Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest — the name is not metaphorical — protects 25,000 hectares of one of Africa's oldest rainforests. The forest predates the last ice age and survived as a refugium when other African forests dried up. Today, it is home to roughly half the world's remaining mountain gorillas.

The trek

Treks range from 1 to 8 hours each way. The terrain is steep, humid, and tangled with vegetation. Porters can be hired (and we strongly recommend it — they support local communities and your knees). When the rangers signal contact with a gorilla family, you have one hour, no flash photography, and a 7-metre minimum distance.

The encounter

Standing seven metres from a 200kg silverback — watching him pluck shoots, glance at you, ignore you — is one of the most quietly profound experiences in wildlife travel. The hour passes in what feels like minutes. Most guests describe it as life-changing.