ORILLAS IN THE MIST

The late primatologist Dian Fossey once wrote, ‘The more you learn about the dignity of the gorilla, the more you want to avoid people. ’ The joint conservation efforts of the three countries that are home to these mountain gorillas might have changed her mind.

- By Alice Thesen

When my colleague asked if I wanted to see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, I hesitated for all of 10 seconds before agreeing to join him. These endangered animals can now be found in the wild only in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo – in the Virunga Mountains, a chain of active and dormant volcanoes where the three countries meet, and in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the Kigezi Highlands in Uganda.

Since we were heading to Kigali, Rwanda, for work, it was the perfect opportunity to go on a gorilla trek from there. Volcanoes National Park is reasonably close. As African citizens or residents, the permit from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) would cost us US$500 each, which is pretty steep, but everyone we knew who'd been before promised us it would be worth every cent. East Africans and Rwandans pay $200, and non-Africans $1 500. The prices are high, but you are very likely to see the gorillas, and if, after a full day of trekking, you still don’t see them, the RDB will offer you another day to try again: a reassuring safeguard when shelling out the cash. We booked our trip for May, near the end of the rainy season, which I think is a good time to go because you still catch the cheaper rainy season prices but are less likely to be washed down the mountain.

AN EARLY DEPARTURE

We left Kigali at 4 am to make it to the RDB offices near Musanze by 7 am – we used a private driver, which came to $200 for both of us. (If you go with a tour group, transport from your hotel is usually included in the flat fee). Google Maps will tell you that the trip should take one-and-a-half hours, but don’t believe it for a second – between the meandering mountain passes and some pretty dubious stretches of road, you’ll be glad you allowed yourself the extra time.