Gorillas in the Mist

Another early start as today was the day of the Gorillas. The whole thing is quite an experience. You have to be at Headquarters at 6.30am. The guides then do the argy bargy with middle men to get the group of gorillas they want. This goes on for around an hour or so. The guides are all bidding against each other but it never gets heated. Then they take their group away and secretly tell them what group they have got. Whether it is a hard or medium walk. The group our guide was after was Susa which is one of the hardest walks and furthest away groups but it has 38 members including three silverbacks. There are twin babies, many other babies including a five day old baby and other mothers.

Despite the hard steep climb through bamboo fields and then forest with stinging nettles it was an amazing experience. Such a privilege to share a precious hour with this group. Watching them eat, play, beat their chests, charge us, touch us and just to sit with them.

This is the middle silverback. Not the eldest but his son. His father charged us and came less then a metre away. The ranger yelling don't run, don't run. What an experience.