"Keep still! Keep still! Do not look him in the eyes!" loudly whispers our guide Francoise as Guhonda the large silverback gorilla mock-charges towards us beating his chest like a drum roll. A thunderous roar goes right through the forest.

Francoise explains that looking him in the eyes is not showing respect and will make him unhappy as he will consider it a challenge. My uncertainty turns to wonder as Guhonda stops and sits down in front of us and munches on a piece of bamboo. He watches us from the corner of his eye. Nothing has prepared me for coming face to face with the gorillas. I feel I am watching King Kong live.

Our days start with a wakeup call by trumpeting African cranes at 5.30am. After breakfast we drive to the National Park Headquarters to sign on and to be introduced to our guide Francoise Bigirimana who worked with Dian Fossey. We then drive to the outer edge of the National Park; here we receive our briefing and meet about 20 hopeful porters.



The hiring of porters helps the local economy and gives the locals a more positive attitude towards the park. The local communities benefit as five per cent of all the revenue from the gorillas is set aside for projects such as fresh water and medical facilities

We walk through villages on the outer edge of the park. The countryside is rich and lush, a patchwork of emerald, lime, jade and olive greens, with rolling hills and never ending valleys. The sunrise casts a soft orange light through the mist on the mountains ahead of us. Ladies tend to their vegetable gardens. Laughing, shoeless, scruffy children with clothes many sizes too big for them run fast to catch up with us. Young entrepreneurs surround us selling their hand painted gorilla pictures. Armed soldiers always accompany us. "They protect you in case of charging elephants or buffalos," says Francoise.

The trek is not difficult; gradually going up-hill, guides and porters try their best to cut away the stinging nettle. The track is muddy and I can feel the mud swishing in my boots. Occasionally one of my boots is left behind in the mud. After trekking for about 90 minutes we hear loud crashes and thuds.

Then all of a sudden we come face to face with the gorillas--so close we can touch them. I am in awe as is everyone else. There is silence except for the muffled giggles because of the whopping noises from the gorillas loudly passing wind. We see behaviour so close to human nature it is no wonder they share 99 per cent DNA with us.

We see Kampanga, who a few years ago made world-wide headlines after giving birth to twins. She protectively holds her newborn, one month old Sacola close to her body. "She will not break body contact for five months," says Francoise. We get a brief glimpse of the tiny wrinkled face, her eyes barely open.

Nearby another female, Gokunda proudly grooms her six month baby Isheja. Eventually curiosity gets the better of Isheja and he tries to touch and play with newborn Sacola. Protective mum Kampanga does not allow Isheja to play with her newborn and she tells him off; Gokunda also a protective mum reacts to this by whacking Kampanga.

All hell breaks loose and there is chaos as most of the group gets involved. Guhonda the silverback steps in, as newborn Sacola is in danger of getting hurt in the commotion. He needs to put Gokunda in line so he thumps her. I will never forget the poignant scene of little Isheja jumping on the back of the quarter ton silverback beating and punching him trying to defend his mum.

At night we relax around the roaring fire as the chill sets in. With big bottles of local primus beer, we relive and talk about the day's adventures with the gorillas. The Gorilla Nest Hotel is nestled between the mountains so it gets quite chilly at night. The atmosphere is snug and lively. Traditional dancers perform nightly. The buffet meals are scrumptious, the rooms cosy and service excellent.

Agashya is in real show-off mode and starts to climb up a tree. All of a sudden we hear Crack! Snap! Thump! He comes crashing down to the ground, all 230 kilograms of him! He maintains his dignity without a backward glance at us. As we leave we see him on babysitting duties with a young baby on his back. Our one hour has flown and it is time to leave. I cannot help but feel regretful. Will these babies live to one day become silverbacks or have babies of their own? I for one know that I will come back to find out. They have touched my very heart and soul.

