The park is a popular birdwatching destination and famous for primate viewing (including species such as the drill, Preuss's red colobus, red-eared guenon and Nigeria chimpanzee).

86/1283;[2] at the same time the boundaries of the forest reserve were extended eastwards to include the villages of Ekundu Kundu, Ikenge and Bareka Batanga to cover the current surface area of 1260 km2.

[4] The idea of creating KNP was conceived in the early 1970s by Steve Gartlan and Thomas Struhsaker who were both studying forest primates in southwest Cameroon at the time.

As of 2006 however, Korup National Park is one of the three focus areas of the "Program of Sustainable Management of Natural Resources – South-West Province" (PSMNR-SWP), a bilateral cooperation between the Governments of Cameroon and Germany.

The elevation of the park is low (50 m) in the southern section, rising steadily northwards with increasingly rugged terrain, reaching its highest point at Mt.

There are currently five villages located inside KNP with a total population in 1999 of approximately 900 people (Erat: 447, Esukutan: 202, Ikenge: 179, Bareka-Batanga: 52, and Bera: 26).

The main livelihood activities in the rural areas is subsistence and cash-crop farming (oil palms, cocoa), fishing, hunting and, to some extent, trading.

The forests of Korup appear to be ancient and rich in paleoendemics, having survived the dry period of Pleistocene area as part of the Cross River-Mayombe Refugium.

Mast fruiting occurs in intervals of more than a year.Korup National Park is reputedly one of the richest lowland African forests in terms of faunal richness and diversity, especially for birds, reptiles, amphibians and butterflies.

There are three camp sites open to tourists, where visitors can arrange stay either at a tent (bring your own) or at one of the lodges (with basic wooden beds – windows have simple screening).

Since 2009 KRCS has been very instrumental in assisting visiting researchers with guidance, research permits applications, finding experienced local field assistants as well as elaborating village development and land-use planning, ensuring the recruitment of several locals in different capacities in park activities and playing an active role in environmental education and advocacy for conservation and especially against conversion of neighboring biodiversity rich forest into palm plantation together with international organisation such as Pro-wildlife and WWF-CPO.

Recently the activities of KRCS have been boosted by the 2012 Conservation Leadership programme (CLP)Awards; a partnership between CI, FFI, WSC and BirdLife International.

The Film Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes starring Christopher Lambert and Andie MacDowell was shot in the park in 1984 before its establishment.

Charles, Prince of Wales inaugurated the park in 1986, and there is a sign not far from the entrance over Mana bridge that marks the point where he reached during his brief visit.

Mana Bridge, which serves as the gateway to Korup National Park, was built by a group of international volunteers on an Operation Raleigh expedition in 1989.

The group of more than 100 volunteers spent 3 months in Cameroon building the bridge as well as undertaking wildlife surveys in the forest and adventures by canoe in the Rumpi Hills.

These accomplishments were spite of his lack of formal education and sole reliance on his extensive local knowledge of plants and animal species.