Primate Safari Planning Tips
Primates have the power to captivate human observers in a way few other animals can. Their closely knit troops interact in ways – whether playing, grooming, quarrelling, or foraging – that are both familiar and thrilling. If you are thinking about a safari that incorporates chimpanzee or gorilla trekking, or a bit of both, the following should help you get started.
HOW PRIMATE TREKKING DIFFERS FROM OTHER SAFARIS
Host countries restrict the number of primate trekking permits that they issue each day, so it’s very important to plan ahead and book this activity six months to a year out for peak season (June – September) travel. Gorilla trekking groups are limited to eight people per group, and chimpanzee trekking groups range from eight to twelve people per group. Also, unlike other safaris, children under 15 years of age are not permitted to track primates. Physical wellness is an important consideration. Trekking requires you to find the animals on foot which can take as little as a half hour, or up to three hours, sometimes off-trail and up steep hills, although guides will organize the group according to fitness and age. Once you find the animals, you will be limited to one hour of observing them. For the more sedentary gorillas, you’ll likely stay in one place, whereas chimp observation entails following them as they move about the forest floor and canopy.
WHERE TO FIND CHIMPANZEES
Chimpanzees are humans’ closest relatives, sharing 98% of their DNA composition with humans. You can most easily observe them in three reserves in eastern Africa: Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda, Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains National Park, and Uganda’s Kibale Forest. Chimpanzees are much more mobile and faster than gorillas, and they are rarely found in the place they slept the night before. Nor do they stay put once you have found them: be prepared to follow them, walking off-trail and tagging along to watch them jump from tree to tree and interact. Overall, chimpanzee trekking can be faster paced than gorilla trekking, with denser vegetation, less established paths, but a greater sense of discovery when one finds them.
WHERE TO FIND GORILLAS
The world’s remaining mountain gorillas now number more than 1,000 and live in three countries spanning four national parks. Responsible tourism plays an important part in protecting these critically endangered animals, whose greatest threats come from deforestation and human population growth. Mountain gorillas can be observed in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, or Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Either location offers comfortable eco-lodges, expert guides and habituated gorilla groups. So which location should you choose? While Rwanda’s tracking takes place at higher altitude (8,200 to 9,200 feet) than Uganda (5,300 to 6,600 feet), the tracking time in Rwanda tends to be shorter, and the slopes less steep. However, Uganda offers a greater choice of mid-range accommodations than Rwanda, and a classic big game safari can be more cost-effectively added to a Uganda program, making it an attractive alternative for many travelers.
“Experiencing the migration was like witnessing a miracle in process. Could it get any better? Yes – the gorilla treks were the most exhausting thing we’ve ever done, but worth every exhilarating ache.” — Tamar Sherer and Chris Cooper
