Abby Bluth Clark was a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda when she helped us at the 2016 Gorilla Highlands Silverchef. She’s now teaching at Canyons School District, Utah. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Adalbertus Kamanzi was among the founders of Edirisa/Gorilla Highlands Experts in 2001. A Tanzanian with an Italian accent (a result of studying in Rome), he has close to 30 years of experience in academia and public engagement. His work centres on Ubuntu philosophy and decolonial thought, examining how African perspectives can reshape development, leadership, and human agency. Kamanzi is currently advancing the vision of the Ubuntu University of Tanzania and lecturing in Oshakati, Namibia. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Adolphe Mugisho is one of the core people bringing Gorilla Highlands Experts to DR Congo, personally transformed by the 2025 Friendship Camp. A social entrepreneur and creative spirit, he is now merging GHE ideas with his Shalom Sports/Community youth initiatives. He previously worked for the World Food Programme as a field expert and led multimedia strategy for HOJA Network. Adolphe lives in Goma, DRC.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-03]

Albert Podell packed several lifetimes into his 86 years — most famously as a Playboy editor, but also as the man who visited every country on Earth, a trial attorney, Broadway investor, lobbyist, and author of bestselling books. Al lived in New York, USA. Click for our interview with him. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Alenka Seher has visited the Gorilla Highlands region several times and travelled extensively around the world. She loves sharing her adventures through lectures and self-published books, and feels that this wealth of experience allows her to stay calm in any life crisis. Before retiring and becoming a master producer of jam, cookies and other goodies, Alenka worked in a multidisciplinary field connecting medicine and biology, interpreting PAP smear results in the detection of cervical cancer. She lives in Velenje, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Alice Bartz volunteered with Edirisa in 2009, left a piece of her heart on Lake Bunyonyi, and has remained a loyal follower of Gorilla Highlands Experts ever since. These days Alice works for a nonprofit think tank and lives in Chalon-sur-Saône, France. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Allan Point is a digital creator whose travails across the globe entertain his French-speaking audiences. He stands out by adding an ethical dimension to his travel dispatches. Current home: Planet Earth.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-05]

Allen Arinda was the first Gorilla Highlands Experts office staff (2022-2024), specialised in bookings and guest relations. Allen is about to finish her business management Bachelor’s degree in Kigali, Rwanda. Click for Allen’s background story. [bio updated: 2026-02]

Ambrose Kibuuka, the cofounder of Edirisa, is a specialist in the art and science of bringing out the best in people (Human Performance Systems), and the author of the best-selling book After University, What Next? At present Ambrose helps his wife’s baking business in Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Amy Porter is a wildlife behavioural ecologist and conservation biologist with work experience from Central and South America, the Caribbean and Africa. Amy’s current job is Director of Conservation at Wolf Haven International in Washington, USA. Click for our interview with Amy. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Andrea Stultiens, the curator of the Edirisa Treasures exhibition, first got involved with Gorilla Highlands Experts back in 2007. That was, as always, a collaborative photography project — Andrea studies photographs, their past and present-day production and uses, and how they contribute to how images and imaginations of “Africa” have been constructed. In other words, she is an artistic researcher, and one who spends as much time as possible in Uganda. She can sometimes be found in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Andy Ault has been a safari guide for more than 30 years. In Zimbabwe he led walking safaris in all of its national parks and canoeing trips on the Zambezi, but then Uganda happened to him … He came to the country in 2004 as a tour leader, and soon found himself quite busy as a guide, operations manager, mentor and tour operator. Just wait for him to open the Pocket Treasure and decide it’s time to see the rest of the region too! When Andy chats with fellow guides deep in the remarkable wild or sits with a keen guest around a campfire, he is the happiest man in the world, sharing his beliefs in responsible guiding rooted in storytelling. Sadly for him, he also sometimes has to be in Kampala, Uganda.​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-05]

Anika Utke joined the Gorilla Highlands Experts team in 2017 as the youngest specialist volunteer, only 18 years old. She has since graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science and worked in film development and art direction. A camera and passport are never far from reach as Anika continues to document the people and places on the five continents she has explored so far. Spending her downtime writing with a dog on her lap, Anika is currently based in Seattle, Washington. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Arthur Musinguzi’s involvement with Gorilla Highlands Experts began when he was chosen, as a Bufuka Primary School pupil, for carpentry education and supported by our sponsors. But his professional career took a different turn and now Arthur is a tour guide specialised in hiking and cultural experiences, operating from Kabale, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Barrett Nash, a former Gorilla Highlands Experts volunteer, is a Canadian technologist and serial entrepreneur focused on building technology-driven solutions across Africa. A poet in his free time, Nash has left his nomadic life behind by basing himself in Tbilisi, Georgia. Click for a story about Nash. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Benjamin Iraguha is a software development and computer systems trainer who has been a Gorilla Highlands Experts supporter ever since 2020 when he interviewed for a project job that eventually didn’t pan out. He enjoys empowering individuals through practical technology training, seeks solutions that drive digital transformation, and does software testing to make a living. Benjamin has outgrown his upcountry environment and is planning to soon move away from Rwamagana, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Blayne “Benji” Dawson’s path to volunteering with Gorilla Highlands Experts was peculiar — as he explored a more mindful diet he became fascinated by how food fuels energy and overall wellbeing. That curiosity led him to gorillas and their incredible strength, sustained almost entirely through plant-based nutrition. Benji got interested in the ecosystems they depend on, left his cosmetology career behind and came to Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2017. He was met with warmth and connection that shifted his entire life perspective. Back in America he became a boat captain educating others about the delicate marine ecosystem and coral reef restoration, and a student of medicine in Key Largo, Florida. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Bernarda Nemec was the manager of Edirisa’s African Smiles sponsorship program in 2007–2008. Bernarda is a secondary school teacher, school councillor and mother to two cappuccino children in Ljubljana, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Blasio Byekwaso began his career as a park ranger and warden in our region, developing a deep bond with animals and nature in general. That connection found a new expression through photography — first in postcards, then in several published books. A conservationist at heart, Blasio prays from Kampala, Uganda. Click for an article about his daughter’s wedding. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Brenda Katusiime is the excellent self-taught chef who ran Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi from 2019 to 2021. She returned in 2024 and still considers it home in Bufuka, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Brooke Squires has worked in zoos, national parks and conservation areas around the world for more than 25 years. Her enduring love for the wildlife and people of Africa began as a child when her family was stationed in South Africa. Later, during her years working at Zoos Victoria in Australia, Brooke joined the Wildlife Science and Conservation team, developing and implementing community conservation programs in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These experiences eventually led her to creating RAW Africa Eco-Tours, operating across our region and the African continent. When not guiding nature lovers around, Brooke does it all from Williamstown, Australia. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Cassie R. Cullins visited the Gorilla Highlands region in 2016 and still daydreams about canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi and dancing with the Batwa. Whether unrolling a red carpet in Hollywood or crossing a busy street in Hanoi, she is always plotting her next trip to Africa. A project manager for an experiential marketing firm, Cassie resides in Los Angeles, California. [bio updated: 2026-05]

