Visiting the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda

There is somthing remarkable and special about mountain gorillas that has been ingrained in my consciousness. Whether this is so due to Hollywood and the movie, Gorillas in the Mist, or perhaps the case that I see something of ourselves in these gentle creatures.

It is however a fact that the mountain gorillas have become totally reliant on humans for thier survival and it doesn't help that their primary habitat is in an area where life in the past has been cheap, the rule of law has been non existent and local people struggle for survival.

The clearing of habitat, poaching and the wars that have raged are mostly a result of economic hardship. One of the only ways to ensure the survival of the mountain gorillas has been to link the survival and repopulation of the gorillas with the economic well being of the local population.

The beautiful forest home of the mountain gorillas ©Oliver Lawn

Which brings me to my visit to Uganda. Visiting the mountain Gorillas and seeing them in the wild is not cheap. A permit in Uganda costs USD$600.00 and Rwanda just doubled its permit cost to USD$1500.00. Whilst the cost of the permits may seem excessive, there is no shortage of people willing to part with this much cash in order to have such a unique experience. The cost of the permits has had the effect of suppressing the tourist numbers whilst also providing an income that gives incentive for the local communities to keep the mountain gorillas safe.

The briefing prior to trekking into the forest ©Oliver Lawn

A visit to the mountain gorillas is not like visiting a zoo and that for me is the main attraction. Upon arriving at the park headquarters in the morning you recieve a briefing. A guide and tracker are assigned to each group of up to 8 people. Each group gets to visit a family unit of gorillas for one hour and the length of the trek is fully dependent on the gorillas themselves. After all these are wild animals. The trackers will move out ahead to find the location and will direct the guides to the family group you are assigned. The trek to see the gorillas can be as quick as an hour of if you are unlucky 6 hours, as one group on the day we visited had to endure.

The first sighting of the gorillas is breathtaking. The groups of gorillas that are visited have been socialised by the park rangers over a period of time and are used to human contact. At first there is great excitement in the group as everyone scrambles to get photos, however after a short time everyone settles down and starts to enjoy the interaction with one of our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.

First glimpse of the Gorillas ©Oliver Lawn

So many of their characteristics are familiar to us however the powerful physique of the Silverback belies how vulnerable they are. Whilst feeling almost voyeuristic by looking into their world, the permit fee is the only thing ensuring survival of the spieces.

A fleeting glimpse into the lives one of our closest relatives ©Oliver Lawn

The hour with the family group is over all to soon. The glimpse into the world of the mountain Gorilla leaves us all on a high for days. With the numbers slowly recovering there is hope for the mountain gorillas of the Bwindi impenetrable forest but their existance is fragile in this volatile part of Africa.