EXPLORE AFRICA

Gorilla trekking

Gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo is an exciting and memorable experience that lets travelers come face to face with some of the most fascinating creatures on earth and close relative to humans, the mountain gorillas. During gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda or Dr. Congo, you will spend hours in the dense tropical rainforests and mountains home to the remaining gorillas in the wild. Experienced rangers and porters from Uganda wildlife authority (UWA), RDB of Rwanda and IUNC of Congo will accompany you throughout the trek; using machetes, they will be cutting through the thick jungle, pointing out signs of gorillas and help locate the gorillas.

Trekking through the forests of Bwindi National Park, Virunga National Park, or Volcanoes National Park may sometimes be strenuous. Still, the reward of meeting mountain gorillas is priceless, especially watching them play, interact, eat, and groom each other. Gorilla trekking tours are not only limited to gorilla encounters but also provide opportunities for birding in Uganda, Birding in Rwanda and interacting with the local Batwa and Bakiga people, learning about their customs and traditions and making coffee during your coffee tour in Bwindi Forest for example.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park are two gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda. Both Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga National Park offer gorilla trekking in 5 different sectors of the parks. These sectors include Nkuringo, Rushaga, Buhoma, Ruhija in Bwindi, and Ntebeko in Mgahinga, all under Uganda Wildlife Authority. Uganda has 20 habituated mountain gorilla families, and 160 gorilla trekking permits are available daily. Bwindi Forest National Park is known to be the best gorilla trekking location, with half the world’s population.

Bwindi is 131 square kilometres (128 square miles) of prehistoric, montane, and lowland forest. There are many endangered species within the protected boundaries of the park, making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s second gorilla park covering 12 square miles of forest, bamboo and mountains. Mgahinga has three major Virunga peaks: Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura, and Mount Sabyinyo. This habitat extends into Rwanda and DR Congo.

One can also participate in various other activities in Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, including bird watching, nature walks, community programs, and Gorilla habituation experiences such as bird watching. Gorilla trekking sections will vary depending on where gorilla permits are available when booking your gorilla trekking tour. Permits are scarce during peak seasons, such as June to August and December to February. But the low season allows you to choose which gorilla trekking sector is best for you.

The cost of gorilla trekking in Uganda varies depending on different factors such as the time of the year, and type of accommodation, which varies from Budget camps to luxury and other factors. However, usually, the cost for a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is $700, and it excludes transport to Bwindi Forest or Mgahinga National Park, meals and porters. A budget 3 days gorilla trekking tour costs about $1300 based on 2 persons travelling together.

The income from gorilla permits often goes towards conservation, supporting local communities, and securing wildlife corridors connecting protected areas such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. 700$ gorilla permit fees are shared like this, 75% goes to conservation, 15% to the government and 10 % goes to the local communities around the parks.

By Air

Bwindi can be reached by a scheduled or chartered flight. Kihihi is the closest airport to the Buhoma and Ruhija sectors, and Kisoro is closest to the Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors. Both are about 40km/25 mi from the park, and the drive usually takes about 1½ hours.

By Road

It takes approximately 9-10 hours to drive to the park from Entebbe airport or Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Visitors already in Queen Elizabeth National Park can easily reach Bwindi by driving south for 2 to 3 hours. You can drive through Ishasha on this route to see the famous tree-climbing lions before arriving in the Buhoma or Ruhija sector. If you’re coming up from Lake Mburo National Park, the drive is 5-6 hours.

From Rwanda

The driving distance from Kigali, Rwanda, to Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda, is about 4 to 5 hours to most of the sectors of the park.

Your budget will play a significant role in deciding which safari lodge or accommodation is best for you. For a double room at some lodges, you can pay up to $2500. However, at budget-friendly lodges, you can expect to pay as little as $50 per night for a double room.

Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Lodge, from $760
Gorilla Height Lodge from $ 700
Mahogany Springs from $ 300
Bweza lodge from $ 90
Ruhija gorilla friends from $ 50

There are 12 habituated gorilla families in Rwanda, found in Volcanoes National Park (VNP). The park is less than two hours from Kigali International Airport, and the road is in very good road condition. In the north-western part of Rwanda is Volcanoes National Park, which lies back a few miles from the border with the DRC’s Virunga National Park and Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Together, these three parks form the Greater Virunga Conservation Area.

Compared to Uganda, trekking gorillas in Volcanoes National Park is generally a more relaxed experience, as the terrain is gentler and the forest is not as dense as in Uganda. Due to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park accessibility, the park has become a popular choice for those with limited time to see the country but with a bigger budget. In Rwanda, gorilla tracking permits and most accommodations are significantly more expensive than in Uganda. The tourism industry caters to a more luxurious tourist market.

Make sure to stay at least two nights in the area of Volcanoes National Park if you plan to visit it. The advantage of this is that you can spend one-night acclimatizing and another night recovering after the trek. Mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda can take 30 minutes to 4 hours of hiking to see gorillas in their habitants, which are 2,500m and 4,000m above sea level. There are porters available to carry backpacks and cameras and offer assistance along the way. A one-day trek can be done by flying in and out, but we do not recommend it. The country has so much more to offer than one hour spent with the gorillas in the rainforest! Gorilla families in Rwanda include Susa, Igisha, Karisimbi, Sabyinyo, Amahoro, Agashya, Kwitonda, Umubano, Hirwa, Bwenge, Ugyenda and Muhoza.