César Niyonkuru is one of the most experienced hiking guides on the Congo Nile Trail and the Gorilla Highlands Experts go-to guy for many years. A dynamic father of two, César resides in Gisenyi, Rwanda. Click for his background story. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Charlotte “Nagawa” Beauvoisin is a conservation volunteer, sustainable tourism trainer and the author of Diary of a Muzungu (est. 2008). During the Covid-19 pandemic, it meant the world to her to be part of the Gorilla Highlands Experts online network, regularly communicating with inspiring people around the globe. British by nationality, Charlotte is Ugandan at heart and runs the East Africa Travel Podcast from the edge of Kibale National Park, Uganda. Click for her self-introduction. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Christopher Burke, an old friend of Gorilla Highlands Experts, is a senior advisor at WMC Africa, a communications and advisory agency. For almost 30 years, he has focused extensively on governance, environment, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, public health, communication, international relations and peace-building in Africa and Asia. He works in in Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Christian Ishimwe first got exposed to Gorilla Highlands Experts many years ago through a booklet predecessor of the Pocket Treasure. Impressed by the publication, he was excited to be invited to the 2024 All-Hands and joined the team. A cultural guide, Christian specialises in sharing the history, traditions and cultural significance at the Roots of Nyabingi Heritage Centre — a place he co-founded — and leads hikes around Rwanda’s twin lakes. In a previous life he studied IT and lived in Auroville, an experimental town in southern India, but now he is permanently home in Musanze, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Ciril Jazbec is a photographer and film director who explores how communities respond to globalisation and environmental change. He is best known for documenting the Inuit in the Arctic, but he also contributed to the Gorilla Highlands Experts photo libraries when he covered the tech generation of Uganda and Rwanda for the National Geographic Magazine. Ciril is the founder of TENT Film and resides in Naklo, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Comfort Kansiime works at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi while she’s also finishing her university studies — a diploma in tourism and hospitality management — in the town of Kabale. Comfort stays with her parents in Bufuka, Uganda. Click for our article about Comfort. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Crescent Kanyesigye works as an agriculture coordinator at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and management from Kabale University and has deep knowledge of market trend analysis and entrepreneurship among rural communities. Crescent lives by Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-06]

Dalilah N. is a marketing professional working across Africa, where her journeys are shaped as much by people and culture as by the landscapes she explores. Born in our region, her connection to these places runs deep, grounding her work and travels in a sense of belonging. Dalilah is drawn to the quiet power of the wild — from forest trails to open savannahs — and the overwhelming peace of Allah. If you’re lucky, you might find her somewhere on the African continent.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

David Azumbrado volunteers for Gorilla Highlands Experts as a team leader and mentor. He has been to our region thrice and is frequently found vacationing around the globe. David is also an implementation consultant for a global software company, living and working outside of San Francisco, California. [bio updated: 2026-03]

David Bakeine is a native of our region who has been part of Gorilla Highlands Experts trainings since 2023. He holds a degree in tourism operations and has decades of practical work experience as a tour guide. Uganda’s pioneer rhino conservationist, he was instrumental in establishing Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and received education training from Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2005. An author, storyteller and social entrepreneur, David holds a sustainable ecotourism award from 2024. Helped by his young family, David runs one of the most remarkable regional homestays called Gahiza Island Retreat, on Lake Mutanda, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

David Esteban is a storyteller and photographer who focuses on human connection, culture and everyday life. He lived in Rwanda in 2019, where he collaborated with Gorilla Highlands Experts and other local initiatives. David is dreaming of coming back and working on two photography books while living in Mendoza, Argentina. [bio updated: 2026-03]

David “Danger Dave” Šimenc volunteered at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2005-2006. He is a carpenter interested in green building and sustainable living who resides with his family in western Australia. [bio updated: 2026-03]

David Jack Tumusiime has been involved with Gorilla Highlands Experts media for years. He is an editor, writer and journalist who has worked for Uganda’s most well-known media houses and helped publish five biographies. A futurist at heart, he uses his social media to share insights and gauge technology’s impact on news and information consumption. Every week, Tumusiime writes “Worth Revisiting” — a column for BBEG Media — from Entebbe, Uganda. Click for David’s video intro to our writer’s checklist. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Davis Byamukama started working for Gorilla Highlands Experts in 2006 as a canoe boy and managed Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi from 2013 to 2016. Nowadays he is a freelance tour guide and provider of boats in Bufuka, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Denise de Roux is a communications specialist deeply devoted to cultural heritage, the environment and engaging content that makes people connect with our planet. Fascinated by gorillas and wildlife since childhood, she reached out to Gorilla Highlands Experts in 2025, offering help as an online volunteer. Before working with European institutions, Denise toiled as a tour guide in Paris, where she also graduated from Sorbonne University in Heritage Management and Tourism Development. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and dreaming about her next adventure. Denise has Colombian roots but currently lives with her partner in Copenhagen, Denmark.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-05]

