Uganda
Gorilla trekking
D-Day had arrived! After a light breakfast, we drove just a couple of minutes from our hotel to the starting point at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The scene was clearly touristy—jeeps, guides, and visitors bustling everywhere. We had the honour of tracking the "Mucunguzi family". Our trek took a total of 7 hours, including one unforgettable hour spent observing them. Some groups were luckier, meeting their gorilla families within just an hour. At the start of the day, visitors are divided into groups—often based on age & condition—so older participants are usually assigned to gorilla families located closer to the starting point of the trek.
Traditional dance ceremony by women
While our guides sorted out our permits, local women entertained us with a traditional dance performance.
Gorilla trek
Once the dance ended and the permits were ready, we were split into groups of up to eight people, each assigned to track a different gorilla family. Our group got assigned to track the “Mucunguzi” family, which consists of 15 gorillas, including one silverback, four females, several infants, and even a baby. After a quick introduction and briefing, we drove 30 minutes to the trailhead where our trek would begin. The trek was tough—four hours of pushing through dense forest. Some groups found their gorillas in just an hour, but we had to venture deeper. This trek definitely requires good fitness: steep climbs, descents, and thick underbrush are part of the journey. When we finally reached the gorillas, we were granted a precious hour to observe them. We started about 10 meters away, but the curious youngsters soon approached us. One baby gorilla playfully tugged on the tracker’s stick, much to everyone’s delight. The family was lively—infants playing, tumbling over each other, a baby climbing trees, female gorillas sparring, and the silverback stepping in to break up a scuffle. After our hour was up, we hiked back for about two hours to reach our vehicle. We then decided to drive back to Kigali that same day.
