Tracking Mountain Gorillas

Together with Rembrand and Margreet from MAF Uganda, we took off from Kajjansi for a flight to Kisoro airfield. Kisoro airfield is hidden in the Western part of the Ugandese mountains and in the border zone of Uganda with Rwanda and the Demoncratic Republic of Congo. We dropped all our luggage and gear at the MAF hangar at Kajjansi airfield and were enroute with the 4 of us to track mountain gorillas.

Just off the Kisoro airfield we hit our first refugee camp with refugees from Rwanda and Congo.

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After flying for 2 hours and a drive in a 4-wheel Jeep we arrived at our lodge. The lodge had a great view on the Virunga mountains and was about 2 hours away from the Gorilla tracking base camp.

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From the lodge we had a great view on the lake. The next morning we left the lodge at 5.30 to drive with a Toyota Landcruiser for 2 hours through the thick subtropical rainforest to go to the base camp and report for the tracking.

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Here we are still smiling as we took off on the hike not knowing what to expect. To be honest, my (Sjoerd Jan) personal fitness was not great at all and I hired two porters to help me carry my bag and support me on the difficult climbs.

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After hiking several hours through the thick subtropical rainforest, we hit a group of mountain gorillas. This was really an unprecedented event never experienced before. Here we were eye-to-eye within a few meters distance from these gorillas.

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11 thoughts on “Tracking Mountain Gorillas

  1. Gwenda: de terugweg was niet genieten hoor. Het was een behoorlijke klim over smalle paadjes langs ravijnen en door het subtropisch regenwoud. Ik heb nu nog spierpijn šŸ™‚

    • Richard: we will keep on posting when we have the time. Right now we are awaiting further clearance/permission to continue to fly further North.

  2. Dat zijn toch wel bijzondere plaatjes. Het moet echt bijzonder zijn zo oog in oog te staan met deze “primaten” . Dat vergeet je je leven lang niet meer. Goed reis verder.

  3. Hallo Ben,

    Bij de Silverback moest ik toevallig ook aan jou denken, grijs haar, buikje, kijkt naar alle vrouwtjes, is de gehele dag aan het eten/drinken en slaapt daarnaast zoveel mogelijk ……….. trouwens zie nu bij mij ook de overeenkomsten šŸ˜‰

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