The main attraction...

Yes, the main attraction of most people's trips to Rwanda (and Uganda) involve the Mountain Gorilla.  I started with this photo because it shows what lots of us are feeling in the moment---this photo is sort of like a psychological test---is the gorilla frustrated, sad or just being lazy in the time of social distancing?  COVID-19 has already taken a toll on the Mountain Gorillas.  We are genetically so close that diseases humans have (colds, flu, etc) can be spread to the Gorillas.  Under normal circumstances,  a viewing distance is monitored by the park ranger,  but since we don't know what (if anything) COVID-19 will do to the Gorillas, Rwanda has temporarily stopped all visits.  Ugandan visits are basically on hold because the borders are closed and there are no tourists there to visit the Gorillas.  That is OK in the short term out of an abundance of caution, but in the long term it could  destroy the  progress made against poachers.  Poaching was reduced because other ways to make money were  introduced  with  tourism---from trackers to find the  gorillas, to wait staff in restaurants and park rangers to provide security for both tourists and the animals, as well as craft people to sew linens, weave baskets, or paint for decoration or to sell to tourists.  If those jobs are gone, so are the economic opportunities for the people living  in these areas.

So, all of that to say, once borders re-open and travel is possible again,  it is even more important than ever to  support travel that supports the still endangered Mountain Gorilla (and other sustainable wildlife tourism).  There  are currently an estimated 1,000 wild Mountain Gorillas in the entire world....up from 480 in 2010.  That is a huge accomplishment in a decade and will only continue if visitors come and support  the infrastructure in place to  save this species.  

I know you have all come to my travel  blog to hear about my experience.  Visiting the  gorillas in the wild had been a  dream of mine for years.   Probably since  seeing  Gorillas in the Mist  or seeing their photos in  National Geographic.  Sometimes when you are so excited to see something---hype it up so much---the reality can be disappointing or underwhelming.  Not so in this case!   There are typically 12 gorillas families that can be visited---the other few families are for research purposes only.  Each family can  be visited by only 8 people each day (plus the warden and trackers).   That means only 96 people can have this experience  each day.  Some families tend to be further away from  hiking starting points and other tend to  stay closer  to the trails.  The gorillas are wild,  so they move each day.  There  are no promises as to how long it will take to see the gorillas or even if you will see them at all.  Typically, about 95% of visitors see the  gorillas, so those are good odds.  I asked my driver  for a shorter  hike as opposed to a long one.  I wanted to be in good shape by the time I saw them :)  I  also  have asthma and hiking at 8,000-9,000  feet  can be a bit of challenge.  I was assigned my group and after a short  briefing by our park ranger, we were on our  way.   We  hired porters (similar to my experience on the chimp trekking).  Our  gorilla family  turned  out to be about a 2 hour hike in.  We were not running up the mountain, but we were not  slow.   

We were told that we were close to the gorillas and so we had to drop our backpacks and walking sticks and leave them with the porters.  We walked maybe 5 more minutes and  all  of a  sudden  a bamboo tree moved.  We could see a black blur in the distance.  We all fumbled for our cameras trying to capture  a photo. Looking at those  photos now, I could convince you it  was a Mountain Gorilla,  but you would  have to use your imagination :)  We were all excited that we had seen one  gorilla....smiles all around.  The warden used the machete to clear a bit of a path and when we popped our heads out the other side of the jungle there was a little clearing....filled with  10 gorillas!  You do  have to stay about  20 feet from the gorillas,  so  the 8 of us were all pushed up against  trees  to keep the required distance.   The gorillas carried on about their day without caring we were there.  There was a baby nursing  on his mom, several juveniles  (3-4 years  old)   playing and wrestling just like  human kids do.  They were  vocal and grunting and  squealing.  Some of the younger gorillas  were climbing  all  over their moms and the Silverback  (the dominant male) and you could hear the sighs much like  human adults let out when  they are frustrated with their child.  We were lucky  and  had found them on their rest period after eating  breakfast.  The guidance is to spend some of the time taking photos---you obviously want to document these beautiful creatures---but also to put down the camera and  just experience.  Take in the noises, the smell, the facial  expressions.  There were some shots I missed,  but I don't care.  The image in  my head  is as  permanent as a photo.   One was when the Silverback decided to get up and move.  He didn't take his time....he got up and was moving our direction in seconds.  Not threatening, just switching locations....but when 350+ pounds moves in  your direction, it is hard not to hold your breath or let out a little gasp.  You are advised to be quiet---limit talking and when you talk to just whisper. You are also told to stay put and absolutely do not run.  This is one instance when the gorillas didn't get the memo about the distance we were supposed to be keeping.  Occasionally  gorillas make contact with the visitors (mostly accidental) and  once  the Silverback completed his move, there  was about a foot between me and  him.  The park warden rearranged us to get back to the required minimum  distance.  You are allowed exactly one hour to be the Gorilla family and trust me, that time goes by in  a blur.  At about the 10 minute warning, the Gorillas decided it was time to eat again and one by one, they moved into the nearby trees and started climbing.  Some of the branches were stronger than others....we heard a thud or two when  a branch snapped.  At least one of the juveniles thought  it was the best  game ever.  He snapped a branch and came rolling  out of the forest with  the  biggest  grin on his  face before heading back in and trying again.  The gorillas were all either hidden  or eating  in  the trees when  we left.  I  couldn't believe  how lucky I was to have seen what I  saw.  If we had found the gorillas even 30 minutes  later, my experience would have been  very different.  Each family  has their own dynamic and the trackers and researchers  do get to know their patters well, but this is far from a choreographed event.  This is their jungle and we are simply visitors.   Talking with other  tourists, the Mountain Gorilla experience is different  for every group  and every day.   Some people saw even  more playing than we did and others only saw a few members of a group and they saw no playing or interacting....just  some napping.  ​

These  few photos give you an idea of what the jungle looks like.  In the beginning, there  are some basic trails.  As  you get closer to the gorillas, the paths are made by the warden.  You  basically walk right through the jungle.  The photo is of me and Solange, my porter.  Even though it is  warm, you need to wear long sleeves and long pants since lots of vegetation has thorns or will scratch  you.   You also need gloves  (sticking  out of my pocket)   as the area is full of stinging nettle---not a pleasant sting, short lived, but still something to avoid. 

The hike back everyone was chatting about what they saw and how amazing it was.  I was giddy...couldn't believe I had actually seen the gorillas and it was way better than I anticipated.  My driver/guide has  joked if  I would be ready for some champagne when  I was done.  I thought  he was kidding, but upon our return  around  12:30pm, he pulled out a bottle from a cooler.  The amazing people at the  One and Only Gorillas Nest had added the special touch to my packed snack.  I've toasted to less momentous occasions,  so 3 of us enjoyed a glass while continuing  to talk gorillas.   I've smiled my  way through  writing  this blog as well....this is  truly my happy place.  I know  that my trip made a difference to the locals  as well as the gorillas.  I  will never forget this experience.