“Media Day: Observe & Capture the World” said the program of the opening day of Gorilla Highlands Ambassador Training. On the other side of Lake Bunyonyi the first expert was awaiting: Jackson Beringira, a master canoe maker.
He had been working on two canoes for a couple of months, and on Friday 29 May 2026 it was time to get them across the water surface. Our trainees’ job was to capture this rare occasion with their cameras. Jackson then patiently answered all the questions.
ML Rwebandira took the team through the photos and videos collected, recommending possible improvements. Julia Lloyd used her experience from Kibale National Park — she was part of the team that habituated the chimps there — to entertain and enlighten everyone.
The video mentor of the day was Dom Caristi, a professor of TV journalism. His very practical advice neatly reinforced what the team had learned in the afternoon.
The last item of the day was the campfire. It eventually turned into a dance floor; the vibes of the night shall be felt in the upcoming video report.
”Tour Guiding Day: Present & Explain the World” was done in three teams, each with about a dozen trainees and led by Julia, ML and Lilian Kamusiime.
As the trainees hiked towards the blacksmiths high in the hills, they took turns speaking about whatever they knew best, whenever they felt ready, and got “dollar tips” from their colleagues and trainers when they impressed. These were dollar signs jotted on their card next to the following categories:
– clear speaker
– confident
– engaging
– good listener
– humorous
– knowledgeable
– team player
– time keeper
No actual monetary value was attached to these tips — just bursts of laughter, teasing and genuine team spirit.
There was a lot to see on the trail, but nothing as funny as the “Hunger Over” joint! Intentional or erroneous, it was kinda symbolic. After the extensive walk and some blacksmithing, cars came to everybody’s rescue and drove them back for a very late lunch at Edirisa.
The day’s electronic lecture came from Lake Mutanda this time, by David Bakeine. Most of the participants then rushed to watch the Champions League finale at a nearby hotel, but not Lilian! She was ecstatic to find a book about her people’s traditional culture in Edirisa’s little museum, May Edel’s “The Chiga of Western Uganda”.
Next morning she talked about handling big groups of guests, and then handed it all over to Peter Habyarimana. It was “First Aid Day: Keeping Safe in the World”, and Peter yet again proved to be a superb trainer.
That was the ultimate part of the extended weekend that launched Gorilla Highlands Ambassador Training. Two online months follow, then a new in-person intake in October — stay tuned!
📸 photography by:
Elie Cirhuza is a freelance journalist and digital communication consultant who volunteers for Gorilla Highlands Experts. Trained in agroforestry at Bethany Land Institute and a 2025 winner of the Jinsia Kwa Amani competition, Elie is from Bukavu, DR Congo. [bio updated: 2026-03]
🖋️ text and 📸 photography by:
ML Rwebandira — formerly known as Miha Logar — is an adventure and cultural tourism expert, writer and multimedia producer who co-founded Gorilla Highlands Experts. His most recent publication is the Pocket Treasure. A national of both Uganda and Slovenia, ML resides with his son Lan in Musanze, Rwanda. Click for his personality-infused quarterly newsletters. [bio updated: 2026-05]
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