides.

Epsom Salt

  • It contains magnesium sulfate that reduces inflammation and minimizes pain.
  • Dissolve ½ cup of Epsom salt into a small bracket of hot water. Soak your foot in it for 20 minutes.
  • Use this method two times a day.
  • The salt will decalcify the joint and diminish the size of the bunion.

Ice

  • Treat it with ice like you treat any other swelling. Put it directly on the bunion for about 10 minutes.
  • Repeat this procedure few times a day to reduce swelling and alleviate pain.

What Causes Bunions?

Foot problems typically develop in early adulthood and get worse as the foot spreads with aging. For many people, bunions run in the family. They may be just one of several problems due to weak or poor foot structure. Bunions sometimes develop with arthritis. In people with leg length discrepancies, bunions usually form in the longer leg.

Vox Pop: Kigali is Fast Becoming a Destination Visitors don’t want to miss

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Kigali City

By reputation, Kigali is dull: a place in which to land  including aboard Rwandan’s new direct services from Gatwick and then leave, en route to wonderful wildlife.  Rwanda’s capital thrills with its mix of expat-run coffee bars, feminist Muslim barrios and wacky nightspots.

Rwanda is indelibly associated with its terrible 1994 atrocities where the Hutu majority murdered around a million people. The Kigali Genocide Memorial marks their loss, its rose gardens symbolizing unity and reconciliation, and should be seen.

Kigali’s oldest and most multicultural district is labyrinthine Nyamirambo, to the south-west. You can tour it with the guides from the Women’s Centre (NWC) – which supports disadvantaged females – and enjoy its chapati-makers, mosques, markets and milk bars where cocoa-powdered lattes are served up.

Of course, one wouldn’t visit Rwanda and not see its magical mountain gorilla troops. The Volcanoes National Park is the place; you’ll need permits and to book onto guided tours. Rwanda specialist Expert Africa can sort all this, as well as suggesting holiday itineraries including lions and elephants in Akagera National Park, chimpanzees at Nyungwe Forest and, yes, time in Kigali.

The Myths About Rwanda’s Youth

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I have only been back in Rwanda for six months after almost six years of being one of the world’s weirdest nomad. Of course with social media, we tends to have very inaccurate images of our mamaland. I have heard the best and the worst about Rwanda’s youth but I really couldn’t wait to just make my own judgments! So here I am back home and trying to have my good share of participation in the development of Rwanda.

So let me elaborate on the myths I heard of while I was wandering in this world.

Myth Number 1: Young Rwandans are lazy

Wrong! Of course there are some lazy human beings in every country of the world. But generalizing this behavior to all Rwandans is just very, very wrong! I have been working in Rwanda for five months now, and I have met some hardworking entrepreneurs. Can I emphasize that they are all under thirty?

I mean, I have met interior designers, computer engineers, graphic designers, illustrators, fashion designers you name it! I am amazed by the fact that these young men and women decided to pursue their dream and took the necessary risks to become as successful as they are today. And that is amazing!

My friend Dolph, who is a multitasker (read umu-TT), is just a workaholic. I worry that he doesn’t even sleep.

Rwanda is being built by these young men and women who spend restless nights to bring their best to the country. They do not only strive for success but they are addicted to it. And they are definitely challenging that myth!

Young Rwandans are not lazy. And if you fall under the lazy category, please move out of there!

Myth Number 2: Rwandans are just not creative at all

I have to admit that I used to fall for this myth when I was wandering across the earth. Rwandans are not creative, they imitate what others do, they blah blah blah… Of course, I am ashamed to say that I once believed this! And I am so glad that I was proved wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong!

I am blessed to be surrounded by creative young minds. Sometimes they make me feel like I am the worthless lazy, uncreative bum!

Just yesterday, I was talking to the manager of an interior and product design firm. I had so many questions that he probably thought I was investigating (Girl, you are crossing the borders!) Anyway, he was telling me about how he was about to open up yet another company because the business is growing and it is promising.

Of course, you might disagree with me, there is still much to be learned. But, these are young people taking the risks and seizing opportunities by the neck!

