A TRIP to see Rwanda's gorillas starts in the capital, Kigali, built on a handful of the so-called thousand hills that make up Rwanda. First we bought our tracking permits, at the Office of Tourism and National Parks, at Place de l'Independence, a short walk from the hotel. The permits can be paid for in cash only. In Ruhengeri, we stayed right on the main road at the 12-room Hotel Muhabura, a cheery and clean place that seems to be the centre of social life. You may meet gorilla trackers, researchers or veterinarians drinking a beer there.
Gorillas are apes - larger, with much larger brains, and no tails.
The walk through the forest was beautiful and short. Two years ago, I went to see the gorillas at Bwindi in Uganda, which was harder to get to and much more taxing physically. Because of the difficulties, and the scenery, it was probably more what one might expect from an African adventure. But there is something to be said for ease. The guides started grunting to greet the gorillas, deep into morning feeding time.