First Gorilla Hike

Had a good sleep in my tented camp which was really just a hotel room under canvas.  A bit of luxury in the jungle.  After breakfast I was driven to the meeting point for the trekkers.  In the Buhoma area of Bwindi, three groups of eight trekkers are allowed one hour with the gorillas each day.  I was one of the lucky eight going to see the Mubare family, a family of 16 gorillas located a 45 minute drive away.  In my 8 were the young New York couple that I met on the Areolink flight.  They were staying at another hotel but we were to hike together after all.

This is where I stayed.

Luxury in the Jungle:  Two kingsized beds in my tent.

There was also a shower and this tub with a window looking out into the rainforest. 

After the drive we began a hike up through a village and into the park.  Most villagers have small farms and I saw small plots of sweet potatoes, bananas, tea, and coffee. The coffee trees were in full bloom and so fragrant.  There was no question as to where the park boundary started.  There was no sign or gate, but there were trees.  It is illegal to cut trees in the park or to harvest any of the native fruits or plants that grow there so as you approach you see a distinct difference in the landscape.

Flame tree in the foreground and tea in the background.

An easy upward start to our hike.

Fragrant coffee tree.

Taking a breather!

Initially we were on a bit of a trail but it was quite rugged in sections.  I had debated as to whether to hire a porter but was so glad that I did. Yes, it was a luxury to have someone carry my pack but the real value was in his assistance with the terrain. I am reasonably fit but my knees have taken a beating over the years and I had tweaked my right achilles two weeks before the trip. Without Johnson's help I am sure that I would have fallen, twisted an ankle or injured a tendon.  He kept me safe.  At $15 US per day, it was the smartest money I spent.  Later I learned that the porters are lucky to get one or at most two days of work per month.  If you ever go to see the gorillas, hire a porter.  You are supporting the local people and like me, you might discover that you really need it.

Me and my porter, Johnson!

This lovely young couple was celebrating a delayed honeymoon, 10 years later!

Blue Devil Fan in the Jungle!

Johnson kept a close and attentive eye on me and had no apparent difficulty with the terrain.  The group included two armed guards with AK47s to protect us from stampeding mountain elephants.  We didn't see any but later I heard that another group did.  They are dangerous and unpredictable.   The group also included two guides with walkie-talkies and they were in constant contact with another two guides who had left hours earlier to locate the gorillas. The length of your hike is unpredictable and depends entirely on where the gorillas decide to be that day.  Trackers locate them and then direct the guides to them.  We were walking one way and I was at the back with Johnson as I was clearly the weakest link in our fairly young group.  At one point there was a lot of walkie talkie traffic we were directed to turn around and head back to where we had come from.  Now I was at the front and Johnson kept pushing me on.   We got separated from the group and were following the head guide and I could tell that we must be getting close.  Now we were deep in the jungle. There was no trail and moving was tricky.  The incline was incredibly steep, the undergrowth was damp and slippery and the vines were a constant trip hazard.  Now I was really glad for Johnson.  A turn or two later and Johnson pulled, whispered and pointed.  There, in front of me was a gorilla.  Eventually the entire trekking group caught up and we moved a bit further ahead to
where we found the silverback and the whole family.  We sat and watched them for an hour.  They were feeding, grooming and resting, all within 8 to 15 feet from us. Later, Johnson
whispered that I was the first to see the gorillas in our group.  I suspected that was what he was up to as he kept pushing me to stay with the tracker.

First sighting!