Go for mountain gorilla trekking, one of the most exciting wildlife safari experiences in the world. The mountain gorillas in Bwindi are part of a worldwide population of just 700 individuals. The gorillas we are allowed to track belong to either one of three habituated family groups. For up to five years each, these groups have undergone an extremely delicate process that has gradually brought them to tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day and allowed a few privileged visitors to interact with them in the wild.

The gorillas are by no means tame, and are completely wild animals. However, experienced guides will accompany us on our tracking, many of who have been involved in the habituation process themselves. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas’ habits and information from the previous day to locate the group’s whereabouts.

Because of this, the time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously, from as little as half an hour to as much as 8 hours before one returns to camp. Once the gorillas are located, our group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. This is one of the world’s truly memorable experiences – a look into one of these magnificent creatures’ eyes brings home the bond that exists between them and us. It also brings home the poignant fact that they are on the edge of extinction, and that our presence here contributes to ensuring their continued survival. Tracking the mountain gorillas is an awe inspiring experience and as you come across them in their forest surroundings all thought of fatigue disappear! The hour is often over all too quickly, and we slowly make our way back to camp to recount the day’s adventures.

Overnight: Gorilla Forest Camp (F/B).