Beyond the Gorillas: Creating the Ultimate Primate Safari

You’ve booked your gorilla trek—congratulations! But if you have a week or more to travel, why stop there? The forests of East Africa are a primate lover’s paradise. From the slopes of the Virungas to the canopy of Nyungwe, you can turn your dream trek into the ultimate primate safari, ticking off multiple species in one unforgettable trip.

The Itinerary

• Start with Golden Monkeys in Rwanda or Uganda: Before or after your gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) or Mgahinga (Uganda), you can spend a delightful hour with the endangered golden monkey. These vibrant, acrobatic primates are a joy to watch as they bound through the bamboo forests, and their trek is much easier than the gorilla hike .
• Head to Nyungwe Forest, Rwanda: A few hours’ drive from the volcanoes lies the ancient Nyungwe National Park. This is a primatologist’s dream. Here, you can trek to see a 400-strong troop of Angola colobus monkeys as they leap across the canopy, or track a community of chimpanzees through the lush rainforest . You might even spot L’Hoest’s monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and olive baboons.
• Cross into DRC for Grauer’s Gorillas: For the ultimate off-the-beaten-path primate experience, head to Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the DRC. This is the only place in the world where you can trek to see the Grauer’s lowland gorilla, the largest subspecies of gorilla. Males can weigh a staggering 250kg, and the park is also home to the unique owl-faced guenon .
• Return to Uganda for Chimpanzees: If you started in Uganda, you can combine Bwindi with Kibale National Park, the “primate capital of the world.” Kibale is famous for its high-density chimpanzee population and offers fantastic chimpanzee tracking and habituation experiences, where you can spend a full day with these fascinating apes .

Combining these destinations creates a rich, textured journey through some of Africa’s most biodiverse landscapes. You’ll not only see the majestic mountain gorilla but also gain a deeper appreciation for the entire primate family. It’s a trip that will forever define how you see the animal kingdom.