Traveling to Musanze in Rwanda with five other female Peace Corps Volunteers was an experience I will never forget. Even before the trek began, I was nervous because I don’t hike often and the steep mountain trails looked challenging. As we climbed higher, the hike became even harder since the gorillas kept moving up the mountain. When we finally reached them, I was shocked by how close we were allowed to stand. Watching a playful baby gorilla jump on the massive silverback made every exhausting step completely worth it.
The gorillas had thick black fur and the adult male had a wide silver-gray patch across his back, which is how the silverback gets his name. They looked so human-like that it felt strange at first. Some were sleeping, others were calmly picking bugs from each other’s fur and one even used the bathroom in front of us. They were mostly quiet, except for a baby making playful noises. One mother cradled her baby just like a human, which was unbelievable to see.
When I first saw the gorillas, I honestly felt really calm and just happy to be there. We got to spend an hour with them, taking pictures and just soaking everything in. I kept thinking about how there are only three countries in the world where you can see mountain gorillas in the wild, which made it feel even more special.
