Javier Remon Safaris,es | rhinoceros Expeditions,sw

When asked in Kampala which was the quickest and cheapest option to go see the gorillas, I said "Congo", this must be my destiny. Sure, equally, was not economic. "The other countries where you can see the mountain gorillas are Uganda and Rwanda". But that had to wait 15 days, "Because each group of gorillas can be visited for up to eight people and be with them only 1 time and in these 2 countries groups were already full ".

Then I left the capital of Uganda Kisoro bound, con rumbo Sudoeste, I went from winter to summer across the Ecuador, and so I left Savannah to get into the mountains of the Cordillera of the Virunga volcanoes.

After crossing the border with Uganda, I had to make some 15 kilometers in the Congo to reach Des Virunga National Park: there began a <i>trekking</i>, we entered the jungle, went up beyond the fog and the dense jungle between so that we see the gorillas. There, Walking, could only see up to the second person who was in front of you and the third disappeared into the undergrowth.

Before starting the walk we were subjected to a brief talk about tips and attitudes that we take to meet our cousins ​​against not so distant: "They talk quietly, is forbidden to touch, eating or drinking in front of them and can only get as close to 7 meters ". That was actually less.

If any of the gorillas are headed our way, we should look down, bow and stand still. Also, always had to stand behind our guide; never told us what was what attitude to take when our guide corriese before us to be chased by one of these furry mammals ... as it really happened. "Why all this?”. "Because most of these measures are to prevent gorillas from catching human diseases".

In this dense jungle trail we could see the tracks and the trail they had left a very early elephants, during this dawn, had crossed what would our way.

The excitement in our small group was palpable, We were only four, well guarded by seven heavily armed military congoneses. Thus, We were led by our guide, Tembo, to where the gorillas had been seen the previous day and from there we follow his remarkable trail through the brush, opening ourselves over with sharp machetes, to find. So we walked the famous and well sold GORILLA TRAIL, o sea, the way Gorilla.

"To walk in the jungle is essential to wear long pants and is more than advisable to shove it under the socks". No one would want a small animal or insect wandering in his pants. For me, this was very useful because not far from where we would find the gorillas had an ant totally disarmed by any of our furry visited, which there had been a bellyful of fire ants had little time. Hovering there, my legs were covered with these insects not so small and I was more than half an hour to get rid of them.

It group of gorillas visiting íbamos was integrated by a male, four females and four young. Before them, we could olerlos. Tembo bye: "We are very close now". We crouched and approached silently gorillas. After making a few more steps in the weeds, the illusion of them became reality and in dream fulfilled.

At first we saw was the male imposing porte, weighed slightly more than 200 kilos. From that moment, the guide, and subsequently we, beeping started imitating the growl of gorillas, so they will not be surprised or scared of our presence. Thus, informed them we were or where we were moving to see them from another angle, and thus get our treasure: Photos.

Not far away we saw the male to three females, one, in his arms to the smallest of their young, that less than year old. Right there, were sipping some green leaves two other pups almost three years. They are the smallest which, curiosity, Visitors are usually close. The first to come close was the youngest of them, that, with your cute little bearing, He came crawling slowly and after a few steps we retrocediéramos, approached his mother to look. Repeatedly saw young males walking on two legs, beating their breasts, generated a very strong sound similar to the noise of drums. The first half hour flew with them. Then, on numerous occasions, one of the not so small, three years and over 60 kg, began to approach us and then to chase it both by land and by air, climbed trees and across from branch to branch, with the intention of jumping on our backs. Then, our guide said: "Do not run", but of course, he was later, with his machete, and we, without even a knife, and sometimes, stuck for some liana obstructing our escape. These comings and goings, our second and last half hour was consumed, but we got some 15 additional minutes to observe from a different perspective and we could take our last pictures before leaving the thick jungle, to return to Uganda.
We returned with mixed feelings, Happy to have shared with them that day, but, both, saddened as one says goodbye to a great friend who has spent an unforgettable moment ... and not knowing if you ever see him again.

It was worth the journey.

Javier Remon