Odzala-Kokoua National Park

The place for western lowland gorillas, the species most people have only seen in zoos. Odzala-Kokoua in the Republic of the Congo covers about 13,500 square kilometers, has been run by African Parks since 2010, and once recorded the highest densities of western lowland gorillas and chimpanzees in Central Africa. Getting there means a flight to Brazzaville and a charter into the park, usually for a stay of five to seven nights at a specialist camp. Tracks run through dense vegetation and knee-deep mud, can take up to seven hours round trip, and trekkers must be 15. Permits are expensive, but they directly fund one of Africa's most important rainforest conservation projects.