Diane “Mweya” Irumva works at the Gorilla Highlands Experts office and helps manage tours. She daily commutes to the College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine from Musanze, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Dino Prince Rwikangura participated at the 2025 Friendship Camp, got inspired and stayed involved with Gorilla Highlands Experts. He works with Code Empowerment Progress as a tech innovator and financial leader and studies business management in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Dom Caristi is a Professor Emeritus of Media at Ball State University and a long-time Gorilla Highlands Experts supporter. Co-author of the 4th edition of Communication Law (2025), he was a Fulbright Professor to Greece and Slovenia (twice) and has been a visiting professor in Italy. A member of the Broadcast Education Association for more than 40 years, Dom served on the Board of Directors 1997–2002 and was awarded the Distinguished Education Service Award in 2023. He lives with his wife Kim in Muncie, Indiana.​ [bio updated: 2026-05]

Edson Munezero became a trekking homestay host through the circumstances of his work: he was sent by Church of Uganda to lead one of its most remote churches. The youngest of 11 children, Edson dreamed of becoming either a medical or a religious professional — it was God’s will that he ultimately followed the latter path. He serves at Lake Kayumbu, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Elie Cirhuza is a freelance journalist and digital communication consultant who works on the Gorilla Highlands Experts media team. A 2025 winner of the Jinsia Kwa Amani competition in DR Congo, Elie is UNICEF’s U-Reporter who participates in community outreach about fighting ebola and similar diseases. His current post is Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Emma Harerimana is a ranger guide in Volcanoes National Park, primarily in charge of mountain gorilla tracking. He lives in Musanze, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Enock Luyonza worked for Gorilla Highlands Experts in 2016–17, involved with photography, writing, video and graphic design. Now a published author and the communications director at Cornerstone Development Africa, Enock resides in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Enock Musabyimana is a tour guide from Gisenyi who started his career leading hikers on the Congo Nile Trail. Over the years, Enock has expanded his networks and knowledge of East Africa, becoming comfortable in any environment. A passionate preacher and a proud father of three boys, he lives in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Enyanja Kanyunyuzi Logar is a keen fine artist and writer who lives in Europe, preparing to begin her university studies. She’s currently exploring life in Italy based in Gorizia. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Espoir Watukalusu used to be a research assistant at Lwiro Natural Science Research Centre and the Gorilla Highlands Experts man for anything in South-Kivu. He is tying to make ends meet in Bukavu, DR Congo. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Eva Marn is half a dreamer, half a down-to-earth lawyer and social scientist, but a total sufferer of an infectious disease known as Amor Africae. Her two visits to Uganda took Eva from holding baby Enya to hosting lady Enya and her brother Maani in a flat in Ljubljana, as they were preparing for university. Over the years she traded fair trade baskets, tracked the gorillas and climbed Mt Muhabura. Before Eva returns to the Gorilla Highlands region, she has to pass the African love virus to her granddaughters, oversee a couple of global elections, take a peace walk to Jerusalem, and learn to become a farmer in Hudi Log on the Slovenian-Italian border.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Francis Tapon, author of Hike Your Own Hike and The Hidden Europe, is creating a TV series and book called The Unseen Africa, based on his eight-year journey across all 54 African countries. On his quest to hike every nation’s tallest mountain, he knocked both Uganda and DR Congo off his list with Mt Margherita — which he rates as far more fun than Kilimanjaro. Francis is a three-time TEDx speaker and lives in San Francisco, California. Click for our interview with him.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Fred Way is an American/Canadian agricultural and development advisor with a long history of engagement in Africa. He volunteered in DR Congo when it was still Zaire, spent many years at Cyimbili on today’s Congo Nile Trail, and can still be regularly found in Malawi, Uganda and elsewhere. Fred’s home, however, is Port Angeles under the Olympic Mountains, Washington. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Georg Schaumberger is a digital media specialist who has been exploring the globe and its many cultures for decades, including an epic trek in our region. Inspired by cultural diversity and human expression, Georg’s photography reflects a personal vision of the world that seeks to connect and inspire. He parents his daughters and makes wooden toys in Nairobi, Kenya. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Gerald Twinamasiko helps with canoe treks and provides night-time security at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi. Gerald’s grandmother taught him how to paddle, so he learned canoeing before he learned to speak English. He was born, bred and remains stationed at Bunyonyi, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Gloria Mwenge Bitomwa a gender and sustainability activist from eastern Congo; in her previous life she was the director of tourism in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Gloria lives in Kinshasa, DR Congo. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Grace Neema was the second ever Gorilla Highlands Experts office staff (2023). Originally from Kigali, she moved to Musanze to study network engineering and decided to give the business of tourism a chance. Grace now works as an executive assistant at a creamery in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Henry “Hank” Rugg volunteered for Gorilla Highlands Experts in 2016, still a teenager. He fell in love with East Africa and is planning to return by 2027. Now a professional actor with appearances in numerous productions (such as Caryl Churchill, Shakespeare & Edward Albee), Hank simply has to be in Hollywood, California. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Harold Goodwin is the founder of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT.global) and Professor Emeritus at Manchester Metropolitan University. He authored Rwanda’s responsible tourism policy and has consulted on tourism around Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Harold also chairs the community land trust in his hometown of Faversham, England.​​​​​ Click for our podcast and written profile about Harold.​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Henriette Faye-Schjøll, one of the Ultimate Hike pioneers of 2015, is an actress trained at the Arts Educational Schools in London and the Norwegian Theatre Academy. She has built an extensive career across theatre, film and television, with West End experience including the role of Jo in Little Women, TV fame as the MILF of Norway and cartoon voice acting. Henriette’s home institution is Oslo Nye Teater, Norway. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Ian Cantwell, historian and international interdisciplinary researcher, was part of the team that started the Gorilla Highlands initiative in 2011. Our region is one of his focal areas, and the pre-colonial history of the Batwa “Pygmies” a major passion. He is the author of Kigezi Mountain Mosaic, an ebook about the history and culture of southwestern Uganda. When not on research trips in Africa or Europe, Ian can be found somewhere in Ireland.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-05]

