Gorilla trekking is a highly anticipated and unforgettable experience for tourists visiting Africa. This adventure includes a face-to-face encounter with habituated mountain gorillas in the jungle forests. Mountain gorillas only reside in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo and as a result Gorilla trekking takes place in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park (Uganda), Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) and Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of Congo).
Mountain gorillas are one of the most endangered species that have been highly conserved due to their extinction threat. They are more human-like and share approximately 98% of their DNA with humans; they mostly live in groups led by a dominant silverback, though some end up living a solitary life. Mountain gorillas, as the name implies, prefer to live at high altitudes of about 2000 meters above sea level. Due to the nature of environment found at such altitudes, gorillas have thick and long fur that keeps them warm in cold weather. They also sleep and cuddle in the nests they make in the trees or on ground. Visiting these primates is an incredible thing to do because whatever they do is just so similar to the human race and it always leaves tourists in awe.
Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda
Due to the large population of mountain gorillas (over 600) hosted by Uganda, it has two gorilla trekking destinations which are Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks. Bwindi, Uganda’s best gorilla trekking destination is a dense rainforest is located in the South Western region of the country and also holds a record of being a habitant to the first habituated and trekked gorilla family Mubare in 1993. It currently has 21 gorilla groups and only one – Nyakagezi gorilla group in Mgahinga national Park, a portion of Virunga ranges at the slopes of Mt. Muhabura, Mt. Sabyinyo and Mt. Gahinga. Here, mountain gorillas stay together with the golden monkeys hence referred to as the park where Silver meets Gold.
During Gorilla trekking adventure, visitors get to hike through the parks and difficulty is determined by the location of the family assigned to an 8-member group. You get to spend about 1 hour once you find them. Gorilla permits in Uganda cost $700 per head for foreigners and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens.
Furthermore, gorilla habituation can also be carried out only in Uganda and this involves visiting gorillas still undergoing the habituation process, so they might be aggressive since they are not yet familiar to human presence. Tourists spend 4 hours studying the primates unlike the 1 hour allocated for gorilla trekking. This costs $1500 per head which is more expensive as compared to gorilla trekking.
Bookings are recommended to be carried out 2 months in advance especially during peak seasons where the number of permits given out gets limited due to the high numbers. However due to unavoidable circumstances you might fail to book ahead of time and for these reason last minute safaris are the way to go, these are possible by booking through tour operators who have different last minute packages you can select from. Permits are obtained from the Uganda Wildlife Authority Headquarters and through any of the trusted tour operators in the country.
Both parks in Uganda take about 9 hours to get there when using road transport from Kampala and only a 1-hour flight. However, since the area is closer to Rwanda, some tourists tend to fly into Rwanda then take a 4-hour short drive to the selected park which is much shorter, easier and convenient for them. Gorilla trekking hikes in Uganda are very challenging in that they even give hard time to the most experienced hikers especially the hikes in Mgahinga National Park that has steep slopes and they get worse and slippery when it rains. Despite the challenge faced during the hikes, the excitement and feel of finally meeting the apes is very rewarding.
In addition to gorilla trekking, tourists can also visit any of the other 9 national parks where they are able to see the big five animals and also hike some of the high mountains in the country like the only snowcapped mountain Rwenzori which is in the north of Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks.
Gorilla trekking Safari in Rwanda
Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda comfortably stay at Volcanoes National Park located in the North Western region of the country however very close to the capital city Kigali which is just about a 2-hour drive. About 150 fully habituated gorillas stay within the park, this number is further subdivided to make 12 gorilla groups with the first and oldest group being the Susa gorilla family. This is where Dian Fossey a primatologist known for making gorilla trekking a reality did all her research and study, her grave is also in the park.
Rwanda is known as a high-end gorilla trekking destination with its trekking permits going for $1500, making it the most expensive amongst the three countries. The park is also surrounded by 5-star accommodation facilities that contribute to the high end experience.
Gorilla treks take at most 6 hours and only 8 members are given the opportunity to visit each gorilla group, rangers accompany the tourists and also guide them on where to find the families and how to behave when around them. Porters who assist in carrying luggage for the tourists can be hired for as low as $20, you can also buy some souvenirs from the communities near the park where they sell crafts like necklaces, African print clothes and art drawings among others. The locals of Rwanda and also those in the other countries have been able to sustain and improve their standards of living through the contributions and activities they participate in during the gorilla trekking Safari.
When you visit the park around September, you will be able to attend the annual naming ceremony where the new born gorillas are given names, this activity is also involves showcasing of the Rwanda culture and appreciation of the conservation activities going on.
Tourists get to see other kinds of primates like monkeys and also trek them after the gorilla trekking, other animal species such as birds, buffaloes and more wildlife can be seen while on the trek. Gorilla trekking hikes in Rwanda are less challenging compared to other countries.
Permits are issued by the Rwanda Development Board and by numerous registered tour agencies. Permits cannot be booked on the day of trekking, so it is always advisable to book earlier like 2 months before to reserve your slots since only a few permits are reserved for each day.
However, in case you find you are already too late to make permit bookings, we always have last minute gorilla permits and everything else you need for your gorilla safari tour such as transport, accommodation and meals.
Gorilla Trekking Safari in D.R. Congo.
In spite of the political unrests faced by the country, gorilla trekking in Democratic Republic of Congo has steadily grown and it is still growing as seen in the change of the gorilla trekking permits price that rose from $150 to $400.
Two species of gorillas fortunately chose DR Congo to be their home, therefore, in D.R. Congo visitors are not only able to trek mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park but also, they can trek Eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park, these are the double blessings only seen in DR Congo.
Virunga National Park is one of Africa’s oldest park located in the Goma region, it only has 8 gorilla families available for trekking, the numbers are small because most of them were poached and killed by rebels who had inhabited and taken over the forest, however now, the park is now guarded by over 700 armed rangers protecting both the park and the gorillas.
Virunga National Park is now recognized as a UNESCO heritage site due to its diverse ecological system and the need to conserve the area. It is one of the most protected and conserved areas in Africa.
During gorilla trekking tourists hike Mount Nyiragongo to find the gorilla families and besides the park’s guides and potters, expect to be escorted by more than 3 armed rangers, their main purpose is to protect tourists from any kind of danger.
DR Congo offers the cheapest gorilla trekking Safari given the low permit costs and low accommodation costs. After the trek, tourists can hike an active volcano Nyiragongo whose recent eruption occurred in 2011.
When to visit for last minute gorilla trekking?
The best time to visit any of these parks is during dry season, which occurs from December to February and also from July to September, so these are the two periods in which you can visit and this applies to all three countries because they are in the same geographical region and neighbor each other.
The dry season is best because less rain is expected, so the trails aren’t muddy and slippery. However, because the gorillas live at high altitudes where it’s likely to rain even during dry spells, you shouldn’t be troubled because even if it rains, it won’t cause much damage to the trails.
