In 2019, I was invited to a country I’d long admired from afar — Rwanda, poetically known as
The Land of a Thousand Hills. What I didn’t realise then was that those hills would quietly
rearrange my heart.
Rwanda is breathtakingly beautiful, immaculately clean, and deeply dignified. But as wonderful
as the journey around the country was, there was one moment I knew would eclipse all others:
coming face to face with mountain gorillas in the misty Virunga Mountains.
The Virungas — a dramatic chain of extinct volcanoes stretching across Rwanda, Uganda, and
the Democratic Republic of Congo — are home to one of the rarest wildlife encounters on Earth.
Volcanoes National Park, tucked into Rwanda’s northwest, shelters the world’s remaining
mountain gorillas — the largest primates on the planet, and among the most humbling to meet.
Thanks to extraordinary conservation efforts, their numbers have slowly climbed to just over
1,000 in the wild. Knowing how close they once were to extinction makes standing in their
presence feel less like tourism and more like a privilege.
An Early Morning, Coffee, and a Leap of Faith
The night before our trek, we stayed in Musanze — the charming gateway town to Volcanoes National Park — at the elegant Bishop’s House. After a good night’s sleep (and a few excited what ifs running through my mind), we were up early, fuelled by a wonderful breakfast and equal parts anticipation and nerves.
By 7am, we arrived at park headquarters for our briefing. The air was crisp, the sky clear — one of those mornings that feels like a promise. I hired gloves and gaiters (a decision I would later thank myself for), sipped some of the most delicious coffee, and learned I’d be trekking to meet
the Agashya gorilla family.
After our guide calmly walked us through the do’s and don’ts — don’t point, don’t shout, don’t forget you’re a guest in their home — we drove to the trailhead, where our porters waited with warm smiles and steady confidence.
A quick note here: hire a porter. Not only will they carry your backpack and save your legs on steep climbs, but they’ll teach you a few words of Kinyarwanda, help you navigate tricky terrain, and — very importantly — take photos when your hands are shaking with excitement.
From Potato Fields to Primal Forest
We began our walk through patchworks of potato farms dotted with delicate white flowers, with Mount Sabyinyo rising quietly in the distance. Then we crossed a low stone wall — the gentle boundary between farmland and wilderness — and entered the forest.
Almost immediately, the world changed.
The air thickened, the light softened, and the sounds of civilisation faded behind us. Our guide pointed out medicinal plants and shared stories about the Agashya family as we climbed higher. Stinging nettles reached for us at every turn, but thankfully my gloves and gaiters did their job. After about two and half hours of trekking, we reached a clearing where a group of rangers stood waiting. That’s when you know — the gorillas are close. Very close. We left our backpacks behind, took only our cameras, and followed the guide around a cluster of bamboo.
That Moment Your Heart Stops
And then… there they were.
A mother and her baby, calmly munching on bamboo. My breath caught. My heart skipped. Time slowed in that strange way it does when something feels impossibly real and unreal all at
once.
More gorillas emerged — babies tumbling over each other, mothers resting, and in the centre, the massive silverback, fast asleep, utterly unbothered by our presence. Cameras clicked furiously. Eyes darted everywhere. No one quite knew where to look first.
The youngsters stole the show — playful, mischievous, and wonderfully unconcerned with personal space. At times they wandered close enough to make us forget how to breathe, only to be gently “shooed” back by our guide’s low grunt.
At one point, a blackback gorilla suddenly stood up and charged past us — close enough to smack my thigh on his way through. A brief, shocking reminder that yes, this is very real. And
very wild.
When the silverback finally rose and followed his family deeper into the forest, we followed too — careful, quiet, and reverent.
An Hour That Changes You
And then… there they were.
A mother and her baby, calmly munching on bamboo. My breath caught. My heart skipped.
Time slowed in that strange way it does when something feels impossibly real and unreal all at
once.
More gorillas emerged — babies tumbling over each other, mothers resting, and in the centre,
the massive silverback, fast asleep, utterly unbothered by our presence. Cameras clicked
furiously. Eyes darted everywhere. No one quite knew where to look first.
The youngsters stole the show — playful, mischievous, and wonderfully unconcerned with
personal space. At times they wandered close enough to make us forget how to breathe, only to
be gently “shooed” back by our guide’s low grunt.
At one point, a blackback gorilla suddenly stood up and charged past us — close enough to
smack my thigh on his way through. A brief, shocking reminder that yes, this is very real. And
very wild.
When the silverback finally rose and followed his family deeper into the forest, we followed too
— careful, quiet, and reverent.
Why You Must Experience This
Gorilla trekking is not just a wildlife encounter. It’s a reminder of our place in the natural world. Of resilience. Of gentleness wrapped in immense strength. Standing among the mountain gorillas of the Virungas shifts something inside you. It slows you down. Grounds you. And leaves an imprint long after the mud has been washed from your boots.
Some journeys entertain you.
Others stay with you.
This one will live with me forever.