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Helen Ingelbrecht travelled on our 'Uganda - Mammals and Mountains' holiday and submitted this entry to our writing competition.
Mountain Gorilla
Many of you will have had the experience of encountering wild animals in their natural habitat but if, like me, you have had the opportunity to see lions and tigers in the wild it was probably from the relative comfort of a safari bus, or perhaps a precarious howdah on the back of an elephant. However exciting the initial encounter, there is something artificial about an animal being in such close proximity to a vehicle and it feels that all the effort has been made by your driver and guide. When you take a gorilla trek there is only one way to go - and that is on your own two feet.
The holiday began with the traditional game drives to whet our appetites. From our vehicle we had sightings of indigenous animals such as Ugandan kob, monitor lizards, lions and various birdlife. Just as interesting were the smaller creatures including a pair of industrious dung beetles in their fluorescent green livery constructing perfectly round spheres of dung.
At Kibale we had our first taste of a walking safari as we trekked chimpanzees. This was a prelude for what lay ahead and anyone who found the chimp walk a challenge would have been ill advised to attempt the gorilla trek. Thankfully, no one had any problems and it was all systems go. There were a few do’s and don’ts to adhere to before the trek itself and we were given a briefing to that effect. There is anticipation at seeing the animals as well as apprehension in knowing that sightings are not guaranteed ... and would you be one of the unlucky ones?
It started hot, with a steady climb on a rough farm track. Mountain gorillas are named because of their mountain home in thick rainforest. This is not a trip for the faint-hearted. It took approximately one hour to reach the outskirts of the jungle. It was no less cool under the trees; the humidity was stifling. Treading well-worn tracks, stepping over vegetation and mountain streams, I did perceive a distinct lack of wildlife other than a single bush squirrel high in the trees. Immediately, I realised the need for adequate footwear as somehow a single reed wedged itself between my sole and my boot. Emergency repairs necessitated my laces being used to tie the sole to the boot so I had to continue the trek with unlaced footwear.
After a further two hours there in front of us were the H group of mountain gorillas. My first impression was their resemblance to the Roman emperors of old, lying on their backs, stretching out their arms to take a bite of yet another leaf. No aggression, no fear; just utter contentment in their home environment. The youngsters had no time for eating, preferring to strengthen their muscles with a bit of tree-swinging. As you looked around, you caught further glimpses of additional family members, plus an ear here, and an arm there.
Ugandan rules govern a maximum time limit of one hour with the gorillas before they are left in peace to resume their daily activities. Thus begun the trek back: three hours, retracing our steps; and the forest noted for its dearth of other organisms. Utterly exhausted I had no immediate euphoria for meeting the gorillas in their natural habitat. It was only days later that I realised the magnitude of what I had accomplished. I will not pretend it was easy, but the rewards are high, and the gorillas themselves are an important part of the tourist revenue that the local people need.
Read more about Gorilla watching in Uganda and our 'Uganda - Mammals and Mountains' holiday.