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Dorril Polley travelled on our 'Uganda - Mammals and Mountains' holiday and submitted this entry to our 2018 writing competition.
Gorillas, Uganda
The three of us had been nursing concerns all year, were we fit enough to do this? Would the heat and humidity be too much?
After an early breakfast we walked the short distance to the Park Ranger’s office for a briefing prior to the Gorilla trek. We were assigned to Group H which was led by a wise old guide called Medi. He had been with the Bwindi National Park since 1991 when it was created. At that time it was estimated 250 Gorillas lived in the forest, whereas now the population is in the region of 450.
Three trackers had been out since sunrise, first to find and then follow the habituated family we were hoping to meet. In order to maintain the succession of the Gorilla in the Park some families are never tracked, so that human diseases won’t be transmitted to the whole population. It was a bumpy 45-minute drive into the mountains to reach the start point. Once there we were met by a group of 8 porters; they each selected one of us that they would assist during the trek, by carrying our rucksacks, holding our hands over obstacles, lifting us over streams or providing a push up the particularly steep bits. My man was called Ebo and the chatty porter of an Australian lady behind was Ezra.
With an armed guard to the front and another at the rear we set off climbing up through a tea plantation. Where the Gorillas roam farmers are advised to grow crops the animals won’t eat. We climbed still higher over a ridge and then started a steep descent, deep into the aptly named Impenetrable Forest with a tracker, guard and guide all chopping a path through the dense undergrowth. Continuing to follow tracks we emerged onto the road higher up the mountain side, we crossed it and continued to clamber over creepers, rotting tree trunks, nettles and streams.
The ‘David Attenborough’ moment didn’t quite go to plan. We eventually found the Gorillas sitting on the banks of a fast-flowing river. They immediately decided to cross to the other bank, giving us only a fleeting glimpse. One hundred metres upstream a large tree had conveniently fallen over the river; using this as a bridge we managed to climb up the trunk and over the water. A path was then hacked out to a clearing where we saw the dominant Silverback, Makara. He made several aggressive charges at the guards, but quickly settled down to feed on the vegetation. The family group numbered 10, including several young, one of which is an orphan that Makara himself is rearing. We spent an hour with the animals with most of the group respecting their space. All too quickly our encounter with these wonderful sad-eyed creatures was over. Interestingly we share 98% of their DNA and therefore many characteristics. Retracing our steps the guide and porters returned us safely to the vehicles and in time to get back to the Lodge for a very late lunch.
It was a fantastic day, the sort that makes one feel quite humble and privileged to see these magnificent animals in their natural environment.
Read more about Gorilla watching in Uganda and our 'Uganda - Mammals and Mountains' holiday.