The hardest thing I have learned in life is taking risks. We all love the comfort of our comfort zones. Yet, here in Rwanda, there are young people moving earth and sky to leave their mark on Rwanda.

Myth Number 3: Young Rwandans are just not professional

Uh, really? Are you sure? This myth is one that has been spread so much that it is easier to believe in it than to even try refuting it. But I like a challenge so let me just go ahead and refute it! Yes, big yes, young Rwandans are professional and are getting even more and more professional.

Have you ever heard of organisations such as the Peace and Love Proclaimers (PLP), HeHe Labs, Live Again Rwanda, Inkstain, or Ejo Group  the list goes on. Seriously, if you haven’t please do check them out and spend ten minutes with them; you’ll see what I mean.

Professionalism is one of the key ingredients to success. Can we agree on this? It involves the ability to have a clear vision of what an organisation needs to portray and also where it needs to go. It involves having the right skills and expertise to move an idea forward! How about that?

Do I think that the Rwandan youth has the above? Yes, I certainly do! If Rwanda is growing, it is definitely because there is some amount of professionalism. And, yes, thank you!

I strongly believe in our youth today. I am so proud of what we are doing and what we desire to build for our country! I also believe that Rwanda is the country of a thousand opportunities and the smart ones will enjoy the fruit of the land!

Mountain Gorilla Tracking in Rwanda

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Watching the gorillas in their natural environment is now the trending expedition in the travel world. Everyone out there is yearning to see the gorillas in the wild. Those who have watch these amazing huge beasts have had a good time which they will never forget in their entire life. Many people every summertime are always planning to go gorilla trekking in Africa and this is why Rwanda has become a top notch destination in the world.

Rwanda is one of those lucky countries in the world with these amazing endangered animals. More so it is the best country to watch the gorillas in their wild. There four subspecies of gorillas in the world which include the western lowland gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, cross river gorillas and the mountain gorillas. The three species of gorillas the western lowland, cross river and eastern lowland gorillas are found in so zoos in the western world but the mountain gorillas which are found in Rwanda are not found in any zoo, they are only found in their natural environment. The natural environment is the best place to meet their amazing animals as they give the visitor 100% full excitement.

The gorillas in Rwanda inhabit in the montane forests of Virunga ranges straddled by Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. On the Rwanda side, there is Volcanoes national park in Musanze district where 320 mountain gorillas are protected. This is a quarter of the total population of mountain gorillas in the world of about 900 individuals. It is a 2 hours drive from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda. it is the most convenient place to watch the gorillas in the wild as it is not so far from the international get way of Kigali international airport where the international vacationers interested in watching the gorillas land to enter Rwanda. There is nothing like driving a long distance to see the gorillas which is hectic.

Gorilla tracking usually involves walking in the jungles of volcanoes national park in search of mountain gorillas in a group of 8 persons under the stewardship of a gorilla patron. it takes around 2-6 hours to find the gorillas due to the fact that the gorillas keeping moving from one place to another looking for food and shelter which makes it somehow hard to track them at firsthand. Good enough the chances of meeting the gorillas in their natural setting while on a safari are 98%. This is implies that one is guaranteed of watching the gorillas at all time but the 2% is left for the benefit of the doubt where some serious hardship like war or any other natural hazards like hail storms can pop out that may make the trackers not see the gorillas. it is an exhilarating moment the gorillas in the wild as the trackers watch the gorillas forage, play around and also relate intelligently amongst each other. The trackers also have a photography session of taking interesting pictures of gorillas in the wild.

There are many exciting Rwanda gorilla safaris that are up for grabs! Just checkout some of the local tour operators who offer gorilla tracking safaris in the land of a thousand hills. Are you planning to take a budget trip? Many tour operators are offering affordable gorilla tour packages. The Rwanda gorilla safari is a dream vacation to every eco tourist and he/she has the opportunity to come very close to nature and appreciate it to the fullest. Interacting with the gorillas in their natural environment is the closest mankind gets involved with wild animals.  Gorillas are terrestrial animals and very gentle animals that tolerate hanging out with mankind at a close range in the wild.