King Kong and Fi Wray

I will start my story today at Sabyinyo Silverback lodge in the shadows of the lush Virunga Mountains of North Western Rwanda. A warm smiling welcome, cool refreshing towel and a delicious fruit drink greet me after a 10 min vertical hike up to the main lodge from the parking lot. Breaking a sweat and panting for air gives a new meaning to breathtaking.

A relaxing few moments on the lodge’s veranda with a magnificent view of the mist caressing the quiet volcanic mountaintop, and the sun going to sleep for the evening, I have arrived!

The beautiful lodge has a grand room with a large smackling fireplace and cozy never leave chairs, to sip your beverage of choice. A library full of engrossing books of Africa, its people, animals and especially on one of the last two remaining refuges of the Mountain Gorilla, the main event of a visit to Rwanda. Then there is the dining room for three daily gourmet four-course meals, that you probably should not devour, but you do.

After a delicious dinner, enlightening conversation and flowing wine with other guests at the lodge, you walk out into the cool evening air. A security guard escorts you up the lantern lit hill to your cabin, one of six speckled along the eucalyptus-strewn slopes.

You enter a beautiful sitting area, a table with a vase full of sweet white and elegantly tall lily’s, a roaring fire, and an inviting bed turned down with a hot water bottle for a deep sleep after a very long day.

The following day starts at 5:30 am with a knock on the door and a warm cup of coffee. This is the day to visit the incredible Silverback Gorillas and their families, a poignant and thrilling wildlife experience. I peer out of the floor to ceiling windows with captivating views of the mountains, have a quick shower, breakfast and then to the park station.

A small briefing by the Rangers, then a half hour jeep ride through the villages on rock and rutted roads to get close to the mountains to start the trekking. A two-hour hike through the rain forest, thick vegetation, up, down and around the mountains, our group of eight are slip sliding away while trying to avoid the occasional buffalo dung.

The ranger has instructed us to whisper, ditch our backpacks and continue on down the trail, the gorilla family is close. To our surprise a very large black young 500lb Gorilla, (not yet a silverback) exploring away from his family, has come into view and is ambling up our steep path. We move out of the way with very little room to manoeuvre. He passes the first three of our group who are about ten yards further down the trail and then continues towards the rest of us as we hold out breath, looking away submissively. I think he has gone but in a second... (for more on this story please contact me)