Some people send postcards. Jill Leis sent full-blown dispatches – charming, candid, and completely captivated by everything from Kigali’s motorbike symphonies to lion feasts and lightning storms in the Mara. Her East African journey, expertly arranged by our Travel Expert, Justine Ryan, spanned three countries over the course of three remarkable weeks – each offering a distinctly different experience. And Jill documented it all in real time. The result? A first-hand account of what it really feels like to fall in love with Africa – stinging nettles, sunrise wake-ups, surprise bush birthdays, and all!
Sundown in Africa called for dancing, barefoot and brilliantly unfiltered, Image Credit: Magashi Camp
Kigali, With a Twist of Lime
Jill’s trip began in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital and unofficial gold medallist in urban efficiency. The city bustled with movement – motorbikes, bicycle taxis, and pedestrians all flowing together in a kind of organised chaos. But behind the speed and noise was something subtler: a surprising softness.
“It’s such a clean city – one of the cleanest places I’ve ever seen – and you can’t help but feel such a profound sense of community.”
Rwanda’s capital’s daily dance of colour, hustle, and quiet pride, Image Credit: Jill Leis
Between visits to the Niyo Arts Centre, Kimironko Market, the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, and Nyandungu Eco-Park, Jill and her partner, Robert, eased into the rhythm of Rwandan daily life. (And by “eased in”, we mean power-toured their way through Kigali before ending on a high with a cocktail-making class that may or may not have been taken a little too seriously.)
Then came the mountains. And with them, the gorillas.
From city buzz to gorilla zen – Africa shifts gears fast, Image Credit: Jill Leis
Welcome to the Jungle (We Have Nettles)
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge was their base near Volcanoes National Park, perched at an altitude and accessed via a mere 190 steps to the main lodge, then another 160 to their room. Fortunately, what waited at the top was worth it.
Cue the 5 a.m. wake-up calls and three consecutive days of trekking into the misty unknown – through fields, bamboo forests, and thick jungle terrain where “path” is a generous term. Jill’s crew were kitted out with gaiters, walking sticks, porters, and nerves of steel.
“Up at 5 a.m., our first gorilla trek was 17,000 steps through jungle – slippery, muddy sections thick with foot-grabbing vines and stinging nettles.”
Muddy boots, wild stares, and once-in-a-lifetime moments, Image Credit: Jill Leis
Each day delivered something different: the first glimpse of a two-week-old baby nestled in its mother’s arms; golden monkeys vaulting through bamboo thickets; a clearing full of juvenile gorillas using each other as jungle gyms under the relaxed, watchful gaze of two enormous silverbacks – occasionally playful, always aware.
“It was moody, misty and wet – the gorilla family members we visited were hunkered down in thick vegetation. We got peeks at adorable babies, including a two-week-old and a six-month-old.”
Golden monkey cameo – cheeks puffed, curiosity fully engaged, Image Credit: Jill Leis
Post-trek, the lodge turned into a full-blown recovery centre: muddy boots were whisked away, laundry returned for turndown, and massages served as a kind of spa-apology for the day’s nettle-induced trauma.
Hot water bottles were slipped between the sheets, along with the growing awareness that this wasn’t just a holiday – it was starting to feel like something more.
Post-hike paradise, complete with blankets, blooms, and balm, Image Credit: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Evenings brought a new kind of energy: staff singing and dancing for guests around the fire during Igitaramo, a local sundowner ritual.
“Our mouths were hanging open at their energy and head balancing skills (the wine bottle was full)!”
Evenings erupted in rhythm, laughter, and gravity-defying feats, Image Credit: Jill Leis
Lakeside and Low-Key Legendary
From there, Jill and Robert swapped misty mountains for lakeshores as they headed east to Akagera National Park. Magashi Camp was their first lodge on a lake – a quieter landscape of woodlands, swamp and savannah.
Akagera slowed the clock – and everything else, too, Image Credit: Magashi Camp
It was here they saw the Big 5 in under two days, but the real showstopper was a surprise birthday set-up away from camp, complete with sunset views and a dose of stillness they didn’t know they needed.
Wildlife, warmth, and a birthday to remember – Rwanda delivered, Image Credit: Jill Leis
And the country itself?
“There are genocide memorials throughout the country. Now, the people of Rwanda have forgiven and reconciled and no longer differentiate between the tribes – they are all Rwandans.”
“It’s a beautiful country and everyone we encountered was a gentle soul with huge smiles. Great ambassadors for their country, always asking us to spread the word and tell all our friends and family to visit their lovely land of 1,000 Hills.”
One people, one rhythm, one incredibly welcoming nation, Image Credit: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Next Stop? The Mara
And so, with muddy boots, full hearts, and laundry that smelled better than ever before, Jill and Robert waved goodbye to Rwanda and boarded a bush flight bound for the next chapter: Kenya.
Thinking of planning your own adventure? Our Travel Experts, like Justine Ryan, know exactly how to craft a journey that feels like it was made just for you.
Stay tuned – the lions, lightning storms, and one vintage bar truck named Eleanor await in the next instalment of Jill’s East African journey.
