Gorilla trekking is one of the best wildlife safari experiences that you can enjoy in Africa. Meeting the gorillas, the world’s largest living primates that share 98% of our genetic code is a moving experience! With a growing number of travelers looking to meeting the mountain gorillas in their natural wild, we have come up with the best five places where you can visit the gorillas in the wild.
The best five places to go gorilla trekking in Africa include Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, the Virunga National Parkand Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is undeniably the best place to go gorilla trekking in Africa. This park lies in Southwestern Uganda and it lies within Kabale district and Kanungu District. The park was gazette into a national park in 1991 and it is among the UNESCO world heritage sites.
Its prime reason for establishment was to protect mountain gorillas.
It is one of the oldest forests and it is believed it survived the arid apocalypse of of the last ice age. The forest has existed for over 25,000 years accumulating the fabulous diversity that includes half of the world population of the mountain gorillas. Today the 331 square kilometres protected area refuges 459 of these rare creatures with 20 habituated gorilla group families. Apart from the gorillas, the park also protects other wildlife that include chimpanzees, forest elephants, several species of monkeys etc.
Bwindi was listed the best place to visit by CNN in 2019 and interestingly, it is a magical gorilla trekking destination. Four regions are available for visitors to explore on Uganda gorilla safari and they include Rushaga, Nkuringo, Ruhija and Buhoma. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is 8-9 hours’ drive from Kampala/Entebbe and from Kigali Rwanda, it is 3-4 hours’ drive.
A permit to see the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Forest costs US$700 per person for a one hour session and US$1500 for a gorilla habituation experience, a 4 hour session with the mountain gorillas.
Virunga National Park features among the best five places to see mountain gorillas in Africa. It is perched in Eastern DR Congo and it was established in 1925 by the Belgian Colonial Government to protect the mountain gorillas. It is not only the oldest national park but also one of the largest parks in Africa occupying over 7800sq.kms of land area. The park is part of the three national parks that make up the larger Virunga Conservation Area (VCA).
The Virunga National Park shelters the estimated 300 mountain gorillas and accounts for eight habituated gorilla families; Rugendo, Munyaga, Nyakamwe, Lulengo group, Mapuwa, Humba group and Kabirizi family groups. Gorilla trekking permits for Virunga National Park are obtainable at $450 per person.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park also lies in Southwestern Uganda, Kisoro district and features as the second-best destination in Uganda to go gorilla trekking. It occupies only 33.7sq.kms of land area and consists of only Nyakagezi gorilla group.
This is the most scenic of all Uganda’s national parks sitting on the northern slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes. There are three volcanoes that lie within the Virunga and these are Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhavura and the Sabinyo Volcano.
It is a magical park to visit for gorilla trekking especially for visitors not interested in overcrowded destinations. Only eight tourists are accommodated each day on a gorilla trek in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and gorilla permits cost US$700.
Kahuzi-Biega National Park is one stunning protected area in Africa. Less known to tourists, this park is the only place where you can track the Eastern Lowland gorillas in their natural home.
Gazette in 1970, KahuziBiega National Park was elevated to this status with a solo purpose of protecting the Eastern Lowland gorillas. It was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997 and inscribed on the UNESCO List of “World Heritage in Danger”.
This park lies in Bukavu in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and it is a magical destination to view Eastern Lowland gorillas. Gorilla trekking is carried out in two habituated gorilla families; Chimanuka and Mugaruka Family and several groups are still under the habituation process.
Eastern lowland gorilla permits are also available at US$400 per person.
Volcanoes National Park is exceptionally a rewarding destination where you can go gorilla trekking in Africa.It is found in Northwestern Rwanda, Ruhengeri region within a distance of 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali. It has existed since 1925 (was part of the Virunga National Park) and spreads in an area of 160sq.kms.
The Volcanoes National Park Rwanda has 12 habituated gorilla groups that can be visited by tourists. Some of the popular families include Umubano, Agashya, Ugenda, Karisimbi also called Susa B, Sabyinyo, Hirwa, Amahoro, Kwitonda, Bwenge and Susa A. The park offers easier treks if compared with other national parks.
Gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda can be booked at US$1500 and you get a chance to trek gorillas in this protected area.
The above parks are just a few places where you can track the gorillas in their natural home. There are many other locations for gorilla trekking in other countries including the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo, Maiko National Park in DR Congo, as well as Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Ivindo and coastal Loango National Park in Gabon.
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