The moment had arrived, our small gorilla trekking group had not been able to sleep given the excitement for what we were about to do!
Trekking day had arrived and we were going into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda to search for the Silverback Mountain Gorilla!
We were all up extra early, the excitment that lay ahead of us was almost too much to handle! There was also a little ‘uncertainty’, I mean, how long would we have to trek before finding the gorillas, and then the big question,would we actually see these amazing creatures?
Dressed in our camoflage gear and comfortable hiking boots, we walked for about two hours until we reached the forest area. The walk itself wasn’t too hectic but it was very humid! Once in the forest the trekking went a bit slower. There were branches and tree stumps everywhere and we were bushbashing through it, everyone had to watch their step a bit more carefully.
After about 45 minutes we came around a bend and there they were – a whole family of gorillas! What an awesome and unforgettable moment in my life! Definitely the highlight of all my travels! It is impossible to explain the feeling I had watching these spectacular creatures, an experience that I will never forget. According to our guide, we were watching the Bitukura gorilla family. The young gorillas were playing, just like children rolling and tackling each other. One or two gorillas also farted, very loud and quite funny! The adult gorillas were just chilling in the shade chewing on branches and leaves. The silverback male was indeed a gentle giant but I knew that his mood could change very quickly if any enemy threatened his family.
All too soon our time with the mountain gorilla family was over and we had to head back to camp, with many fond memories and photos to accompany us.
You can experience this, and more, yourself on our new Gorillas and Plains 16 day tour with Encounters Travel.
BY: MARIANA PAULSEN | 2012-08-07
