Gorillas and VIPs: Rwanda, a five-star paradise for wealthy tourists

It is a unique show in the world, which requires patience and discretion. To hope to see a family of mountain gorillas, you have to trudge through the humid bamboo jungle at the foot of the verdant Virunga range, eight volcanoes shared by Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. In the slush of this rainy morning, we sink up to our knees, walking stick in hand, behind the guide. And then, a good hour and a half later… the magic. A few meters away appears the black silhouette of the colossus. “We call him Mr. Morambo, points the national park ranger, rifle slung over his shoulder at a good distance from the giant with the wet coat, which emerges from the ferns. He is the only male of the group, recognizable by his silvery back. At the head of a harem of eight females and as many young, the father of the family leads his band in this Garden of Eden, without paying attention to his audience.

The three hikers of the day are the new employees of a neighboring luxury hotel, scouting to better sell the excursion to their customers. And guarantee them an unforgettable moment – at a price that is too. The entry permit alone costs $1,500. The less sporty – and the wealthiest – will choose the helicopter option, around 15,000 dollars. In other words, a fortune for the average Rwandan, whose annual income amounts to 830 dollars.

The target of this elite tourism is rich and foreign, a choice assumed in this small country of 13 million inhabitants, held with a steel hand by Paul Kagame for twenty-two years. “In 2017, we doubled the price of the ‘gorilla permit’ because we wanted to position Rwanda as a high-end destination, pleads Ariella Kageruka, in charge of tourism at the Rwanda Development Board, the public body dedicated to the economic development of the country. The ecotourism model on which we rely is incompatible with mass attendance.”

The president quickly grasped the other major interest of such a project: to polish his international reputation by selling a safe and select trip, while promoting the rebirth of a State marked with a red iron by the genocide of the Tutsis, in 1994. In short, a success story without a hitch, far from the tarnished image of the leader, accused of human rights violations at home and in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. In mid-April, Paul Kagame also made a name for himself by signing an agreement with the United Kingdom worth 141 million euros to welcome asylum seekers whom London does not want, in defiance of international conventions.

“There were only 250 gorillas left”

If they ever arrive in Kigali – the first flight was canceled in extremis after a decision by the European Court of Human Rights – these migrants will probably never meet tourists passing through. Most of them only spend a few hours in the capital before heading to one of Rwanda’s four national parks. There, the premium circuits are signposted. At Akagera Park (north-east), safari lovers will come across the “Big Five” among the 8,000 wild animals: elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, lions and leopards.

But the jewel of Rwanda, the flagship product touted on all tourist brochures, remains the mountain gorilla. This extremely rare species, of which the Virunga massif is one of the only two habitats in the world, almost met a disastrous fate. “Between the 1960s and 1980s, the park lost 54% of its surface area, eaten away by agricultural activity. There were only 250 gorillas left”, explains Prosper Uwingeli, chief curator of the Virunga park, sporting a t- black shirt flocked with the slogan “Visit Rwanda”.

The first awareness programs were carried out from 1982 to fight against poaching. A world famous ambassador will make her fight: the American primatologist Dian Fossey, who was murdered in the park in 1985. It will be necessary to wait until the 2000s for a real conservation policy to begin. “The State has invested, promoted tourism and involved the surrounding communities, continues Prosper Uwingeli. The results are there: the Virunga massif has, according to the last census, in 2016, 604 gorillas.”

The plan worked almost too well since the animals are cramped today. The government plans to expand the area of ​​the park by 23% by 2030. No wonder, when you consider how lucrative the attraction has become. The increase in the price of the gorilla permit would have boosted tourism revenues by 17% – before the pandemic.

Lured by this potential, several luxury hotel chains have set up shop, such as Singita or One&Only, which has opened two sites since 2018. The latest, the “Gorilla’s nest” (“The Gorilla’s Nest”) ) is one of the most expensive hotels in the world. It is rumored that Leonardo di Caprio and Nicolas Sarkozy – a close friend of President Kagame – stayed there. In this green setting, at more than 2000 meters above sea level, located at the entrance to the Virunga Park, around twenty bungalows perched on stilts overlook a eucalyptus forest. A breathtaking view for ultra-luxury service, provided by 130 employees day and night. On site, there is a helicopter pad, swimming pool, gym, spa, restaurant and library. All for a minimum of 4,000 euros per night, and up to 20,000 for a stay on December 24.

The high-end tourism strategy

But at One&Only, we never talk about money, only “experience” counts. Neither the management nor the government has publicly disclosed the cost of this spectacular infrastructure. The Rwandan daily NewTimes mentioned an initial investment of 65 million dollars from the Emirati group Kerzner International. It will probably take years to make it profitable, especially since the health crisis has gone through it. In 2020, tourism revenues plummeted by 76%. “The government had to adapt by offering more reasonable prices to attract local tourists,” explains economist Teddy Kabekura.

The top-of-the-range strategy remains a priority, however, and it also concerns business tourism. The capital is the No. 1 destination, with the Kigali Arena, a 10,000-seat hall in the shape of an amphitheater and the Kigali Convention Center, which hosted the last Commonwealth summit in June. There too, radio silence on their cost, in this still poor country. At the Rwanda Development Board, Ariella Kageruka kicks into touch. “Beyond the infrastructure, you have to see the ecosystem that we have built to make the country accessible, thanks to a reliable airline (RwandAir), the ease of access to visas at the airport and all our efforts to make know Rwanda.” The proof hangs on the wall, just behind her: the red and white jersey of English football club Arsenal. Paul Kagame’s favorite team has displayed the slogan “Visit Rwanda” on the sleeves of its jerseys since 2018. Kigali disbursed 40 million dollars for this sponsorship contract. The following year, Kagame signed with PSG.

The small landlocked state does not intend to stop there. A monumental airport project is under construction in Bugesera, about forty kilometers from Kigali. This mega-contract, in which Qatar is the main investor, will have five terminals and is expected to cost $1.5 billion. “Located at a maximum of 5 hours flight from all African countries, Rwanda has a strategic position. This airport will therefore be able to connect Africa to the world”, pleads Ariella Kageruka. In the land of a thousand hills, no dream is too big.