By Alexandra Hankins, Safari Operations Specialist for The Wild Source
For many, trekking with the endangered mountain gorillas is a bucket list item, and with good reason. For every gorilla family there are only eight permits issued per day, making the experience highly sought after.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest dates back more than 25,000 years, and at an elevation of over 6,500 feet, it’s like stepping into another world. Its ancient mist-covered mountains are home to more than 450 mountain gorillas, nearly half the world’s remaining population and the largest concentration anywhere on Earth. “Bwindi” means “darkness,” and when paired with “impenetrable,” it evokes a presence of an untamed magic that is hard to put into words.
The park is divided into four sectors: Ruhijah, Rushaga, Buhoma, and Nkuringo. Located in the southern part of the park, Nkuringo is considered the most challenging trek due to its steep and hilly terrain. It’s home to four habituated gorilla families. I had had the privilege of visiting the Posho family, newly habituated and the largest of the four with nineteen members.
May falls within the “long rains” in Uganda, making it a quieter time that sees fewer tourists. As a result, I was given the rare privilege of trekking alone, with only one permit issued that day. I stayed at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, just a ten-minute walk to the park headquarters, where I received a briefing from the ranger before we drove another five minutes to the start of the trail. I was accompanied by the park ranger (serving as my guide), a porter, and two armed rangers (one in front, one in back) for security purposes.
The trek was far more demanding than I had anticipated. We began by navigating through crops carved into the mountainside before reaching the tea fields and finally, the forest. With little to no tree cover, the trail was completely exposed, and the sun was brutal, even in the midst of the rainy season. My porter helped tremendously, saving me from more than a few slides down the slick, muddy terrain. It took about an hour to reach the forest at the bottom of the mountain, where we began making our way toward the trackers, who had located the Posho family earlier that morning. A series of echoing calls between the ranger and the trackers cut through the dense vegetation, guiding us to their location. Once we reached them, we were granted an uninterrupted hour to spend observing the family in their natural habitat. It’s an experience that I will forever cherish.
After the hour had passed, we made our way back through the impenetrable forest, where I did my fair share of slipping and tripping until we reached the opening to the tea fields. From there, it was back up the mountain and easily the most grueling part of the day. After about an hour and a half, we had finally reached the top of the trail. The entire trek lasted roughly four hours and covered close to 4 kilometers.
Even though the Nkuringo trek was physically demanding, the effort made the reward well worth it. Trekking with endangered mountain gorillas was an unforgettable experience, and one that I would do again and again.