In the Land of Mountain Gorillas: The Story of an "Epic" Trip (page 4 of 8)

Bravo, Esther, for the photos—they’re stunning—and your patience, which was truly exemplary...

Day 9

During the night, the wind picked up, and the sky is overcast this morning.

We go down as planned to have breakfast at 7:00 AM, but the buffet won’t be ready until 7:30. Still, we have enough time to grab a bite.

At 8:00 AM, after checking out, we head by car to the small private beach just a few minutes from the hotel. We board a wooden boat similar to the one we took yesterday afternoon. But this morning, instead of smooth waters, big waves are rocking Lake Kivu. They’re as high as the base of the boat, and we’re getting tossed around. A few minutes after leaving the shore, we put on our ponchos and cover our backpacks because the water is splashing us quite a bit.

The boat moves slowly, and since I don’t have my sea legs, seasickness joins the party...

The experience is nothing like yesterday afternoon. After 15-20 minutes with no sign of the waves calming down—and worried 😨 about our safety (we were already picturing ourselves capsizing)—we ask to head back to solid ground... much to Ronnie’s relief, who didn’t seem to be enjoying the trip either. The captain, however, assures us there’s no danger—uh, we’ll have to take his word for it...

On the way back, we catch a glimpse of Goma. This trip feels like it’s taking forever. The waves are so big that the captain can’t head straight to shore but has to work with the direction of the waves. The ride lasts 40 minutes—40 minutes too many for me 🤢.

Looking back, I still don’t know why we agreed to board in weather like this... I still don’t have an answer...

We’re back at the car by 8:45 AM. We head straight for Uganda. The drive is pretty quick, and in just 1.5–1.75 hours, we reach the Cyanika border.

We get out of the car and cross the border on foot. First, we show our passports. Then, about fifty meters later, we reach the Ebola checkpoint. We have to disinfect our hands, a woman takes our temperature, and finally, under a WHO-colored tent, two people jot down our names, contact details, nationalities, where we’re coming from, and where we’re headed. It feels a little strange.



After getting our exit and entry stamps, we wait a few minutes for Ronnie to catch up with the vehicle.

The formalities take 45 minutes. We’re in Uganda!!!

Even though we had a wonderful week in Rwanda, we’re excited to continue our trip—it’s D-3 until we see the gorillas! 🦍

Right after the border, we try to exchange our Rwandan francs for dollars, but the exchange rate is only favorable for those offering the exchange... Oh well! We’ll see at the airport.

The 10 km to Kisoro fly by. Compared to Rwanda, we quickly notice the difference in cleanliness. On this short stretch, we see more trash by the roadside than we did in a whole week in Rwanda. It makes you think... the ban on single-use plastics probably has something to do with it, and we can only applaud Rwanda’s initiative.

We arrive at the Travellers Rest Hotel in Kisoro at 11:45 AM. Well... 12:45 PM because we have to set our watches an hour ahead. Apparently, Diane Fossey also stayed at this lodge.









It’s the Sunday before Christmas, and the lodge staff are having a little celebration, so lunch won’t be served until after 2:00 PM. While we wait to eat, we take the chance to explore the lodge’s large garden. The sky is still overcast, and we can feel the humidity in the air.







Ronnie suggests we go to Lake Mutanda this afternoon, much to our delight—though pleasant, we weren’t exactly thrilled about spending the whole afternoon in the garden. The lake is about twenty minutes away by car. Ronnie has planned another boat tour to make up for this morning’s.

Around 3:15 PM, we head to the lake. We take small roads and pass through villages. Smiling kids wave at us as we drive by, and for the first time, we hear someone shout “Mzungu.” Huh, no one called us that in Rwanda...

The sun is out this afternoon, though the clouds aren’t far off. Many weaver birds are nesting on the huge papyrus plants, and toward the end of the tour, we spot a family of seven otters. No decent photos of the otters—they were far away, and the bad weather didn’t help (thanks, waves). ☹️

















Back at the lodge, Ronnie shows us a colony of yellow fruit bats “living” in two huge pine trees near the staff quarters.



In the evening, we have a delicious carrot soup for starters and a buffet with a meat dish, potatoes and rice, and some veggies for the main course. We skip dessert, though—our stomachs are already full—and order breakfast for 6:00 AM and a picnic lunch for midday.

Soon, we drift off to sleep.

Apart from the kingfisher pie, we'll have to wait for Bernard to identify the birds.

Some really lovely photos and a day that went off without a hitch—worth noting! 😏🏴‍☠️

Apart from the kingfisher pie, we'll have to wait for Bernard to identify the birds.

