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Parc National des Volcans:
Gorillas
in the Mist
“In the heart
of central Africa, so high up that you shiver more than you sweat, are great,
old volcanoes towering up almost 15000 feet, and nearly covered with rich, green
rainforest – the Virungas”
- Dr. Dian Fossey describing the intensely beautiful
mountain range on which she spent the last two decades of her life studying
Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas.
Protected within the Parc des Volcans, the lushly forested slopes of the
Virungas form an appropriately dramatic natural setting for what is arguably the
most poignant and memorable wildlife experience to be had in the wilds of
Africa: gorilla tracking. The exhilarating climb to the gorillas’ habitat of
shady bamboo forest offers fantastic views in all directions, before trekkers
are immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with the calls
of colourful
birds and the chattering of the rare golden monkey.
Nothing can prepare one for the
impact of encountering a fully-grown silverback gorilla: up to three times as
bulky as the average man, yet remarkably peaceable and tolerant of human
visitors. Nor are these words to describe the thrill of recognition attached to
staring deep into the liquid brown eyes of these gentle giants, which share some
97% of their genes with humans.
That mountain gorillas survive
today is largely thanks to Dian Fossey, who is buried at her research center in
the Virungas alongside the animals to which she dedicated her life. Fossey
became a household name following the release of the biographical film Gorillas
in the Mist, set and shot on location in the Parc National des Volcans.
Critical and public acclaim ensured that Gorillas in the Mist also served
to raise international awareness of the plight of the mountain gorilla. A mere
300 of these gentle giants survive in the wild, half of them resident in Rwanda,
where four habituated groups – ranging in size from 7 to 33 individuals –
can be visited by up to 32 tourists daily.
The main base for gorilla
tracking, Ruhengeri, is a small but bustling market town situated 15km from the
base of the Virungas. Boasting a wonderful sub-montane setting, and an excellent
range of cheap to midrange hotels, Ruhengeri is an agreeable place to spend the
night before one goes gorilla tracking, as well as being the obvious base from
which to explore the little-known but compellingly beautiful Lakes Burera and
Ruhondo. Alternatively, visitors seeking a higher level of comfort could base
themselves in Gisenyi or Kigali, and – with an early start – head to
Ruhengeri as a day trip from there.
