Uganda > Rest day at Lake Matanda

A strange thought crosses my mind: the gorilla group is split over two days and two different gorilla families. Especially since this is nature, and there’s no 100% guarantee that I’ll see the gorillas. Will the first group see them and I won’t? Will I see them and they won’t? Or will we both see them up close? Fortunately, the chance of encountering the gorillas is high. In the morning, I hear the gorilla group leaving. It’s still dark, and I roll over for a bit more sleep.

Uganda - View from Nkuringo Safari Lodge over Lake Mutanda

By half-past nine, I join breakfast, having slept in. A perfect day to take it easy. I enjoy the view over the lake and its mirror-like water from the terrace. The islands in Lake Matanda fade into the hazy background the farther away they are. The scenery reminds me of Vietnam. I catch up on my travel journal, reorganize my luggage, and sort out what clothing is still wearable and what definitely isn’t. During lunch, the gorilla group returns. They’re ecstatic. They got within a few meters of the Nkuringo gorillas. Taking really good photos proved difficult, but the experience itself was unforgettable. I notice that this only heightens my anticipation for tomorrow. In the afternoon, the weather changes. The wind picks up over the lake, and it turns chilly. By late afternoon, a heavy thunderstorm passes over the camp. From my cabin, I watch lightning streak across the horizon. I just hope tomorrow’s gorilla tracking won’t be made harder by the rain—wet hills and mud everywhere would make the climb much more challenging. At dinner, the excitement about the gorilla visit really comes alive in conversation. Back in my cabin, I set out all my gear for the next morning. Just as I zip up my daypack, the generator is switched off—a perfect moment to go to sleep.