Some really lovely photos and a day that went off without a hitch—worth noting 😏🏴‍☠️

I think it’s a cattle egret and a black-headed weaver. To be confirmed by an expert :-)

Loved the fruit bats! 🙂

Since no specialist is around, I’ll answer you: you’re right, well done Esther! Tisserin à tête noire, Ploceus melanocephalus, Black-headed Weaver, and Héron garde-bœufs, Bubulcus ibis, Western Cattle Egret. The breeding weaver and the non-breeding egret.

Have a great day!

BL

PS: Besides the dedicated forum (you need to be a member), Oiseaux.net has an "identification help" system that’s pretty effective, especially if you already have an idea of the family or genus. It’s accessible via the Useful tab.

Since I'm no expert, I'll answer you: you're right, well done Esther! Black-headed Weaver, Ploceus melanocephalus, and Western Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis. The breeding weaver and the non-breeding egret.

Have a great day!

BL

PS: Besides the dedicated forum, Oiseaux.net also has an "identification tool" that’s pretty effective, especially if you already have an idea of the family or genus. It’s accessible via the Useful tab.

Thanks! 🙂🙂🙂

Day 10

Up at 5:30 AM, had an excellent "banana pancake" for breakfast. We grab our picnic and leave at 7:00 AM for Mgahinga National Park. Today, we’re off to track the golden monkeys, which are endemic to the volcanic mountains of the Virunga range.

We drive for a good half-hour before reaching the headquarters of this little-known park and sign our names in the park register.









We’re alone with a young couple of Belgian teachers who live in the DRC. Then, a herd of other visitors arrives... 😅 A ranger gives us a briefing on the golden monkeys. Then, she asks the group who needs a porter. For 15 $, we don’t hesitate too long—it’s easier without a backpack, and it gives work to the locals. Seems like a win-win! :-)

We set off at 8:30 AM—14 visitors, about half as many porters, and 3 rangers... quite a crowd on the trails... It climbs, and climbs, and it’s muddy... we’re really glad we brought our big rubber boots and trekking poles 😊 Despite the dense forest, we still spot a bushbuck and two ENORMOUS earthworms along the way 😳







After 2 hours of hiking and a short break in a clearing, we reach the edge of a primary bamboo forest. The trackers, who left early this morning to find the monkeys, spotted them about ten minutes away. A quick safety briefing, and we’re off for the final stretch.







The forest is quite dark with all these giant bamboos. Then, we stop. The ranger tells us to leave our things with our porters and follow the trackers. We don’t need to go far—they found *us*. While we’re dropping off our stuff, several monkeys come to check out these strange creatures invading their territory. We can see them pretty close up. Some are nibbling on bamboo, others come down to the ground. Then, they swing from bamboo to bamboo. They’re so cute!







Next comes grooming and naptime. This happens at the edge of the bamboo forest on big trees. And some tourists get the "golden shower" as the rangers call it ;-).





The hour we spend with the troop of golden monkeys flies by. At the very end, we hear the alpha male. He’s far away, sitting at the top of a tree. With the 600 mm lens, we manage to take his photo, and the rangers are really excited to see it. Since he always stays far from the group, they’d never seen him before.



We head back down much faster than we climbed up. We spot one of those giant earthworms again and a young Rwenzori chameleon.



Then, it’s time to say goodbye to our porters and the rangers, and we’re back at the car by 1:30 PM. Our tour lasted 5 hours 😊.

We spend a few more minutes looking for tree hyraxes, which are supposed to live in the bushes around the parking lot. None show up—can’t blame them, it’s naptime ;-)

Back at the hotel, we check out the bats again. Then, we take a stroll through the small town of Kisoro, where it’s market day. So many beautiful colors!





A few hours of rest, food, and sleep.

Day 11

Today, the tour operator had planned a relaxing day by a crater lake... Aaaah! So that was the missing day in our itinerary... 🤔😕 Last night, after talking with Ronnie, we decided to go birdwatching in Mgahinga Park instead because there’s absolutely nothing to do by the lake they’d planned... :-(

We arrive at Mgahinga just before 8:00 AM, get assigned a park guide, and head out, the three of us 😁. But after 30 minutes, three Americans join our group with their own guide. They’re serious birders—only interested in birds and "ignoring" other animals... not really our vibe.









We hike for four hours through incredibly varied and stunning landscapes. We make it all the way to the Sabynio Gorges—it’s a steep climb! We stop for a picnic lunch and head back in the rain.



