Going ape

Perhaps it's because we share 95% of our DNA with them. Or maybe it's due to there being fewer than 1,000 in existence. Whatever the reasons, an encounter with mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is one of the most-lusted after wildlife experiences in the world.

In fact, there are only around 880 of these majestic animals alive; half the population is scattered across the Virunga range of volcanic mountains along the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the rest are located deep within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in south western Uganda.

The question though, isn't where to see them; it's who to experience them with. Conservationist and businessman Praveen Moman was the first to introduce gorilla tourism to the area 20 years ago with Volcanoes Safaris. Now with four luxury lodges in its portfolio - three in Uganda and one in Rwanda - they are strategically placed to arrange the perfect itinerary that will highlight the diversity of the region and showcase the company's efforts to fund local communities and safeguard the fledgling gorilla population.