Gorilla trekking 101

To see the gorillas is not only a question of money but also of physical fitness. Visitors are split into groups of 8, equipped with a guide, and then delve into the rain forest for the trekking. Early in the morning, a group of 3 trackers, one for each of the ten habituated families, starts looking for the animals where they were last seen the day before. Thanks to this system, getting to the gorillas is almost guaranteed. However, some may be lucky to see them after an hour, while others may trek the entire day. Bwindi Impenetrable Rain Forest deserves its name. The scenery at 2000m altitude is breathtaking, but the steep terrain and frequent rainfalls make it a muddy, slippery, and exhausting undertaking. These circumstances create opportunities for local entrepreneurs; while borrowing hiking sticks is for free (aka African skiing), hiring a porter costs 20 bucks. If you are injured or lazy, you can charter an African helicopter (300 USD), whereby 12 porters lift you on a stretcher through the rainforest.

Shaking trees

After a short introduction in the national park center, the 80 visitors were divided into ten groups. We were lucky to get Expeditor, the chief guide, keen to share his vast knowledge. He briefed us that we were assigned the Kyaguriro family - an excellent draw with 15 gorillas, including four silverbacks and two babies. Two rangers equipped with AK47s would also join us, not because of the gorillas but because it would be possible to come across mountain elephants that tend to be aggressive. 

After 90 minutes of hiking, we suddenly saw a tree shaking 40 meters away - false alarm. Looking through the telephoto lens, we realized it was just a muzungu (a Bantu word for white people of European origin). By coincidence, another group almost crossed our trail.

Arriving at their location, we immediately spotted a relaxed silverback hanging around with a female and her baby. As it was raining, the alpha male would protect his belly with his arms from the rain. Every group is allowed to stay 1 hour with the gorillas; ours were not doing much during the first half because of the rain. Our trackers were dedicated to cutting trees and bushes to optimize the view. However, one needs to be careful; if you cut down the gorilla's food, they will give you a warning roar and may surge toward the molester. That's precisely what happened during our visit. In that moment, you realize you wouldn't stand a chance against the speed and force of a 200kg silverback. When he got loud and moved over to us, my heart rate jumped to 190 beats per minute, and only thanks to the correct sounds of the rangers did the silverback calm down again (and my heart attack didn't become a reality). 

Gorilla Martini

Back at our campsite, we celebrated the freshly made memories, and I mingled with the locals and employees at the bar. After a beer or two, looking at the booze bottles behind the bar, I asked Gordon, the co-owner of the place, which drinks they could mix. He admitted they didn't mix stuff beyond classic long drinks and wouldn't have fancy cocktail recipes at their fingertips. As I just recently completed a full bartender education, I quickly analyzed the rack and offered Gordon to mix him an Espresso Martini. The coffee ingredient was challenging, but we found a way to get close to an espresso (some sort of strong Ugandan coffee). We called the final result Gorilla Martini and enjoyed our nightcap while looking at photos from the trekking.