Rwanda: My Gorilla Trek

Having had some time to reflect on my gorilla experience, I still struggle to find the right words.

We set off to Mount Bisoke in Volcanoes National Park for our gorilla trek. Trekking with gorillas had been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.

There were eight of us in the group, accompanied by eight porters carrying our backpacks. A rifleman walked with us to protect the group from any potential danger, particularly elephants and buffalo that roam the rainforest. Ahead of us, two trackers were already following the Izuba gorilla family through the dense vegetation.

The trek itself was an adventure. The forest was thick, wet and alive. We climbed, slipped, ducked under branches and pushed through bamboo, through thickets of stinging nettles, over army ant nests, and never quite knowing what lay beyond the next rise. Stinging thistles went through my gloves - it burns. 

Then came the words we had been waiting to hear: “They are here, look up in the tree. That is Izuba, the silverback!”  Izuba means “sunshine”. Well, he just gave me a bundle of sunshine in my heart. All 230kgs of him. 

Suddenly, all the effort of the hike disappeared. My breathing at this altitude was heavy, but it subsided immediately. The Adrenalin kicked in. 

There, hidden amongst the dense vegetation, and up in the tree was the Izuba family. Izuba the Silverback and two females were foraging flowers high up! After a few minutes, they came down from the tree, walked amongst us to a spot just behind where we were standing. 

For the next hour, I found myself in another world.

One moment in particular will stay with me forever. Sitting quietly in the forest, only a few metres away from these magnificent creatures, I realised that a lifelong dream had become reality. Around me, the gorillas moved calmly through the undergrowth, completely at home in a place that felt wild and untouched. Mothers feeding babies a few days old. 

What surprised me most was not their size or strength, but their presence. There was a gentleness about them, a quiet confidence. Looking into Izuba’s eyes, it was impossible not to feel a connection. 

In that moment, surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of the rainforest, I felt incredibly privileged. My tears ran free. Not because I had seen gorillas, but because I had been allowed into their world, if only for a brief hour. An hour that I will never forget. 

As we began the trek back down the mountain, I found myself reflecting on how fortunate we are to share this planet with such remarkable creatures.

Some dreams take a lifetime to realise.

This one was worth every step.

The mountains, the rainforest, the trackers, the porters and the gorillas were incredible. But the feeling of utmost wonder and gratitude is what I brought home with me.