点评:Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was without question one of the most extraordinary experiences of our lives. If you're travelling to Uganda and enjoy wildlife and adventure, this is an absolute must-do.
Our lodge was only five minutes from the park headquarters, making for a very relaxed start to the day. After arriving, we received a comprehensive briefing covering the trek, safety procedures, and the importance of protecting the gorillas. We also learned about a local community project, which was inspiring and showed how tourism directly benefits conservation and the surrounding villages.
Once everyone had been assigned to a group, we drove a short distance to the starting point of our hike. Each group consists of a maximum of eight people and is assigned to one specific gorilla family. There are easier, moderate, and more challenging hikes depending on where the families are located. We had hoped to visit one of the larger families, and our request was kindly accommodated. Our trek was classified as moderate.
Our lodge provided us with hiking sticks and gaiters, both of which proved to be extremely useful. We also hired a local porter to carry our backpack. Not because the hike was too difficult, but because it is a wonderful way to support the local community while making the trek a little more enjoyable.
The hike itself was beautiful. It began by crossing tea plantations under the morning sun before leading us deep into the rainforest, where the cooler temperatures made walking very comfortable. Along the way, our ranger shared fascinating information about the forest, its vegetation, the gorillas, and the incredible conservation work taking place in Bwindi. We were especially impressed by the stories of how the gorilla families were gradually habituated to human presence and by the dedication required to maintain this delicate balance between conservation and tourism.
After about an hour of hiking, we finally reached our gorilla family. Before approaching them, everyone was required to wear a face mask to protect the gorillas from diseases that humans can transmit. It was a thoughtful precaution and, in practice, the mask was hardly noticeable.
We then spent one unforgettable hour with the gorillas. We observed two magnificent silverbacks, numerous females, and two playful babies who completely stole the show. Watching these incredible animals interact in their natural habitat, just a few meters away, was both humbling and emotional. No photograph or video can truly capture what it feels like to be there.
This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and deserves a place on everyone's bucket list. It is far more than just seeing gorillas—it's about witnessing one of the world's greatest conservation success stories while experiencing one of the most beautiful forests on Earth.
We feel incredibly grateful to have experienced this and have already recommended it to our friends and family. We are certain that this won't be our last gorilla trek, and we hope to return one day to experience the magic of Bwindi all over again.
翻译:在布温迪不可穿越国家公园与大猩猩“亲密接触”,无疑是我们一生中最难忘的经历之一。如果你计划前往乌干达,又喜欢野生动植物与冒险活动,那么这项体验绝对不容错过。
我们下榻的旅舍距离公园管理处仅五分钟路程,这让我们能以极为轻松的状态开启新的一天。抵达后,我们听取了关于徒步路线、安全须知以及保护大猩猩重要性的详细讲解。我们还了解了一个当地的社区项目,它十分令人鼓舞,也体现了旅游业如何切实促进生态保护以及周边村庄的发展。
所有人分组完毕后,我们驱车短途前往徒步的起点。每个小组最多由八人组成,并会被分配到特定的一群大猩猩身边。根据大猩猩群的所在位置,徒步路线也分为简单、中等难度和颇具挑战性几种类型。我们原本希望能拜访其中一个规模较大的家庭,我们的请求也得到了亲切的应允。这次徒步旅行的难度等级被定为“中等”。
旅舍为我们提供了登山杖和护腿套,这两样物品都极为实用。我们还雇了一位当地挑夫来帮忙背背包。这并不是因为徒步路线有多艰难,而是因为这样做既能为当地社区做出贡献,又能让旅程更加愉快。
这次徒步之旅本身也美不胜收。行程伊始,我们在晨光中穿越茶园,随后便深入热带雨林。那里气温较为凉爽,行走起来十分惬意。一路上,向导向我们介绍了关于这片森林、各类植被、大猩猩,以及布温迪地区正在开展的杰出保护工作等许多有趣的知识。我们尤其被这样的故事所打动:大猩猩家族是如何逐步习惯人类的存在的,以及为了维持保护工作与旅游业之间的微妙平衡需要付出多少心血。
徒步约一小时后,我们终于找到了那群大猩猩。在靠近它们之前,所有人都必须戴上口罩,以防止人类将疾病传染给大猩猩。这一预防措施十分周到,实际上戴上口罩后也几乎不会影响视线。随后,我们与大猩猩们共度了一个终生难忘的小时。我们看到了两只威风凛凛的成年雄猩猩、许多雌性大猩猩,还有两只调皮可爱的小猩猩——它们简直抢走了所有人的目光。在几米之遥的地方观察这些神奇的动物在自然环境中互动,真是让人既心生敬畏又感动不已。无论照片或视频,都难以真正传达身临其境时的那种感受。
这绝对是一生仅有一次的体验,值得被列入每个人的愿望清单之中。这远不止是观看大猩猩这么简单——这是见证世界上最成功的自然保护案例之一的机会,同时还能领略地球上最美丽的森林风光。
我们深感幸运能拥有这样的体验,并且已经向亲友们极力推荐此行。我们确信这不会是我们最后一次前往观赏大猩猩,期待有朝一日能再次回到布温迪,重新感受那里的神奇魅力。