Dr. Ian Spillman has twice served as Medical Superintendent of Kisiizi Hospital at the beautiful falls that power it. Originally a paediatrician from the UK, he and his Dutch spouse Hanna, a nurse midwife, first came to Kisiizi in 1987 for six years and then returned in 2012 for a ten-year stint. They remain on the board of directors of Stre@mline Health Tech, a digital platform facilitating community-based health insurance, and co-ordinate the Friends of Kisiizi organisation of supporters. Still regularly visiting Kisiizi, Hanna and Dr. Ian are based in Christchurch, England [bio updated: 2026-06]

Ikiriza Kiremire is the founder of the Usual Suspects, a creative agency that specialises in talent management, PR and production. A veteran media practitioner and avid outdoor enthusiast (our region certainly touches his soul), he currently runs Musana Camps in Buikwe District, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Iro Chalkidi volunteered with Wheeling2help at Lake Bunyonyi in June 2026 and later experienced a Gorilla Highlands Experts tour of the region. She is an actor, musical theatre performer and dancer who simply calls herself “an artist”, and has travelled extensively across Europe, the Americas and Asia before discovering Africa. A vegan, environmentalist and animal rights advocate, Iro keeps mind and body sharp through hiking, Taekwondo, yoga and Pilates. She performs in Athens, Greece. [bio updated: 2026-07]

Isaac Kasamani is a freelance photojournalist contributing to international media outlets and NGOs. He joined the 2015 Gorilla Highlands Press Trip, where a visit to the Batwa “Pygmy” people left the deepest impression on him. Isaac operates from Kampala, Uganda.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-03]

Isabelle Masozera is a PR professional and event host who used to organise Gorilla Highlands Silverchef. A staunch believer in the potential of Rwanda and Africa, she resides in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Jane Bussmann is a very bad-tempered author, comedy writer-broadcaster and sometime investigative journalist. Gorilla Highlands Experts got in touch because of her hilarious book The Worst Date Ever, subtitled How it Took a Comedy Writer to Expose Africa’s Secret War. She now lives on a Spanish mountain with several dogs that local farmers once tried to kill. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Jane Mulungi was first a director’s assistant in Uganda and then the founding director of Gorilla Highlands Ltd in Rwanda. In 2021 she started the next chapter of her life, in the United States of America. Click for Jane’s background story. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Jean D’Amour Maniragaba is the founder and project manager of the Agro-Tourism Park by Eco Terra Vista Tours. A crop production graduate with a passion for adventure tourism, JD mentors eco-tourism students, served as a judge for the 2024 Illumineers cohort, and participated in the 2025 Friendship Camp. He is based in Musanze, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Jeanisse Hawa Mutuyimana is a tour guide driven by a love of nature interpretation, birds, reading and gender equality. Her secret hobby is sweating in the gym, and her current home base is Kigali, Rwanda. Click for her background story shared on the podcast. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Jens De Pauw was the SEE AFRICA BREATHE AFRICA editor in 2023, sent to do a 6-month Gorilla Highlands internship by UCLL in Belgium. He lost his heart to the region and keeps coming back, or at least tries to convince others to visit. Jens advocates for a more just world by working for several Belgian NGOs and spends his free time running, hiking and cycling from a small village near Brussels, EU. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Jiro Ose took part in the 2015 Gorilla Highlands Press Trip, and left a fantastic photo library behind. He has received several global photojournalism prizes, including the Award of Excellence at the Pictures of the Year International competition for his coverage of elections in DR Congo. After spending nearly 15 years in Africa, three years on Beirut and five years in Indonesia, Jiro recently relocated to Bangkok, Thailand. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Joe Kahiri, a former SEE AFRICA BREATHE AFRICA host, is a Ugandan actor, recording and performing artist, and the founder of Qwela, a top Afro-fusion band. Passionate about creating a positive shift in mindset through artistic creation, he lives between Kabale and Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Joe Winter is a British poet, literary critic and translator of Bengali poetry; in 2025 he received the International Mother Language Award from the government of Bangladesh. A fan of our region, joe lives in Hove, England. [bio updated: 2026-03]

John Hunwick is one of the most interesting characters of our region. A former Australian soldier and founder of Kampala’s first backpackers hostel, he now focuses on trekking activities in the Rwenzori and Mount Elgon National Parks, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Jolly Senyange has been a Gorilla Highlands Experts financial advisor for over a decade. He brings a depth of experience in strategic planning, finance and business management related to both startups and multimillion-dollar companies. Ugandan by nationality, Jolly runs Alpha Business Consult and Focus Physio and Massage in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Jon “Oruhindu” Lee is the legendary narrator of Gorilla Highlands Experts videos and the former grammar guru of the organisations blogs. His English teacher and TV commentator careers prepared him for this role well, but he is also a tomato grower, volleyball coach and writer. When he isn’t visiting our region, he lives in Santa Barbara, California. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Jonan Asingwire Kato is developing the Gorilla Highlands Experts strategy document while helping get GHE Uganda off the ground. Inspired by the 2023 Friendship Camp, he became aware of the huge possibilities for young leaders in the region — a conviction he brings to his work as a youth capacity builder and climate action enthusiast. Jonan has also worked with AIESEC and Island of Hope from his base in Kampala, Uganda.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-03]

