After months of anticipating this trip, I find myself sitting in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest asking the question, “Am I dreaming?”

Since my early adulthood, I have dreamed of trekking to see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Dreamed of the opportunity to observe the behaviours and interactions of these magnificent animals without bars or barriers between us. What I did not anticipate was the profound impact this dream becoming a reality would have on me. Nor did I expect the mark the people of Buhoma, Uganda, would leave.

They were kind, generous, approachable and invested in preserving their community, their way of life and the gorillas with whom they share a home. Our tour of the community was inspiring. We learnt so much about the local culture, the people (including the Batwa people) and the efforts being made to improve the community and their available opportunities. As a woman, I was impressed with the focus on the women of Buhoma and the surrounding area. We visited a nursing school at the local hospital and learnt about the work of the organisation, Ride 4 a Woman.

The morning of our first trek (thankfully we had been recommended to book two treks), I struggled to contain my excitement which was laced with a little bit of jitters. The Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Lodge staff were so helpful in preparing us for the trek. We then traveled to the Buhoma Welcome Center where we watched a local performance, heard from a community speaker about local conservation efforts and received an overview of gorilla trekking. We were then assigned to our gorilla group. And with that information, we were off to the starting point of our trek.

The intensity and length of a hike is determined by the gorillas. It depends on the family you are assigned to and their escapades the day before your hike. Our assigned family, the Rushegura group, is comprised of 16 gorillas led by Kabukojo, the dominant silverback. The newest family member, Ndeeba was just 9 months old. The family was a short distance away from our starting point for the hike. The trackers had gone out ahead of us to follow the family from their previous location and locate where they were congregating that morning. 

It is hard to put into words the experience of coming around the corner and glimpsing the first view of this magnificent family. Amidst the canopy of the trees, with sunlight filtering through, we spotted them scattered amongst the tree tops eating breakfast.  It takes your breath away to bear witness to their daily routine. We asked our guide, John, if they would stay in the trees for the entire time and he smiled broadly as he answered, “just watch”.  So, we did and over the next several minutes, the Rushegura family descended to the forest floor to dazzle us with their antics.

Watching the interaction of Ndeeba with his mother left a permanent mark on my heart. As his mom approached the group through the underbrush with Ndeeba hanging off her chest, I was frozen in awe of them. She stopped a few feet away, calmly laid down on her side and watched her infant explore his surroundings. It was as if a toy store had come to life in front of my eyes. Kabukojo quietly watched over his family from the base of a beautiful tree and the family foraged and played all around us. As I watched Ndeeba play with his sibling, practice his tree climbing and hop back underneath Mom as she traversed the forest floor, I paused to close my eyes so that I could sear the imagery into my memory forever. An hour spent with these glorious animals, whose behaviours so hauntingly mimic those of humans, did not feel like enough time but in that hour, my dream became a reality.

Following the trek, we returned to the Sanctuary for some lunch and time to unwind. Shortly thereafter, we set off to explore more of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on a hike of the Munyaga River Falls with our Ranger, John, from that morning’s gorilla trek. It was a beautiful hike that allowed us time to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We saw hundreds of butterflies, red-tailed monkeys and beautiful waterfalls. The time spent hiking back that afternoon was the perfect opportunity to reflect on the morning with the gorillas. To reflect on the experience of a childhood dream becoming a reality. And knowing that I do not have to ask myself if I am dreaming anymore.

This experience was life changing but would not have been as easy as it was for us without the experience and guidance of Amy and her team at Wild Again. From the coordination of travel logistics to the selection of our beautiful accommodations at Sanctuary, Gorilla Forest Camp and pairing us with the very best Ugandan guide, Sam, Amy and her team made this dream into a reality that I will never forget.

You can explore an African itinerary that includes gorilla trekking itinerary HERE.

Written by Steph Drenning.