Popular gorilla havens on an African safari : The popular gorilla havens on an African safari offers tourists with the thrilling and perfect encounter with the mountain gorillas, thus allowing the tourists to trek into the lush forests and observe these gentle giants in the natural habitat, creating an unforgettable and emotionally charged experience.
Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.
Volcanoes National Park is Africa’s popular gorilla trekking destination because of its association with Dian Fossey of ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ fame. It safeguards the Rwandan part of the Virunga Mountains, a group of breathtakingly picturesque volcanoes with towering bamboo stands and forests lining their steep slopes. Here, you may track 12 different gorilla families. The most well-known is the Susa group, who reside high on Mount Karisimbi and whom Fossey researched while she was a resident in the region. Although they are wild and always moving, other groups are simpler to follow and roam deeper down the slopes.
Rwanda’s drawback is the high cost of gorilla permits, which cost US$1,500 for non-resident foreigners. (For inhabitants of Rwanda and other East African nations, the charge is reduced to US$200; for international residents and holders of other African passports, the fee is reduced to US$500.) Now that a variety of ultra-luxurious lodging options are close to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda has emerged as the “Botswana” of gorilla trekking, providing an unparalleled experience at an exorbitant price. It is therefore frequently visited as a quick add-on to upscale safaris in Kenya or Tanzania for gorilla trekking.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to 460 people and more than 25 family groups accustomed to tourist visits, is Uganda’s primary gorilla safari destination. Similar to Rwanda, gorilla trekking in Uganda is a well-run enterprise with top-notch trackers and rangers, and the payments are used to support the local community. Some groups are simpler to access than others, but hiking in Bwindi can be more difficult than in Rwanda there’s a reason the park is known as impenetrable.
The fact that permits are far less expensive in Bwindi than in Volcanoes National Park (US$800 for foreign nonresidents, US$700 for foreign residents, US$80 for East African citizens, and US$500 for holders of other African passports) is a major draw for the majority of tourists. Other significant advantages of Uganda over Rwanda include a wider selection of reasonably priced lodging options and enough other attractions to make a two-week trip there manageable.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which borders Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), shares a stunning setting with Volcanoes National Park, high in the Virunga Mountains. Permits are in great demand because there is just one habituated group here. But it’s a great place to go gorilla trekking if you can find one. The environment beneath the volcanic Virunga ranges is breathtaking, and the hiking conditions are comparatively easy (the term “relatively” is stressed). One of the few that can claim a coalition of three outstanding male silverbacks is the habituated group.
Permits for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga are the same as those in Bwindi. At least in terms of visitor traffic, the park feels more subdued than Bwindi or Volcanoes due to its small number of visitors. Other fantastic walking options include guided bird-watching paths, golden monkey trekking, and strenuous day walks to the peaks.
Kahuzi Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo.
The only country that has both mountain and eastern lowland gorillas is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Here, several habituated mountain gorilla groups live within Virunga National Park, but this has been closed to tourists since March 2020. Initially this was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but more recently it has been for security reasons. It appears doubtful that the park will reopen anytime soon. Currently, Kahuzi Biega National Park, which is home to about 250 eastern lowland gorillas, is a more practical choice. The only area to track eastern lowland gorillas, which are exclusive to the DRC and do not exist anywhere else, is Kahuzi Biega. Another safari destination in Democratic Republic of Congo where to do gorilla trekking is Virunga National Park.
Odzala-Kokoua NP, Republic of Congo.
The greatest place to see western lowland gorillas is in the relatively calm and peaceful Republic of Congo (commonly known as Congo Brazzaville), which should not be mistaken with the more unstable DRC. Habituated gorillas can be visited in the wild, tropical rainforest of Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the northwest. This is not an inexpensive destination due to its remoteness. However, it does provide a unique experience, combining challenging trekking with small groups and rustic luxury accommodations.
