Tracking Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi

Bwindi means "impenetrable" in Runyakitara. After thirty minutes of climbing through wet, root-tangled understory, you understand why.

The encounter

Your guide raises a hand. Stop. Listen. The forest is full of small sounds, but this one is different — heavy, deliberate movement. The silverback is fifteen metres away, eating shoots. He looks up. Eye contact. Time stops.

The permits

Uganda permits cost $800 USD. Rwanda is $1,500. The fees fund ranger patrols, community development, and habitat protection. It is the most direct conservation tourism on the continent.