Meet The Relatives - Uganda Primate Safari 2026

“Watching our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees, is like reading the first chapter of human beings’ story in this universe.”

— Mehmet Murat İldan

Understanding how behaviour shifts across different habitats is one of the most practical ways to see evolution in action. Even small behavioural differences are interesting in any species, but when you observe them in chimpanzees, the insight feels immediate and relevant.

This 2026 journey is built around something very few safaris offer — the chance to spend extended time with chimpanzees in three completely different regions of Uganda. Each area has its own environment, its own challenges and its own behavioural patterns. Seeing the same species respond to these differences is both fascinating and surprisingly accessible, and it gives guests a broader, richer understanding of the chimps’ world.

The safari is led by Tony McKeith, who has spent decades designing wildlife journeys across Africa and guiding guests through some of the continent’s most rewarding ecosystems. Tony brings a clear, practical understanding of primate behaviour, a deep network of expert field guides, and a thoughtful, guest-focused approach that helps turn these encounters into meaningful experiences rather than fleeting sightings.

While this itinerary already includes dedicated time with chimps across multiple locations, guests can easily add a gorilla-tracking extension in Bwindi to round off the adventure. It’s a simple, seamless addition for those who want to complete the full primate story and spend time with both chimpanzees and Mountain Gorillas in the same journey.

Overall, this is a rare and genuinely distinctive primate safari — immersive, informative and built around time on the ground with the species themselves. Let me know if you’d like to explore dates or discuss how the optional gorilla extension could fit your plans.