Stephanie Short Photography

In 2009, I realized a long-time dream to see the beautiful mountain gorillas of Africa. The hiking was intense, with 7 day-long treks over 9 days. The work was difficult, but incredibly rewarding. Each hike resulted in an hour-long encounter with the gorillas, which included mothers, young, and large silverbacks. I had the rare experience of meeting a pair of baby twins! Unfortunately, this species is critically endangered with remaining populations numbering less than 1,000. The photographs in this collection are of gorilla families in the Virunga Mountains of Uganda and Rwanda and in the breathtaking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. My trip was expertly organized and executed by Volcanoes Safaris.