Eye to eye
with a Silverback
Rwanda
He was casually munching when I first saw him. I was maybe ten metres away, close enough to see his strong features, but he seemed oblivious to my presence; in fact, he seemed oblivious to everything apart from the leaves he was eating, almost as if he was chilling out after a long day. And then he turned and looked straight at me.
A close encounter with a mountain gorilla is one of the world’s most rewarding wildlife experiences. It is on the bucket list of many travellers and I was lucky enough to cross this off before turning 30. Lucky because fewer than 100 people a day can visit these wonderful animals in their natural habitat, the rainforests of Rwanda.
Volcanoes National Park is in northwestern Rwanda, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. It’s named after a chain of dormant volcanoes of the Virunga Massif.
Hard work
high up
Hard work
high up
Getting to see the gorillas is no walk in the park. They live up high, with altitudes ranging from 2500m to 4000m above sea level, so be prepared to breathe thin air. And to get up early. I am not a morning person but waking up early for a short briefing before meeting the others in my small group, maximum of eight, wasn’t so bad. The sense of anticipation was palpable, a mixture of nerves and thrills about what was coming.
First the hard work: the trek can take anywhere from one to five hours each way, depending on the time of year and which one of the twelve families of gorillas you’ve been allocated to. Most likely you’re not on a set trail, instead following your guide through untouched forest with ever-changing vegetation. It can be steep and challenging, and be prepared to get wet and muddy (so bring the right clothes and boots!) but this is all part of the experience. Believe me when I say that I felt like Indiana Jones starring in a National Geographic documentary.
Meeting the family
And then you see them. Maybe the first glimpse is a furry black shape between the green leaves. Or you hear something off to your left, a rustle in the trees, a low grunt. As I relaxed and got in tune with my surroundings, I realised there were gorillas all around me: I had reached my family. You can watch for one precious hour (it’s strictly limited to protect the gorillas) so relish every single second of the 3,600 you have.
Gorillas are much like us, just a bit bigger and a lot hairier. They live in families, with one dominant male in charge, and spend their time lounging in the bushes, eating bamboo shoots or forage for stinging nettles. Youngsters play in a clearing and babies clamber on their mother’s back, providing endless photo opportunities so make sure to have enough memory in your camera. I was transfixed by these primates’ uncannily human movements and lost all track of time while with them.
Staying in style
Staying in style
Before you know it, you’re trekking back to your lodge, where you can reminisce about a day you’ll remember for a lifetime. When it comes to luxury lodges, you’re spoilt for choice as this is something else that Rwanda excels at. I have visited them all so leave it to me to hand-select which is the best fit for you. They offer anything from private plunge pools at the foot of the volcano to very spacious suites with unrivalled views. The good thing is, no matter where you stay, the focus is on getting out into nature and relishing the mesmerising wildlife.
Conservation & communities
Conservation & communities
What I loved about this unique experience wasn’t only meeting the gorillas but also learning what goes on around these treks. Building on the work of Dian Fossey, who devoted her life to the study of primates, the research station recently moved to the new Ellen DeGeneres Campus, which is well worth visiting. And 10% of the revenue from the treks goes to local communities to build roads, schools or medical centres. This is conservation and sustainability in action.
In Dian Fossey’s own words: ‘the heart of Central Africa, so high up that you shiver more than you sweat.’ I did both. Shivered with excitement at seeing the gorillas after sweating to reach them. Trekking up steep slopes for hours to stand face to face with a mountain gorilla is simply unforgettable. When that Silverback male turned and stared right at me, the world around us melted away. For a few moments, his big brown eyes sized me up then he went back to his leaves. And I went away a changed person.
Get a taste of the trek
To give you an idea of the excitement, and exertion, of seeing the gorillas in the forest, have a look at this BBC video. By the way, that’s not me in the film!
Written by: Megan Fischer on 13 December 2023
Our annual Inspirations are so great, they get their own seal of approval. Wherever you see this compass logo on an article, it means that we’ve chosen it as one of our Inspirations. All seven Inspirations for 2024 appear on this special map.
You can discover all of Cosa’s inspirations for 2024 here. Or if you’d like to know more, please contact us directly.
