Gorillas in the Mountains of Rwanda

[pscrimshaw]

Hi everyone! Last month I was fortunate to spend 3 weeks across East Africa, and I figured it would be best to recount my time in Rwanda where I came to see the endangered mountain gorillas. This is my first trip report on the site, and I hope you enjoy! But if reading isn't quite your style then I have also made a couple of YouTube Videos for those that are more interested in the vlogging, wildlife videography side of things. 
 

 

I spent 4 days in Rwanda which wasn't a lot, but in my opinion that was the right amount of time since my interest was mostly on just the gorillas. I spent 3 nights at the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge just outside Volcanoes National Park, and it was by far the nicest experience I have ever had in all my years of going on safari. I really felt like I was in a mountain cabin like Dian Fossey. Stay tuned for the play by play and some of my favorite shots from my trip to Rwanda!

[pscrimshaw]

After spending a couple of nights in Nairobi, it was off to Rwanda to go gorilla trekking! I have tried doing a gorilla trip for a long while, but logistically just couldn't get it done until now. I briefly spent some time exploring the capital city of Kigali, where I got a chance to visit the Genocide Museum and the real Hotel Rwanda. It is an incredibly moving experience, and even if you only care about wildlife I genuinely believe it's worth taking the time to visit.

 

The drive from Kigali to the Volcanoes National Park was about 3 hours, but wow was it scenic. Seeing thousands of green hills and giant volcanoes in the background was probably the most beautiful drive I've ever been on.

 

The view from my room of Mt. Sabyinyo just outside of Volcanoes National Park

 

[pscrimshaw]

The following morning it was time for my first trek. I requested the Susa family, which was one of the original families that Dian Fossey researched during her time in the park. What I didn't realize was that the Susa live an hour away from the initial park check in point, so we had a long drive before we could even start hiking.

 

When we got there, we were provided walking sticks and began to make our way up towards the park border. The hike was mostly uphill through farmland, and it took us about an hour to reach the border wall that separates the local farmers from the jungle. After that, it was about 15 minutes macheting through dense jungle before we actually came across the gorillas.

 

The moment when you actually see them just leaves you dumbstruck. Watching a wild gorilla literally 10m right in front of you is absolutely exhilarating. They are so human like in their eyes and faces, which allows you to connect with them in a deeper way than say an elephant or a lion.

 

Photographing them was a huge challenge though, because they were on a slope and moving down hill, so we basically had to chase them and snap a few photos before they moved again. Very difficult, but still amazing to experience.

 

One of the newest members of the Susa family

 

This family had multiple silverbacks, which is apparently quite common

 

 

 

Following the gorillas downhill was difficult, but when they posed they posed perfectly

 

 

 

 

Looking into a gorilla's eyes you can see how we are so closely related

[pscrimshaw]

What I didn't realize was that my first gorilla trek was going to be the easy one. You wouldn't call a 4 hour round trip hike "easy" usually, but compared to to my second one it was a piece of cake. Unfortunately the next day I was assigned the Igisha family, which lived even further than the Susa. We had to drive almost 2 hours right to the Congo border to even start the hike.

 

This time though, the hike was almost reversed. It was about 15 minutes to the border wall, and then began the single most brutal hike of my life. It was a 2 hour trek through thick, deep mud, stinging nettles, up and down through the thickest jungle I've ever seen. There was essentially no path, and we literally couldn't see anything in front of us until our guide sliced through with his machete. I felt like one of those old colonial explorers making my way through the Congo rainforest, and was starting to question why on earth I signed up for this.

 

But finally we found the gorillas, and those intrusive thoughts quickly disappeared. The Igisha are the biggest in the park with 36 members. That includes 6 silverbacks, and lots of babies! They were also in a much better position than the Susa, and seemed to be relaxing which made for some awesome photography.

 

A very lazy young gorilla. I wish I could be as relaxed as him after my hike!

 

 

 

The photographic opportunities with the Igisha were very different than with the Susa

 

 

 

I wonder what he's thinking about?

 

 

 

Mothers and babies are always a goal on a gorilla trek, and there were plenty in this family

 

 

 

Very fluffy, and very cute!

