The 4 Ts: Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Injecting in the Rwandan jungle, not something
I ever expected to write!

My Mum has always wanted to visit the Gorillas, and her trip to visit us last June provided the perfect opportunity to make this happen. If you are anywhere in East Africa, I certainly recommend a side trip to Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo to see these incredible creatures. From Arusha we flew to Kigali and spent a day trying to collect our permits, let’s just say that it was worth dedicating a day to this! Even somewhere as developed as Kigali requires a large dose of TIA patience (TIA=This is Africa).

From Kigali we took a public bus to Musanze, about 30 minutes from the Volcanoes National Park. Being so close to a major attraction it was surprising to see no other tourists. We could only conclude that the majority of visitors were staying in expensive lodges closer to the park. Our hotel was deserted and we seemed to be the only visitors. The staff were so attentive and excited to have us… Every move we made we felt very watched as they tried to anticipate our every need. There was mirrored glass in the restaurant and I swear they were watching us as we ate, as the moment we finished a drink or our last mouthful they would eagerly appear within 5 seconds to clear our dishes!

There are about 20 families of gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park, 10 of which are visited by tourists. Tourist groups are capped at 8 people per group. The gorillas are constantly tracked by armed rangers to provide protection from poachers. Permits are expensive but you can see the money being put to good use here.

After driving to the park in the early morning we were put into the Agashya family group. This is a large group with 27 gorillas, including one silverback (the group's namesake - Agashya means special in Kinyarwandan). This Silverback took over the group in 2013. He is named special because he has held onto the group and allowed it to grow under his care. He is famous for caution and will lead his family to the top of the volcano if he senses any threat. People trek between 20 minutes to 12 hours to see this group.With our two guides plus some armed rangers (for the buffalo!) we set off. Much to Mum's dismay we clambered up steeper and steeper slopes for about an hour and a half before coming out to a beautiful jungle plain. The rangers pointed out the gorillas in the distance up a formidable looking mountain side. Up we went, scrambling through deep vines on what I swear was a very steep slope.

When we got within 5 minutes of the gorillas we left our bags behind and proceeded for our allocated hour. I snuck a few sweets and my BG meter in my pocket, just incase. Luckily I did as in the excitement of seeing the gorillas my blood sugar dropped and I had to sneak a few sweets, luckily no one noticed, not even the gorillas.

These creatures are majestic. My first view got my heart racing as I followed the guide and a huge black-back ambled right behind me, I froze in my spot as the guide tried to reroute the group following behind. On the steep slippery slope I could feel myself sliding backwards and my leg was gently touching this huge creature! We worked our way around the slope, settled in, and just watched. It was so humbling and surreal to spend time among such gentle yet powerful creatures. Their mannerisms are so human like, from the way they curl up to sleep, to gently scolding their naughty babies. Their faces are mesmerisingly human-like. An hour of my life has never passed so quickly. Even better to share the experience with my mum.

After returning to Kigali we visited the genocide memorial. This place is an incredible tribute. As I am sure you can imagine, it is a heartbreaking experience, but it was the room dedicated to child victims that broke me. President Kigame has done an incredible job rebuilding Rwanda, however the overwhelming presence of armed soldiers and police gives hints of darker political agendas.

Travel is so wonderful. Incredible experiences make all the hard-times worthwhile, and help put my faulty pancreas in perspective.