All in all, we spot around thirty bird species, including the Rwenzori turaco, which plays hide-and-seek with us, several chameleons, a golden monkey (not used to humans), and another giant earthworm.













It’s a really beautiful park, and we’re so glad we discovered it. Plus, yesterday’s and today’s outings were the perfect warm-up for the next two days.

We get back to the lodge at 4:30 PM. Early night tonight to be in top shape tomorrow—it’s THE big day. We’re going to see the gorillas in Bwindi!!! Woohoooooo! 😁😁😁

I know I’m repeating myself, but your photos are truly stunning, and the golden monkey is so photogenic. Were they taken with a 600 mm lens?

I’d spotted this park but we didn’t have time to go—it’s really out of the way. But at this rate, I’ll end up going back to Uganda 😛 ... though still self-driving 😉

Thanks 🙂

Glad to hear Uganda seems to be treating you better than Rwanda!

Hello Esther,

Reading your travel journal, the word "epic" really takes on its full meaning! It seems like your (mis)adventures have calmed down for the Ugandan part. I admire your calm and the fact that you stay positive in all circumstances. I don’t think I could do the same with a Ronny in front of me

Your photos are gorgeous! 🙂🙂🙂

This reinforces my choice for this year’s Christmas/New Year’s trip. I dream of meeting primates... both the little ones and the bigger ones. Your story definitely convinced me to include Mgahinga National Park to go in search of the golden monkeys. I’m even considering extending our stay around the park to do some hiking.

Based on your itinerary, you had planned two gorilla treks—one in Mgahinga and another in Bwindi. But it seems the one in Mgahinga didn’t happen? I was also thinking of doing a second gorilla trek in Mgahinga. But given the price of the permits, I’m really hesitant... a second 1400 $ trek is a pretty big budget 😕

I can’t wait to read the rest of your story, especially your feedback on the chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge. It’s currently in our itinerary, and I’d love to hear someone’s take on this activity.

Thanks for sharing! Pascale

I know I’m repeating myself, but your photos are truly stunning and the golden monkey is so photogenic. Were they taken with a 600 mm lens?

I’d spotted this park but we didn’t have time to go—it’s really out of the way. At this rate, I’ll end up going back to Uganda 😛 ... but still self-driving 😉

Thanks 🙂

Hi,

Thanks, that’s always nice to hear 🙂

We have a 60-600 mm lens. For the golden monkeys, the first photo was taken at 60 mm, photos 2 and 3 at 240 mm, 4 and 5 at 300 mm, and finally the last one at 600 mm.

Hello Pascale,

Thanks for your message! 🙂🙂🙂

Mgahinga is definitely one of my favorite spots in Uganda. There are a few hikes to do, but it’s a serious climb, and the hikes can take all day (7:00 AM–5:00 PM round trip, depending on the group’s pace).

The couple of fellow countrymen we met during our outing to see the golden monkeys had hiked Mt. Gahinga the day before (1,100 meters of elevation gain), and the girl was completely wiped out.

Yep, we also did the gorillas in Mgahinga (and it was amazing!), but the day after Bwindi. Ronnie couldn’t get the permit for Mgahinga on December 25th.

I’ll tell you all about it by tomorrow night! 😉😉😉

Day 12

Merry Christmas!!! I’m as excited as a kid this morning! In just a few hours, we’ll finally see the gorillas…

After our usual banana pancake breakfast, we set off at 6:30 sharp for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, about a 1h15 drive from Kisoro. Why we didn’t sleep closer to Bwindi last night remains a mystery.



The road to the Rushaga sector winds along the mountain. The sun breaks through the clouds, and at times, mist settles in the valleys below. With smiles on our faces, the words *Gorillas in the Mist* come to mind 😉









We arrive just in time for the 8:00 AM briefing in Rushaga. There must be about fifty tourists. The briefing takes a good twenty minutes—I’m practically bouncing with impatience. But I have to admit, the ranger made me a little nervous, and I feel a knot forming in my stomach. He talks about people who aren’t fit enough and have to turn back… yikes. Am I fit enough? Will I be able to keep up? Doubts start creeping in…

The ranger also mentions that sometimes a group can hike all day without finding the gorilla family, in which case you get a 50% refund on your ticket. Hmm, I hadn’t anticipated that. I’d imagined the difficulty of the terrain, not making it to the end—but not *not finding the gorillas*… Ouch… 😮

We’re then split into groups, and the BUSINGYE family, named after its silverback, is assigned to us. BUSINGYE means “Peace” in Ugandan.

