Primate tracking is one of the major forms of wildlife tourism in Africa based on the rich biodiversity of primate species with over 216 of which 111 are found on the mainland and 105 in the surrounding islands including Madagascar. African primates live in a variety of habitats ranging from the western equatorial Africa forests, lowland rainforests in the Congo basin, Virunga Mountains, Albertine Rift Mountains, East African savanna, Ethiopian highlands, and the coastal mangroves of East Africa.
Primates are the most visible of the mammal species that live in these dense tropical forests. As such, they have become the main reason for development of primate Ecotourism which through revenue contributes greatly to wildlife conservation through creation of protected areas and livelihood alternatives to the communities living adjacent to the parks in which primates live.
Chimpanzee trekking
For instance, Jane Goodall’s pioneering research on eastern chimpanzee in Gombe stream national park in western Tanzania in the 1960s became a model for development of chimpanzee trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda.
Among the Albertine rift valley forests, Kibale national park in western Uganda alone is home to 14 primate species including over 1,400 eastern chimpanzees; red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabays, blue monkeys, and L’hoest monkeys. Kibale harbors the highest concentration of primates in Africa and offers chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee habituation experiences. In addition, there are nature and community walks in Bigodi wetland on the edge of the forest which offer an opportunity for birding, butterfly watching, and visiting the handicraft making workshops which all supports both community development and chimpanzee conservation. The Sunbird hill experience, a project of reformed poacher and retired wildlife ranger, is helping to address human-wildlife conflict on the edge of Kibale forest through bee hive fence and trench that keeps elephants away from the farms. They also have a butterfly farm and a natural history library.
Nyungwe forest national park
Nyungwe forest national park in south west Rwanda is also home to 12 primate species including chimpanzees and the colobus monkeys which are both habituated for tourism. Primate tracking in Nyungwe is based on chimpanzee and colobus monkey trekking. The lush forest is contiguous with Kabira national park in Burundi and teems with wildlife including 300 birds of which 16 are Albertine rift endemics such as the globally threatened Kungwe Apalis and Albertine Owlet. There are spectacular Kamiranzovu waterfalls and rivers in addition to the canopy walk, bird watching, hiking, and tea plantation tours in the adjacent communities.
Mountain gorilla trekking safaris
On the edge of the Albertine rift valley, there’s Virunga conservation area and Bwindi impenetrable national parks, the only places in the world where mountain gorillas live. Bwindi impenetrable national park in south western Uganda is famous for harboring 459 of the 1,063 gorillas which are almost half of the world’s endangered mountain gorilla population. The rest of the 604 gorillas live in the Virunga Conservation Area which constitutes Volcanoes, Virunga and Mgahinga gorilla national parks in Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda respectively. Mountain gorillas have been reclassified from being critically endangered to endangered species given that their population has increased from less than 500 in the 1980s to over 1,000 individuals in just 4 decades. Except Virunga national park which is still closed, gorilla safaris to Uganda and Rwanda are available for booking through a tour operator or guide. In addition to gorillas, Virunga area is also home to the critically endangered golden monkeys. The primates are endemic to the area and have been habituated for golden monkey tracking in both Rwanda’s Volcanoes and Uganda’s Mgahinga.
Lowland gorilla trekking
In the eastern part of DR Congo, there’s Kahuzi Beiga national park, a UNESCO world heritage site home to the critically endangered lowland gorillas. Also known as the Grauer’s gorillas, they’re the largest of the four gorilla subspecies in Africa and there are 6 gorilla families that have been habituated for lowland gorilla trekking. A 3 days Congo lowland gorilla tour takes you to Kahuzi Beiga via Cyangugu border town of Rwanda.