Seeking out the mountain gorillas in Uganda's Bwindi Forest.
The journey to meet my gorillas had been lodged in my mind for about a decade. I’d seen so many images that I believed I’d feel familiar with them. But the moment you come face-to-face with a gorilla in the wild can’t be compared to any video or movie!
But let’s start from the beginning. Back in 2015-16, when I began weighing the possibility of visiting Rwanda or Uganda, the cost of gorilla trekking was $800 and $600 respectively! Mountain gorillas live exclusively in Central and East Africa, in the Virunga range (Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and in Bwindi National Park in Uganda. By the time we decided and gathered the money for the whole trip, the cost had almost doubled in Rwanda and had risen a lot in Uganda!
The dream began to drift away. So I focused on Uganda, which was more affordable. Then the pandemic intervened. You have to pre-purchase mountain entry permits months in advance, since to protect these rare great apes that are nearing extinction (about 1,100 remain), only small groups totaling 40-50 people a day are allowed. Each group searches for a specific gorilla family, and the time you have with them once you find them is just one hour.
This year everything conspired for us to finally make it. We started as a group of four, but a few days before, two dropped the idea, even though they had paid for the permit! The Ebola outbreak, mainly in neighboring Congo, made them change their minds. As for me, nothing was going to stop me from finally being with the gorillas! So in early August we landed at Entebbe airport. Although the rainy season hadn’t started yet, as soon as we arrived, a very intense tropical storm began! The next day we were hunting for raincoats!
We had planned to spend the first day leisurely in the city of Entebbe, set on the shores of Lake Victoria (the largest lake in Africa and the largest tropical lake in the world, which Uganda shares with Tanzania and a small part with Kenya, and the primary source of the White Nile). “Leisurely” is, of course, relative in Africa!
Strolling along the main waterfront road, a policeman with a shotgun stopped us. He asked for our passports and, after we handed them over, informed us that not only was it forbidden to walk alone without an escort, but also to take photos! We had committed a «crime», as he told us, and the fact that we didn’t know it, as we replied, didn’t lessen the seriousness of the offense. He wouldn’t give us our passports back and sat us on two chairs outside his small guard post. After much back-and-forth, he informed us: «I have to fine you». The fine, he said, was 500,000 of their money (Ugandan shillings), about €110. He was ultimately satisfied with the 50,000 that Christos had in the front pocket of his trousers, about €11. We took our passports and discreetly slipped away!
After this incident, a common occurrence of corruption in Africa, the rest of the day flowed calmly by the lakeshore. The next morning our real road trip began. William, the driver from the agency Home to Africa, arrived at 7:30 to pick us up in a huge jeep, suitable for safari and for the rough roads we’d cross in the mountain villages.
After eight hours on the road, with endless colorful scenes of life along the inland highways, we reached Kibale National Park. The staff at Chimpanzees Safari Lodge welcomed us with umbrellas, since when we arrived it was pouring again!
That night we were the only guests, because besides our friends, several others had canceled too. When we arrived, they sent us an official statement that the country is Ebola-free, so our main enemy was now mosquitoes, which with a single bite can transmit malaria! In all the accommodations, the beds had the necessary mosquito nets and were sprayed with repellent! We unwound in the nature surrounding the lodge, and after dinner we retired to a beautiful wooden cabin.
Meeting the chimpanzees
As soon as it dawned, we went to the restaurant to enjoy breakfast. The day looked bright with minimal chance of rain. Just in case, William lent me a nice lightweight rain jacket and the hotelier lent his to Christos. Ready and equipped, we set off for the park and the trekking trailhead.
The first surprise was that our guide was a woman and she was carrying a large rifle. She went in front, then us, a group of eight, and behind us a man, also armed. As they explained, the guns were for our safety. Besides chimpanzees, there are other wild animals in the dense forest and, if needed, they fire into the air to scare them off.
After half an hour of walking we stopped, because an elephant we could hear—but not see behind the dense leaves—was blocking our path. We stood and waited for it to move, but nothing! After a stubborn fifteen minutes, we had to change course. As we continued and the suspense grew, they signaled us to be quiet. A chimpanzee wandered by us unconcerned, as if we weren’t even there! We all began to follow him so he’d lead us to the others, which he did.
At the next bend we found a pair lazing on the ground. After watching them for a while, they started flirting and grooming each other. Suddenly one stood up and began running up and down, shouting loudly. He stopped a little further away and began scratching himself adorably! Immediately others were heard screaming and leaping from tree to tree, making a wild racket! After gawking at many similar scenes for about an hour, we headed back. Chimpanzees really do resemble us. After all, they share 98% of human DNA!
Safari in Queen Elizabeth Park
Fortunately it didn’t rain, but the forest still had plenty of mud from previous days. After about an hour of hiking we emerged into a clearing where our jeep was waiting. Soon we set off for our next stop, Queen Elizabeth Park. There we did a short afternoon safari to get a taste of what we’d see the next day. The jeep was specially configured with a roof that opens so you can stand and survey the surroundings.
We saw several elephants crossing the road in front of us, baboons sprinting, hippos sinking into the swamps, countless antelope, buffalo, warthogs, and many unusual birds. The most impressive were the leopards, lounging in a dense, curious tree (Candelabrum), while the jeeps below competed to get closest for the best shots. When, at the end of the day, we also came across lions, all chaos broke loose. The king of the jungle, you see!
Crossing the Bwindi Forest
After this experience we set out on a long journey to the Bwindi Forest, where we would finally go to find the gorillas! The entire route was delightful. For the first half of the day, we crossed a vast section of the park, nature in full exuberance. Here it was different—lush green with unusual plants and many acacias, the signature tree of Africa. The other half we climbed mountains along deep red dirt roads threading through many small villages full of people, kids at the roadside calling out with big smiles (after hearing it many times we realized they were saying «how are you?»). The scenes were unique and unforgettable.
