by Wendy Fougner
For years I have wanted to travel to Africa and witness mountain
gorillas in their natural habitat. This past December on a trip through
Southern Africa, Bruce and I embarked on two gorilla trekking tours, one in
Uganda, the other in Rwanda. Being just inches away from mountain gorillas was
a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Gorillas are found in the Virunga Mountain Range bordering
the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Following advice from Lesli in our office, we
decided to see the gorillas twice, once in both Uganda and Rwanda. There are
some differences in how each country handles gorilla trekking. Both countries
require you to obtain a permit for your gorilla trek; in Uganda the cost of the
permit is $500 USD, in Rwanda the cost is $750 USD. The permit covers a one-day
trek including an hour spent with the gorillas. In Uganda there are multiple
starting points from which to start your trek, while in Rwanda there is a
single starting point. In both countries you can hire a porter to assist you
during the trek; in Uganda porter service is $15, in Rwanda the cost is $10. I would
recommend hiring a porter as they help carry your bags and it is also a good
way to support the local economy.
Our first gorilla trek was in Uganda. We woke early in the
morning and were driven to the starting point of our trek. Before setting off
into the jungle, we were given a presentation on proper behavior when viewing
the gorillas, and then we were divided into small groups. Each group was
assigned two guides—one who would stand at the front of the group, one at the
back—plus another person with a rifle for protection. We set off on our trek
through the jungle, starting on a nice, man-made path. Meanwhile, trackers were
already deep in the thick of the jungle, searching for the current location of
gorillas. As we ventured closer to the gorillas, the nice path led to a small
trail in the brush which eventually disappeared, leaving us in the lush, dense
jungle. Our guides cut through thick leaves and hanging branches as we
continued further, until all of a sudden on my left I saw them, a family of
mountain gorillas, on the side of a bank.
There was a lot of activity on the bank as the gorillas
interacted with one another. The little ones were playing, rolling around over
each other, climbing up trees and shaking the plants. When we arrived, the
Silverback was laying on the bank acting “asleep,” and then slowly sat up and
allowed the group to take pictures. It seemed as though the gorillas were
engaging us in a performance, were acting for us. That is not to say that they
are trained or coerced in any way, or that what they are doing is fake—in fact
it is very real. Rather, the gorillas are perceptive animals that have learned
what we find amusing and they enjoy performing.
During the first gorilla trek, the experience was so unique
and I was so mesmerized by the gorillas, that I spent most of the time trying
to capture everything on film, rather than simply watching and taking in the
experience. It was still an incredible day, but I was grateful to have another
chance to see the mountain gorillas once again. Our second gorilla trek was in
Rwanda, and the experience here was more professional than in Uganda. All of
the gorilla treks leave from a central point where there is an information
centre with real bathrooms and information boards providing pictures and
descriptions of the area. The guides were also much more personable than in
Uganda, so I could see why the trek cost more.
We drove from the information centre to the starting point
of our trek and set off into the jungle, just as we had in Uganda the day
before. Again, the guides bushwhacked through the thick of the jungle until we
finally reached the family of mountain gorillas. There was a lot more activity
amongst these gorillas and I felt more of a connection to the family. There
were 13 in the family and I remember the guides describing them as “lucky 13.”
The young ones were rolling around, playing in the bush and trying to get our
attention. One actually came up to us, played with my shoelaces and grabbed
Bruce’s leg trying to get him to play! The guides, who know how to speak
gorilla, told the little one “no” and he backed off. The Silverback, again, was
asleep when we arrived and then proceeded to sit up and let us take his
picture. One mother was posing in different positions, once again performing
for the audience. Spending more time just watching the gorillas on the second
day, I was able to appreciate how intelligent and intuitive these animals
really are.
Reflecting on my encounter with the mountain gorillas, I
still feel a sense of awe at their playfulness and intelligence. Mountain
gorilla trekking was truly an amazing and once-in-a-lifetime experience, and if
it isn’t already on your bucket list, it should be!
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