Central Africa/Congo Basin

At 6:30 AM, some 18+ hours after leaving Ouesso, we saw the lodge. However, there was no time to celebrate. Since only 3 people at a time could visit the gorillas, we had a lottery for position. I was in Group 1, which, along with Group 2, was leaving in less than an hour. The folks in group 3 would visit a Pygmy village in the morning, then go to a bai (mineral rich saline area where elephants gather) for animal viewing. Lunch for all of us was going with Group 3 to the bai. The rest of us were to join up with them after our gorilla visits. On the following morning, Group 3 would go to the gorillas while Groups 1 and 2 would visit the Pygmy village. We would all meet back at the lodge for lunch, then get back in the boat for the very long trip home.

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At 6:30 AM, some 18+ hours after leaving Ouesso, we saw the lodge. However, there was no time to celebrate. Since only 3 people at a time could visit the gorillas, we had a lottery for position. I was in Group 1, which, along with Group 2, was leaving in less than an hour. The folks in group 3 would visit a Pygmy village in the morning, then go to a bai (mineral rich saline area where elephants gather) for animal viewing. Lunch for all of us was going with Group 3 to the bai. The rest of us were to join up with them after our gorilla visits. On the following morning, Group 3 would go to the gorillas while Groups 1 and 2 would visit the Pygmy village. We would all meet back at the lodge for lunch, then get back in the boat for the very long trip home.

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