"Track the elusive okapi while supporting Mbuti and Efe Indigenous communities who protect the world's most unique rainforest mammals."
Partnership: Okapi Conservation Project & Ituri Forest Communities
What's Included
7 nights accommodation (eco-lodges & forest camps)
All meals including traditional Mbuti cuisine
Domestic flights (Kinshasa-Bunia-Kinshasa)
All ground transfers & forest transport
Indigenous Mbuti/Efe guides & trackers
Okapi tracking permits (4 days)
Camera trap installation workshop
Forest elephant & primate surveys
Traditional medicine & honey harvesting workshops
Mobile health clinic support (150 people served)
30 school kits provided
Research contribution to OCP
Personalized impact report
24/7 support & emergency evacuation
Not Included
International flights, visa (€46), travel insurance, tips
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Measurable Impact Commitments
Conservation
- • €505 Okapi Conservation Project donation
- • €275 Indigenous ranger program support
- • €185 wildlife monitoring equipment fund
Community
- • Employs 10 Indigenous Mbuti/Efe staff
- • Supports 18 families in 2 forest communities
- • Funds 1 mobile health clinic visit (150 people served)
- • Provides 30 school kits
Biodiversity
- • Protects okapi habitat (2,000 hectares)
- • Monitors 15 endemic species
- • Supports anti-poaching patrols (3,000 hectares)
- • Camera trap network (20 cameras funded over 50 travelers)
Partner Communities & Projects
Primary Partners
- • Okapi Conservation Project (OCP)
- • Mbuti Indigenous Community (Epulu)
- • Efe Forest Peoples Network
- • Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Ituri Program
Specific Beneficiaries
- • Mbuti tracker Asukulu (30 years forest experience)
- • Efe Women's Honey Cooperative (15 members)
- • Epulu Health Post (serves 500 people)
- • Indigenous Children's Education Fund (60 students)
Monitoring & Reporting
Pre-Trip
- • Endemic species education module
- • Indigenous rights and protocol training
- • Research methodology briefing
- • Health and safety preparation
During Trip
- • Daily wildlife sightings database entry
- • Camera trap image review and species ID
- • Indigenous knowledge documentation (with permission)
- • Forest health assessment participation
- • GPS tracking of all survey routes
Post-Trip
- • Detailed impact report within 21 days
- • Conservation funding: €965 per traveler
- • Research hours: 40 hours per traveler
- • Quarterly research updates from OCP
- • Certificate of research contribution
Proof-of-Concept for Biodiversity Financing
→Revenue to conservation: 42% (€2,000 per traveler)
→Revenue to Indigenous communities: 32% (€1,550 per traveler)
→Research value: €1,100 per traveler (volunteer researcher equivalent)
→Operational costs: 26% (€1,250 per traveler)
→Endemic species focus: Okapi, forest elephant, 13 other endemics
→Indigenous employment: 10 full-time jobs per 40 travelers/year
→Health impact: 150 people served per traveler
Last updated: February 2026
Reviewed by DRCTourism Research Team — Travel Experiences Division