There are some travel experiences that you photograph whereas there some experiences that stay with you long after you have returned home. Meeting a mountain gorilla in the misty forests of Rwanda belongs to the second category.The morning begins quietly in Kinigi, at the foot of the magnificent Virunga volcanoes. The air is cool, the mountains rise dramatically above the landscape. Today is gorilla trekking day.
And somewhere inside Volcanoes National Park, a gorilla family is beginning its own morning.You have breakfast, prepare your daypack and make sure you have everything you need for the trek: comfortable hiking clothes, sturdy walking shoes, water, snacks, a rain jacket and a camera. The weather in the mountains can change quickly, so being prepared is important. But even with all the practical preparations, there is one thing that cannot really be prepared for: the moment you finally see a mountain gorilla in the wild.
Before entering the forest, visitors receive an important briefing. This is more than simply an introduction to the day's adventure. It is an opportunity to learn how to behave responsibly around the gorillas and how to protect both visitors and wildlife. The guides and trackers explain what to expect during the trek, how to maintain an appropriate distance, how to behave when the gorillas are nearby and why responsible tourism matters. You are entering their environment. The forest belongs to the gorillas. We are privileged guests. That simple idea changes the way you experience the trek.
The Virunga chain of volcanoes is an extraordinary bamboo, dense vegetation and mountain forest. Mist drifts across the slopes, while the sounds of birds and insects become part of the soundtrack of the morning. The trek is not a predictable walk along a marked trail. Your guides and trackers use their knowledge of the forest and the gorillas' movements to help locate the family.
As you walk deeper into the forest, conversation becomes quieter. You move carefully through the vegetation. Then you see it. At first, perhaps only a dark shape among the greenery. You look again. And suddenly there is no doubt. A mountain gorilla. For a moment, everything else seems to disappear. There is simply a gorilla sitting peacefully in the forest. Perhaps it is feeding. Perhaps it is resting. Perhaps a young gorilla is playing nearby. And perhaps the silverback is watching everything around him with a calm but unmistakable presence.
You are standing in the same forest, breathing the same mountain air, sharing a moment with one of the world's most remarkable wild animals.
Mountain gorilla tourism is not simply about giving travelers an extraordinary wildlife experience. It is also connected to conservation and the communities surrounding the protected area. Responsible tourism creates an economic reason to protect these forests and wildlife while providing opportunities for people living around the destination.