 

 

 

One of 6 silverbacks in the family, the largest number of any in the park

 

Finally my gorilla time was over, and I had to make the 2 hour trek back down the mountains, this time in the pouring rain. The gorillas were awesome, but the hike was absolute misery.

[pscrimshaw]

The next day it was time to leave Rwanda, but I decided to do a quick golden monkey trek on my way out. This was more of a stroll than a hike, and we actually found the monkeys right on the border with the farm land. Golden Monkeys apparently love potatoes, and so we spent our entire time with them as they raided the local crops. Not the most "wild" wildlife photography, but at least I can say that I got to see them.

 

 

We found the gorilla monkeys right on the park border

 

 

 

Apparently they are major potato lovers

 

 

 

The look of a guilty monkey

 

After saying goodbye to the monkeys, it was off to the airport to catch my flight back to Nairobi. Then the real safari could begin.

[Ginny]

@pscrimshaw  Those Susa photos are wonderful.  I am curious how tall the Susa gorillas are.

[mtanenbaum]

Wonderful photos--thanks so much for sharing! Ironically when I went to Uganda a number of years ago the Golden Monkey trek for me was much more difficult than the gorilla trek! I wound up having to turn around although my 20 year old son continued with the small group. I never did see the golden monkeys unfortunately, but I did get to the gorillas on a separate trek. So much of it is luck--our gorillas had had their breakfast and were snoozing with only the babies active, and they were in a lot of brush so very low light and difficult for photography. Still something you never forget. 

[offshorebirder]

Fantastic stuff @pscrimshaw.   I particularly enjoyed the Golden Monkey video - bittersweet stuff.

 

Thanks for posting this mini-TR.

 

[Atravelynn]

 

"The moment when you actually see them just leaves you dumbstruck."  What a perfect sentiment.

 

Fabulous photos.  You have to be thrilled with them.  Your explanations of the long drive pre-trek are helpful to give a feel for how it all works. 

 

On to "the real safari."

[madaboutcheetah]

I thnk you meant, "Agashya" family ........  It was a torturous trek coming dowhill in the slush after heavy rains for me that day!! 

[NancyS]

I love your photos of the gorillas!

[pscrimshaw]

22 hours ago, Ginny said:

@pscrimshaw  Those Susa photos are wonderful.  I am curious how tall the Susa gorillas are.

They were giants for sure! The silverbacks are about the size of a full grown man in height but in width they are just plain huge

[pscrimshaw]

15 hours ago, Atravelynn said:

 

"The moment when you actually see them just leaves you dumbstruck."  What a perfect sentiment.

 

Fabulous photos.  You have to be thrilled with them.  Your explanations of the long drive pre-trek are helpful to give a feel for how it all works. 

 

On to "the real safari."

Thank you so much! I’ll admit that I almost forgot how to work my camera when I was finally in front of them. It’s just an emotional experience that really gets to you 

[pscrimshaw]

13 hours ago, madaboutcheetah said:

I thnk you meant, "Agashya" family ........  It was a torturous trek coming dowhill in the slush after heavy rains for me that day!! 

Oh they were definitely the Igisha family! Because I requested the Agashya and was promptly denied so this was my consolation prize! Pretty sure the park guides just saw I was a relatively young fit guy so they assigned me the hardest group of the day. Next time I’ll make sure to walk up with a limp.

[Atravelynn]

2 hours ago, pscrimshaw said:

Thank you so much! I’ll admit that I almost forgot how to work my camera when I was finally in front of them. It’s just an emotional experience that really gets to you 

Yes,  a highly emotional response impairs our cognitive ability.

[marg]

Great trip report thus far.  Thanks!!

[Miss Biscuit]

Great photos! Love the gorilla babies and the "guilty" golden monkeys. 

[TonyQ]

Beautiful photos of a fantastic experience 

[Kitsafari]

Those gorilla photos - it touches the core of your heart. i thoroughly enjoyed the videos of both the gorillas the golden monkeys. quite poignant looking at the monkeys eating the potatoes and wondering how long will the farmers tolerate them before they retaliate?

looking forward to more.