Gorilla Trekking part 2

Today we would trek into the rainforest in search of the Gorillas. We were all a little apprehensive as we wondered what to expect. Our research indicated it could take anywhere from 2 to 10 hours to find the gorillas, if we found them at all. There was no guarantees. So at 6:00am we climbed back into the car and headed to the ranger station at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Here we would meet our guides and receive a short presentation on what to expect and how to act should we encounter the gorillas. No flashes, don't look them in the eye, stand back and remain quiet. Should a gorilla start to approach you don't react. Just keep your eyes down and follow the instructions of the guides. This would be easier said, than done. Once we had received all our instructions we were divided into small groups that would each take a different path in search of the gorillas. We were teamed up with four other young individuals which we hoped we would be able to keep up with. Before starting the trek we were offered the services of porters that would help up manage the terrain of the rainforest and carry our packs. Between the four of us we only had 3 packs but experience has taught me if you are offered a porter take one, so we hired 4 porters for the day. For less than $5 each they were there to pull us up hills, get us across mud puddles, help us maneuver over fallen trees and carry our packs. They more than earned their money that day as we climbed up and down the hills into the forest. About 2 1/2 hours into the trek we came across the gorilla trackers, who had started out ahead of our group. We were advised to place our packs on the ground and carefully follow them. The next thing we knew the gorillas were coming down the hill in front of us. As the trackers cleared the bush, opened up paths for the gorillas to travel down and found places for us to stand we caught our first glimpses of the gorillas. Three silverback males, several females and 3 baby gorillas. It was amazing! Within 5 feet of us the gorillas stopped to eat and play. The babies hung from the trees and they entertained us as they played. At one point I think they were more amused watching us and they had definitely decided to put on a show. After a hour of taking pictures and simply taking in the awe of the experience it was time to head back. The trek back wouldn't be any easier than the trek into the forest as I am sure there was an equal amount of uphill and down hills both ways, but at least we knew how far we had to go. It was a challenging hike and Jenn and I were both very thankful for the help of the porters. It was an amazing day. A challenging but manageable hike, an hour with the gorillas, and great company. A day I will never forget.