Unfortunately, there was an unpleasant incident when a little girl from a group of kids threw a stick that flew in through the car window and grazed me. It almost took my eye out! These things happen. When they see huge jeeps with white people, some can become hostile. Inequalities are vast, so a certain aggressiveness is to be expected.
After all these incomparable scenes along difficult, rugged roads, we reached the lodge late in the afternoon. The place was magical; two massive gorilla statues greeted us at the entrance. We were now in the heart of the Bwindi Forest!
In the evening, after settling into our wooden cabin with views of the forest, we went to the restaurant. There, a group of women from neighboring villages welcomed us with drums, dance, and song. They were fantastic, with magical voices! We dined and chatted with other travelers who had already seen the gorillas! We went to sleep with tremendous anticipation.
Morning brought a sudden change. Although the mountain entry point was very close, the driver was informed we had to go to another, much farther gate. A race against time began, as the 40-minute distance was tight. Thankfully, they waited for us, and after giving us the necessary instructions on what to watch for while hiking and when we encountered the gorillas, we were equipped with huge wooden sticks to serve as trekking poles. At first we thought they were exaggerating a bit, but we soon understood their usefulness. The forest was tough—dense vegetation laden with nettles, brutally steep slopes, and slick, muddy ground.
As soon as we stepped out of the jeep, the Chinese member of the group, Sin, pulled out a large can of insect repellent and started spraying himself furiously, swaying quickly back and forth with his eyes closed. A cloud of repellent enveloped him, giving us one of the trip’s funniest moments. But a bit later we burst out laughing when, at the first briefing stop, the guide—who hadn’t seen him—told us we shouldn’t spray, because not only are there no mosquitoes at such an altitude (we were at 2,500 m), but repellents also attract other unwanted insects! Sin’s face when he heard that, with a crooked gulp, was priceless!
I had with me a very kind local, Moses, to carry our backpack, and he proved a lifesaver. Without him and his help on the steep slopes, it would have been very difficult for me to cross the forest (the real reason we did this was that by giving some money to a local to carry your small backpack, you support the local community by providing work rather than charity). So, like another Dian Fossey in «Gorillas in the Mist», I plunged into the dense forest to find my gorillas! Honestly, the moment you lay eyes on a massive gorilla can’t be put into words! Everything I had dreamed of for many years was now right in front of me, two meters away!
I truly struggle to capture that feeling. You just stand there and marvel, waiting to see what he’ll do, whether he’ll look at you. I won’t lie to you—I don’t think they pay much attention to people; we don’t bother them, but they don’t deviate from their routine just because we’re there. The Silverback, the great leader of the group—the star of our photo spree—was lounging and eating leaves right in front of us. Each time he moved behind foliage, the guide cut away the leaves hiding him with a machete and—poof—there he was again. For a moment we witnessed a mating with a female gorilla—yes, that relaxed! Beyond the pair, there were about a dozen youngsters playing up and down, nibbling the forest’s greenery.
The time you have with them is one hour from the moment you meet them. Honestly, I didn’t realize how it flew by! The rest of the time they’re left in peace. I wasn’t scared at all when I saw them; I’d thought so much about this moment that I felt completely at ease with them. I think the rest of the group did too. All dreams, however, come to an end, so it was time to return. Now we had to cross the tough forest again, this time uphill and in more heat, since it was already midday. The souvenir certificate they gave us when we managed to emerge from the forest was truly well deserved. At least that’s how I experienced it.
Relaxation at Lake Bunyonyi
After saying goodbye to the rest of the group, we got into the jeep. We had three hours ahead of us to cross the mountain and surrounding villages to reach the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi, where we’d spend the night. The scenes along the way were magical once again. Villages clinging to the hillsides, full of life, kids running behind the jeep, women carrying loads on their heads, and color—so much color—everywhere. It was Sunday and the villages were full of well-dressed people out for a stroll. The women wore beautiful, brightly colored fabrics and necklaces around their necks.
After so many impressions, we finally reached the lakeshore, where I thought we’d stay. We were surprised to see a boat waiting to take us to the heart of the lake, to a small island dotted with wooden cabins. The entire island, in fact, was the hotel where we’d be staying! There couldn’t have been a more beautiful way to end this unique day that we’ll remember forever!
In Kampala
But the trip didn’t end here. The next day, after reluctantly leaving that beautiful place, we began a ten-hour journey to Kampala, the capital of Uganda. We made a stop at the Equator for the customary photo. We were at the point that divides the Northern from the Southern Hemisphere. In the evening we finally reached the capital, had dinner at our hotel, and arranged the next day’s tour.
The city of Kampala is a typical African metropolis—densely populated, with traffic of a scale we Europeans can’t imagine. Unfortunately, you don’t feel safe melting into the crowd; as a white person you stand out immediately and can’t fully relax. So we did a short car tour of its huge, impressive market. With tinted windows and locked doors, as our driver advised, since it’s possible someone might open them to grab your phone or anything else.
We visited a large mosque, the Gaddafi Mosque, and climbed the roughly 300 steps of the minaret to see the city from above. The city is built on seven hills, and we admired it like an amphitheater. Finally, we went to the palace and learned more about Amin Dada and how he tortured his enemies in the 1970s. I won’t go into details here!
With a lovely dinner on the hotel’s rooftop, we wrapped up our journey. The experiences were many and thrilling, but what will remain forever in our hearts are the mountain gorillas in the dense Bwindi Forest, which I’d gladly cross again to wink at them one more time.
