The journey to Mahale is all part of the adventure; the flight takes about three hours, often with a short stop to refuel. On arrival at the airstrip, it’s another 90 minutes by boat to Greystoke Camp.
The camp is nestled in a pretty cove on a sugary white sandy beach overlooking the lake. Famous for its diversity of cichlid fish species (more than 90% of which are endemic), it is also the deepest lake on the continent. The thickly forested slopes of the mountains rise behind the camp, and the sound of birds and the chimps’ pant-hoot as they call each other echoes through the forest.
The region is currently home to around 800 chimpanzees, though only one troop consisting of roughly 60 animals is habituated to people. This is known as the “M” group, first habituated in 1965 by Toshisada Nishida, a Japanese researcher. Their territory covers beaches, lowland forests, hills and valleys, much of it impenetrable. To reach them, you trek through stunning forest – it can be pretty humid! The trackers set out early in the morning to try to find where they slept the night before; once they locate the group they let cap know and you set off to try to catch up with them, they move fast, and the hope is that they will slow down or settle somewhere.
The knowledge and energy of the guides and rangers is contagious; they possess an incredible understanding of the chimps. Chimpanzees are very social creatures with complex hierarchies and relationships, and the guides were amazing at identifying individuals for us and talking us through their complex family tree.
Nothing can adequately convey the feeling when you first find the chimps in the forest. We were crossing a stream, and suddenly, Ninian looked behind him, and there they were, a small group sitting close to the trickling stream we had just crossed. It was a spine-tingling moment. We watched as they groomed, snoozed and foraged – we listened as they drummed out distinct rhythms on the broad bases of the ancient trees. We watched mothers feed their babies and chastise them if they strayed too far. It was magical!
Lara
