Whenever anyone asks me what it is like to experience chimpanzees and gorillas, I revert to the very first experience I had with them… It all began when I was lucky enough to win a photographic competition in 2015.  The prize was a trip through Uganda for two which included Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for mountain gorillas, Kibale Forest for Chimpanzees and Murchison Falls for wildlife and the scenery. I had travelled extensively through Africa by then but had not had the privilege of experiencing the primates. It was with absolute giddy excitement that I departed on this trip, with my father as my plus one, and the excitement building inside of me like a child on his first school trip… I remember it so vividly and the memories will stay with me forever. That was just the excitement of departing on the trip, but when I finally came up close and personal with the great apes in person, it was an experience that is hard to explain… To see an animal that is so closely related to us that expressions seem familiar is hard to fathom, but once I got passed the initial shock and awe, I settled into a curious fascination and focus. It really did touch a part of my naturalist soul and those moments will always stay with me, to have my father with me made it extra special…

I recently finished a safari where both gorillas and chimpanzees were a part of the itinerary and the feeling of excitement and passionate curiosity do not fade. I followed the same destination path with the difference of finishing up in the Grumeti region of Tanzania for the migration. This is really a world class itinerary, and the sightings were phenomenal. Scroll through the photographs to get an idea of what we saw and got to experience, as it really was a safari that will stay with me forever, much like my first primate experience.