Gorilla trekking in Africa
Gorilla trekking in Africa
Gorilla trekking is one of the most done activities in Africa and it involves visitors moving into the forest 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 three countries that is Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Where to go for gorilla trekking in Africa
Bwindi impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is the best gorilla trekking destination in Africa located in southwestern Uganda in Kanungu district. The national park harbors the highest number of mountain gorillas in Africa hence the most visited destination. Bwindi impenetrable national park is a home of about 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in four sectors namely Nkuringo sector with 3 Gorilla groups which include Bushaho, Christmas and Nkuringo groups, Buhoma sector with 4 groups including Habinyanja, Rushegura, Katwe and Mubare, Ruhija sector in the east with 4 groups including Kyaguriro, Bitukura, Oruzogo and Mukiza, Rushaga sector in the south with 8 Gorilla groups including Kahungye, Bweza, Busingye, Bikyingi, Mishaya, Nshongi, Mucunguzi and Rwigi groups.
Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is another gorilla destination located in southwestern Uganda in Kisoro district. The national park is a home of 2 habituated gorilla families namely Nyakagezi and Hirwa family. Mgahinga gorilla national park previously had one habituated gorilla group until October 2019 when Hirwa group migrated from Volcanoes national park to join Nyakagezi to become two therefore both habituated gorilla families are trekked in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Volcanoes national park in Rwanda
Volcanoes national park is a luxury gorilla trekking destination in Africa that is located in northwestern part of Rwanda in Musanze village bordering Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. Volcanoes national park is a home of over 15 habituated gorilla families with some gorilla families under research where they can only be trekked when the number of visitors is high. the gorilla families in Volcanoes national park include Amahoro, Igisha, Kurira, Umubano, Sabyinyo, Karisimbi, Agasha, Kwitonda, Muhoza, Isimbi, Bwenge, Titus, Pablo, Gushimira, Ishabukuru among others.
Virunga national park
Virunga national park is located in Democratic Republic of Congo and is the most visited gorilla destination in Congo in that it harbors the endangered mountain gorillas. The national park is a home of 8 habituated gorilla families which are available for trekking daily and they include Humba, Kabirizi, Lulengo, Munyaga, Rugendo, Nyakamwe and Bageni families.
Kahuzi Biega national park
Kahuzi Biega national park is located in the Eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo near Bukavu town and harbors the Eastern lowland gorillas which are unique gorilla sub species that are larger than the mountain gorillas. Kahuzi Biega national park is a home of over 12 gorilla families and only 5 have been habituated. The habituated gorilla families include Chimanuka, Mpungwe, Bonnani, Nganwa and Mugaruka families.
Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is any of the destinations starts early with a briefing about the expectations, rules and regulations to be followed during trekking at the park headquarters. After the briefing you will be divided into 8 people and allocated a gorilla group to trek. Grouping of individuals is done according the personal interests, age, physical fitness among others so that visitors who are not physically fit are allocated a gorilla group that is easy to trek. After the grouping you will start trekking in the jungle with a park guide who will be sharing information about the gorillas as you follow gorilla tracks to where the gorillas are. Gorilla trekking takes about 2 to 7 hours depending on their location because they like moving from one place to another in search of food. once the gorillas have been found, you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat learning more about their lifestyle, habits, behaviors watching them carry out their daily activities, take plenty of photos with a flash less camera and record the moments to show people back home after the safari.
Company to use for a gorilla trekking safari in Africa
There are a wide range of companies which offer gorilla trekking safaris in Africa therefore when choosing a gorilla trekking company you should consider a number of factors such as registration to know if the company is registered with tourism associations, the companies response time if it responds your inquiries on time, check out their gorilla trekking packages, mode of payment, company reviews about gorilla trekking, company profile or reputation, prices charged so that you compare and choose the affordable gorilla trekking safari among others.
With all the qualities mention I therefore recommend some of the best gorilla trekking companies like Achieve Global Safaris, Explore Rwanda Tours and Focus East Africa Tours Ltd which offer gorilla trekking safaris to destinations like Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Volcanoes national park, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park at an affordable price.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Africa
A gorilla trekking permit is a legal document or card that is issued to a visitor allowing him or her to trek a habituated gorilla family in one of the gorilla destinations in Africa. A gorilla trekking permit is an important aspect as long as gorilla trekking is concerned therefore without a permit you will not be able to visit a gorilla family.
Gorilla trekking in Africa is carried out in 3 destinations which imply that a gorilla trekking permit differs depending on the destination where you will visit. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs $600 for foreign non-resident, $500 for foreign residents and UGX 250,000 for East African citizens. However a gorilla trekking permit in Uganda was increased by $100 therefore effective 1st July 2020 a gorilla trekking permit for foreign non-residents will cost $700 and $600 for a foreign resident.
A gorilla trekking permit in Democratic Republic of Congo costs $400 for foreign non-residents and $150 for Congo citizens and in Rwanda, a gorilla trekking permit costs $1500 for all nationalities.
How to book for a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority in Uganda, Rwanda Development Board in Rwanda or Virunga foundation in Congo. When booking directly you will contact the offices by telephone calls or email.
You can also opt to book a gorilla trekking permit through a trusted tour operator like Achieve global safaris. When booking through a tour operator you will contact us with the date, month, year and destination you want to visit for gorilla trekking. We will then check availability for the permit and if there are some permits available, you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once the deposit has been made, you will be asked to make send a scanned copy of your passport which will be used to register for your permit. When we receive the deposited money, we will acquire a gorilla trekking permit and send a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation. For the case of Congo you will not receive a scanned copy of the receipt as it’s done in Rwanda and Uganda therefore we will reserve the permit for you on mutual trust.
When to book for a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because the permits are competitive in and usually get sold out especially during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February in destinations which harbor the endangered mountain gorillas like Bwindi impenetrable national park, Volcanoes national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Virunga national park. Kahuzi Biega national park is not visited by many visitors due to political insecurity therefore even the last minute travellers can acquire a gorilla trekking permit.
What to wear on your gorilla trekking safari in Africa
Mountain gorillas live in high altitude areas and tropical rain forests which implies that it can rain anytime of the day regardless of the season therefore it’s advisable to carry equipment’s such as hiking shoes which will help you to move in steep and muddy grounds, long sleeved shirt and trousers to keep you warm, garden gloves, long socks, insect repellent to protect you from biting insects, waterproof rain jacket, energy snacks, drinking water to keep you hydrated, back pack to carry your items, camera to take photos among others.
Best time to go for gorilla trekking in Africa
Gorilla trekking in Africa can be done all year round though the best period is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February. During the dry season there is less rainfall in the forests therefore bushes and shrubs will be short hence allowing you to clearly view the gorillas and take plenty of photos, access roads to the gorilla destinations and gorilla trekking trails in the forest will be passable compared to the rainy season when the gorilla trekking trails are muddy and slippery.
Where to stay on your gorilla trekking safari
Gorilla destinations in Africa offer a wide range of up-market, midrange and budget accommodations where visitors can stay on their gorilla trekking safari. the lodges offer quality facilities and services such as comfortable beds, en-suit bathrooms, free Wi-Fi in public areas, restaurant which serves local and international dishes, swimming pool, bar, garden for relaxation after gorilla trekking, spectacular views of the forest, bird species, primates and some animal species. We recommend that when looking for accommodation, you choose the lodges near the destination where you will be trekking for easy accessibility.
Gorilla trekking is a breathtaking and exciting activity that offers unforgettable and lifetime experiences to visitors on a safari in Africa.