On day three we trek to Amahoro group with 17 gorillas which is led by peaceful silverback Ubumwe. The group is the most approachable and relaxed of them all. Before we arrive at the group we have to move off the track to make way for a mother called Abashyitsi with her six month old baby Kubaha on her back, she moves as close to me as possible and I feel her soft silky fur brush my legs.

Here we meet the old tracker Mr Majumba Jean Baptiste who worked with Dian Fossey. With his toothless grin he points for me to get down in front of a group of gorillas who appear not to take any notice; he wants to take my photo with the gorillas in the background. As I look up, I feel something touch me. I turn around and there is an adult female hugging my leg! "No worry!" chuckles Mr Majumba.

The trackers spend the entire day with the gorillas until they go to bed, thus they have a good idea where they are the next morning. I imagine sitting around a camp-fire, listening to the stories this man could tell about his life with the gorillas.

As we head out of the forest into the open, a young blackback comes running after us showing off. He is beating his chest, clapping his hands, doing handstands and somersaults. What a performance this is! What a finale to our days of gorilla trekking! We have to move on as there is a limit of one hour a day to spend with the gorillas. I turn around for one last look; he is gazing out over the valley, surrounded in the mist, thick rainforest and threatening clouds. This is goodbye. Is it just me or do his eyes seem so afraid and unsure of the future?

A visit to the gorillas is not complete without the moderate two hour trek to Dian Fossey's grave. Here she lies beside her beloved Digit and many other gorillas--some died of natural causes--most have been murdered. The inscription to Dr. Fossey's grave reads:

NO ONE LOVED GORILLAS MORE
REST IN PEACE, DEAR FRIEND
ETERNALLY PROTECTED
IN THIS SACRED GROUND
FOR YOU ARE HOME
WHERE YOU BELONG

The thick mist, the shadows of the large rainforest trees, her tumbled down old shack, and the remains of her research station covered in moss and vines add to this heartrending place. The image of Dian finding Digit's hand for sale after he was murdered trying to protect his family stays in my mind. As I trek back down I can not shake the lingering feeling of sadness and the feeling that without Dian Fossey there would not be a single mountain gorilla alive today. Up here in this isolated and haunting spot she is buried with her gentle giants.

Mountain Gorillas are still threatened with extinction. Tragic human conflicts have shattered infrastructure and impacted on the wildlife. Rwanda, Uganda and Congo share the Virunga Mountains. The Rebel Army has taken over the forest in Congo so the fate of the gorillas in Congo is in their hands.

"Gorillas do not know borders and they will sometimes go into Congo. To protect the gorillas in Rwanda we need to protect the gorillas in Congo." explains our guide. The future of the gorillas remains uncertain. Pressure on their habitat will only escalate as the human population continues to grow. It is only through the efforts of conservationists, local people and government working together that we have any hope of saving these magnificent animals.

FACT FILE: Fly with Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/ http://www.kenya-airways.com/

CLIMATE: The high altitude of Rwanda provides the country with a pleasant tropical highland climate. Temperatures vary from region to region. Ruhengeri is 1700 meters above sea level so in the evening it can get quite cold.

MONEY: Rwanda Franc; 1 United States Dollar = 576.594 Rwanda Franc. The US dollar is the hard currency of preference. VISA REQUIRMENTS United States citizens do not require a visa. Visa applications should be made online at http://www.rwandacg.org.au/faq.htm/

HEALTH: The following immunizations/vaccinations are recommended for all areas of travel to Rwanda: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid and Malaria Prophylaxis.

MORE INFORMATION: Local Tour operator in Kigali, Rwanda, Amahoro Tours http://www.amahoro-tours.com/

Amahoro Tours are leaders in community based tourism and ecotourism in Rwanda. They guarantee maximum interaction with local people and intimate encounters with wildlife. They promote a high quality experience which benefits local people without compromising the environment.

PHOTO CREDITS: Unless otherwise noted, all animal photos by Ray and Sue Udy.

Map of Volcanoes National Park attributed to GO2AFRICA.COM

Overview of "Morning mists near Virunga" attributed to Heather Thorkelson (Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0)