Go Gorilla Trekking in Africa

Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the only countries where mountain gorillas can be found and trekked. Gorilla trekking has gained popularity within the tourism industry as it is a fascinating and incomparable experience, with over 1,000 mountain gorillas found in four major parks.

Uganda has two parks where gorillas are found, and these include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Gorillas in Rwanda are only found in Volcanoes National Park, while Congo’s are in Virunga National Park.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the only country among the three that has both mountain gorillas and lowland gorillas.

Lowland gorillas are found in Kahuzi-Biega National Park.

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Carried out in two parks, Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla parks. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the most popular and has the most visits.

It has the largest number of mountain gorillas in the world, almost half of the world’s total population, with over 19 families fully habituated, and therefore tourists can come close to them.

Mgahinga receives the least number of visits and has only one fully habituated family, the Nyakagezi family available for trekking in this park.

Both parks are accessible with well-constructed roads taking around 9 hours from the city center, but one can also fly there from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Kisoro or Kihihi airstrips, where you will then drive to respective destinations.

Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Only done in Volcanoes National Park, which is a 3-hour drive from Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city. This park is along the Rwanda-Ugandan border and also on the Rwanda-Congo border, a coincidence that happens because Virunga Mountain ranges are shared by the three countries.

There are over 150 habituated gorillas that form 12 gorilla families, which trekkers can encounter during a gorilla safari in Rwanda. Rwanda has the oldest habituated gorilla family, which was among the first families launched from the work done by Dian Fossey, a fallen primatologist.

Rwanda’s extensive approach towards promoting tourism led to creating a luxury destination for gorilla trekking, and hence permits here cost $1500, also aimed at promoting the livelihoods of locals, as luxury hotels have been constructed, hence employing the natives.

Permit costs are high because the park has to earn enough money to sustain itself and carry on with various conservation activities.

This makes it the most expensive, costing four times more than Congo, which is $400, and Uganda at $800 per foreign non-resident.

Gorilla Trekking in D.R. Congo

Gorilla trekking in D.R. Congo is done from Virunga National Park, a proud home of over 100 mountain gorillas. It has a couple of families that have completed the habituation process, summing up to 8 families.

These reside on the slopes of the famous active Mount Nyiragongo, which also holds the largest lava lake in the world. Due to security reasons, visits are low compared to its counterparts in Uganda and Rwanda within the same region.

Insecurity has greatly impacted the tourism industry in Congo, yet it has amazing natural gems that haven’t been explored, like Kahuzi-Biega National Park.

The experience of gorilla trekking is the same in all three countries; they only vary in cost. Congo has the cheapest permits at only $400 per person.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is blessed to have lowland gorillas too. These are found in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, and trekking them is not as tiresome as the mountain gorillas because they stay at low-altitude areas.

Trekking gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo can be done throughout the year as all parks are open to tourists all year round. All you have to do is purchase a gorilla permit.

Though the dry seasons are recommended, especially for the mountain gorillas, as during this period the rains are limited, making the trek easier as the slopes are dry and not slippery.

Having found your preferred gorilla trekking destination, you should also pack the right items needed during the trek.

These include hiking boots, socks, and gloves for your feet and hands, lightweight clothing like shirts and raincoats as you don’t want more burden as you are struggling with the terrain, drinking water—about 3 liters are recommended—and food to keep you going.

Don’t forget a camera to capture those moments.

Mountain Gorillas vs. Lowland Gorillas

Mountain gorillas differ from other gorilla species like western lowland gorillas, Cross River gorillas, and Eastern lowland gorillas. Mountain gorillas are scientifically called beringei beringei, while others share the same scientific name, gorilla gorilla.

Mountain gorillas live in high-altitude areas, over 1500m above sea level. They prefer staying in dense forests and in the wild, yet their lowland counterparts can thrive in zoos, and these are found all over the world.

Mountain gorillas are bigger than lowland gorillas, have thicker and longer fur, and are darker too compared to their cousins, who have lighter and shorter fur.

Adult male mountain gorillas’ fur is silver on their backs, hence the name silverbacks. Lowland gorillas, once they grow, mostly lose the fur, especially on the back and hips, hence turning out to be less or bare.

Though all gorillas are herbivores, Mountain gorillas don’t feed on fruits; instead, they eat leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and tree bark.

Rules and Regulations to Guide Gorilla Trekkers:

• Only persons aged 15 and above are allowed to trek gorillas because those below might be physically weak and reckless in the presence of gorillas.
• You should be healthy and not infected by any contagious diseases such as flu, because humans share over 98% of their genes with gorillas, so they can easily transmit these diseases to them.
• Only a specific number of people are allowed to encounter each gorilla family in a day, and only 8 members are allowed. This limit is to ensure the safety of the gorillas, as many people would cause anxiety to the gorillas, and they might act otherwise.
• Don’t litter during the trek; keep all your rubbish and dispose of it when you’re off the mountains. This is to conserve the environment at large.
• Don’t make noise when you reach gorillas. Loud noise may force them to move away, and you won’t get a chance to spend adequate time with them.

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