Gorillas Today and Murakoze and Murabeho Rwanda

Left hotel at 4 am to go gorilla trekking at the Parc National des Volcans (PNV) up north in the Virunga Massif. It was still dark and the drive was kind of scary at times since no street lights, no moon light, cloudy sky and the further we went up north the mistier it got. At times, you got blinded by oncoming trucks going to Kigali bringing fresh potatoes to the market. Arrived at 6:30 am at the national park office where I had to show my visitor ticket, paid and picked up in Kigali yesterday. The visitor fee to the park is not cheap - $500 - but worth every penny. It goes to support the park, rangers and wildlife security and it shows - organization and preparation was excellent and the overall experience simply amazing. I was assigned to a group with other fellow tourists and our main guide was: Eugene Twahirwa who was just terrific. He briefed us on the Virunga massif, the park, gorillas in general, and the family we were to visit in particular. As to the tourists in general, it seems that US visitors make up by far the largest % [over 50%] of all visitors last year and so far in 2008 according to park office statistics.

Many of us in the group had to go back to Kigali in the afternoon hence we were directed to visit a gorilla family that was not too far. And that family was Group 13 that day. We first hiked through fields and a plantation of eucalyptus trees until we reached the edge of the dense jungle. At that point, we were told to only whisper and trek single file only. We were now also accompanied by two army escorts - apparently to protect the animals from poachers which I did not fully believe at first and thought it was for our security b/c we were close to the DRC and Uganda border and ex-Far/interahamwe may be roaming the area, but then the army guys did not return with us later, which made me believe they stayed with the gorillas after we left. The guide said they will watch the family until night fall. Also, one guide had to constantly use a machete to clear the way through the jungle and after my 10 days being here I had a hard time not to think about how that machete was used in the past.

We reached the gorilla family after another hour or so trekking. Group 13 was named simply for its original size of 13 individuals when it was discovered, it has since maintained the name in honor of Dian Fossey while other gorilla families have been renamed. The family is now larger than 13 and all in all there were over 18 gorillas: a silverback [the one in command], many female adults, teenagers, toddlers and one two-week old baby. The second in command, a large female gorilla came very close, walking right by me missing my feet by inches and turning her head only slightly checking me out. Big daddy wanted to snooze but the little ones kept at him and he kept pushing them aside. A couple of teenagers were rolling around wrestling the entire hour we were allowed to watch - displaying typical teenage energy and playfulness. I observed silently with awe not taking any photos b/c a) there's enough on flickr - like the one above here - already b) it felt way too disturbing and kind of ruined the experience. I was just not a fan of the "Let's take a photo every second for the entire hour while looking at the gorillas" scene. Not to mention the constant chatter my fellow trekkers engaged in while watching.

Driving back to Kigali, I got to see the northern countryside and it was amazing how beautiful the north was as well - the hills are more mountain-like and the valleys can be big - and again incredibly green and lush.

I noticed a large congregation of people ahead in one town and as we passed it, realized it was a Gacaca trial in progress. There were a number of prisoners in pink uniforms - sitting kind of in the middle of the crowd. The past is always present.

Back in the hotel, now writing while on the hotel terrace, I have to find out if I am actually leaving tonight. The hotel receptionist missed to confirm my flight and the manager told me that he did not think there was a flight to Brussels tonight. Well, just found out my flight is confirmed - he was wrong and all is well.

This is the final post from Kigali, Rwanda.


Photo Credit