~Travel Friends & Friends 25~

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community Farmers produce all that they eat and take much to market to sell.
Mountain Gorillas Trek Day One

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Uganda's oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” also protects an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. These gorillas are protected by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. A portion of the cost of the permits ($1,000 USD) goes towards support of the local villages.

There are 13 Gorilla groups, not all have been habituated for people to be able to visit them. It is a long, treacherous hike in, where once there we were allowed to move about, take pictures and view the family. We were charged immediately on both days by the silverback, who basically said "This is my family and home, respect it and you can stay for a while".

The trekkers go out at first sunlight to where the gorillas nested the night before, then follow the trail to where they are foraging in the morning. They call in the location to the guide then the group takes a shortcut (a machete chopped path through the forest) to where they currently are for the day.

We were given information about their habits, told not to drink water in front of them so they wouldn't learn a behavior foreign to them, not to touch them and keep a safe distance. Plant you feet firmly in the ground in case the silverback runs at you and accidentally knocks into you. They said it was OK and encouraged eye contact as the gorillas are very curious, but not to move or run if approached by one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Habinyanja Family 16 Members

1 Silverback, 2 blackbacks, 4 Adult Females

1 sub adult, 3 Juveniles

6 Infants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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