Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary

The Cross River gorilla lives only in a small area of forested highland along the Cameroon and Nigeria border and numbers a few hundred animals in total, which makes it the most endangered of the gorilla subspecies, and Kagwene in the North-West highlands was made a sanctuary in 2008 to protect one of the groups. The habitat is montane forest and grassland at around two thousand metres, unusually high for gorillas, in a landscape of steep ridges and cloud. The animals are not habituated and are not shown to visitors; what a visit involves is the forest, the research and monitoring work, and the community conservation programme around it.

What you'll find

• Montane forest at two thousand metres - unusually high gorilla habitat.
• Cross River gorilla range - a subspecies numbering a few hundred.
• Monitoring and research work - the tracking the sanctuary depends on.
• Community conservation programmes - the villages around the sanctuary.

When to go

November to February in the drier season. Two to three days. Permits and guides must be arranged in advance; this is not a site to arrive at unannounced.

What to expect

The gorillas are not habituated and you will not see them; anyone travelling in hope of that will be disappointed. Access is on foot over steep ground in wet forest. There is no infrastructure. Check conditions in the region locally before planning travel.

Nearby

Bamenda is east-south-east; the Nigerian border lies north-west.

Key facts