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Booking a Rwanda gorilla permit in advance is the only way to guarantee a slot for gorilla trekking on a specific date. During peak seasons like June to September and December to March, gorilla permits can be hard to get. Currently, gorilla permits in Rwanda are going for $1500 per person – but this is only a part of the overall price of going on a gorilla trek in Rwanda.

Local communities receive 10% of the revenue from permits to build schools, health centres, and roads. To ensure peaceful coexistence, a compensation fund is available to local farmers if gorillas damage their crops. Booking a permit through your tour operator or directly through the Rwanda Development Board is possible. The Rwanda Development Board requires the applicant’s passport details for the permit to be booked.

Gorilla tracking is possible throughout the year in Rwanda. As the jungle tends to be less muddy and the paths less slippery during the dry season of June to September, this is the best time to visit. However, rain can fall at any time. During April and May, the weather is wet, making mud trails tricky, but you can still track gorillas during this time. It is common for the gorillas to climb higher up the mountain during the dry season and descend during the rainy season.

Visiting during the rainy season (around March to May and October to November) is also one of the best times photographing gorillas. In the aftermath of a downpour, the air is clear of dust, resulting in the perfect atmosphere for taking photographs of gorillas.

The Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and other parts of the country offer many activities besides gorilla trekking. As you travel through this country, you will notice that the landscape is characterized by various hills and mountains, making it a great hiking destination. Volcanoes National Park offers a variety of activities that can be combined with gorilla trekking, as seen below.

Golden Monkeys are among the most endangered monkeys living in the Volcanoes National Park. Several beautiful primates live in the same areas as the mountain gorillas. Their diet consists mainly of bamboo shoots and insects, and they occasionally raid farms for potatoes. Golden monkeys can also be found in Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tracking permits cost $100, and it should be noted that this trek can be challenging and muddy.

Wanting something challenging? Look no further than the Virunga Volcanoes. Two volcanoes are particularly popular: Bisoke and Karisimbi. Taking part in the Karisimbi Volcano Hiking takes two days and is a truly memorable experience. Hiking Mount Bisoke is a great way for visitors to get a chance to view the enormous crater lake at the summit of the mountain in only one day. The Virunga ranges, national parks, the Rwenzori Mountains, and three countries’ borders can be seen from both mountains. The hiking tour of Mount Bisoke and Karisimbi starts at 7:00 am with a briefing from the park office at the beginning of the hike.

There are about 200 different species of birds recorded in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park making it a perfect destination for birding in Rwanda, which is one of the most important birding areas in the country. The area is home to 13 endemic species of plants. Rwenzori turacos and handsome francolins are two of the most sought after birds in the area. In addition to these species, there are other species found within the area, such as the archer’s ground robin, the collared apalis, the rouge-faced woodland warbler, the Rwenzori double collared sunbird as well as the strange weaver.

Undoubtedly, the lake kivu is one of the most beautiful Lakes in Central Africa with its curvaceous coastline and bays, emerald islands that dot the lake, and Rwanda’s 1000 terraced hills dotting the landscape all around the lake.

Dr Congo, the Heart of Darkness one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, is not only home to rare lowland gorillas found in Kahuzi Biega National Park but also to the critically endangered mountain gorillas of Virunga National Park. Dr Congo boasts remarkable vast wilderness that provides significant opportunities for visitors to explore its forests full of endemic Banobos and engage in Congo gorilla trekking and Nyiragongo volcano hikes. Check out the gorilla families in DR Congo

More than 10 years have passed since Virunga National Park reopened to visitors. The park’s main attractions are gorilla trekking and climbing the Nyiragongo volcano hike. No doubt, tracking mountain gorillas is fast becoming one of the most popular wildlife experiences in the world. It isn’t easy to imagine a more serene place for such a very mind-changing experience than Virunga NP, with its excellent guides, top-of-the-line facilities, and few visitors.

Kahuzi Biega National Park is undoubtedly one of the most exceptional destinations in the world for Eastern lowland gorilla trekking. Located in the lush tropical rainforests of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Kahuzi-Biega National Park is another ideal lowland gorilla destination. The park was established in 1970 to protect the endangered eastern lowland gorillas, which are one of the largest Gorilla subspecies in the world. In addition to the eastern lowland gorillas, the park is also home to other animal species like chimpanzees, forest elephants, and several species of birds, making it an essential park for nature and wildlife lovers.

This off-the-beaten-path trekking lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park will be a unique experience, trekking through the dense tropical rainforest with knowledgeable park rangers to search and observe the gorillas in their natural habitat. Besides, visitors will learn about the conservation efforts that the park has put in place to secure the Eastern Lowland Gorilla’s future

This should not be confused with Dr Congo. The Republic of Congo is known for its breadth of biodiversity and natural richness, which includes the largest primary rainforest in Africa. A Congo safari and gorilla trekking in Odzala Kokoua National Park is a real off the beaten track experience in Africa. Republic of Congo shares borders with Gabon, Cameroon, and Central African Republic as well as dense and largely unexplored rainforest. The gorillas are protected in a network of remote and little visited national parks throughout these countries, as well as elephants, chimpanzees, and mangabeys.

EXPLORE AFRICA

Gorilla trekking