Butembo
This Busy Village With A Population Of Over 100,000 Is Situated In The Highlands Along The “Beauty Route” Just North Of The Equator, About Halfway Between Goma And Bunia. Many Banana, Coffee And Tea Plantations Are In The Area. Travelers Driving From Rwindi Often Spend The Night Here Before ContinuŽing On T° Mt. Hoyo Or The Ruwenzori Mountains.
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North of Goma
North of Goma On the drive from Goma northward one passes over the dramatic Kabasha Escarpment to Butembo. The route from the Kabasha Escarpment to Beni is one of the most beautiful in Africa and is properly named the "Beauty Route." The road passes through many picturesque villages, coffee, tea and banana plantaŽtions the Africa that many of us have pictured in our minds.
Rwindi
Rwindi Continuing North Towards Rwindi Are The Rutshuru Waterfalls And Maji Ya Moto Hot-Water Springs, Both Near Rutshuru. Rwindi Is The Chief Game-Viewing Region Of Virunga NaŽtional Park. Predominantly Composed Of Savannah Plains And Swamps, Rwindi Has The Greatest Concentrations Of Hippo In The World (About 23,000). Lion In Rwindi Are Known For Their Unusual Ability To Kill Hippo. The Kabasha Escarpment Rises Up To 6000 Feet (1830 M) Above The Plains Below And Provides A Dramatic Backdrop For Wildlife Which Includes Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Lion, Hyena, Jackal, Waterbuck, Reedbuck, Bushbuck, Topi, Thomas Kob, Defassa Kob, Crocodiles And Numerous Aquatic Birds. The Fishing Village
The Butawu Route
The Butawu Route The Butawu Route Is The Only Route Regularly Used On The Zaire Side Of The Ruwenzoris. All Other Routes Are So Overgrown With Vegetation That They Are Virtually Impossible To Climb. On The First Day, It Takes Five To Six Hours Of Hiking From The Park Headquarters At Mutsora (5600 Ft./1700 M) Through Small Fields Of Bananas, Coffee, And Other Crops To Reach Kalonge Hut (7015 Ft./2135 M). The Hut Sleeps 16 Persons, And There Is Room For Tents Nearby. On The Second Day, One Passes Through Areas With Giant Stinging Nettles And Bamboo Forest Over 100 Feet (30 M) High.