Gorillas and Chimps experiences

The mist-covered hillsides of Bwindi’s ‘impenetrable’ forest are home to over half the world's population of wild mountain gorillas. You'll depart in the early hours with a seasoned ranger to trek the rugged terrain in search of one of 19 habituated family groups, and once found, spend a precious hour watching them. While the hike can be gruelling, the sight of a fully-grown silverback emerging from the vines or the rambunctious baby gorillas playing close to their mothers is one you won't forget. The gorillas are well-hidden from the world and you'll have the chance to see them just as they are when no one's watching. There is also the option of a habituation permit, where you'll spend up to four hours with the gorillas. Trekking can be done year-round, but the ideal conditions are probably from June to September and December to February when the park is drier and humidity is lower. Trekking in the middle months does, however, attract a lower permit price. The choice is yours!

Kibale is a thriving hub of primates, from the black and white colobus to the chimpanzees, which are the star players. Led by your expert guide, set out on a trekking expedition through the dense forest to see the chimps in their leafy home, where you'll spend an hour with them. Once you discover their location for the day, watch as they swing through the vines, forage for nuts and fruit, and groom each other. If you're on an evening trek, you may even see the chimps building a nest for the night. Kibale boasts nearly a quarter of Africa's chimpanzee population, which live in three large troops, making it one of the ultimate places to see them up close. The best, most comfortable and least rainy time to go is between June and August, or December and March.

A verdant tangle of wildlife-brimming tropical forest and some of the most amazing gorilla-trekking territory in the world, Dzanga-Sangha is a real gem. The park is a sanctuary for dozens of endangered species, including one of Africa's most diverse collections of primates, which you'll discover while exploring this piece of the Congo Basin on foot. You'll leave in the early light, led by your experienced guide across the delightfully flat terrain, walking straight into the forest to find a family of western lowland gorilla. Spend a memorable hour with these smaller relatives of the mountain gorilla, watching as they tumble along the forest floor, snack on insects and groom each other. While the rainforests of Africa are almost perpetually damp, the best and least rainy time to go is between May and September.

Hidden deep within Queen Elizabeth National Park, visit the 'Valley of the Apes', so named for its impressive menagerie of primates. Most notably are the chimpanzees who live in troops of 30 - 80, almost all of which are habituated. Join your experienced guide as they take you on a journey to find the cheeky, animated chimps as they chatter from their nests, swing from the vines and forage. Seeing them scoop out a line of termites with a stick to snack on is rather memorable. Your guide will share the secrets and social dynamics of these inquisitive primates as you watch them in their natural abode. As it is with many of central Africa's forests, rain is frequent, but the dry season months are from June to July, and January to February.

A verdant tangle of wildlife-brimming forest, shimmering waterways and some of the most amazing gorilla-trekking territory in the world, Odzala is a real gem. The park is a sanctuary for dozens of endangered species, including one of Africa's most diverse collections of primates, which you'll discover while exploring this piece of the Congo Basin on foot. You'll leave in the early light, led by your experienced guide across the delightfully flat terrain, walking straight into the forest to find a family of western lowland gorilla. Spend a memorable hour with these smaller relatives of the mountain gorilla, watching as they tumble along the forest floor, snack on insects and groom each other. An already intimate experience is made even more so by the size of the group, which can only go up to six people. Depending on which lodge you're staying at, you may have the chance to meet gorilla researchers, see camera trap footage and explore the forest on a night walk. While the rainforests of Africa are almost perpetually damp, but the best and least rainy time to go is between May and September.

Leave camp just after dawn where you'll join researchers on a foray into the forest, arriving at the chimps' nesting spot just before they leave for a day of hunting and foraging, exploring the vines and romping through the undergrowth. Known as the primate capital of the world, Uganda and Kibale in particular, provides the chance for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to help habituate chimps who have often never encountered humans before. If it's intrepid, challenging and utterly magical you're after, this checks all the boxes. There's the choice to return home at noon or make it a full-day experience, where you'll get to see the chimpanzees construct their nests in the canopies. The most pleasant and least rainy time of year for this is between June and August, or December and March.

Where better to discover the riotous world of chimpanzees than Nyungwe, the Galapagos of Africa? Just as dawn breaks, you'll leave the lodge and drive to the starting point, while expert trackers forge ahead to locate the chimps. The dense, hushed forests of Nyungwe are home to around 500 chimpanzees, including two habituated troops. Once you've found their hiding spot, enjoy a precious hour of watching, enthralled, as they dangle from the rustling fig trees, clamber through the canopies and run circles across the forest floor. You'll make your way back through the jungle, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of orchids and butterflies, before arriving back at camp for much-deserved R&R. You'll find the most pleasant time for chimp trekking is in the dry season months (June - Sep).