This guide provides information about Mondika and its habituated family of Western Lowland Gorillas. It also give information on how to donate money to help save this family and the forest they live in. For the adventurous, details of who to contact to book and visit as a tourist is also available.
Mondika is primarily a Western Lowland Gorilla Research Centre situated in the North of Republic of Congo close to Nouabale Ndoli National Park. It was established in 1995 by Professor Diane Doran to study Gorilla behaviour. However in November 2005 in collaboration with WCS the camp also opened to tourism. The Gorillas of Mondika now offer the unrivalled opportunity for the intrepid traveller to follow and watch wild gorillas on gorilla trekking expeditions in their natural habitat.
In the remote forests near the Republic of Congo’s northern border, a small clearing hosts something extraordinary. The Mondika Gorilla Project has been quietly observing the daily life of western lowland gorillas since 1995.
The site lies in the Djeke Triangle, adjacent to Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, where dense canopy provides a unique window into the behaviour of great apes. The research station serves as a cornerstone in great ape conservation science.
It informs how forest corridors are protected, how tourism is managed, and how local communities can benefit from preservation rather than extraction. The station is part of the Sangha Trinational, a transboundary UNESCO World Heritage site managed in collaboration with the Central African Republic and Cameroon.
The data collected at Mondika contributes to long-term conservation decisions across the Congo Basin.
Tourism at Mondika follows a scientific management model. Treks are conducted under strict protocols with pre-habituated gorilla groups, reducing stress on the animals while contributing data to behavioural research. This model links science with visitor experience, enabling a rare and controlled form of observational tourism.
Tourism and Sustainable Conservation
Tourism at Mondika operates under strict permit control and scientific oversight. Visits are limited to a small number of participants per group who go gorilla trekking and usually fewer than four guests at a time.
Each visit requires a minimum two-hour forest approach by foot, accompanied by experienced WCS-trained guides and trackers.