How to plan your gorilla or chimp trek

The first step in planning your gorilla or chimp trek is to decide whether you want to see the gorillas or chimps…or both! If you haven’t already, check out our blog ‘What’s better - gorilla or chimp trekking? This will help you decide which trip is right for you, or you can opt for both experiences, if you have the time and budget!

Gorillas  

If you’re planning to visit the gorillas, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are the places to go. Note that we don’t recommend the DRC to first-time visitors to Africa. You must be an experienced traveller with a high risk tolerance if you are planning to travel here, and we strongly recommend against traveling alone or backpacking in the DRC. For more information, visit our blog ‘How safe is travel in East Africa’.

Uganda is our top pick for gorilla trekking. Uganda is safer than the DRC and national park permits are more affordable than Rwanda. There are also plenty of other amazing experiences you can have while you’re in Uganda to make the most of your holiday (i.e. chimps, white water rafting, safari, etc.).

Chimpanzees

If your preference is visiting the chimpanzees, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC are all great places to go. There are plenty of great aspects about trekking in each of these countries. For example, in our opinion Tanzania offers the most authentic off the beaten track experiences at Gombe and Mahale National Parks.

Trekking at Gombe National Park is our personal favourite, as it is so much more than a chimpanzee experience. This is an off-the-beaten-track location, and the only way to get in and out is by boat or charter plane. Both Gombe and Mahale are located on the the banks of the second largest freshwater lake in the world. This makes them very unique destinations, and it is lovely listening to the sound of waves crashing as you fall asleep. You can also visit local fishing villages, experience amazing bird life and breathtaking waterfalls.

The DRC, on the other hand, is less accessible. Due to unrest, trekking to see chimps in this country can be challenging at times. However, an alternative in the DRC is visiting chimps at the Senkwekwe Centre for Orphaned Chimps, which is attached to the Mikeno Lodge.

Gorillas and chimpanzees

If your plan is to see the gorillas and the chimps, we recommend doing both treks in Uganda. Uganda offers amazing treks to see both of these animals in the wild. You can also add a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, visit Murchison Falls and go white water rafting on the Nile River, as well as enjoying a number of other great experiences in the country, which are listed in our blog, Things to do before or after your gorilla or chimp trek.
 

How long should my gorilla or chimp trek be?

Next, you need to decide you long you are going to travel for, and how many activities you would like to do (i.e. gorillas, chimps, safari, Kilimanjaro, etc). If you are planning:

• A gorilla or chimp trek on its own, allow 3 - 5 days.
• To do both gorillas and chimps, allow 4 - 6 days.
• Gorillas, chimps, golden monkeys and safari, allow 6 - 12 days
• Gorillas, chimps, golden monkeys, safari and Kilimanjaro, allow 15 - 25 days. 

How many permits to buy? 

If you can afford to, we recommend purchasing two gorilla and chimp permits, just in case you get unlucky and don’t see them on your first day. Remember, if you want the opportunity to try again another day, you’ll need to book a second permit in advance, as you may not be able to buy one on the spot on your spare day if they are sold out. It is rare not to see gorillas or chimps on your first attempt, so don’t worry if you don’t have the time or budget for an additional trek.

How to choose the right tour operator for your gorilla or chimp trek 

No matter which trek you are doing or which country you’re visiting, we recommend traveling with a tour operator. An African travel specialist can help you:

• Plan an unforgettable and hassle-free adventure
• Navigate cultural challenges
• Provide valuable insights into the wildlife you’re seeing
• Ensure you stay at the best lodges, do the best experiences and don't waste time or money on things that are not worth doing.

A great tour operator or travel agent can also help you to create a well-planned adventure that checks off everything on your bucket list without blowing your budget.

When deciding which tour operator is right for you, consider things like experience, what insurance the tour operator has, reviews and whether they engage in responsible tourism practices.

Did you know that Adventure Out Loud donates 50% of our profits to keep disadvantaged African children in school. By partnering with Mwembe, an Australian charity aiming to empower, educate and enable vulnerable African children and women, we’ve also made it easy for you to personally sponsor and donate, so that you can be the change while enjoying the trip of a lifetime! Mwembe is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission, giving you peace of mind that your money is going to the people who need it most.

Check out our blog, How to choose the right tour operator for your African adventure for nine handy tips, plus some red flags to help you choose the right tour operator for your trek.

Upcoming gorilla and chimp itinerary ideas