Jonathan Fontaine’s award-winning photography has covered the Rohingya in Burma, the nomads in the Horn of Africa (World Press Photo 2023), deforestation in the Gran Chaco, mass tourism in Bali and the effects of the TotalEnergies pipeline in Uganda. He lives in Reims, France. Click for our interview with Jonathan. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Josh Hamby left his mark on the Gorilla Highlands as a volunteer drone videographer in 2016, capturing footage that continues to promote our region. He lived in Uganda from 2012 to 2017 and still returns every few years. Josh — now a husband and a father — also runs a construction company and consults for churches and individuals on sustainable development in West Texas, USA. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Joshua Luyonza first visited Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2017, and both the region and its people left a lasting impression on his heart. After leaving Uganda for Germany to study international management and economics, he often found himself sharing the work of Gorilla Highlands Experts, and in 2021 brought a group of German friends for a tour of Uganda. Josh now runs his own coffee importing business in Berlin, Germany.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Jean Pierre Rukundo is a tour guide from the shores of Lake Burera. Gorilla Highlands Experts was the first organisation to engage him — right in his Twin Lakes area — but nowadays he is working for several Rwandan and Ugandan tour companies from his home in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Julia Lloyd has spent more than three decades following wildlife through East Africa — underwater, through forests, across savannahs and occasionally into places sensible people might have avoided. After a year of scuba diving and traipsing through forests to compile biodiversity inventories in Tanzania, she moved to Uganda, working in habitats including Karamoja and Kyambura before returning to forest life with the Jane Goodall Institute and Uganda Wildlife Authority, working on chimp habituation and developing monitoring and ecotourism in Kibale National Park. Falling back to her love of small, much-ignored wild things, she eventually founded the indigenous NGO In the Shadow of Chimpanzees and Sunbird Hill Nature Monitoring & Rewilding Site. She lives just there with her eclectic multicultural family, on the edge of Kibale, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Julius “Survivor” Wetala is a coffee expert, green recovery activist and businessman. After pioneering coffee farmer visits in the Gorilla Highlands region, he is now both an organic agriculture community trainer in the north of Uganda and a family man in Mukono, central Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Justine Natukunda worked for Gorilla Highlands Experts as a social media manager in 2016–17. A communications specialist and passionate traveller, she bridges her Ugandan roots with the dynamic energy of the land of a thousand hills. Her daily bread is a job as administrator and personal assistant in Kigali, Rwanda.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Katharina Lahner was the historic first Gorilla Highlands Experts volunteer (Lake Bunyonyi, 2015) who continues her involvement as our main digital communications consultant. She is an Austrian marketer and natural-born traveller, currently living in New Zealand. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Katie Savitz proved to Gorilla Highlands Experts that regular blogging is indeed worth it — while in Kenya in 2025 she searched online, read about a solo traveller’s experience and decided to come to our region. Katie is a full-time traveller, the luxury she can afford after a fintech career and co-founding Cable. This regtech startup helped banks prove that regulatory controls actually worked, grew into a leading compliance testing platform and was acquired by Synctera. Before deciding on her next step, Katie opted for connecting with people across cultures, supporting local businesses and learning through the places she visits. Africa quickly became a special place for her, while Katie’s cat maintains a permanent residence in Dublin, Ireland. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Keith Kaunda’s journey as an environmental scientist, mentor and advocate for climate education led him to the 2025 Friendship Camp. He champions hands-on training and has equipped students in more than 30 Ugandan schools with soft skills, creating a ripple effect of positive change. He has also conducted research, delivered training and undertaken environmental policy analysis in the Busoga region, while helping people in Kayunga understand their rights related to environmental conservation. He resides in Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Lan Masozera Logar is the most important person at the Office Home! A big fan of dogs, swimming, football and basketball, Lan is the main reason the Gorilla Highlands Experts team is headquartered in Musanze, Rwanda. Click for a story about Lan’s first days on the planet. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Levi Ayebare was previously the man in charge of setting up Gorilla Highlands Experts tented camps on the Ugandan side of the region. These days, Levi is our tour guide and chef at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi; he lives nearby in the village of Bufuka, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Lilian Kamusiime is a senior tour guide, developer of travel products, birding specialist, trainer of trainers and assessor of guides by Uganda’s Directorate of Industrial Training. A secondary school teacher from the Gorilla Highlands region, Lilian followed her passion for nature and culture into the tourism industry and founded Kigezi Biota Tours. Her life philosophy is that we all have something — little or big — to contribute to humanity’s wellbeing. Still a devoted single woman but a mother to many who simply loves to mentor young people, she resides in Rukungiri, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Pascqa Lorna Abur is an experienced tourism/ development professional, and an avid hiker. While volunteering with Gorilla Highlands Experts, she supported sustainable tourism promotion by capturing moments that highlighted the beauty, people, and adventures of our region. After five years with UNDP, Lorna is now looking for new professional challenges — job opportunities that could possibly make her leave her hometown Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Luka Klemenc caught the African virus in 2022 yet it took four years to incubate! That’s when Luka read an interview with ML Rwebandira and said to himself “l have to go to Africa” but it was only in 2026 when the time was ripe. He was sick and tired of his professional life – 25 years in marketing and advertising – and took a mid-life crisis break. He spent six months in Africa before even reaching our region, and the virus is now raging in his body, together with infatuation with photography. Officially, though, he is still a resident of Ljubljana, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Maani Logar once worked at the Gorilla Highlands Experts office in Musanze — until the beginning of 2025 when it was time for the next step in his academic life. Maani now studies business at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Marcus Westberg is a multiple award-winning photographer and writer from Sweden whose work — covering conservation, wildlife and travel — appears regularly in several global publications. He has made several trips to our region specifically to volunteer for Gorilla Highlands Experts. When not globetrotting, Marcus lives with his wife and daughter close to Lisbon, Portugal. Click for our interview with Marcus. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Mari Goossen was the first intern sent to Gorilla Highlands Experts by UCLL from Flanders (2021). She is a writer and researcher, passionate about feminism, human rights and environmental justice. Still in love with Uganda, Mari nowadays resides in Ghent, Belgium. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Marjan Novak travelled with Gorilla Highlands Experts in 2013, all around Uganda and accompanied by his son Primož. Now that Domen and Veronika have also grown, he will need to come back and show our region to them! 35 years in the pharma industry have not killed Marjan’s curiosity, and he is often found daydreaming of exploring the world through his camera lens — from an office in Ljubljana, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Martin Hicks is an experienced independent traveller who loves hiking above all. He spent three months in East Africa in 2023 and trekked the whole Congo Nile Trail without a guide — but in the company of his partner Anna. Martin recently walked 630 miles across England and is forever dreaming of a return to Africa. To finance his adventures, he is a digital project manager in London, England. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Matjaž Švegelj was one of the first two long-term volunteers at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi (2002-2003). Land surveyor by profession, Matjaž works for a foundation devoted to healthy food for everyone in Kranj, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Dr. Matt Miller is the director and co-founder of Virunga Valley Academy, an American-curriculum international school in upcountry Rwanda. A proud Rwandan citizen, Matt loves exploring the natural wonders of our region and the rest of East Africa, and documenting them through photography and watercolour painting. He lives in Musanze, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Matyas Boyen was a Gorilla Highlands Experts intern sent by UCLL from Flanders (2021-2022). He is a writer, researcher and videographer who supports African sustainable entrepreneurship from Leuven, Belgium. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Milan Verdonk was a budget tours creator and article writer at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2025–26, on a six-month Gorilla Highlands Experts internship with UCLL from Belgium. Growing up, he played gymnastics and football, and after completing three internships in social work, decided to explore the tourism potential of our region. Inspired by both its stunning nature and welcoming people, Milan will soon be back! In the meantime, you will find him in Lommel, Belgium.​ [bio updated: 2026-05]