The family is quite deep in the forest, so to save us a 1h30 hike, we get back in the car and retrace our steps for about 30 minutes. Then we continue on foot because a landslide has blocked the road, and 4x4s can’t get through.



We take the opportunity to get to know our porters and snap some photos of the valley.



There are 4 rangers, 3 porters, and 6 tourists (2 Germans, 2 Belgians, and us, the little Swiss crew 😉).

At 9:27 AM, we reach the gates of Bwindi, the impenetrable. The trails, though *very* muddy, are manageable with our rubber boots 👍 I can’t recommend bringing them enough—along with gardening gloves.

About twenty minutes in, one of the rangers points out a black-billed turaco. Oh my goodness, it’s stunning! It literally poses for us, giving us time to grab the camera from our backpack.



We keep walking, and after a good hour of hiking on the muddy, slightly inclined trails, we’re told the trackers have spotted the gorilla family. Already?! To reach them, we leave the trail and plunge into the deep jungle. Before that, one of the rangers tells us to put our long-sleeved shirts back on. And we immediately understand why—as soon as we step into the vegetation, a swarm of insects starts following each of us…



We finally catch up with the trackers, who are clearing the path with machetes. Now we’re climbing, then descending, then climbing again. Vines twist around our legs, branches and tree trunks hidden under ferns trip us up, thorns snag our shirts, and insects buzz around us, drawn to our sweat. This jungle is unlike any other we’ve visited (and we’ve seen a few). The name *impenetrable forest* makes total sense 🤪 and gorillas *are* earned! 😄

After about twenty minutes, we’re pointed toward some bushes downhill. We spot a head poking out of the vegetation. Our first gorilla! But then it’s gone. We have to keep moving to find the group. Another dark shape in the dense foliage—and then nothing. Did we imagine it?

We push deeper, following the trackers hacking through the undergrowth. We spot the silverback in the leaves. Then a female, but she moves away. A young one settles in a tree—that’s the one we’ll see best. It’s about twenty meters away, but we can’t get closer; the bushes are too thick.



















We still manage to get some beautiful images that will stay etched in our memory. The hour we’re allowed with the gorillas flies by. The silverback lets us end our time with him, offering us a few last precious minutes. Our eyes meet—there’s such gentleness in his gaze… and such serenity emanates from him. This big male truly lives up to his name, Peace. And that’s all we can wish for him and his family… it’s an unforgettable experience!



I’m overcome with emotion… and even now, describing this moment… Gorillas *are* earned, and though the journey wasn’t a walk in the park, I’d do it a thousand times over for the chance to glimpse them.

With a heavy heart, we head back into the jungle to retrace our steps, not without difficulty… I’d hoped to see the gorillas up closer, a little better. But nature decides, and thankfully, it does.

I can’t thank my porter, Christopher, enough—he literally hoisted me up the hill, otherwise I might still be there… 🤪😄😫

Day 12 (continued)

Back on the marked trails, we stop for a picnic and check the state of our pants...



Christopher says a few sentences to me in French. He’s learning it at school. Funny, I didn’t think they taught French in school in Uganda. We’ll have to ask Ronnie because, now that I think about it, it really seems like he understands us when we talk among ourselves.

When we’re back on the road, we receive our certificates.



We say goodbye to our porters, and my friend almost steps on a poor little chameleon crossing the road at its own chameleon pace. A quick photo session with the chameleon, and a ranger helps it reach the other side.



The hike lasted 4 hours and 20 minutes in total. We’re exhausted and over the moon at the same time. 😄

On the way back, we spot some African shadow birds, ibises, and royal cranes.

We arrive around 4:00 PM at Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge for the night, which is right by the lake... Mulehe 😉. I’m a little embarrassed by my muddy pants, which I try to hide as best I can... 😊

After a welcome mocktail, we’re taken to our bungalow, Nkuringo. The room is really beautiful. A nice shower, and we enjoy settling onto our balcony overlooking the lake.











The restaurant serves delicious food, and we feast. The best meal since we arrived in Africa! And when we return to the room, we’re delighted to find hot water bottles already warming our bed. 😏

You never get tired of admiring these 😇 gorillas!! What an emotion still, a few months later... You can just imagine the density of the vegetation when you penetrate the heart of this jungle!

Day 13

This morning, we have our second trek to see the gorillas in Mgahinga Park. We set off again at 6:30 AM—it rained a lot during the night, and the trails are muddy, but no problem with the car. Phew!







About an hour later, we arrive in another part of the park where the NYAKAGEZI family is. This is a special family because it has 3 silverbacks.

