Gorilla Trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.
One of the most exciting things you will ever do on your safari journey in Africa is gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo. One of the most magnificent and enthralling experiences you will ever have is seeing mountain gorillas in their natural environment.
The three countries that are fortunate enough to have them are Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More specifically, the four gorilla parks of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in the Congo are home to the endangered mountain gorilla species, the largest of all primates.
Trekking with gorillas in Uganda
In Uganda, gorilla trekking takes place in both the renowned Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Given that the park alone is home to more than half of the world’s mountain gorilla population and has more than 19 gorilla families that are fully habituated and accessible to visitors on a gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the majority of gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda take visitors there.
However, since the only habituated gorilla family that visitors may see on a gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga Safari Park is the Nyakagezi gorilla family, the park attracts fewer trekkers each day.
Permits to gorilla hike in Uganda cost $800 for non-resident foreigners, $700 for locals, and just UGX300,000 for East African nationals. The majority of tourists choose to go gorilla trekking in Uganda rather than Rwanda because of the low cost of a permit. You may buy or reserve gorilla trekking permits in Uganda from the Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters in Kampala, or you can get assistance from a reliable tour operator.
It takes roughly nine to ten hours to drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Approximately 90% of the drive is on well-paved roads, with several stops for sightseeing, such as the Equator water experiment in Kayabwe and the Igongo Cultural Center, among other places, depending on your itinerary.
However, by scheduling charter flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi to Kihihi or Kisoro airstrips, travelers may choose to fly in Bwindi safari or to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. They will then be taken to their chosen lodgings. Among other chatter airlines, Aerolink Uganda offers various facilities to passengers.
Additionally, starting a Uganda gorilla trek from Kigali Safari is one of the most popular safari options. After arriving at Kigali International Airport, visitors are driven for approximately four hours through the Cyanika or Katuna border points, depending on where they are going gorilla trekking, to either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Rwandan gorilla trekking
The hazy Volcanoes National Park, which is just around three hours from Kigali and Kigali International Airport, is home to Rwanda’s gorillas. Rwanda’s northwestern region, which borders Uganda and the Congo, is home to Volcanoes National Park. With a gorilla trekking Rwanda safari, trekkers may see more than 150 fully habituated mountain gorillas spread over around 12 gorilla families in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, every day. One of the outcomes of American primatologist Dian Fossey’s research is that Rwanda has the longest habituated gorilla families.
Trekking with gorillas In recent years, Rwanda has started to offer luxury or high-end gorilla trekking safaris. A Rwandan gorilla permit can cost up to $1500, which is double the $800 Ugandan gorilla permit for foreign non-residents and nearly four times the $400 per person cost of a Congo gorilla trekking permit.
In reality, Rwanda’s premium approach to gorilla safaris is drawing the most upscale resorts, allowing the local populations around Volcanoes National Park to generate a respectable income from a variety of activities like as porters, community tours, and handicraft sales, among others.
Trekking with gorillas in the Congo
The world-famous Virunga National Park, home to many mountain gorillas with around eight completely habituated gorilla families and the famed Mountain Nyiragongo, is the site of the incredible pastime known as gorilla trekking in the Congo.
It is a stunning, undiscovered jewel that would satisfy any traveler’s need for wildness, but in the past, the security situation in the Congo has interfered with safari excursions. Gorilla trekking in the Congo is similar to that in Rwanda and Uganda, with the exception that permits for the Congo are far less expensive—only $400 per person every trip—than those for Rwanda and Uganda, which are $800 and $1500 per person per trek, respectively.
Travelers need not be concerned about their safety and security while gorilla trekking in the Congo since Virunga National Park has 700 armed ranger rangers who work to safeguard both the endangered mountain gorillas and the park’s visitors.
The Congo is fortunate to be home to a variety of species, including the Eastern Lowland gorillas, which are accessible to tourists who want to undertake gorilla trekking. Because eastern lowland gorillas are readily spotted at the slopes and beginning of the gorilla walk, lowland gorilla trekking in the Congo is less taxing than gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park. It takes place in Kahuzi Biega National Park.
When to visit Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda for gorilla trekking
Since gorilla locations are accessible to all tourists regardless of the season, gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo can be done all year round. As long as you have time for a vacation, the gorilla parks will be there to welcome you to engage in gorilla trekking activities. In Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo, the greatest time to undertake gorilla trekking is during the dry season, which is also the busiest travel period.
This period runs from June to September and from December to February. Although there is little rainfall in the gorilla parks during the dry season, such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and Virunga National Park, the parks are still rainforests. It’s crucial to have adequate attire since the parks may become rather chilly at night.
Things to bring for a gorilla hike in Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda Safari
Are you planning a once-in-a-lifetime gorilla trekking safari? If so, packing properly is essential to enjoying your eagerly awaited adventure. Among the essentials you should bring for your gorilla trekking safari tour in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo are hiking boots, preferably waterproof, a camera, a lightweight rain jacket or poncho, long-sleeved shirts and pants, gardening gloves, socks, gaiters, and insect repellent creams.
Accommodations for gorilla trekking in Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda
In each of the four gorilla trekking locations, a variety of lodges and camps are available for reservations. These gorilla lodgings accommodate all types of tourists by offering basic, mid-range, and luxury options, as well as private camps and lodges.
Depending on the time of year, inexpensive lodges may cost as little as $20, while luxury and private lodges, particularly in Rwanda and Uganda, can cost up to $2500. While gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo, visitors may stay in upscale hotels like Mikeno Safari Lodge, Bisate Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Lodge, and Gorilla Height Lodge.
An incredible activity that should be on your Africa safari itinerary is gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo; it may even be the highlight of your once-in-a-lifetime trip. You can have one of the most amazing gorilla safari experiences in either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park of Uganda, Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda, or Virunga National Park of the Congo by booking through a reliable and knowledgeable tour operator. While you’re there, you might as well add eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park to your itinerary so you can see two different gorilla taxa.
