What to Expect
Imagine an African adventure where you come face to face with a mountain gorilla, or chimpanzee. Where the wild animal you have tracked is as curious about you as you are about it! A Gorilla or Primate Trekking Safari should be on everyone’s bucket list! It is an extraordinary, and often life-changing experience.
Mountain Gorillas live in family groups in four parks in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Great African Adventures organises Gorilla, Chimpanzee and other primate trekking vacations in Rwanda and Uganda, as well as Chimpanzee Trekking Safaris in Tanzania.
You don’t need to be exceptionally athletic, but you will enjoy the experience more if you’re fit. Tracking in thick forest at heights of up to 3,000 metres, traversing steep-sided mountains and ravines, can be arduous, especially if it is wet.
You also need to be in good health. To protect the primates, if you’re ill on the day of your Gorilla or Chimpanzee trek, you may be prohibited from participating. To minimize the possible transmission of human diseases, visitors are asked to maintain a distance of seven metres (about 22 feet) from the gorillas.
Trekking permits, for Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Golden Monkeys must all be booked in advance as part of your vacation itinerary. Normally no more than 8 permits are issued per primate family group per day. There is a minimum age of 15 for Gorilla and other primate tracking.
When to Go: The trekking experience is available year-round, but the dry months (June–October and December–February) are more favourable due to easier trekking conditions.
Where to See Gorillas
Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: Home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, Bwindi is the most popular destination for gorilla trekking in Uganda. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with dense rainforests and a variety of wildlife.
The park has four trekking sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo. Each sector offers unique experiences, with different habituated gorilla families to visit. Bwindi’s steep hillsides can make gorilla trekking more challenging than in Mgahinga National Park or Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Trekking the mountain gorillas in Bwindi can take between 3 and 8 hours after leaving the Park headquarters.
Bwindi also offers a Gorilla Habituation Experience allowing you to spend an extended time with semi-habituated gorillas alongside researchers.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: This smaller but stunning park is part of the Virunga Mountains and shares borders with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s home to one habituated gorilla family, the Nyakagezi Group, known for crossing borders. Trekking in Mgahinga combines gorilla tracking with breathtaking views of volcanic landscapes. You may also see golden monkeys here.
Rwanda
In Rwanda, the best place to see mountain gorillas is Volcanoes National Park, located in the country’s northwest. This iconic park offers world-class gorilla trekking experiences in a stunning landscape of misty mountains and lush rainforests, where world-famous Primatologist Dian Fossey conducted her ground-breaking research.
Volcanoes National Park has 12 habituated family groups. Most gorilla trekking here takes a half-day, but one family is a little further away, and can take around 7 hours. Tracking here is usually easier than tracking in Uganda because the afromontane forest is lighter.
Where to See Chimpanzees
Uganda
Kibale National Park: Known as the “Primate Capital of the World“, Kibale is the top destination for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. Home to over 1,500 chimpanzees, visitors have a high chance of encountering these primates during guided treks. You can also participate in the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience, which allows you to spend extended time with researchers observing chimpanzee behaviour.
Budongo Forest near Murchison Falls National Park is another excellent spot for chimpanzee trekking. The Kaniyo Pabidi area is particularly popular, offering guided treks through dense mahogany forests.
Kyambura Gorge in the Queen Elizabeth National Park is known as the “Valley of Apes”. This is a stunning forested area where visitors can track a small, semi-habituated chimpanzee population through the dramatic scenery of the gorge.
Kalinzu Forest Reserve, close to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kalinzu offers affordable and less-crowded chimpanzee trekking experiences. The forest is also rich in biodiversity, providing opportunities to see other wildlife.
Rwanda
Nyungwe Forest National Park is home to over 400 chimpanzees, and offers one of the best chimpanzee trekking experiences in Africa. The park is rich in biodiversity, with 12 other primate species including Colobus monkeys, and over 300 bird species, making it a priority for conservation.
Guided chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe takes you through dense, lush forests, where you can observe chimpanzees in their natural behavior, feeding, grooming, or playing.
Tanzania
Tanzania offers several excellent locations for chimpanzee viewing. Combine gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda with a Tanzania big game safari and chimpanzee trekking.
Mahale Mountains National Park: Remote and pristine,Mahale is known for its stunning landscapes of mountains and forests, as well as its healthy population of chimpanzees. The park is home to around 800 chimps, and trekking here offers the chance to observe wild chimpanzees in one of the most beautiful and less-visited settings.
Gombe Stream National Park: Home to around 100 chimps, and famous for the groundbreaking research of primatologist Jane Goodall, Gombe Stream offers the opportunity to see chimpanzees up close, as well as other wildlife such as baboons, birds, and various species of monkeys.
Rubondo Island National Park: Located on Lake Victoria, Rubondo Island is more accessible than Mahale or Gombe, and offers a unique setting for nature lovers, combining chimpanzee trekking with the chance to enjoy other activities like birdwatching and boat rides around the island.