There are 10 tourists— I thought it was limited to 8.

We start climbing at 8:10 AM, and let’s just say it’s a steep climb... in fact, one of the other 9 people in our group rented an "African helicopter," meaning a chair carried by 8 people up to the gorillas.

We stop at the "Muhavura base camp" for the briefing, which is much shorter than yesterday’s.







Today’s group pace is slower than yesterday’s, and we stop several times to admire the view. Along the way, we see traces left by the gorillas. Things are looking good! 🙂





An hour after setting off, we reach the spot where the trackers are. Now we have to leave the trail and venture into the jungle... we psych ourselves up... and first, we discover a forest. Sure, there are vines, but they’re less sneaky than yesterday’s, and the terrain is much clearer. 👍



It’s still early, 9:20 AM, and some gorillas are still sleeping, while others are lounging on the grass or in their tree.

First, we see one of the silverbacks less than 10 meters away. He’s sitting calmly in front of us, scratching his foot, then decides to lie back down.

Photo taken with a smartphone

20 minutes have already passed, and one of the rangers encourages us to go see other family members who might be more active down below. There are 3 little ones being watched over by a second silverback. They move around, and we follow them. One of the rangers signals to another visitor and me to follow him. We end up in a clear spot with no gorillas... but a few seconds later, a young one arrives, followed by the silverback and the other two little ones.

We’re barely 3 meters away from them, and saying I’m over the moon would be an understatement! 🙂🙂🙂 The rest of the group, including my friend, joins us a few minutes later.

We watch them for a long time. Their movements are slow, they’re lounging around. Suddenly, I see the youngest one looking to the left. Hmm, what’s he looking at? I’m filming him with my phone. I follow his gaze and... I see a huge silverback coming toward me. Uh, I lower my phone, and he keeps coming closer. I’m next to the ranger, who tells me, "Step back, step back," but I’ve got a bush behind me... and I end up just ONE meter away from him... uh, I lower my eyes, butterflies in my stomach, and he leaves with a female... what an incredible moment!



These two photos were also taken with a smartphone















The silverback gives the signal for the other four to follow him. They head back into the bamboo forest for breakfast. "Just 5 more minutes," a ranger tells us. What? Already? I try to soak in the moment as much as possible... and it’s already time to say goodbye. 😢 We got to stay with the gorillas for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Thank you, thank you!!!

The ranger tells us we were really lucky—they’d apparently never seen them so close before. Wow! So happy!

Back on the trail, a big surprise awaits us. While the visitor settles into his "African helicopter," we chat among ourselves. Isaac, my porter, taps my arm and signals me to step back while looking to the right.

The third silverback arrives on the trail right behind us. That was the only family member we hadn’t seen yet. There we go! 😏 In no time, everyone makes room for him—except the Australian tourist stuck in his African helicopter, who must’ve been terrified seeing that mass of muscle pass by...

We head back down to the rangers’ station, receive our certificates, and at noon, we set off for a 5-hour drive... It starts raining, and we cross the Bwindi Forest, where we spot a single L’Hoest’s monkey braving the rain.

At 5:00 PM, we arrive in the town of Kihihi and check in at the Savannah Lodge Resort. We’re staying in a small banda. We have dinner/soup at the hotel restaurant—it’s okay, nothing special—while looking at the gorilla photos and videos. 🙂🙂🙂🙂

What an unforgettable and emotion-filled morning! And here, I’m thinking of Ticapi/Carmen because if I hadn’t read her travel journal, I wouldn’t have had the idea to do two treks to see the gorillas. And it was really worth it! Sure, the first trek in Bwindi was memorable, and being in that dense jungle was incredible in itself, but it really didn’t compare in terms of observation quality to this magical trek in Mgahinga!

What an incredible encounter, I hope I can do it one day!

I know people who ended up in a group of 14, even though the limit is 8—this is Africa.

I’d never heard of the chair with porters for gorilla trekking before. I get having a porter for your photo gear, but being carried yourself? 😕

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮 Your encounter with the gorillas in Mgahinga is simply magical.

It’s definitely worth planning two treks. It lets you experience different things. The catch is it’s still a hefty budget... if I want to do it, I’ll have to shorten my stay and skip other activities 🏴‍☠️ From what you’re saying, the approach seems easier in Mgahinga than in Bwindi. The choice is going to be tough.

Without meaning to bring the mood down, some very sad news about the mountain gorillas. It happened right in Mgahinga National Park two weeks ago 🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁 4 gorillas killed by lightning in Uganda