They proved to be the toughest of the 20 participants from 7 countries…
Category: Batwa “Pygmies”
Stories from our work with the Batwa people of Uganda and Rwanda.
People of the Gorilla Highlands Are Characters
Before my arrival to volunteer in Rwanda and Uganda there seemed to be one phrase that I was told that hung over me: The people of the Gorilla Highlands are characters. I didn’t know quite what this meant at the time, but now this one statement has defined my experience. And so, the only way I can…
WARNING: Shooting Is for Kids Only
Watsup world it’s me, the one and only ENYAAAAAAAA with my third Enya’s Blog post. I just finished school so that means I’m spending my summer in the GORILLA HIGHLANDS. Let me get you through why I am at Lake Bunyonyi this time of the year… My bother Maani and I usually go to SLOVENIA…
“Responsible Tourism” – Right Term, Right Way
UPDATE MARCH 2021: See our latest on responsible tourism. There is nobody with a tourism degree on the Gorilla Highlands team, nor has anybody worked in the tourism industry beforehand. Our decision to enter this business was purely pragmatic. We noticed negative long-term effects of charity and looked for something smarter. We were enchanted with our region’s…
Background Story: Batwa “Pygmies” for Children
Wim Kok of Matoke Tours is well known for his creative ideas. Thinking of family travel in Uganda, he wondered how to engage children under 15 who are not allowed to track gorillas. Before his involvement with Matoke, Wim was a tour guide for another Dutch company. He guided tours all over the world, but…
Focus on Batwa “Pygmies”
We always start the year with a meeting solely devoted to our partnership with Batwa “Pygmies”. Making sure local communities benefit from tourism is central to the Gorilla Highlands initiative and the Batwa are the poorest of the poor. At these annual meetings we discuss what activities can be offered to visitors and how much Batwa are…
