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The Green Heart of Uganda

While the name Bwindi Impenetrable Forest promises all sorts of unfathomable adventures, somehow it's the forest that finds a way into your heart
Above: A L'Hoest's monkey looks out from its green perch
Above: A L'Hoest's monkey looks out from its green perch

I have my parents to thank for my deep-seated love of adventure. From the salt flats of Uyuni, Bolivia to the towering karst of Halong Bay, Vietnam — our family holidays have often seen me standing, mouth agape, in front of one of our planet’s natural wonders.
 
One of my mom’s favourite ‘get to know the essence of a person’ questions is: where is your happy place? For my mom, the ocean; my dad, the bush and my sister, the mountains. As for me? My answer is simply outside. How could I possibly choose between them?

And then came a forest.

Walking into the green wonderland that is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Walking into the green wonderland that is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
We were not alone, much of the time
We were not alone, much of the time

 In June last year, I was at Angama Mara when Wilson, one of Angama's guides, arrived back from his trek with the gorillas of Mgahinga, Uganda. We spoke at great lengths about his experience and I was completely hooked. After a year of scheming and badgering (sorry, Helle) I was finally off to see the gorillas. Of course, my parents would not be left behind and my godmother is never one to pass up a travel opportunity, so our four-person adventure began.  

Wandering the beautiful leafy streets of Entebbe
Wandering the beautiful leafy streets of Entebbe
You can get a vitamin C boost just by looking at the fruits and vegetables
You can get a vitamin C boost just by looking at the fruits and vegetables
Fishing on Lake Victoria is still an essential way of feeding many of Entebbe's citizens
Fishing on Lake Victoria is still an essential way of feeding many of Entebbe's citizens

It all started with an overnight in Entebbe and then a quick hop and a skip to Kihihi the following morning. Scooped up into Gorilla Forest Camp's car with the knowledgable Rogers telling us all we needed to know of Uganda, we hurtled toward Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The name promised all kinds of adventure and exciting expeditions. That was until I saw the visible line separating the forest from the farmland, creating a border that did indeed look impenetrable.

The clear demarkation where farm meets forest
The clear demarkation where farm meets forest
'Impenetrable' certainly comes to mind when staring at the edge of the forest
'Impenetrable' certainly comes to mind when staring at the edge of the forest

The many kilometres of uniformly hip-height tea plantations were a shocking juxtaposition to the towering trees with their tangle of hanging vines and vibrant flowers. As we got nearer to the border of the forest, birdsong filled the air and our guide pointed out the distant calls of the elusive chimpanzees. It was a verdant paradise.

Our guide Daniel, a wealth of knowledge on the forest ecosystem
Our guide Daniel, a wealth of knowledge on the forest ecosystem
The greenery was often pierced by bursts of colours from flowers, birds and insects
The greenery was often pierced by bursts of colours from flowers, birds and insects

Boasting over 200 species of trees, the forest covers 32 000 hectares and is a biodiversity hotspot. Some 200-odd types of montane forest butterflies delight the eyes while a chorus of 300 species of forest birds are accompanied in a mystical manner by some of Bwindi’s mammalian occupants. From mountain gorillas and chimpanzees to l’Hoest’s monkeys and African forest elephants, it truly is a treasure-trove of wildlife.

Face to face with two of the last mountain gorillas
Face to face with two of the last mountain gorillas
Chocolate brown eyes that I could look into forever
Chocolate brown eyes that I could look into forever

While seeing the gorillas was everything I had hoped it would be and more, it was the forest that left the greatest impression on my heart. Walking through its ancient paths, I felt like an old-time explorer. It wouldn’t have surprised me in the least if we had run into the likes of Henry Morton Stanley… 'Ms Ross Stewart, I presume?' I could hear in my head.

My parents 'assuming the position'
My parents 'assuming the position'
Every step yielded Tarzan-like views of the forest
Every step yielded Tarzan-like views of the forest
Our lovely porters who carried, pushed, pulled and caught without complaint