Rwanda is struggling to make a name for itself as a destination country which is tough considering they’re best known for the tragic 1994 Genocide. That, and gorillas. The gorillas are Rwanda’s main draw but the tourism board is doing their best to push their other attractions.

Akagera National Park is one of this small country’s potential tourist draws but it’s a tough sell for anyone who will also be including any of the major game drive countries like Kenya, Tanzania or South Africa on their trip. Even the parks in nearby Uganda offer more animals which will make selling the park to potential tourists a tough one.

But for someone who has never been on a game drive and will only be visiting Rwanda on their trip, Akagera is a good way to get a taste of what an African safari is like. You won’t see nearly as many animals as you would in Kenya (and I still don’t believe that they have lions), but you’ll still get a glimpse of zebras, giraffes, hippos, crocs, buffalo, antelopes and, if you’re lucky, some elephants. For someone new to game drives, this is a pretty good introduction.

Once relegated to the realm of vaguely suspect activities – train hopping, dumpster diving and the like – Couchsurfing is now considered practically mainstream in the backpacker community. For those unfamilar with Couchsurf (CS), firstly: You’re welcome. I am confident you will thank your lucky stars for having been introduced to one of the greatest tools to be found in the back pocket of modern budget travelers.

The gist of CS is that it’s a worldwide network of travelers, and citizens who wish to offer a free bed/couch/floor/hammock/la-z-boy chair to said travelers. What keeps axe murderers and crazies from the using the website as a virtual game park, you ask? The members of CS do most of the inter-policing necessary by leaving references after the surf is completed, giving both parties an opportunity to sing each other’s praises, or conversely, warn others of that member’s sleazy come-ons, thoughtlessness, or any other flavour of inappropriate behaviour. Moreover, though anyone can create a free CS profile, achieving a verified status requires a small donation to the website using one’s credit card, so you can be assured at minimum that your guest/host is using a real name and address. These measures do not guarantee a positive experience, and you must be aware that, like most activities, there is a small risk – but it is pretty darn small.

Couchsurfing has reached the masses in Western countries but many people are astonished that CS is alive and well in places like Uganda and Egypt. In fact, CS hosts exist almost everywhere I have visited (including Somaliland!) in Northeast Africa, a colourful melange of locals and expats spanning the full spectrum of professions, ages and living situations. My diverse CS experiences have taught me a lot about how to score a great host – and how to avoid a sketchy one.

Safety first! If you’re new to CS, read through their site carefully; there is a ton of great information on there. If you are traveling solo, are a woman, or both, I recommend staying with a female host or couples/families whenever possible. If you do decide to contact a male host, read his profile information very carefully and use your instincts: Do all of his photos feature him in a speedo, flexing his biceps? Does he state he is only available to host women? Did he bother to fill out the sections about interests, music tastes, how he found out about couchsurfing – in other words, did he put effort into introducing himself through his profile? This stuff is important.

No matter who you are and who you stay with, make sure your host has a few substantial references (not only from their childhood friend or their brother), and check up on the profiles of a couple people who left those references to make sure they are verified, a.k.a., real people!

Choose a public location for the first meeting (even if it’s just the cafe next to their house) to give you a chance to size them up in person before moseying to their place, and always tell someone where you are going. My over-protective elder sister insisted on knowing who I was going to be surfing with (she is an avid CSer herself) and would write a friendly little hello message to my host, subtlely letting them know that she had an eye out and not to try any funny stuff. Make a joke of it, and there will be no hurt or weird feelings.

Although it’s nice to save money on accommodation, this is not the primary reason to couchsurf, and if that’s all you’re in it for, don’t bother; there is an abundance of reasonably priced accommodation in most tourist routes through Africa. More importantly, CS extracts you from the tourist bubble and allows you access to the insider knowledge, city secrets and specialized perspective of a city native, your host. Try using the keyword function on the CS search engine to find a host with whom you have something in common. This can be an interest (surfing, salsa dancing, etc.) or perhaps something you need accommodated such a physical limitation (wheelchair access) or dietary restriction. When possible, I surfed with other vegetarians so that we could swap recipes, cook together more comfortably, and instantly have common ground to discuss.

I heartily recommend surfing with a variety of locals and expats to experience various lifestyles and viewpoints. To give an example, I was hosted in Mombasa by an enthusiastic Kenyan who gave me a bang-up walking tour of the city markets and attractions, and graciously squeezed me into his 10-square-metre apartment for a few nights. My next host was a political officer with the U.S. embassy in Kampala; also a gracious host, my city tour unfolded from within his climate-controlled, power-locked SUV, and my few nights were spent in the plush guest bedroom with ensuite bathroom. Both experiences were incredible in their own ways, and gave me special lenses through which to see the cities I visited – certainly not typical of youth hostels or budget pensions!

