Tourism at Mondika operates under strict permit control and scientific oversight. Visits are limited to a small number of participants per group, usually fewer than four guests at a time.
Each visit requires a minimum two-hour forest approach by foot, accompanied by experienced WCS-trained guides and trackers.
Gorilla groups are selected based on their habituation history and current behavioural state.
Viewing periods are capped at one hour per day per group.
Visitors are instructed to wear masks and maintain a minimum distance of seven metres to limit zoonotic transmission.
Photography is permitted, but the use of flash and loud vocalisations is prohibited.
These protocols align with the IUCN Great Ape Tourism Guidelines. Revenue generated supports research and feeds directly into conservation operations.
Community Engagement: Labour, Knowledge and Access
The majority of trackers and field assistants at Mondika come from the surrounding villages in the Pokola and Bomassa sectors.
Many have over 10 years of experience. Local personnel lead forest navigation, daily gorilla follows, and vegetation logging.
The employment model fosters skill development and reduces dependence on extractive livelihoods, such as bushmeat hunting or informal timber harvesting.
In addition to employment, community outreach includes health education, forest access agreements, and livelihood training programmes supported by WCS and the GTAP initiative.
Women’s cooperatives have also received small grants to initiate alternative income streams such as agro-processing or handicrafts.
The project’s long-term presence has established a degree of trust, although expectations around benefits continue to evolve.
Governance and Sustainability Mechanisms
Mondika falls under the jurisdiction of the Wildlife Conservation Society Congo Program and the Congolese Ministry of Forest Economy.
Tourism is managed within the broader framework of the Nouabale Ndoki National Park, which is part of the Sangha Trinational World Heritage area.
Cross-border cooperation exists with park authorities in Cameroon (Lobeke) and the Central African Republic (Dzanga-Ndoki).
The site benefits from technical and financial inputs from USAID, the European Union, and the Arcus Foundation.
Governance structures include joint management boards, biodiversity monitoring units, and ecotourism strategy working groups.
Annual site evaluations assess impact, visitor adherence to protocol, and community feedback. Adjustments are made where necessary to align with conservation and socio-economic priorities.