Our last day of 2012 was also the best day of 2012. We had been looking forward to our visit with the Mountain Gorillas since the start of the year when we booked the trip. We could hardly believe we were finally going to come face to face with these famous, respected, and still endangered primates. And we still can’t believe that one of us came extremely close to a gorilla, but I’ll come to that in a minute.
We started the day at the Volcanoes National Park’s Kingi Head Quarters where we waited for the warden to match visitor groups with gorilla families. A performance from local singers and dancers, complete with drumming and hair flicking helped the excitement build. 
Our group of six were then introduced to our guide ‘Emanuel’ who gave us a short briefing about what to expect for the day. He told us that we had ‘Isabakuru’, which was the best group because there were two silverbacks and five babies, and a total of 14 gorillas (the groups tend to average around 10).
A short, bumpy ride later and we were at the base of the Virunga Mountains in a small village. Here we got two porters for the group, who gave us each walking sticks, and off we set, up through the terraced farmland. 
Our guide spotted a chameleon, which we each held – a delicate and curious little thing who was no doubt starting his colour-changing process. 
The next stop was under a grove of eucalyptus trees, where Emanuel proceeded to imitate a gorilla eating the leaves, which they do when they have colds and sniffles. 
It took about an hour to get to the stonewall, which the Park had built to protect the villagers and their crops from buffalo. This was the point where we met the guys who had been tracking the Isabakuru family, and where the jungle began. The jungle was incredibly dense and there was a great deal of mud to contend with, but the lush green palms, vines and moss-covered trees were all part of the attraction, and we had geared ourselves up for a challenging climb. Not long after we entered the jungle, there was a stir because there were signs of a buffalo nearby, so we had to make a small detour off the track, while one of the trackers stood guard with his rifle. 
We trekked through the jungle for about 2.5 hours until we heard the news we were waiting for. The family was nearby, so we quickly had last minute snacks and drinks, ditched our packs, grabbed our cameras, and went about 100 metres along the track – gorillas, although habituated, don’t respond well to walking sticks and bags.
Then, all of a sudden, we were standing a few metres away from the dominant silverback huddled with two of the infants, under an arched log, sheltering from the rain. It is a strange moment when you first lay your eyes on a Mountain Gorilla.
It is quite surreal, and you feel a bit like you’ve walked in on someone unannounced. We all stared in amazement, which was obviously too much for Isabukuru, as he got up and started a charge towards us. We all stayed in the same spot, but crouched down, trying to make ourselves as small and non-threatening as possible. This seemed to work as he returned to his posy and sat there with arms folded, looking at us belligerently.
The rain had become very heavy by this point, so our guide suggested we retreat to the tree where we had left our bags. It was hard to sit there waiting for the rain to subside, as our 5 minute encounter had given us a flavor of what was to come.
The ‘short rains’ weren’t as short as we would have liked, but after about 40 minutes, we returned to the same position to resume our visit. This time Isabukuru had come out of his rain shelter, and upon hearing us return, we were greeted with him crashing through the foliage, pounding his chest and making his hollow-knocking noise with his mouth. Again, we shrunk in size and froze. Happy that he had again asserted his authority over us, he went and sat down and began munching away on grass and shoots, pleased that he had shown us who was boss.
An infant gorilla lurked in the background, not as confident and as relaxed as its leader. When Isabukuru moved around from patch to patch, we got to see the distinct silvery-white colouring on his back, and the true form of the muscles across his chest and buttocks. As he ate we saw the power in his jaw as he made mince-meat of the tough thistles. His tight-leathered sausage fingers were his greatest tool – helping him pick and maneuver the stalks, and itching and scratching where necessary. 
Once he had finished eating, and perhaps because he’d grown tired of us, he wandered off down the track, and then made his own path into the bush. We followed him, so he decided a third and final charge would put us in our place. Apparently in Isabakuru’s past, he has let his guard down, which has been detrimental for his family, so it was completely understandable that he wanted to remind us that we were strangers visiting him and his family.
We scrambled across some of the steeper parts of the bank and saw a small blackback enjoying a snack in the sun that had come out. There was also a new member to the group – a ‘divorcee’ that our guide had not seen before, and she was pregnant. She sat quietly for some time, and then decided she would excuse herself and find another spot further up the bank, except there was an unidentified object in her way………Hayden.
We all froze – with the exception of our cameras – as this lovely female gorilla, slowly approached Hayden, who was crouched on the bank, and ever so gently gave him a nudge with her hand, signalling she wanted to pass. Hayden leaned to one side, so she could squeeze pass, as he grinned from ear to ear. We couldn’t believe how peacefully she had made her exit, and that she had opted to pass by Hayden instead of elsewhere up the bank.
It took a few minutes to recover from this amazing encounter, but time was precious, so we shuffled along the bank and positioned ourselves to watch one of the females who we’d seen earlier with the youngest baby of the group – a 6 month old, who was clinging onto Mum’s back for dear life.
Mother and baby had settled in a cosy, grassy nest and as she ate, the little one suckled away enjoying the sun in the milk. Apparently gorillas aren’t big fans of the rain, so when the sun shines after a wet spell they make the most of it. 
