"Do not run if a gorilla charges at you," our guide Samuel cautioned, "stand still and look away but never run."
I was standing at the Ugandan Wildlife Authority office getting a briefing before we went to track mountain gorillas, finding it very hard to imagine myself being calm during a charge. It simply wouldn't happen.
Samuel listed other rules; no flash photography, no sick people, no sudden movements, and only talk in whispers.
Half of the world's gorilla population lives in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in the south west of Uganda. They are the largest living primates and their human-like appearance and behaviour capture the imagination. There are roughly 700 left in the world and they live in remote regions of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo making it difficult to see them but even more rewarding when you do.
Bwindi is a wildlife lover's paradise. Aside from the gorillas the park has 11 species of primate including chimpanzees, and black and white colobus monkeys. Elephants, antelopes and forest hogs roam the forest floor.
Although Winston Churchill named Uganda the 'Pearl of Africa' it's not a place for five-star travelers. The infrastructure is rough and ready and although 12% of the $500 permit fee goes towards local communities, Bwindi's surrounding towns have disturbing levels of poverty.
In 1999, 14 tourists and their guide were abducted from Biwindi. Nine of them were murdered. Tourism levels have recovered and now Uganda boasts that it is the safest place to go gorilla trekking. The guides carry machetes and rifles which are meant to make visitors feel safer but they made me feel a little uneasy.
The Impenetrable part of Bwindi's name is no joke. It's a ten hour drive from Uganda's capital Kampala on potholed roads busy with erratic drivers. The option to fly is there but as bad the journey is, it's an interesting one. Firstly, it's an education on how Uganda is going through a huge social change. Billboards have slogans with messages about stopping cross generational sex, remaining faithful to one partner, and government corruption.
The road journey also brings visitors through the terrace fields, mountains and valleys of the Kigezi district which is dubbed 'the Switzerland of Africa'. One of the best parts of our journey is the local kids chasing our car and waving while they shouted 'Muzungu', which is an affectionate term that locals have for white people.
Once we arrived in Bwindi we set off on our search for the gorillas with an armed guard in front and one at the back. The trackers, many of whom are former poachers, go ahead to locate the gorillas and stay in radio contact. We walked up and down through slopes of coffee and banana plantations before entering valleys of jungle. After about a two hour trek the dirt track ended and we walked through thick vegetation that the guides cut down to make way for us.
Mountain gorillas usually don't move more than two kilometers a day. The guides told us we were close and the trackers had located their nests and were following a trail of half-eaten foliage. We were told to put on long sleeves so we didn't get stung or scraped and to leave our bags and walking sticks behind. Apparently the sticks can bring back disturbing memories for the gorillas, of the days when they were attacked by poachers.
We crept quietly for another half hour down a steep hill in dense jungle and eventually we saw the mountain gorillas. A mammoth 200kg silverback was feeding on a tree making growling noises. Our guides responded with growls. Then from the foliage another silverback and five babies came peeping out with their big brown eyes and thick black glossy fur. They threw a few glances at us but unfazed they continued to climb and graze from the trees in front of us.
The alpha male swaggered closer and growled and beat his chest gently. I thought I might be scared being so close to such huge wild animals, but they seemed to be just establishing boundaries and letting us know who the boss was. Silently we watched, hearing little except the click of cameras and the crunching sound of the gorillas eating.
Our strictly allotted one hour with the gorillas was over within what seemed like minutes. There is roughly one gorilla to every 10 million people on the planet so it's an amazing privilege to spend time with them.
The Practicalities
Permits are limited each day, so forward planning is a must. Eight people are allotted to visit each group per day and in Bwindi there are four groups. You can get your permit directly from the Ugandan Wildlife Authority in Kampala or book a two to three day tour with a tour operator.
A permit costs US $500 (€334) per person. If for some reason you fail to see the gorillas you will be refunded 75% of the permit fee. To contact the Uganda Wildlife Authority email uwa@uwa.or.ug or visit www.uwa.or.ug
You must be physically fit for trekking mountain gorillas. The trekking is through challenging terrain up to altitudes of 1,982 meters. The walk can be anything from one to nine hours long.
January to February and June to September are the driest months and the best for gorilla trekking. During the rainy season (March to May) often many roads are impassable and it's very hot and humid.
Pearl Africa offer packages and customized itineraries to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda. For more information visit www.pearlafric.com
Deirdre Mullins
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