Musanze is the town you go through to reach the gorillas. It lies at the foot of the Virunga volcanoes in the north-west of Rwanda, a high, cool town of tidy streets and bustling markets, with the cones of Bisoke, Karisimbi and Sabyinyo rising behind it like props from a film. The mountains are shared with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the border lies not far off. The population is large, more than eighty thousand, so Musanze has fuel stations, banks, supermarkets and a whole industry of guides and drivers.
The road from Kigali is well surfaced and runs about a hundred kilometres through a landscape of terraced hills, banana groves and small farms, climbing steadily as it goes. Rwanda is called the land of a thousand hills, and from the saddle of a motorcycle you feel every one. The curves are tight and frequent, the surface good, and the sights endless: people carrying huge loads on their heads, boys pushing bicycles stacked with sugar cane, and women in bright dresses at the roadside. Motorbike taxis, called motos, are everywhere, and their riders are brisk and skilled, so keep your distance and watch for sudden stops. Helmets are required by law, and traffic police are active.
The reason most people come is the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park, which can be visited on guided treks that must be booked in advance and are costly. Dian Fossey, the American primatologist, spent years studying them here and is buried near the research camp she founded on the slopes of Karisimbi. The park has helped the gorilla population to recover, and the revenue supports local communities. If you are not trekking, the lakes Burera and Ruhondo, a short drive away, are lovely, and the lava caves near Musanze are worth a visit.
The climate is cool and often wet, with two rainy seasons, from March to May and from October to November, and the roads can be slippery. The dry months of June to September are best for riding. Musanze is famous for its potatoes, and you will find them everywhere, fried, boiled or stewed with goat. Carry some small notes for the roadside stalls, and fill the tank in town before heading for Gisenyi and Lake Kivu.