Journal #51 - Uganda
Ki kati from Uganda!
When we watch people bushwhack in movies, they always seem strong and capable. They slash away at the brush and progress forward like the jungle is doing them the favor of stepping out of the way. The reality, as we could have guessed, is much different. The machete serves for merely parting the thick vines, it does not open up a clear walking path for starters. Even bigger though is the part that is definitely left off of those pretty people on the screen: the sweat. When you pair a dense climate with warm summer temperatures and humidity thick enough to drink, the result is a river of sweat. But what, you may ask, could be worth this dripping discomfort, well the answer to that question is Gorillas.
We crossed the Rwanda/Uganda border by land and it was amusing to drive in on the right-hand side of the road and exit on the left-hand side. Our vehicle had 4x4 functionality and our driver was a kind man who had taken this trip many times before. We spent several hours bouncing around on the dirt roads receiving what he called our “African Massage” – aka, a LOT of bumpy driving. We felt more like scrambled eggs upon arrival than people.
Where we reached though was well worth the ride. Our accommodations were located adjacent to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This means we resided on the mountainside overlooking a densely forested valley. The sheer variety of trees, bushes, flowers, and grasses was more diverse than we have ever seen and all of the flora was completely new to us. We felt giddy standing against the railing looking out and watching the iridescent birds twitting from flower to flower; each more vibrant and flashy than the next.
We came all this way and took the rockiest-wooden-rollercoaster of a car ride for a single reason, to trek with wild mountain gorillas. There are only a few places in the world where you can see gorillas in the wild, and Uganda is home to over half of the global population. Our driver brought us into the National Park first thing in the morning where we were met with a welcome dance by the neighbors and families of the trekkers. While this performance entertained us, the guides handled the logistics of dividing the tourists into groups.
Each group consisted of up to eight tourists led by a Guide and accompanied by two armed guards. The guards were there to protect us from the wild animals we did not intentionally set out to see. Apparently, a stray elephant does not appreciate being happened upon by eleven or so humans unexpectedly. When we met our group, we were assigned a gorilla family to meet - each family only interacts with one group of tourists a day. The gorillas have been habituated over the years to be comfortable with the presence of humans near them. This process involves familiarizing them with the sounds humans make (with our voices, bodies, and cameras) along with the smells and general presence. We were fortunate to be assigned to a large family with multiple generations of gorillas.
Treks may last anywhere from two hours to ten hours. These are wild animals, so there is no way of controlling where in the jungle they will roam. Some days it can be easy to access them. While on other days you may spend hours chasing a trail. To help, each morning trackers go into the jungle to meet the designated families. Their job is to, from sunup to sundown each day, follow the gorillas. These trackers then use radios to communicate with our lead Guide to help give directions and get us there quicker.
Now getting there is easier said than done. As I mentioned, it was hot and sweaty; but more than that – the terrain is wildly uneven and filled with stinging nettle. We spent more time walking on vines and plants than we did touching the ground and it was important that we covered all of our potentially exposed flesh. There are no paths in the middle of the jungle, so our guards and Guide were slashing away at branches to try and make a way for us (They did not give the tourists machetes - which was probably a wise call). A great deal of our walking was done along the mountainside, hooked onto only the tightly laced undergrowth. Those woven vines could be precarious and, if you lost your balance, you may reach out for a grip. That could be dangerous though as you find rather than a steadying grasp an unpleasant burning sensation radiating from your palm.
At one point, my foot broke through the brush and vines. My body was laid out flat against the side of the mountain. Now, that does not sound so bad, but there were so many leaves and plants, especially at our shin/knee level that when I fell, my whole body dropped out of sight of the other trekkers. Mr. Wanderer turned around at my yelp to find me completely missing. Just gone. Never to be seen again. Thankfully, I had not actually fallen too far and the group could help me up once they had located me under the brush and nettles.
After a, thankfully, not terribly long hike we came upon the trackers. At this time, we were given the Do’s and Do Not’s. One point they made especially clear was that we were never to run, no matter how scared we got. Plus, based on my proven athleticism on the trek out here, I would not be able to get very far anyway. We also are not to touch the gorillas – they are wild animals after all and we were reminded to respect that. Additionally, all of the humans before encroaching on the gorilla family were required to don face masks, to prevent the spread of disease to the beasts.
Then it began. The group got quiet at this point and progressed slowly a little bit further, having been instructed that the gorillas were just over the crest of a hill. Gradually we trod in that direction when abruptly we were instructed to "Stop!". On our left, a shadow moved. It moved more like a black dust mite noticeable because of the shaking leaves in its wake than any shape we could make out. If someone had not pointed to it, we would have missed it. But that shadow grew, and it approached. Then, when she was less than ten feet away, our first gorilla showed her face. She did not stop her approach though, but rather walked right up to us and continued brushing past us. Our group must have been in her way. She came so close that we could have reached out and pet her (but did not, as per our instructions).
After that moment, the gorillas started appearing everywhere. We spotted two above us on the hill and two more hanging from the vines before us. There were babies and females in every direction, but our whole group noticed when the silverback approached. He was calling out grunts to each family member as he passed them and descended the hill making the brush flatten beneath him. His back was in fact shimmering (much like our sweaty faces) as he progressed into the sunlight.
We were allowed to stay with the family for about an hour. We watched as they worked their way around foraging in the vines, hanging from trees, and resting in the sun after picking from the bushes. The silverback could be found parked right in the middle of the group at all times and just ripped giant branches off of the plants that were within his reach, expending as little energy as possible.
The babies could be found all over the trees. At one point we saw three of them nestled into the canopy of a single tree each shaking the branches and swinging from spot to spot. As the family finished getting their fill of leaves and berries, one by one they moved into the shade and reclined for a nap. When they were done, so was our time. We were led back out of the jungle. I am sure we walked a similar distance out as it had taken us to get in to meet the gorillas, but it did not feel like it. We were buzzing with the thrill of being so close to such magnificent animals.
This has been one of the most exhilarating experiences of our whole odyssey. The humidity, the bumpy roads, and the long trek all just made it feel even more special when we got there. It was truly a gift to be so physically near to such a beautiful family. If you need us, we will be blasting Phil Collin’s soundtrack to ‘Tarzan’ for the next several months. Unfortunately, we do need to continue on our travels – though, if staying and playing with these gorillas forever was an option we would be talking about it. Our next stop is the home of Rooibos tea - any guesses where we are off to next?
