![]() His black coat was a stark contrast to the lush green foliage. I looked and saw a mountain gorilla a few feet away. Suddenly the guide gestured to look to the left. I was walking on leaves, bark and fallen branches in gorilla territory. Masked up, I no longer stepped on solid ground. ![]() Post a quick brief on gorilla sounds including the belch which is used by silverbacks to express contentment and the roar to emote a threat, we continued into the park. From now on, we would communicate through gestures. The trackers were already waiting for us. The entry was through a stone wall amidst the wilderness. After about an hour, we reached the Volcanoes National Park. Pit stops to catch my breath and admire the surroundings helped. We hiked through farms and terrain where the air was fresh and crisp. Once we disembarked, I was given a walking stick with gorilla carvings. I was so close to my childhood dream finally being fulfilled. ![]() Pack a rain jacket for the trek into the jungle. The tempo was building, my heartbeat was racing. On the way, smiling kids and women waved while men busy farming nodded at us. We drove in an SUV to the starting point of the trek. He was in touch with the trackers monitoring the gorilla family movements. While sipping hot wake-me-up coffee, my guide explained a bit about the Susa mountain gorilla family that we would visit. I was dressed in a waterproof jacket and pants, with gumboots that I rented at the venue. I checked into Tiloreza Volcanoes Ecolodge for the night and was driven to the briefing venue early morning. Would I get to see him in person when I went gorilla tracking? Time would tell very soon.įor now, I knew I was in the right place at the right time. Meaning live, there was something about the way he looked - those innocent eyes and curiosity to see his new world struck a chord with me. While all the babies were adorable, Baho who was a male baby born in January 2022 stood out. It's impossible to resist the charm of a baby gorilla. The energy was electric with live performances and crowds cheering each naming. Last year, 20 babies were named.Īs I saw the photo of each baby with the date of birth, sex, the local name with contextual translation, mother’s name, gorilla family and the personality who named each, flash on the huge screen, my excitement soared. This is an event where baby gorillas born in the last 12 months are named. Setting all reservations aside, I flew to Rwanda in Africa to attend the 18th Kwita Izina ceremony in September 2022. I had to make the most of my current time. I was half way across the world with no resources to fulfill my dream which somehow remained buried deep within me.įast forward to the chaotic pandemic which came with the realization that all I had is the present, the now. The desire was far-fetched as mountain gorillas only live in three countries - Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda. As a kid, my favourite toy was a soft snuggly gorilla that I named Cuddles.Įntering my pre-teens, the fascination for the toy was replaced by a yearning to see them in reality.
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