Hmm… I’ve run out of superlatives. Let’s just say that today was pretty damned good.
All those months of hill walking and jogging paid dividends today. This was the toughest walk I’ve done for many years, if ever. We trekked up steep mountainside for about two and a half hours before finding the gorillas.
But the scenery was breathtaking.
Ok, I’ll work on the photos when I get home.
The altitude we reached matched the highest mountain in the Pyrenees! Oxygen was a little scarce (thus ‘breathtaking’). If heavy breathing turns you on, this is the place to be.
Our guide was a real entertainer, full of stories of the relationships between the many gorillas in this park.
Here he is, talking to us, telling us what and what not to do around these massive beasts, whilst looking downhill at a small group of gorillas beneath us. As we were sorting ourselves out, taking off backpacks etc. the undergrowth behind us parted and this guy barged right through us! Turn, focus, shoot…
Over the next few minutes several more of the group wandered through us. We followed them a short way to where they had settled to eat, sleep and play. This baby tried to join in with all of it.
This big silverback had lost one arm to a poachers trap some years ago. Although a big fella, he’ll never be able to become the boss.
This group was named 'Peace’. Why? Well, the head silverback of a family group remains the boss until he dies (naturally between 35 and 45 years old). He is never challenged. Once he is dead, the silverbacks in the group must fight for leadership.
With this group there were then two silverbacks. They fought for two days with no overall winner.
They then did something never before seen; they agreed to split the group into two. Ever since then, the two brothers occasionally swap groups, including wives!
Hmmm…
Here is the big guy, overlooking his family.
On sadly taking our leave from this humbling experience, we stopped for a breather overlooking a forested volcanic crater.
We finally arrived back at base, dusty and tired.
Such an amazing day. Never to be forgotten.
After a quick freshen up, we set off on our way back to Europe. We stopped off for an overnight stay at Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu.
We are now to head off to the airport in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, to battle a couple of days of bureaucracy and discomfort, before arriving home and letting loose the dogs of photoshop.
Bye!
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