This mother gorilla was obviously pleased to allow her little one the chance to warm up in the sunshine, as she had untucked it from the crook of her arm. This allowed us a good glimpse of her baby with its round little marble eyes and black-button nose. Then as a sign she had finished her lunch, and perhaps wanted some peace, she flopped down on her back with the baby resting on her chest. This was our cue to allow Mum and baby some rest time and we now had only a few more minutes left in our visit.
We scrambled in a mad dash across a hill of vines and tangled branches, and sat at the base of the bank where we could see the second, beta silverback. He seemed quite content with his high, look-out position and not bothered by us in the least. Perhaps he knew that his fellow silverback had sorted us out previously, and we were nothing to worry about.
Then our hour was over. We were obviously sad to say goodbye, but grateful to Isabkauru and his family for tolerating our visit and happy to leave them to enjoy the sun near the top of the volcano. We practically danced back down the mountain, elated by our encounter with the gorillas, and appreciative of the downward slopes. With heavy, muddy legs we reached the village 2 hours later, thanked and said goodbye to our porters, and received our ‘graduation certificates’.
That evening, New Year’s Eve, we swapped stories with our fellow travellers about the gorilla families they had visited, and shared the videos and photos we had captured, in a desperate attempt to preserve every precious moment of our amazing one hour experience.
I think it was only the adrenalin of the day that helped us make it past midnight. As soon as we welcomed in 2013, we went to bed thinking of Isabakuru and his family, and wondering where the other mountain giants would be sleeping that night.
Handy things to know for gorilla trekking
Preparation
- Fitness: if you can, try to make sure you’re fit enough to tackle some steep slopes and difficult terrain – expect the worst and then if it’s not that bad, long, muddy, then it’s a bonus
- Hydration: take as much water as you (or your porter) can carry, and keep sipping throughout the day
- Energy: snacks that will give you bursts of energy and ‘slow-release’ fuel are important – it’s also nice if you have something that you can share with the guide, porters and trackers – although they certainly don’t expect it, they do seem to appreciate it.
On the day
- Porters: we had two porters between a group of 6 – these guys were worth their weight in gold! Not only were they always there when you needed a helping hand, a shove, or a stinging nettle machetted to oblivion, they literally took a load off our shoulders. Don’t try to be a hero, get a porter and you will not regret it.
- Camera gear: the last thing you want is to go all that way, pay all that money, and not be able to use your camera because it is bucketing down. We took a rugged, waterproof camera, and others in the group had black bin bags and ponchos to protect their SLR cameras.
- Wet weather gear: as well as protecting your camera, you need the kit to keep yourselves dry and happy. You will enjoy the gorilla experience more if you’re not shivering to death. We had good quality rain jackets and trousers, and remained bone dry. These additional layers also help to protect from the stinging nettle that is everywhere, and can surprisingly penetrate walking trousers and long-sleeved tops.
- Patience: expect to wait around a bit before you set off on your trek. There are dancers and singers to keep you entertained at Kingi headquarters, as well as a gift shop.
- Lucky dip: you have no control over which gorilla family you will get assigned to – some families will be closer to your start point than others. We walked for 3.5 hours whereas other groups only trekked 1.5 hours. It’s all part of the adventure, so you just have to roll with what you get and remember how privileged you are to be there at all!
Being a responsible visitor
Visitor numbers to the Volcanoes National Park are limited to 80 permits per day, which may not seem like much, but it’s important to think about the footprint you’re leaving behind. Here are some tips to ensure that you’re a responsible visitor:
Thank you to Bernadette Cheeseman for the “brush with a gorilla” video and thank you to Sam Bell for the photo of Isabukuru under the tree and Hayden with the gorilla. If you enjoyed reading this travel blog, please let us know and leave a comment below.
- Everything you take onto the mountain, should come back from the mountain – this includes all rubbish
- Ask first: not everyone wants to have their photo taken, and this includes local villagers, the porters and trackers – ask people first before you take their photo – and if they say no, then respect their wishes
- Village children: children from the local villages will be excited to see you, and it’s fine to wave, say hello and chat away to them. Some may ask for money, or items such as drink bottles, and although you might think it’s nothing to give away a few francs or sweets, those kids might then take to the mountain on a regular basis in hope of such rewards…….skipping school in the process. Remember too that 10% of your permit fee is being re-invested into these villages, so you are making a contribution in other ways
- Tipping: It’s common and decent to tip the guide, the porter/s and the trackers (who you will meet halfway up the mountain). These are the guys who stay with the gorilla families, protecting them from poachers’ snares (intended for other animals) and record key details for research purposes – they are also the reason why you don’t spend all day wandering over the mountains, as they locate the gorilla family and inform the guide as to the gorillas’ location. Make sure you tip these guys directly, and separate from the guide. For the porters, their going rate is $10 US, which is nothing when you realize the pain they have saved you from. They are also only allowed to be a porter once a week (many are farmers the rest of the time), so a 50% tip or more will go a long way.
- Good behaviour: visiting Mountain Gorillas is a privilege, not an entitlement – your guide will run you through what to do, but in general, remember not to use your flash when photographing the gorillas, don’t try to make noises like a gorilla (or any other animal for that matter), and take turns getting your perfect shot. We had 4 other very considerate visitors in our group, which made for a fun and enjoyable visit. Above all else, obey your guide – he or she knows what they’re doing, and are there to look out for you and the gorillas.