ML Rwebandira is an adventure and cultural tourism expert, writer and multimedia producer who co-founded Gorilla Highlands Experts. Born as Miha Logar, he now combines his initials with “Rwebandira” to honour the Bakiga elder Karwemera, who gave him the name. ML’s most recent publication is the Pocket Treasure. A national of both Uganda and Slovenia, Rwebandira resides with his son Lan in Musanze, Rwanda. Click for his personality-infused quarterly newsletters. [bio updated: 2026-09]

Molly Feltner is an award-winning science writer and photographer whose work has appeared in National Geographic, USA Today and elsewhere. She also helps conservation organisations communicate better, so she spent three years living in Rwanda, documenting the work of Gorilla Doctors in our region. These days Molly writes about ocean and freshwater habitat restoration for NOAA Fisheries from her base in Washington, DC.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-05]

Moses Oshaba started his work at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2006 as a cowboy and progressed to a management position by 2008. He returned in 2025, as an assistant chef and a tour guide trainee living at Bufuka, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Moses Turinawe is Senior Tourism and Hospitality officer in Kibale National Park. Among his previous positions with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, he twice worked in Queen Elizabeth National Park and served as Tourism Warden of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park before acting as the Mgahinga Park Warden. He often visits his family in Mitooma, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Moustafa Elbarbari volunteered at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2018, working closely with the local team to teach photography and videography skills and help produce promotional materials for the organisation. Coming from a film and media background, Moustafa believes in the power of visual storytelling to spotlight meaningful work, celebrate local communities, and encourage others to engage with places in a more thoughtful and human way. Currently a film producer, he lives between Toronto, Canada, and Cairo, Egypt.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Nelson Mugisha learned about the transboundary region idea way back in 2014, when he was only two years deep into building his Lake Chahafi Resort. He had a vision that went far beyond the resources actually available to develop his father’s farmland — a mindset very close to Gorilla Highlands Experts. From being interviewed about his lake to hosting hikers on multi-day treks, Nelson’s involvement eventually grew to include writing, just as the resort evolved from a campsite to a boutique facility. He retired from his Uganda Revenue Authority service in 2022 and now moves between Chahafi and Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Niels Tulleneers was a short-term Gorilla Highlands Experts intern in 2021, working at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi. Afterwards, Niels moved to Kenya where he has been selling off the beaten track trips to East and Southern Africa from an office in Nairobi. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Noah Liberi was the sole staff member and resident philosopher at Teach Inn, a millionaire-backed volunteering project in Bukinda, Uganda. Click for a story about Noah. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Olivier Pirote Tuyisenge is a freelance tour guide from our region who used to specialise in mountain biking but nowadays prefers safari vehicles. An excellent singer, Olivier was educated in Uganda and Rwanda and does activities in both countries, operating from Kisoro, Uganda.
 [bio updated: 2026-05]

