Face to face with Africa’s most thrilling primates
There are wildlife encounters, and then there are wildlife encounters that change you. Coming face to face with a mountain gorilla in the mists of an ancient rainforest, or watching a troop of chimpanzees move through the forest canopy with astonishing speed and intelligence, belongs firmly in the second category. Africa’s primate experiences are among the most profound and moving encounters the natural world has to offer – and for those who have already explored the more traditional safari circuits, they represent a compelling and deeply rewarding reason to return to Africa.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda
Rwanda has invested enormously in both conservation and visitor experience, and it shows. The country’s gorilla trekking offering, centred on the Volcanoes National Park in the northwest of the country, is widely regarded as one of the finest wildlife experiences in the world. The park protects a significant portion of the world’s mountain gorillas, and the habituation program that allows small groups of visitors to spend time with specific gorilla families is meticulously managed to ensure minimal impact.
The trek itself can range from a short walk to several hours of hiking through bamboo forest and steep volcanic terrain, depending on where each gorilla family is. When you find them, you are permitted one hour in their presence; an hour that passes in what feels like minutes. The eye contact, the proximity, the sheer physical presence of these extraordinary animals is something that no photograph can fully capture. Rwanda’s world-class lodges, many of them perched on the edges of the park with views across the forest to the peaks, perfectly complement the experience.
It’s worth noting that there are two kinds of gorilla trekking experience on offer: trekking with habituated gorilla families (that is, groups that are already used to people), where you spend one hour with the gorillas. The alternative is to trek to a group that is still being habituated, and actually assist researchers with getting these gorillas more used to humans. On this experience, you can spend up to four hours with the gorillas, but they will likely be shyer and more prone to moving away.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda
Uganda offers a different but equally compelling gorilla trekking experience, centered on Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the southwest of the country. Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas. The forest here is ancient, dense and genuinely impenetrable in places, all of which can give the trekking experience a rawer, more adventurous quality than Rwanda’s more accessible terrain.
Uganda also tends to offer a somewhat more affordable gorilla permit than Rwanda, making it an attractive option for those who wish to maximize their time with multiple gorilla families or combine the experience with other Ugandan wildlife destinations. The country’s tourism infrastructure has improved enormously in recent years, and the lodges around Bwindi range from comfortable to genuinely luxurious.
Chimpanzee trekking: Rwanda and Uganda
Both Rwanda and Uganda also offer outstanding chimpanzee trekking experiences, and for primate enthusiasts, combining gorilla and chimpanzee encounters on the same itinerary can be extremely rewarding.
In Rwanda, chimpanzee trekking takes place in the Nyungwe Forest National Park which is one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse rainforests and offers the chance to follow habituated groups of chimpanzees as they move through their forest habitat. community can be tracked through the canopy. Nyungwe also offers one of Africa’s few canopy walkways, adding yet another dimension to the experience.
In Uganda, the Kibale Forest National Park is considered another of the best places in the world for chimpanzee tracking, with one of the highest densities of chimpanzees found anywhere on the continent. The experience here is exciting and all-action: the chimpanzees primates are fast, noisy and endlessly entertaining, climbing and swinging through the trees and calling to each other with incredible energy.
Gorillas or chimpanzees: two unforgettable primate encounters
The two experiences are as different as the animals themselves. Gorilla trekking is hushed and reverential. It involves a slow, careful approach through the forest, followed by a quiet, awe-filled hour in the presence of these remarkable creatures. Chimpanzee trekking, by contrast, is dynamic and exhilarating, as you try to keep up with a troop that moves with astonishing speed and purpose, punctuated by moments of humor and almost recognizably human behavior and emotions.
Together, they make for one of the most extraordinary wildlife primate itineraries Africa has to offer. At Journey Beyond, our specialist consultants know these destinations and these experiences intimately, and can craft an itinerary that combines the very best of both. Contact us today to start planning your primate safari – and prepare to experience Africa’s wildlife in the most unforgettable way possible.