Travelers from Campania Say They Can’t Stop Thinking About Their Gorilla Trekking Experience in Uganda
From the Shadows of Vesuvius to the Slopes of Bwindi
For many travelers from Campania—the sun-soaked, history-drenched region of Southern Italy—their trip to Uganda to see the endangered mountain gorillas becomes something far more than just an African adventure. It’s a soul-marking journey they say they “can’t stop thinking about,” even long after the red dust of the forest has left their boots and the photos have faded into memories.
Coming from places like Naples, Salerno, or Avellino, where life pulses with rhythm, flavor, and history, Campanians often arrive in Uganda with a deep appreciation for culture and emotion. Yet nothing quite prepares them for the first time they lock eyes with a silverback. “It was like time stopped,” says Giulia from Benevento. “I still feel that moment pressing behind my eyes—like a movie scene that replays in my brain, again and again, no matter where I am.”
Others from Campania describe the trek itself—the misty pathways of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or the bamboo slopes of Mgahinga—as a meditation. Their connection to nature grows with each footstep. “It reminded me of hiking the Path of the Gods on the Amalfi Coast,” says Marco from Naples, “but wilder, deeper, and more emotional. The silence was alive. And when the gorillas appeared, it was like meeting ancient royalty.”
Many return home changed. Some say their perspective on conservation has shifted; others say they felt something spiritual awaken. But what they all seem to agree on is this: the experience does not end when the trek is over. It lives on. It echoes in their dreams, in dinner conversations, in unexpected moments of reflection. “I still see his eyes—the silverback,” whispers Serena from Caserta. “There was something in them that haunts me, gently. I’ll never be the same.”
For Campanian travelers, Uganda isn’t just a place they visited. It’s a forest that took root in their minds—and refuses to let go.
