My name is Emma-Marie Umurerwa, and I am the mother of two wonderful sons, I am a Rwandan journalist with over 10 years of experience in the field of journalism. As a Rwandan born and raised in Rwanda, I never thought about visiting Nyungwe National Park or any of the country’s other parks and natural attractions.
Recently, I was invited by the Rwanda Environmental Journalists’ Association in collaboration with Fojo (Fojo is Sweden’s leading institute for media development) to attend a three-day workshop on “Empowering Environmental Journalism for Sustainable Impact.” The workshop was to be held in Nyamagabe District, and part of the program included a visit to the Nyungwe Canopy Walkway and the Ndambarare Waterfall.
First Impressions
On the first day, we arrived at Nyungwe Park in the evening. Along with my 40 fellow journalists, we were warmly welcomed by the park rangers, who gave us a brief description of Nyungwe National Park, focusing on the area we were going to visit that evening – the Canopy Walk.
I was filled with excitement about experiencing the canopy walk.
We were given walking sticks to help us avoid getting tired, as the hour-long journey involves going through the dense forest with ups and downs.
Stepping into the Canopy Walk
The tour guides divided us into groups, and my group was led by a young man named Moise. The instructions we received before starting our journey included not making noise, as it disturbs the park’s animals, and not littering such as leaving bottles of water or other rubbish stuff in the park.
Finally, we set off and eventually reached the canopy walk. The sight of this aerial path made my heart beats. I told one of my colleagues that I felt like my heart was going to stop, and I couldn’t go on the canopy.
My colleague laughed at me and told me that if I didn’t go on the canopy, I would miss out, and he assured me to be by my side. Moise also noticed my fear and reassured me that he would stay close to me.
However, I wasn’t the only one who was scared; I could hear my other colleagues, both men and women, exclaiming, “Oh my God, we are doomed.”
The guides instructed us not to go all at once but to keep a distance between each other. We divided into groups of five. I joined the second group and took my first step on the canopy, my heart pounding as if I was going to die. With each step, my group encouraged me, saying, “Courage Emma, keep going,” and I pressed on. However, halfway through, what I would call the second bridge, I became overwhelmed with fear and started crying, worried about leaving my children behind.
Let me tell you that this canopy walk is 170 meters long and 70 meters high.
We were warned not to look down, but I made the mistake of doing so midway through the second bridge, which intensified my fear.
Moise, our tour guide, reassured me, saying there was nothing to fear. He told me that thousands of tourists had walked on this canopy, and it was very safe. He advised me to watch where he stepped and follow his lead.
As he described the beauty of the canopy, I listened to the birds singing all around. I began to feel more confident and proud of this incredible achievement in my life. We continued our journey and successfully completed it peacefully.
I am now proud to be among the Rwandans who have walked the Nyungwe National Park canopy.
Nature’s Symphony
On the third day of our workshop, in the afternoon, we visited another part of Nyungwe National Park-the Ndambarare Waterfall”.
The place is stunning, with water cascading down the mountain. It is a perfect spot for photos. The park manager, Mr Protain Niyigaba, told us that this spot was discovered only two years ago and has become one of the most popular attractions for tourists.
That’s how we concluded our journey in Nyungwe National Park. I extend my gratitude to REJ and FOJO Media Institute for organizing this workshop.
An invitation to All
I encourage Rwandans and foreigners alike to visit Nyungwe National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. I wish you a wonderful visit to Nyungwe National Park, a beautiful park with many natural attractions.
Photo: REJ
By Emma-Marie Umurerwa