East Africa is small! You’ll likely network with other travelers and hosts through your CS hosts, hooking you up with new travel buddies, friends and amazing activities. One of my hosts in Dahab, Egypt (pictured center, in the photograph above) towed my buddy and me along to an evening at his friend’s house – a Bedouin paradise smack dab in the middle of a starry desert! At another point in my trip, a German lady who hosted me in Ethiopia became a travel partner for a week, then went on to surf my sister’s couch in Israel! A Canadian I met during my travels hosted me in Rwanda – and also happens to be the founder of this website, and thus the very reason you are reading this right now! Couchsurfing truly opens doors.

Last, but not least, Couchsurfing is most successful when both parties are very thoughtful of each other’s needs. My best hosts were those who thought of the little things – a city map, jotting down emergency numbers for me, the things I needed to feel secure. Be thoughtful of your host in return; a little goes a long way! Cooking up a favourite dish from home to share, writing a thank-you card (bring a small stack of blank greeting cards along with you), washing up a pile of dishes – heck, picking up a package of toilet paper if your host is running low – are examples of things that contribute to a mutually happy experience.

Being a good surfer takes some effort, so if you’re feeling reclusive, save couchsurfing for a time when you have the energy and desire to be social and interactive. In my opinion, this is particularly crucial when staying with a local host (as opposed to an expat), for whom it is likely a point of pride to be able to show off their city and involve you in traditional activities, music, dance, and the like.

A word of caution, particularly for female travelers: There is a feature of the website that allows you to see other CSers who have recently logged in close to your location. While certainly handy for traveler meetups, this also sometimes results in a flood of, say, fifty enthusiastic messages from Egyptian male hosts, many inferring desires for sex, marriage, or both! Unfortunately this can happen in more macho cultures. Report the overtly inappropriate messages to the CS administrators, and be especially cautious choosing a host who contacts you first. Some are clearly prowling the website for women traveling alone to try to put the moves on.

Not too long ago, most of us would have thought it downright crazy to meet up with strangers to crash their pad in an unknown city. But thanks to the few eloquently simple safety measures that Couchsurfing has enforced, this homestay method can open doors to a whole new way of seeing the places we visit. Sooner or later, all couchsurfers encounter some sort of kooky or awkward experience, but rest assured that the majority of your surfs will be the highlights of your trip – and perhaps even be the starting points of lifelong friendships.

Most people will know that gorilla tracking in Uganda is the country’s prime primate tourist draw but few consider a stop to also visit our cousins, the chimpanzee. Chimp tracking can be done in a few places in Uganda and, though not as popular, it’s still pretty cool.

Chimp tracking permits in Uganda cost US$90 (or $70 for foreign residents and 60,000 Shillings for East Africans) which includes your guide fee but excludes the park entrance fee of US30 ($20 for foreign residents and 5,000 Shillings for East Africans). At less than a quarter of the price for gorillas, it’s a great quasi-budget option if you want some primate action but can’t justify shelling out 500 big ones.

I did my tracking in Kibale National Park which is meant to be the top spot but you can also look for them in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks. I went in late November which was a good time to go. I was part of a safari trip that was taking in various spots around the country and therefore had a vehicle to take me to the park. You’d have a very hard time getting there on your own and, even if you did, you might still be asked to drive further in your own vehicle to where the trail starts. So, in short, you’re not going to be able to take the bus to this place. Your best bet is to organise a vehicle in Kampala or in nearby Fort Portal (which seems like a nice town to hang out in for a few days anyways).

Once you get to the park and pay your fees you’ll be given a briefing including such valuable information as what to do when a chimp charges you. This takes about 10 minutes and then the group will be divided up and sent with individual guides. There were 13 people total and were divided into three groups and off we went.

After a short drive to the start of the path we entered the thick forest with our guide who as sporting an AK-47 in case of elephant or buffalo encounters – both of which are very rare and neither of which I was hoping to see that morning. Our guide was slightly surly but answered questions when asked. She said they tracked chimps by listening to their calls and, if they weren’t making much noise, she said they looked at the trees. I asked what she looked for when looking at the trees and she laughed and looked puzzled. It turns out she had actually said they ‘look in the trees’. So I guess when they weren’t talking, the best way to find chimps is simply to look up and hope for the best. Who knew?

After walking for around an hour we heard some calls and stormed off in that direction. They were moving fast so we had to be quick to catch up to them. After several incidents of ants in my pants and dancing down the path hitting my legs (make sure you have your pants tucked into your socks), we caught up to our friendly cousins, some of whom were taking a drink from a small stream.

I hadn’t expected to see the chimps on the ground at all. For some reason I thought most of our time would be spent craning our necks to see black, fuzzy blobs way up in the trees. As it turns out, they spent most of the time (groups get to spend a maximum of an hour with them) on the ground grooming each other, wandering around, snoozing and just basically chilling out. At one point they let out some squeals and the chimps stormed off to investigate a baboon sighting so off we went after them. Eventually it was time to feed and they all shot up into the trees and fruit seeds and pee started to rain from the skies.

I was surprised at how close we were able to get to the chimps and how many there were. I put my camera away for most of the encounter (the evidence is in my terrible photos) and just enjoyed being around them. Binoculars would be an advantage so you can zoom in on their facial expressions but, even without them, it was an amazing experience and you will certainly notice how human-like they are.

