Face to Face with Magnificence in the Mist

My Story of Tracking Gorillas in Rwanda and the Congo

 

It is a very special privilege awarded to very few people. I am honored to have been blessed with the opportunity to experience what I consider to be one of the greatest adventures in my life; tracking gorillas in the remote mountain jungles of Rwanda and the Congo. The sights, sounds and emotions of those two days will remain with me always as some of my most cherished memories of all time.

 

The idea for a Gorilla Trek had always been a dream of mine. Gorillas are my absolute favorite animal. Once I started planning this adventure to Africa, I knew above all else it had to include Gorillas (and Flamingos, which are Kathy’s absolute favorite animal). It took lots of research and planning to pull this off. The permits are the most difficult part of the process. There are only so many permits issued, and when they are gone, they are gone. We managed to secure our 4 permits about 9 months before the trip. Early planning is the key to success with this type of adventure.

 

After several days of safari adventure in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Manyara and Arusha, we boarded a small 12 seat bush plane for our trip to Rwanda. After about 4 hours of flying, with one stop for immigration, and 3 stops to let other passengers off at various camps, we arrived at the capital city of Kigali. Read more →

Visit to a Maasai Village and School

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic ethnic group of people living in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. (Wikipedia: Maasai People)

Village Map Diagram

Village Map Diagram

We visited a family unit in their village one afternoon after a game drive through the Ngorongoro Crater. The family consisted of a man, his 15 wives, and their dozens of children. The village we visited was located just outside Ngorongoro Crater at -3.129148, 35.681014.

Upon arrival just outside the village we were greeted by the chief’s eldest son. I paid him $50 to allow unfettered access to the village and permission to take photographs of the people and structures. When we first arrived in Africa our guide explained that people here are generally very private and do not like their photo being taken. But, they are willing overlook this for a little cash, and $50 goes a really long way in a remote village like this.
Read more →