Day 11 - Rainforest Canopy Walk

July 20, 2018

After an unexpected morning shopping adventure at an amazing little craft boutique, we continued southwest to Rwanda's Nyungwe National Forest.

We arrived at the Canopy Walk in the early afternoon and stepped out of the bus into the cool, crisp rainforest air. There were 13 of us who wanted to do the trek, so we headed up to the little visitor’s center to check in, pay the fee, and wait for our guide to brief us.

To get to the Canopy Walk, we had to hike “down down” (as our guide would say) on a skinny trail, weaving in and around the dense vegetation. About every 100 feet, we come to a clearing, allowing us to gaze upon the vast jungle beyond - breathtaking!

As we descended further, the Canopy Walk came into view. Built in 2010 by Canadians, it's composed of 3 suspension bridges hanging 60 meters above the forest floor. In total length, the walk spans 170 meters from beginning to end.

We arrived at the platform before bridge #1 and listened closely to our guide on how to best walk across without bouncing or swaying too much. No more than eight of us could go at once, so group by group, we took our first steps onto the shaky, creaky bridge. We tried our best not to look down, but it’s hard when you have to watch your every step!

The second of the 3 bridges was the longest at 90 meters. Those brave enough would pause in the middle, let go of the handrails, and balance as best they could while trying to snap some quick photos of the stunning views surrounding us. It was pretty impossible to capture the true exhilaration of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, but we did our best – see the pics below!

SIDE STORY: While the adventurers were trekking through and above the rainforest, Janet took the time to relax in the bus, and bury herself in the book, Sapiens. Laying across the seats facing upward, her head was towards the open bus door, and our intrepid bus driver Emmanuel was snoozing in the driver’s seat, enjoying the calmness of the surrounding nature – when all of a sudden, they were startled by a violent ruckus in the back of the bus. A big black MONKEY had snuck through the door, crept right past Janet’s head, and was rummaging through Sydney and Grace’s snack bag! Once the bandit realized he had been made, he snatched an unopened bag of potato chips and raced out of the bus, past a shrieking Janet, and scrambled up a tree, where he made himself comfortable, opened the bag, and munched away with a look of great satisfaction.

A thrilling day for all of us – indeed!