Add chimp tracking to your list of things to do in Uganda. The forest is beautiful and the encounter is one that you’ll remember for a long time. Especially if one of them pees on your head.

In Kampala there are two big backpackers. The taxi drivers know them and will greet you with ‘Chili? Backpackers? Where you going?’ Most backpackers who’ve passed through Kampala will have stayed at one of these places, many having done a rafting trip to Jinja with one of the affiliated rafting companies.

So how do you decide which one to stay at? You read this! I’ve stayed at both and can offer up some advice if you’re still on the fence. The problem is that both places are decent and there’s no real standout. But each has it’s pluses and minuses that I’ll share with you here.

Red Chili

This backpacker’s is out in the boonies. It’s set on beautiful grounds with lush trees and even a resident pig, but it really is out of the way. If you’re looking to enjoy hostel life before heading off on a rafting trip then it’s a great choice but if you’re in Kampala to enjoy the lively nightlife then Red Chili, tucked away down many scary, potholed roads (more than usual) might not be the best option.

The hostel bar is lively and a nice place to hang out with some comfy chairs. There are some larger tables which makes it easy to meet other travellers as you’re likely to be sitting with others. The food is pretty good and they even had real maple syrup on their pancakes! They have free internet on their computers and free wifi if you have your own. It wasn’t working the night I arrived but kicked in the following morning and it was pretty quick. Staff here are pretty friendly and the folks in the kitchen are really nice, too.

The showers are hot… almost too hot although that’s not something I’d ever complain about! The major downfall with this place (besides the location) is the beds. They’re pretty uncomfortable and the mosquito net tried to suffocate me several times.

Backpackers

This hostel is a lot more central and if you’re arriving by bus it’ll be your best bet as it’s pretty close to the Jaguar bus terminal and to the Old Bus Station as well. If you’re arriving from Rwanda you’ll actually drive right past it so ask your driver if he’ll drop you off.

This place didn’t feel as cozy as Red Chili, but there is still a lot of green space to enjoy. The common bar area isn’t as nice and the many small tables make meeting people a bit tricky. The internet here is free as well with three computers for you to use or wifi if you have your own. The connection was patchy and when it did work, it was really slow. On first impressions, staff here weren’t as friendly as at Red Chili. The food was good but they didn’t have many of the things on their menu.

The best thing about this place has to be the beds. I stayed in the dorm and it was one of the nicest dorm beds I’ve ever encountered. Made of wood, a pretty good mattress, great pillow and really nice sheets and a blanket. The mosquito net was also a bit saggy but after a few repairs it was fine. The showers closest too me didn’t have hot water on any of the three days I tried them. I was only actually able to locate one where it worked which was a small trek to the other side of the hostel.

What made you decide to volunteer?

Like a lot of people today I started feeling that my existence was becoming really superficial and very much oriented around the getting of things. So I decided to volunteer to get a better understanding of how others live and also to see how I would cope in another culture without the creature comforts I had become so accustomed to. I was in Rwanda and thought that if I really wanted to understand the people and how they get buy, volunteering in the local community would be the best way to do that.

How did you find your volunteer placement?

I found my volunteer placement through word of mouth. I had a friend in Rwanda who put me in touch with the organisers of the program.

What sort of work did you do?

I was teaching English to Primary 3 children at a very small community school. The class had 13 children aged between 8 and 17.

Do you feel like you made an impact?

I do feel like I made an impact. The children and the teacher were all really responsive to the lessons. And when the children or the teacher were stuck for a word in English they would ask, which I think is half the battle when learning English.

Did you grow as a person (learn about yourself) through volunteering?

I’m a much more patient person now! When teaching English to non English speakers there can be a level of frustration. Well frustration is futile! You need to be patient and move slowly. If people don’t understand, you need to take the time to help them understand.

Do you feel like you learned new skills through volunteering?

One of the new skills I feel I have started to learn is how to think outside the box. You don’t always have a lot of resources when on a placement, so you have to think how to make do with what you do have. I also learned from the Rwandan teacher that I taught with, how to really incorporate the different ways children learn. Instead of having the children just sit in the class and you stand there and teach at them, she was really good at taking them out of the class to reinforce a lesson.

How do you feel volunteering enhanced your travels?

Volunteering gives a whole new dimension to travel; you start to feel like a part of the country you’re visiting and not just an observer. You see the people you meet in a different light and it makes you feel more comfortable where you are. People are also more willing to interact with you if they see you’re there trying to help and not just there on a “people safari”.

Would you recommend this placement to others?

Absolutely, the Meg Foundation is a really worthwhile organisation. It was great to see that any money that I was happy to donate and the money from my accommodation contribution were going directly to the children and their needs.

Any advice for people who want to volunteer but are apprehensive?

Before you sign up ask as many questions as you want, if it doesn’t feel right, keep looking. If you get somewhere, and it doesn’t fit you and your personality, give it a bit longer, it takes time to get to feeling comfortable in a new environment. Be as open as you possibly can, the more open you are, the more you will get out of it. People love to learn about your home country and culture so communicate as much as you can, after all, you’re there for the experience!