Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary

Keo Seima protects a large block of evergreen and semi-evergreen forest in Mondulkiri, and its significance is primates: the sanctuary holds the largest known populations in the world of the black-shanked douc, a striking grey and black leaf monkey with a bare golden face, and of the southern yellow-cheeked crested gibbon. The Jahoo project at Andoung Kraloeng is run with the Bunong community, whose land this is, and takes small numbers of visitors to habituated groups: gibbons are tracked at dawn by their song, doucs found later in the morning. Accommodation is a simple camp. Sightings are genuinely good because the groups are used to observers, which is unusual for Cambodian wildlife.

What you actually see

• Black-shanked douc - the world's largest population of the leaf monkey.
• Yellow-cheeked gibbon - habituated groups tracked at dawn by song.
• Evergreen forest - the block of habitat the sanctuary protects.
• Bunong community project - the camp and guiding run on community land.

When to go

November to March for the dry season and easier tracks. Gibbons sing at dawn year round, so trips start before first light. The wet season makes the roads in difficult.

Honest expectations

Trips must be booked in advance and numbers are limited. Accommodation is a basic forest camp with no facilities. Dawn starts and steep forest walking are involved. Sightings are likely but the forest is dense and views can be brief.

Nearby

Sen Monorom lies east; Phnom Penh is southwest.