primates
Bukit Lawang, Sumatra
Singita’s Kwitonda Lodge
the border of Volcanoes National Park, in Rwanda, last month. Rates for the eight suites start at £1,231 per night. Permits are needed to visit gorillas and chimps. Uganda has just put its prices up, in response to a similar move by Rwanda two years ago. Gorilla permits are now $700, up from $600, and chimp permits $200, up from $150. This won’t stop them selling out. Make sure your tour operator has secured permits for clients in advance. There are ways to keep costs down.
In Rwanda, choosing accommodation outside the national parks will mean
expertask an
“I've seen gorillas many times, but being charged by a silverback remains with me to this day. I recall smelling the mountain celery on his breath as he checked me over from six inches away, before thudding off to continue his breakfast. A remarkable encounter with a vulnerable species – and with DNA
closer to mine than to some of my clients’!” Paul Goldstein,
wildlife photographer and senior guide, Exodus Travels
an earlier start on gorilla trek day, but some clients will swap an eco-lodge for a good-quality hotel – Visions of Africa recommends the Serena chain – in order to be able to afford the trip. For something even cheaper, try camping: Acacia Africa’s six-day overland tour Troop to the Gorillas Uganda starts at £1,285 including a gorilla and chimp permit, excluding flights. For a rather unusual experience,
book clients a gorilla-tracking trip to Rwanda in September. Since 2005, the Kwita Izina naming ceremony has become an annual tradition, with dignitaries, park rangers, researchers, media and tourists gathering at Kinigi to take part in naming the baby gorillas born that year. Attending the ceremony costs $100.
CROWD CONTROL Permits keep numbers down when visiting gorillas and chimps, which benefits both the animals and clients . When it comes to orangutans, Borneo is the go-to destination. But a new Garuda Indonesia route from London to Bali via Medan is making less-developed Sumatra an option. Robin Ball, director of Bamboo Travel,
says: “At Sepilok in Borneo, there is a feeding station that can accommodate more than 100 people, which can feel like a zoo at busy times. The chances of spotting orangutans in the wild is almost guaranteed on a private jungle trek from Bukit Lawang in Sumatra, which many find more rewarding than seeing them in the man-made environment of a feeding platform.”
GORILLA TRACKING: DOS AND DON’TS
Will Bolsover, founder and chief executive of Natural World Safaris, offers his tips for wildlife tracking
f DO carry lots of water and snacks, waterproof trousers, a long- sleeved top, gaiters and gardening gloves for grabbing foliage.
f DO take trekking poles, or consider using a porter – you’ll contribute to the local community.
f DON’T ignore advice from your lodge or guide. They know best on conditions, behaviour (especially around the gorillas) and kit.
f DON’T become a gorilla hogger – move around to ensure other trekkers get a good experience. And don't get glued to your viewfinder, as you may miss something exciting elsewhere.
32 September 2019
travelweekly.co.uk/atas
PICTURES: SHUTTERSTOCK; ANDREW JAMES; PAUL GOLDSTEIN
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