Ibere rya Bigogwe

Ibere rya Bigogwe is a pair of rounded granite outcrops rising from the high pastures of Nyabihu, in country where long-horned cattle are herded and the associated songs, milk traditions and vocabulary are still in daily use. A community tourism project runs walks up to the rocks with local guides, taking in the herding, a milking demonstration and views over the Virungas and the Congo Nile ridge. The climb is short and the country is open.

What you actually see

• The granite outcrops - two rounded rocks rising from the high pasture.
• The cattle herding - long-horned cattle and the traditions around them.
• The milk customs - milking and the vocabulary and songs that go with it.
• The ridge views - the Virungas and the Congo Nile divide from the top.

When to go

June to September and December to February are the drier windows. The pastures are greenest just after the rains. Mornings are clearest for the volcano views.

Honest expectations

Walks must be arranged through the community project rather than turned up for. The demonstrations are staged for visitors, though the herding around them is real. Facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Musanze is east, and Rubavu is west on Lake Kivu.