Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall & Uganda’s Great Apes

Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall changed the way the world understands great apes while Fossey became famous for her long-term research on mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Goodall transformed scientific knowledge about chimpanzees in Tanzania.

Although neither researcher conducted her famous long-term research in Uganda, their work has a strong connection to Uganda's modern great ape conservation and tourism.

Today travelers can experience mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, as well as chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.

For visitors planning a Uganda safari, understanding the connection between Fossey, Goodall and Uganda adds valuable context to these experiences.

Who Were Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall?

Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall were two of the researchers supported by paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey.

They became known alongside Biruté Galdikas, as the Three Trimates.

Each researcher focused on a different great ape:

• Dian Fossey — mountain gorillas
• Jane Goodall — chimpanzees
• Biruté Galdikas — orangutans

Fossey conducted her major research in Rwanda while Goodall began her famous chimpanzee research at Gombe in Tanzania. Their work demonstrated the importance of studying animals in their natural environments over long periods.

For the broader story, see our guide to the Three Trimates.

Where Did Dian Fossey Study Mountain Gorillas?

Dian Fossey conducted her best-known research in the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda.

In 1967 she established the research station that became known as Karisoke Research Centre where Fossey spent years observing mountain gorillas and documenting their social relationships, communication, feeding behavior, family groups, and individual differences.

She also became deeply involved in gorilla conservation and efforts to combat poaching. Her work helped bring worldwide attention to mountain gorillas and the threats facing them.

You can learn more about her work in Dian Fossey and mountain gorillas.

Where Did Jane Goodall Study Chimpanzees?

Jane Goodall began her long-term chimpanzee research in 1960 at Gombe in Tanzania.

Her observations produced important discoveries about chimpanzee tool use, hunting, communication, cooperation, social relationships, and individual behavior. One of her most famous observations involved chimpanzees using pieces of vegetation to extract termites from termite mounds.

Her work helped challenge the assumption that complex tool use and sophisticated social behavior were unique to humans.

Read more about her discoveries in Jane Goodall and chimpanzees.

Did Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall Work in Uganda?

No.

This is an important distinction when discussing their connection to Uganda.

Fossey's famous research took place in Rwanda, while Goodall's long-term chimpanzee research took place in Tanzania.

Uganda became important to the story because it is home to some of Africa's most important populations of mountain gorillas and chimpanzees where modern travelers can therefore experience the same great ape species that these researchers helped the world understand, but in different protected areas.

Where Can You See Mountain Gorillas in Uganda?

Uganda's mountain gorillas live in two protected areas:

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi is one of Uganda's leading destinations for gorilla trekking.

The forest is home to habituated gorilla families that visitors can track with trained guides and trackers, Bwindi has several tourism sectors, including:

• Buhoma
• Ruhija
• Rushaga
• Nkuringo

The sector you visit depends on your permit and safari itinerary.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga is part of the wider Virunga landscape shared by Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The park provides another opportunity to experience mountain gorillas in Uganda and for travelers interested in Fossey's work, trekking in either Bwindi or Mgahinga provides an opportunity to observe the same species she dedicated much of her career to studying.

Where Can You See Chimpanzees in Uganda?

For chimpanzee experiences, Kibale National Park is one of Uganda's most important destinations and Kibale is widely known for its chimpanzee trekking and habituation experiences.

Visitors walk through the forest with trained guides and trackers while looking for chimpanzee communities.

The experience provides an opportunity to observe chimpanzees in their natural environment and learn about their behavior, communication, feeding, and social relationships.

For anyone interested in Jane Goodall's work, Kibale provides a particularly relevant wildlife experience.

Can You Combine Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda?

Yes.

A Uganda great ape safari can combine chimpanzee trekking in Kibale with gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga.

A popular route can include:

Kibale → Queen Elizabeth National Park → Bwindi

This allows travelers to combine:

• Chimpanzee trekking
• Game drives
• Boat experiences where appropriate
• Gorilla trekking
• Scenic drives through southwestern Uganda

Travelers can also add Lake Bunyonyi before or after gorilla trekking.

This type of itinerary creates a natural travel connection between the chimpanzee research associated with Goodall and the mountain gorilla research associated with Fossey.

What Is the Difference Between Fossey's Gorillas and Goodall's Chimpanzees?

Although both researchers studied great apes, their subjects and research environments were different.

Dian Fossey	Jane Goodall
Mountain gorillas	Chimpanzees
Rwanda	Tanzania
Karisoke Research Centre	Gombe
Began major field research in 1967	Began major field research in 1960
Focused heavily on gorilla social behavior and conservation	Focused heavily on chimpanzee behavior and social life

Both researchers demonstrated the value of long-term observation.

Their work also showed that great apes have complex social lives and individual behavioral differences.

For a deeper comparison, read Dian Fossey vs Jane Goodall.

Why Is Their Legacy Important to Uganda?

Fossey and Goodall helped make great ape research accessible to a worldwide audience.

Their work contributed to greater public understanding of:

• Great ape intelligence
• Social relationships
• Communication
• Family structures
• Individual behavior
• Habitat protection
• Wildlife conservation

Uganda now provides travelers with opportunities to experience two of the great ape species connected to their research.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and Mgahinga and chimpanzee trekking in Kibale are therefore more than wildlife activities. They are opportunities to learn about species that have been the focus of decades of scientific research and conservation.

How Does Great Ape Tourism Support Conservation in Uganda?

Responsible tourism can contribute to conservation by creating economic value around protected areas.

Gorilla and chimpanzee tourism supports employment for guides, trackers, drivers, accommodation providers, conservation workers, and other local businesses.

Tourism can also create incentives for communities and governments to maintain protected forests and wildlife habitats.

For this reason, travelers who visit Uganda's great ape destinations become part of a wider tourism and conservation system.

Can Pearl Nature Holidays Arrange a Fossey and Goodall-Inspired Safari?

Yes.

Pearl Nature Holidays can arrange a private Uganda safari combining the country's major great ape experiences.

A typical itinerary can include chimpanzee trekking in Kibale, wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park and gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga.

Depending on your interests, you can also add Lake Bunyonyi, cultural experiences, nature walks, or other Uganda wildlife destinations.

Pearl Nature Holidays offers safari options for different budgets and travel styles, including affordable, mid-range and luxury private journeys.

Experience Uganda's Great Apes With Pearl Nature Holidays

The connection between Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall, and Uganda is not about where they conducted their original research. It is about how their scientific and conservation legacy connects with the great ape experiences available in Uganda today.

Fossey's work brought worldwide attention to mountain gorillas, while Goodall's research transformed understanding of chimpanzees.

In Uganda, travelers can experience these remarkable animals through gorilla trekking in Bwindi and Mgahinga and chimpanzee trekking in Kibale.

Pearl Nature Holidays can create a private Uganda itinerary around these experiences, with options ranging from affordable to mid-range and luxury safaris.

Continue exploring the cluster with the Trimates Conservation Legacy or Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall Tours.