Why gorilla trekking in Rwanda means so much to me
The gorillas of Rwanda were made famous by American conservationist Dian Fossey. Laurel Waldron followed in her footsteps
After stories of hours-long searches in the rain, finding our animal after just 45 minutes, metres from where we were staying, seemed a fortuitous win. The ranger encouraged a move closer to the gorilla and I tiptoed through the undergrowth, sounds muffled by dense forest canopy. In silence so thick I could practically hear my own heart, I locked eyes with him, Kigoma, the dominant silverback, high on a mountain in remote Rwanda.
Tingling with fear, excitement and adrenaline, I had to remind myself to breathe; despite his apparent ambivalence to my presence I still fumbled as I tried to use my camera, transfixed. Twelve gorilla families roam freely within the walls of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park – and sometimes outside, as some disgruntled farmers will attest – and with permits to spend time with them limited to just 96 each day, with each allowing one hour in their presence, it’s the pinnacle of exclusive wildlife experiences.
Rangers, trackers and anti-poaching teams spend their days following their troop, tracking movements, analysing nests and dung for signs of ill health and destroying poachers’ snares before they can do harm; they are the silent heroes of the forest, safeguarding Rwanda’s wild mountain gorilla population for future generations. Since their near decimation in the 1980s – less than 250 were estimated to be left in the wild – conservationists have been working alongside the Rwandan government to protect their future.
Fossey’s seminal work, Gorillas in the Mist, is more than just the a Hollywood movie; her years studying and living among gorillas to help better understand their inner workings have led to 55 years of conservation efforts to not only protect them, but support the communities they coexist alongside. Her work helped the world understand how close we were to losing gorillas and her legacy carries on today through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. From its humble beginnings as a one woman set-up from her tented jungle station, to its current home, a state of the art study and research facility in sight of Volcanoes National Park, the foundation’s laser focus in educating the local community and helping to create the next generation of conservationists is what will ensure the survival of the species.
I always had such fascination with their movements and mannerisms, studying gorillas and their innate humanness. Realising how similar to us they really are
A walk around the centre, with its chronological history of the gorilla families Fossey studied, a recreation of the hut where she lived alone in the jungle, and video footage of her with her beloved animals, is a stirring experience. Though gorilla numbers have flourished over the years, now recognised merely as ‘Endangered’ rather than critically so, the work to protect them is never complete. The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund may only be 18 months old, but the facility aims to advance research in genetics, physiology and palaeontology to ensure the mountain gorillas continue to thrive.
There are comparatively few moments in one’s adult life that stoke the kind of excitement that sends a fizz through every fibre of your being. But with the mist-cloaked mountains ahead as we started our ascent, the edge of Volcanoes National Park lay a solid 45 minute hike ahead of us, across farmland and rocky hillsides. That first sighting, the silverback, arms crossed, sulkily sheltering from the morning’s drizzle like a recalcitrant toddler, brought back memories of childhood zoo visits.
I always had such fascination with their movements and mannerisms, studying their innate humanness and realising just how similar to us they really are. Only 60 minutes is allowed in their presence which, as it turns out, is more than sufficient to fill a memory card and end up damp to the bone from drizzle. A day later, at the annual naming ceremony, which takes place again this week (I visited almost a year ago to the day), we learnt our time had been spent with the newest gorilla family, a group formed by animals breaking away from other families, and named Kwisanga, meaning ‘to feel at home’.
I still think about Kigoma the gorilla eating his lunch like any colleague of mine in the work canteen
Each September Rwanda invites celebrities, dignitaries and conservationists to name a baby gorilla born in the park over the preceding 12 months in its Kwita Izina ceremony, the most illustrious event in the conservational calendar. Bringing together a crowd of over 50,000 from not just the local area, but across the country, it’s one of the most important traditions in Rwandan culture. Exactly 352 babies have been named in the last 17 years, as attendees arrive into the northern town of Kinigi, just a few miles from the DRC border, for a momentous celebration and a day-long programme of live music and ceremony.
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It was a privilege to witness the occasion as guests of the Rwanda Development Board, but tour operators focused on the importance of such cultural and conservational experiences, such as Intrepid Travel, are now building the ceremony into existing gorilla trekking itineraries. The weather was still predominantly rain, so returning to the Virunga Inn Resort & Spa on the edge of the park provided welcome respite, with hot water bottles placed between our fleece-lined sheets, slippers provided at reception, and muddy hiking boots whisked away for cleaning, returned the next morning sparkling like new.
With rooms dotted around its beautiful gardens and views of the mountains from their private terraces on which to enjoy your morning coffee, it added to the magical experience that was our time in the region. Just a few minutes’ drive from the departure point for trekking, it’s perfectly located to be the hub of your adventure. Despite its simian residents being Rwanda’s main draw, there’s plenty else to explore during a trip. Nyugwe National Park is home to an estimated 500 chimpanzees, Akagera National Park to the Big Five, while Lake Kivu, part of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, is dotted with islands, inlets and beach resorts, and is fantastic for hiking and cycling. Still healing the scars of its past, the capital is home to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a sobering reminder of the events of spring 1994 that should form an essential stop for any visit to the country.
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The city is also home to a flourishing food scene, with restaurants including the fine dining afro-fusion Meza Malogna, which makes the most of the natural produce from the country’s rich, volcanic soil.
Even a year later, I still think about Kigoma eating his lunch like any colleague in my work canteen. It’s this connection to gorillas that really makes them so special. It’s no wonder Fossey became so captivated with them. I hope she knows her legacy is still training the next generation of conservationists to ensure not just the survival of the species, but their existence in harmony with our own.
Visit Rwanda yourself
Rwandair flies four times a week direct from London Heathrow to Kigali, return fares from £637, rwandair.com; Gorilla trekking permits $1,500 per person; Rooms at the Virunga Inn Resort & Spa from £648 per night; Laurel was a guest of the Rwanda Development Board, visitrwanda.com