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- “Sabyinyo” (derived from a Kinyarwanda word meaning “tooth”) – the name of both this (inactive) volcanic mountain and the group of gorillas I would trek to see. The summit of the mountain, which is at 3,634 meters / 11,959 feet, lies at the intersection of the borders of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda.
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- Another gorgeous mountain in the Virunga range.
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- Sacola Traditional Dancers providing pre-trek entertainment
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- A familial diagram my guide provided of the Sabyinyo Group. Twelve members of the group are pictured but there are now fourteen. The silverback in the middle, named Guhonda, is the oldest and largest silverback known to live in these mountains. He is 40 years old and weighs 250 kilograms / 550 pounds. As you can see from this schematic, he keeps the ladies of the Sabyinyo Group busy!
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- The mountainside village from which I commenced my trek . . .
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- . . . passing various crops along the way . . .
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- . . . and more crops . . .
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- . . . plus some pretty flowers . . .
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- . . . until I reached the border to the mountain base.
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- We took a couple of rest breaks.
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- One last look at the fields before entering the jungle.
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- The "bridge" crossing into the jungle.
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- Is that a little earthworm?
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- Nope. Humongous!
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- Bamboo. Also known as “Gorilla Beer.” Apparently, the gorillas love this stuff and get “drunk” off it, causing them to stumble around, fall over, and generally act like college freshmen.
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- Deep in the jungle.
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- The gorillas are close now.
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- Gorilla! The first one I found was hiding behind some bushes.
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- Now I can see you better, buddy.
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- Itchy or giving me the finger? Can’t tell. Maybe both?
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- Chillin’, gorilla-style.
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- How’s the bouquet on that gorilla beer? Do you detect some subtle notes of barley, perchance?
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- That’s right. Eat/drink it up good, buddy. It’ll put hair on your chest. Oh, wait….
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- Double fisting!
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- Just trying to take a nice photo in the jungle and these two come along and photobomb me.
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- You need to wipe your mouth just a bit. Where are your manners? Jeez, don’t be such an animal.
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- I know! Let’s have some more gorilla beer!
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- Papa doesn’t seem too happy that his kid is monkeying around while he’s trying to sleep.
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- Not like that’s going to stop the little guy!
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- Monkey business!
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- More fun than a barrel of monkeys!
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- Passed out from too much gorilla beer?
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- Piggy-(gorilla-?)back ride!
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- Sup?
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- Monkey see, monkey do?
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- Just so we’re clear, the gorilla is the one on the right.
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- Monkey in the middle!
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- Gorillas mating.
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- Get a room! 🙂
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- I guess in the absence of monkey bars, kids will climb bamboo.
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- A visit to the gorilla-salon for a gorilla-grooming.
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- What’s on your mind, big guy?
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- Maybe: I’ll be (this) monkey’s uncle?
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- Awww . . . are you sleepy?
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- “What’re you looking at?”
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- “Oh, man, Zach, you really embarrassed yourself with all the bad puns in this album!”
