Tracking the mountain gorilla

Undeniably the most unique primate that survives in the forgotten forests of Africa is the gorilla, both the mountain gorilla and the lowland gorilla. In contrast to the six billion human beings living on our crowded planet, there are only some seven hundred Mountain Gorillas left on the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. Seeing the mountain gorillas is an awesome experience.Wake up to a golden glow in the sky, mountains unveiling their mists, the air sweet and cool as it brushes your cheeks. Walk through a primeval forest bathed in green, thrill to the sight of that rarest of beasts, the mountain gorilla.

Discover a new place, a new adventure, new friends and unimaginable beauty. Rwanda sits at the hub of Africa. Here, at the center of the Albertine Rift, where deep volcanic forces are pressing the continental plates apart, you'll discover a world of exquisite beauty and unsurpassed biodiversity. Rwanda is the bridge between the forest ecosystems of the Congo basin and the great rift valleys of the east. It shares in the biological riches of both worlds, offering a concentration of biodiversity found nowhere else in Africa. See for yourself why Rwanda can be called "the place where Africa comes together".

Tracking the mountain gorilla through the misty forests requires patience and stamina, often walking for hours in the mud and the wet. Finally meeting them in the undergrowth is an inspiring moment. Quietly chewing away at their vegetarian delicacies, they seem like a marooned human family. The tender grooming and firm disciplining of their offspring seems all too familiar. The gorilla family cast a wary glance at the sudden human intrusion into their private world, but are comforted by the clucking made by the trackers. When provoked, the noisy but harmless silverback grunts, screeches, bares his fangs and beats his chest, before slithering off with attendant females, offspring and other mature males.