Meet the gentlest giants of all: here’s where to see them and how to get ready for a life-changing experience
Do you know the ultimate dream of every nature lover?
Meeting mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, deep in Uganda’s lush green rainforests!
These primates are practically the country’s signature animal, a true symbol of Uganda. So much so that the local flag features exactly… a kind of rooster…
Well, not quite… It’s not a rooster, but a grey crowned crane. Still, what a missed opportunity: how cool would it have been to see a magnificent mountain gorilla on Uganda’s flag?
But enough chatter: you’re here for the gorillas, and gorillas you shall get. In this article, we’ll tell you what you need to know to see these shaggy giants up close in their natural habitat.
But first, let’s kick things off with a little nature corner!
The mountain gorilla: incredibly hairy on the outside, incredibly sweet on the inside
Mountain gorillas are extraordinary creatures.
Alright, alright, we know: with those long faces and that permanently unimpressed expression, they might look like they stepped out of a comedy film, but trust us, there’s much more beneath all that thick fur!
Did you know that these huge animals, which can weigh up to 200 kilos (440 pounds), are vegetarians? They spend their days munching on leaves, berries, and fruit, and lovingly care for their young. And between one feast and the next, they also enjoy a bit of good old downtime.
Mountain gorillas live in very close-knit groups, led by a silverback male, so called because of the distinctive silvery coloring on his back. Gorilla mothers are incredibly attentive with their babies: they hold them in their arms for months and teach them how to live in the forest.
Unfortunately, these gentle giants are at risk of extinction. Poaching and, above all, habitat loss threaten their survival.
Forests are being cleared to make room for logging, agriculture, and livestock farming—almost as if someone decided to turn your home into a parking lot, smashing all your furniture and tearing down the roof and walls.
If that happened to you, you’d probably be furious. Mountain gorillas, on the other hand, have no way to protest against this cruelty and are forced to endure it without being able to do anything.
Thankfully, several conservation initiatives have been put in place to protect the species, but more still needs to be done to ensure a future for these furry giants. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that, for once, we won’t be responsible for the disappearance of one of the most fascinating species on Earth.
The ideal place to see gorillas? Bwindi!
So where do we go to see these gorillas?
The best place in Uganda is a reserve with a name that sounds like it came straight out of an action movie: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park!
Pretty epic, right?
Imagine a jungle so dense that even your GPS would say, “Good luck, you’re on your own now.” And in the middle of this wild nature, you’ll find an incredible burst of biodiversity, with countless species of monkeys, birds in colors so vivid they almost hurt your eyes, and butterflies as big as pizzas.
And then there are the sounds: birdsong, the rustle of leaves, and every now and then, of course, the grunt of a mountain gorilla!
Yes, because this is exactly where we go to see them up close during our Uganda itinerary, at the end of a great trekking experience led by a park ranger, who will guide us right to a family of magnificent gorillas.
Huge and impressive, yet calm—they’re not interested in arm wrestling with you. They study you with their deep eyes between one underarm scratch and another, and they leave you breathless.
Read also: When to go to Uganda? The best times to enjoy a truly unforgettable experience
How to prepare for the experience of a lifetime
Trekking to see gorillas in Uganda is a real adventure, through rainforests, rugged trails, and, if you’re lucky, mud up to your knees.
No, really, we’re joking—the experience isn’t quite that extreme. Still, when Uganda’s weather wakes up in a bad mood, the sky can unleash heavy downpours that make the ground much harder to walk on and turn the search for gorillas into more of a workout.
The length of the trek depends on the location of the gorilla family you’ll be observing. These furry giants are constantly on the move, and they’re not easy to keep up with. Good thing the rangers are there to guide us.
But trust us, all the effort will be more than rewarded when you come face to face with these gentle giants.
What should you pack for this experience?
Water, comfortable shoes (and waterproof ones!), a hat for the sun, and a big sense of adventure.
One final piece of advice: don’t try to outsmart the guides. They know the forest like the back of their hand and are there to ensure your safety and give you an amazing experience. Listen to them and follow their instructions, and your trek will become a memory you’ll cherish forever.
