Imagine Africa client Cherry Dalton and her husband John travelled to see the mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda. Here she describes how the country has moved on from its recent troubled past and the magic of her ‘Attenborough moment’ with the majestic silverbacks.
Trekking gorillas has long been the top of many a bucket list and it is always an incredible experience to see the mountain gorilla at close quarters in its natural habitat. One of the key decisions to make is where to track them – Rwanda and Uganda both have their advantages and disadvantages – here we give you the rundown so that you can choose which destination will suit you best.
Having being named as Lonely Planet’s top country for 2015, Uganda has firmly overcome the legacy of Idi Amin’s regime and is much more closely resembling Winston Churchill’s description of it as ‘the pearl of Africa’. Here we give a rundown of our top picks for Uganda to really make the most of your time here…
Gorilla conservation is a national priority for both countries to guarantee the survival of their chest pounding heavyweight. The magnificent apes are still considered critically endangered but steady increases in the gorilla population are a promising nod to the future. The legacy of renowned primatologist Dian Fossey, and her ground breaking study of gorillas in the wild, is at the heart of the conservation effort. Following in the footsteps of her pioneering work, rangers and conservationists work tirelessly to protect the wild mountain gorilla. The resulting habituation of several troops has allowed for visitors to get closer than ever to these majestic animals year round. However, to avoid excessive disturbance to the gorillas’ fragile habitats, permits in both countries are limited and trekking groups are small. Crucially though, the revenue generated from a golden ticket into gorilla kingdom contributes the continuation of the conservation effort and is vital to securing the future of gorillas in the wild.
Uganda’s UNESCO protected Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, is home to half of the last remaining wild mountain gorillas. Nestled deep in the heart of Eastern Africa, the secluded rainforest boasts the highest concentration of primates in the world and is hidden well off the beaten track. The Virunga Mountains of Rwanda are considered to be more accessible, as they are located only a short drive from the capital city of Kigali. There, habituated gorillas tend to stay closer to the fringes of the volcanic foothills so treks tend to be shorter and less taxing especially during the dry season. But, no matter which of these incredible destinations takes your fancy, wading through the dense foliage of the African jungle with ears pricked for the spine tingling thud of a lumbering silverback is a real bucket list adventure.