Ornella Ndahiro Uwase became part of the Gorilla Highlands Experts community in 2025 as a participant of the Friendship Camp. She now serves on the committee that coordinates the organisation. Ornella is the founder and CEO of Code Empowerment Progress, a youth-led initiative that uplifts young people through technology, and a contributor to Youth Journal of STEM Research. She resides in Kigali, Rwanda.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Owen Bright Ahereza was sponsored and trained by Edirisa (more about it in his “Thank You” story) and worked as a tour guide for Gorilla Highlands Experts until January 2026. He lives in Kabale, Uganda.
 [bio updated: 2026-03]

Pamela “Maggie” Kanyunyuzi was among the founding group of Edirisa (the mother organisation of Gorilla Highlands Experts), and one of its directors. A tourism professional, she now lives in Kampala, Uganda.[bio updated: 2026-03]

Patrick Westöö is obsessed with untouched old growth forests. He came to Rwanda in 2023 to add an African chapter to the book he is writing — about the human relationship with wilderness and the politics of it. He is now dreaming about coming back to our region to add Uganda’s Rwenzoris. When not globetrotting, Patrick works in the tech industry of Stockholm, Sweden. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Paul Callcutt is the managing director of Fitzroy Travel, sending upmarket clients with an adventure sweet tooth to our region. Having guided professionally in both Africa and South America, Paul still frequents them exploring new routes, but for personal hideaways nothing beats the Scottish lakes and mountains. He runs his company from Brighton, England. [bio updated: 2026-07]

Paul Ishimwe was the first Rwandan to volunteer for Gorilla Highlands Experts. He started his journey as a floor manager for the 2018 Gorilla Highlands Silverchef cooking competition at the Kigali Marriott Hotel, then worked at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi and helped as a tour guide until 2020. Paul is now a food technician at Good Mills Innovation in Hamburg, Germany. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Pauline Amuge volunteered for Gorilla Highlands Experts in 2018, working with Batwa “Pygmies”. A multi-talented professional, she serves as an Early Years Education and Formative Instructor at Oasis International School — and is also a radio host, voice artist, music writer and singer. Above all, however, Pauline is a mother to a teenage son in Entebbe, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Peter Habyarimana is a specialist in first aid, health and care management, and an expert in prevention and management of highly infectious diseases. He has trained and mentored all across the Gorilla Highlands region, including for international organisations, the military and police. He is an avid reader of novels and a passionate storyteller. Originally from Kabale and frequently on assignment in upcountry areas, Peter has his wife and two children sorted out in Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-09]

Philippe Vandorpe brought his family to Uganda in 2013, for one of the very first grand treks organised by Gorilla Highlands Experts. More than a decade later, they still cherish the memories of the 6-day walking trip. On their bookshelf you might find titles like “Top 50 Treks of the World” — but now they think they are not worth the title, as they ignore the Gorilla Highlands region. The Vandorpes are nowadays scattered around Belgium and the world.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Prince K. Kaleme is a professor, researcher and scientific director of the Centre for Research in Natural Sciences in Lwiro. Due to the M23 rebellion, he currently resides in Kinshasa, DR Congo. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Rachel Mahon hiked the Congo Nile Trail between two of her stints as a teacher at United World Colleges — Moshi, Tanzania, and Karuizawa, Japan. Of Irish ancestry, she finds it hilarious to hear of the “Irish potatoes” or “Irishes” in our region. Rachel sometimes thinks of returning to Manchester, England. [bio updated: 2026-07]

Rachel Peet came to the Gorilla Highlands region as a volunteer in 2016, spending three months connecting with its communities. Over the following decade she danced between her passions of youth mentorship, creative education, photography and multicultural “storylistening”. Rachel has worked with a wide range of NGOs, both American and international, and now thrives in Barcelona, Catalonia.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​[bio updated: 2026-04]

Ramadhan “Rama” Sindayigaya was the first Rwandan chef to win at Gorilla Highlands Silverchef. Nowadays he is Culinary Chef at Griffith Foods for the Sub-Saharan African region and Chef Judge at the Africa Chefs Alliance. His office and his three kids are found in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Rinda Scheltens loves to explore trails all around the world, so she absolutely couldn’t miss our region’s Congo Nile Trail. She has hiked over 50,000 km in more than 20 countries and runs a YouTube channel to encourage others to get out of their comfort zone. Rinda’s day job is at a health insurance company and her home in Zwolle, the Netherlands. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Robert Brierley was a photographer and online travel marketer who co-founded Nkuringo Walking Safaris and partnered with Gorilla Highlands Experts to launch Gorilla Highlands Trails. A heart attack took him away in 2014 when he was only 51. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Rwothomio Gabriel Kabandole is fully invested in the betterment of humanity and the erasure of oppressive systems that hinder that goal. His Ubuntu philosophy and people skills have led to employment in several organisations, including No White Saviors and Eight.World. Originally from eastern DR Congo, Rwothomio has been on a two-year campaign to raise awareness and funds for families and individuals in the Ituri province. He constantly moves between Ituri and Kampala, Uganda.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-04]

