Gorilla Trekking in Africa

Gorilla Trekking in Africa

Gorilla trekking in Africa: Gorilla trekking is the most famous activity in Africa where visitors move on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated gorilla families and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Gorilla trekking in Africa is carried out in five destinations namely Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Where to go for gorilla trekking in Africa

Gorilla trekking in Uganda

Uganda is one of the most visited gorilla destination in African due to the fact that it harbors the highest number of mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is carried out in two destinations that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in south western region. Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home of about 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors namely Buhoma, Rushaga, Nkuringo and Ruhija while Mgahinga gorilla national park is a home of one habituated gorilla family namely Nyakagezi.

Uganda is also the only destination that offers the fascinating gorilla habituation experience a process where the wild gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Gorilla habituation experience gives visitors an opportunity to spend four hours with the mountain gorillas and it’s carried out in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Rushaga sector which is located in the southern part of the park

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda

Gorilla trekking is one of the major activities in Rwanda and it’s done in Volcanoes national park which is located in northwestern part of Rwanda in Musanze town. Volcanoes national park is a home of about 11 habituated gorilla families which are available for trekking on a daily basis.

Gorilla trekking in Democratic Republic of Congo

Gorilla trekking in Congo is done in two destinations that is Kahuzi Biega national park which harbors the eastern lowland gorillas and Virunga national park located in eastern part of democratic republic of Congo. Kahuzi Biega national park is a home of 5 habituated gorilla families and Virunga national park is a home of 8 habituated gorilla families which are available for trekking on a daily basis.

Gorilla trekking experience

Gorilla trekking in all destinations that is Uganda Rwanda and Congo, starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing you will be sub-divided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is knowledgeable about gorillas and also conversant with gorilla trekking trails.

Trekking of gorillas takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other wildlife species such as birds, butterflies, other primates like l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, different plant and tree species among others. Once the gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to take photos, record videos, learn about their habits, behaviors, lifestyle, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones among others.

When is the best time to go for gorilla trekking in Africa  

Gorilla trekking in Africa can be done anytime throughout the year though the best period is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February because during this time there is less rainfall in the gorilla destinations therefore vegetation will be thin which helps you to have clear views of the gorillas and other wildlife species. During the dry season access roads to the national parks and gorilla trekking trails will be passable compared to the wet season when the gorilla trekking trails are wet, muddy and slippery which makes trekking difficult.

Cost of a gorilla trekking permit

A gorilla trekking permit is a legal card that is issued to any visitor above the age of 15 years allowing him or her to visit a gorilla family in any of the gorilla destinations. The cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Africa varies depending on the destination you wish to visit for example a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs USD 1,500 per person for all nationalities, a gorilla trekking permit in Congo costs USD 400 per person for foreign non residents and a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs USD 700 per person for foreign non residents, USD 600 per person for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 per person for East African citizens.

How to book gorilla trekking permits

Gorilla trekking permits in Africa can either be booked directly through contacting Rwanda development board via telephone calls and email to book gorilla permits in Rwanda, contact Uganda wildlife authority to book permits in Uganda and Virunga park offices in Goma for permits in Congo.

Gorilla trekking permits can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Services. You will contact us with your names, dates, year and destination you wish to visit. We will check for permit availability and when there are permits available you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once we receive the payment we will purchase the permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the permit as confirmation.

Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because permits are competitive and get sold out quickly especially during the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February therefore in order to avoid last minute disappointments you are advised to book in advance.

Gorilla trekking is an adventurous activity that shouldn’t be missed during your safari in Africa. For more information about gorilla trekking or safari bookings you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website.