Mountain Gorilla Treks and Safaris.
Although the greatest wildlife spectacles may be the migration of the wildebeest and zebra and the King Penguins of South Georgia, Bengal tigers and Mountain Gorillas represent the best single encounter on dry land (Seeing a Blue whale is hard to beat). Mountain gorillas can be found in Uganda, the Congo and especially Rwanda, where they have been habituated longer.
These poor prime mates, despite being our closest relatives have suffered appallingly from internecine warfare, poaching and mismanagement. Their numbers are still perilously low but stable and a visit to Parc Du Volcans or Bwindi impenetrable forest should not be missed. An encounter with these magnificent mammals involves a big trek above 3000m, often with no paths.
Encounters are limited to one hour and the permit understandably is expensive, but to spend sixty minutes within a few metres of these powerful yet peaceful animals is enthralling, exciting and emotive. To anyone who has seen Hotel Rwanda or, more recently, Shooting Dogs, or read A Sunday by the Pool in Kigali or Shake Hands with the Devil, this experience will be in sharp contrast.
Mountain Gorilla Conservation.
The key activity that has helped preserve the Mountain gorillas is tourism. The money that they bring into the local communities is by far and away their largest source of income, which in turn means that they instantly have a very large interest in preserving these animals. Every visitor, apart from the park fees, stays in hotels, eats and drinks, and tips the guides (well most anyway). So how can you help protect them? Easy, they need visitors, and the experience never short-changes.
If you would like to donate some money towards the Mountain gorillas survival, we recommend the International Gorilla Conservation Programme or the Congo Rangers.
- Shoebill, gorillas and chimp safari in Uganda
- Click here to read about 'How to photograph gorillas.'
Gorillas - The gentle giants