Sabina Širca is a software developer whose main thrill is to explore the hidden corners of our world, with a backpack on her shoulders and a camera around her neck (well, recently rather with a phone in her pocket). Her goal is to capture the magic of the moment for the sake of those who couldn’t trek with her. She adores unspoilt nature, authentic local life and mountain peaks, so her hiking in our region had only one imperfection: it was too short! Sabina can also be found tending her vegetable garden in Ljubljana, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Safari “Dana” Ombeni has been involved with Gorilla Highlands Experts since 2020. He is a documentarian passionate about telling authentic stories about culture, mobility, and the everyday lives of people in his community. Dana explores social realities and human experiences from his home in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Samo Ačko volunteered for Gorilla Highlands Experts several times, mostly as a graphic designer. Nowadays, his thinking time is spent on how to improve digital tools for organic farmers. Secretly, however, he’d rather just play the piano non-stop or walk some ridiculously long trail far, far away from his home in Ljubljana, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Sarah Hall worked in tourism and conservation in Rwanda and Malawi for 13 years. Most of this was spent serving in Akagera National Park, followed by a stint as a homeschooling mum in Nyungwe National Park. She has now returned to her roots, working towards self-sustainability on a small farm in Malawi. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Sandrine “Sasha” Benimana is the office manager of Gorilla Highlands Experts. Pursuing a degree at the College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Sasha is increasingly passionate about creating meaningful travel experiences that connect visitors with local communities, and about the town of Musanze, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Serene Pleasure Amumpeire joined Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2024 as an intern and ran Wheeling2help agricultural activities until 2025. Affectionately known as “Movit”, she is a lover of nature — especially of birds and plants — currently volunteering for the National Identification and Registration Authority in Rubanda, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Sharpe Ssewali is an award-winning director who volunteered his skills at the Gorilla Highlands Silverchef 2018 and helped conceptualise Gorilla Highlands Experts. Best known for “Guno Mukwano?” (Is This Love?), a short film about gender-based violence, Sharpe makes his daily bread working on commercials and dreaming up TV series in Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Sheila Windridge, the founder of Edirisa UK, was born in England but brought up in Zimbabwe. After a successful career as a financial director in the fashion industry, Sheila reconnected with the African continent through Edirisa — in 2023 she was awarded an MBE by King Charles III for her work. She also acts as a family historian and lives as a proud grandmother in Amersham, England. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Shiv Shah, a former Gorilla Highlands Experts guest and volunteer, plays an active role in his family’s real estate business through a blend of strategic thinking and hands-on execution. Outside of work he is deeply committed to health, wellbeing and athletic performance. Married to Navneeta, Shiv balances modern ambition and cultural traditions in London, England. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Simon Dreven first set foot in the Gorilla Highlands region in 2018 and immediately fell in love with it. A year later, seeking a different pace of life, he left Europe and moved to Uganda, where he lived for nearly two years. During his time there, he helped coordinate and supervise Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi and collaborated with and advised MBZ Group Africa. Most importantly, he built countless lasting friendships that continue to draw him back to the region almost every year. Simon is now toiling for a European parliamentarian in Brussels, Belgium. [bio updated: 2026-06]

Stefano Barazzetta is an environmental engineer with a passion for travelling, taking pictures and playing his guitar. This great friend of Gorilla Highlands Experts has specialised in impact investing and sustainable finance, with focus on Sub-Saharan Africa (Uganda in particular); he is based in Milan, Italy. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Stephanie Brancaforte is the creator of Gorilla Highlands Experts Illumineers program, built on her environmental focus and past experience in central Africa working for Amnesty International and the International Criminal Court. Nowadays she advises Public Citizen (USA) on climate accountability and anti-authoritarianism, and directs the ecological transition organisation Rinascimento Green (Italy). Stephanie lives between America and Sicily, Italy. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Suzy Claridge is the graphic designer behind several Gorilla Highlands Experts publications, most recently the Pocket Treasure booklet. From initial concepts to final production, Suzy strives for layouts and visuals that are both engaging and easy to use. She’s mum to a sushi and ramen loving kid who may one day turn this passion into being a chef. They reside just outside of London, England. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Tjaša Zajc is a digital health expert whose most important engagement with Gorilla Highlands Experts was her participation in the Global Edirisa Meeting in 2011. Nowadays she is a podcaster, moderator and keynote speaker with a deep understanding of healthcare technology, working globally from Ljubljana, Slovenia.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ [bio updated: 2026-05]

Tom Karemire was the famous proprietor of Tom’s Homestay on Habukomi Island (now called Provia’s). A former prison warden and security guard, he hosted hundreds of hikers over the decades, right on his family lawn on Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-05]

Tomaž Malovrh — together with his wife and younger son — was part of the pioneering three-week tour that opened the post-pandemic era of Gorilla Highlands Experts in 2022. He is an orthopedic trauma surgeon who first came to Africa as a member of a student group volunteering at a missionary hospital in Zambia in 1999–2000. Since then, he has been actively involved in educating medical students and nurses who choose to participate in humanitarian missions through the Section for Tropical and Travel Medicine at the Medical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana. The Malovrhs are at home in Kranj, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-04]

Vanessa Maheshe is a graduate in network systems administration, conservationist and humanitarian who became part of Gorilla Highlands Experts during the 2025 Friendship Camp. From fundraising and community mobilisation to data management and developing eco-ventures, Vanessa is building a better world from Bukavu, DR Congo. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Vincent Mugaba’s connection with Gorilla Highlands Experts began in 2017–2018 when he participated in Gorilla Highlands Bootcamp and photographed two Gorilla Highlands Silverchef competitions. That was also the time when he founded Nandi Adventures, a safari company inspired by a Queen Elizabeth National Park trip he organised for his family. Vincent lives with them in Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2027-04]

Yakub Ibrahim was the volunteer designer of the Gorilla Highlands Pocket Guide in 2017. After more than 15 years in the advertising industry, Yakub now guides the creative direction of a regional team of designers, writers, and strategists at The Partnership Africa in Kigali, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Yonah Okoth is a ranger guide with decades of experience in Mgahinga Gorilla and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks. He now works in the Rwenzori Mountains, from Mihanga, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Yvelise Musirikare Ingabire is a former member of the SEE AFRICA BREATHE AFRICA podcasting team. She is a graduate of land surveying, a passionate writer and lover of nature who works in learning support at Virunga Valley Academy, Musanze, Rwanda. [bio updated: 2026-03]

Živa Škrlovnik explored the world for 15 years, much of it through the photo lens, including a volunteering stint at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi in 2012. An entrepreneur who teaches English, writes and illustrates her own stories, Živa has settled in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia. [bio updated: 2026-03]