The trip of a lifetime on an AWF safari

This summer, AWF hosted an exclusive member safari to Uganda and Rwanda. There, the nine intrepid safari goers trekked through dense bamboo thickets to see mountain gorillas, spied chimpanzees in the rainforest, and snapped photos of tree-climbing lions. But what AWF member Ellie Heller remembers most fondly of her trip is the people.

Our guest blogger Ellie (second from left) loved her AWF member safari experience - especially the memories she created with her fellow safari-goers, pictured here. Photo courtesy of Ellie Heller.

This safari to Uganda and Rwanda was the trip of my life, and more than I could ever have anticipated. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable, and succeeded in making the entire experience interesting and expansive. (The food was, unfortunately, expansive, too!)

I have never taken a tour with strangers except in 1986 to Kenya. I’ve been fascinated with animals my whole life and convinced my husband to go on this earlier trip, but it just wasn’t the same. It was just a different kind of group—I would never think of getting in touch with those people again. But on the AWF safari, we were such a family, so cohesive. I’ve been checking with people who have been on many tours with strangers, and they tell me they never developed the kind of rapport we had on this AWF safari. The people were so great, in Africa and on the trip… the whole thing was spectacular. Usually I’m the only one in my family who likes to talk about animals and they would just shush me up, but now to be in a group where everyone wants to talk about animals, it was just amazing.

The following photos are courtesy of Ellie's fellow AWF safari-goer Brian Voynick. In addition to mountain gorillas, AWF members saw a host of different wildlife on their travels. 

One thing I remember is when we were at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, which was unbelievable. We had hot water and everything, no need for mosquito nets, and it’s a huge lodge, with a huge room and bathroom—just gorgeous. At the end of the third mountain gorilla trek, my friend Adele and I had had the masseuse come in and work on each of us, and afterward we had each taken a shower. So there we are with our bathrobes on, and we’re sitting in front of this roaring fire with our feet up on the coffee table, drinking free wine. And this lodge staff person comes in to see if everything is all right. Is everything all right? We just saw mountain gorillas, had a terrific massage, and we’re drinking free wine! I told him, “Our big problem is that we’re leaving tomorrow.” That was the kind of trip this was.

Adult lions do not normally climb trees, but the lions of Ishasha, Uganda do frequently take to the trees to escape bothersome biting flies. Photo courtesy of Brian Voynick.

This safari has sold me on AWF as my link to any future trips to Africa that I plan to take. The AWF folks we met in our travels shared much insight into AWF missions and their successes and future goals. They just broadened your outlook and made you feel this hope for these animals. It makes you proud to be one of them. It’s been a few months now since our safari, but I am still on a high over the trip. I cannot stop telling friends and family.