Escape of the Week: A Silverback in Rwanda

Written by on June 2, 2011 in Africa, Escapes, Rwanda - 20 Comments

I remember this day like it was yesterday, although it was almost a year exactly since this photo was taken.

It was me, Anna, JD, Adam, Jason, and Mary, along with William, a representative from the Rwanda Development Board. We had been invited to visit Rwanda for a little more than five days to see the sites and (of course) write about our time there.

When I first saw the itinerary and the gorilla trek on there, my heart kinda stopped. Two thoughts ran through my mind: 1. Gorillas!! Bad ass. 2. I hope we don’t have to climb any mountains. See, if you know me, you know me and mountains aren’t great friends. I prefer flat hikes (if you can still call it a hike). Anyway, this trek was most definitely NOT flat. There were a lot of steep inclines, sliding down dirt slopes on our bums because walking down them would have resulted in a tumble down a vine-covered cliff into the pits of a volcanic jungle, and more.

But, the moment we saw those gorillas … man, it was worth every ounce of sweat, every second of being out of breath, every little pain twitching through my body. Because, damn, those gorillas are just some of the most spectacular creatures I have ever had the great honor to stand near.

This photo was taken of the silverback in the group we trekked. The silverback is the head honcho of the group, as you can tell from this picture. We were standing a little more than 8 feet away when I took this, but he was watching us closely the entire time. And, when he decided to get up and get a closer look at the humans stalking him, well, we all had to retreat a little bit. No one wants an angry silverback in their faces.

For more about my time trekking for gorillas, click here.

rsz rwanda june 3 8 132 1024x768 Escape of the Week: A Silverback in Rwanda

 

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About the Author

In 2010, Diana Edelman quit her job in PR to go on a solo backpacking adventure and tackle her 30-Life-Crisis. After seven months abroad, journeying throughout Europe and Africa, she returned to America and relocated to Las Vegas. After a year-long stint back in PR and marketing, she recently quit her job to write and travel full-time. She is the Las Vegas expert for OneTravel.com and CheapOair.com, as well as a regular writer for Viator. Diana's writing has been published on The Huffington Post, Matador Network, World Nomads and more. Her dream? To travel the world and share her experiences. If you enjoyed this post, please share it using the social media links above. Your support is much appreciated!

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20 Comments on "Escape of the Week: A Silverback in Rwanda"

  1. Michael Hodson June 2, 2011 at 12:59 pm · Reply

    this may be one of my favorite gorilla shots ever!

  2. walkingontravels June 2, 2011 at 11:43 pm · Reply

    Holy smokes! That really is bad ass. And what an awesome shot. So incredible. I’m in awe that you got to have that experience. I hope I am that luck one day. I should probably wait a few more years. Dek might decide the silverback should be his daddy and run off with them (he isn’t 2 yet).

    • The Adventures of D June 3, 2011 at 6:44 pm · Reply

      Thank you! I am so thankful I had the opportunity to experience the trek. :)

  3. Lindsay aka @_thetraveller_ June 3, 2011 at 9:00 am · Reply

    I’m not gonna lie, I’ve always disliked monkeys and gorillas, but it would be really cool to see them in their natural habitat.

  4. Steph June 3, 2011 at 11:13 am · Reply

    That is a brilliant photo. I love the look on his face :)

  5. Andi of My Beautiful Adventures June 3, 2011 at 11:41 am · Reply

    This picture is perfection!

  6. Federico June 3, 2011 at 5:10 pm · Reply

    A fantastic shot, the gorilla stands out in the foliage perfectly!

  7. Margo June 3, 2011 at 5:47 pm · Reply

    great shot! I love the foliage in the mouth! :)

    • The Adventures of D June 3, 2011 at 6:39 pm · Reply

      Thank you!! I think he looks so adorable with the foliage hanging out of his mouth. :)

  8. Abby June 6, 2011 at 2:53 pm · Reply

    Has it really been a year?! That does indeed seem like only yesterday! You know I think these are AWESOME.

  9. Erica June 13, 2011 at 1:41 pm · Reply

    He looks so AWESOME. There is so much energy in his eyes.

  10. Mica June 14, 2011 at 4:02 pm · Reply

    This is amazing. Its shots like these that make travel so great. What amazing memories. I heart gorillas!

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