An unforgettable experience: seeking out Rwanda's mountain gorillas

By Berit Waschatz Dec 27, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Kinigi, Rwanda - More than 15 years have passed since the genocide in Rwanda. But the East African country is once again safe to visit, and even a side-excursion to the former conflict-ridden border region near the Virunga volcano is possible.

And it is well worth it: There, the last mountain gorillas are still to be found, though threatened by civil conflicts and poaching.

The region gained international attention through the 1988 film 'Gorillas in the Mist' which documented the life and work of primate researcher Dian Fossey. The American came to Rwanda at the end of the 1960s in order to carry out research on the primates and to help protect them.

It is thanks to Fossey that to this day mountain gorillas still inhabit the bamboo forests of the Virunga volcano. A visit here is a once-in-a-lifetime experience which nobody who is travelling through Rwanda should miss - even though it costs 500 dollars per person.

The money is well-spent for it goes towards helping to protect the apes.

There are only eight groups of gorillas which have become used to human beings. In order not to disturb the animals too greatly, only eight hikers may approach one such group per day.

So it is advisable to plan in advance in order to make reservations and organize a visit. The best period for tours is during the dry season between May and October. During the high season of July through September, it may be particularly difficult to obtain a permit on short notice.

A visit to the mountain gorillas is no simple stroll. The creatures live at an altitude of 2,500 metres. The trek starts at seven in the morning, for it is before noon that the gorillas are particularly active and easy to observe.

The meeting point for a tour is the central tourism office in Kinigi, some 120 kilometres north-west of the capital Kigali. Tourists from around the world can be seen milling around in excited expectation. On the horizon, the peaks of the volcanoes gradually pierce the milky-white mists hovering above the valleys.

The rangers observe their clients quietly and then start to organize them in groups. Those who want to see the Susa group of gorillas must be prepared for a strenuous hike. The trail to the Amahoro group is somewhat less difficult.

Once the visitors have been assigned to their groups, the lead ranger gives a brief account about each of the gorilla groups, and also advises people on how to behave.

For example, a person who has come close to a gorilla should sneeze or cough into the crook of his arm - to help prevent infecting the gorillas with a human illness.

A virus which is of no danger at all to a human can be fatal for a gorilla. A person who is feeling ill is best advised to remain back at the hotel and in such cases their money is returned.

The trail to the Amohoro group starts out by jeep travelling through broad expanses of meadows. Rwandan women can be seen early in the morning, working the soil with their hoes. Some are carrying their children on their backs, while others let their kids romp around in the fields.

Behind the meadowlands begins the National Park. The rangers hand out thick walking sticks and the ascent begins. The firm hiking shoes, long pants and long-sleeved T-shirts now are welcome protection, as the group works its way through thickets of poison ivy-like plants, roots and branches.

Now the group is told to be quiet and lay down their backpacks and hiking sticks. For the gorillas, in a rare occurrence, are standing directly next to the trail. The surface is overgrown with ferns and is accordingly slippery. The rangers must repeatedly use their machetes to hack a way through the vegetation for the group.

And suddenly, a gorilla is there standing in front of you and its shyness seems to have been wiped away. The hikers sit down on the ground to observe and admire the threatened animals.

The rangers permit the visitors to approach the gorillas to within 5 metres. But since the gorillas don't know this rule, it might happen that one of them will come closer to the humans, or that even a baby gorilla will suddenly clasp onto the leg of a visitor. In this event, the ranger says one must remain calm and follow his instructions.

The visitors have one hour to watch the apes as they eat, play and cuddle together. These are moments one will scarcely ever forget. The gorillas are astoundingly similar to humans.

But then the moment comes to leave again and return to the trail leading them back. Intoxicated by their experience, the hikers regard the trail as a lot less strenuous than before. And a final reward awaits them, when, returning to the jeeps, they are handed a certificate documenting the visit.