Guide to Congo Gorilla Trekking Safari

Congo Gorilla Trekking safari- a Complete guide to help you plan a Congo Gorilla Tour .

Welcome to the authentic guide to congo gorilla trekking featuring information to travelers wishing / planning to visit either mountain Gorillas or Eastern Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega national Park.how to book   a gorilla permit, Trusted Tour Operators, Where to go gorilla trekking, accommodations and booking information required for congo safari holiday.

Where to go gorilla trekking in Congo .

In democratic republic of congo, its known to be the home for various primates like Mountain Gorillas and Eastern Lowland Gorillas, Chimpanzee Tracking , Golden Monkey only found in two national parks of Virunga and Kahuzi Biega, The Most interesting question asked by travelers / visitors is which Safari company to book the Gorilla Safari congo through.

Virunga National Park Congo-A World Heritage Site- Home for the mountain Gorillas  . 

Virunga National Park is located in eastern park of congo with the nearest town being Goma, Virunga national Park is known to be the home for the various primates like the Mountain Gorillas, Golden Monkey and Chimpanzee Tracking all done in one destination .

Virunga National Park was created in 1925 by King Albert I of Belgium as the first national park on the continent of Africa. It was founded primarily to protect the mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Mountains controlled by the Belgian Congo, but later expanded north to include the Rwindi Plains, Lake Edward and the Rwenzori Mountains in the far north.

In the first 35 years, the boundary of the park took shape, poaching was kept to a minimum, and sustainable tourism thrived due to the work of a large body of hand-picked Congolese rangers and dedicated wardens. Land remuneration and the use of park resources such as fishing and hunting by the local population became an ongoing problem and attempts were made to solve these issues.

When the Belgians granted Congo independence in 1960 the new state deteriorated rapidly, and so did the park. It was only in 1969 when President Mobutu began to take a personal interest in conservation, that the park was revived. In the process of Mobutu’s Africanization campaign, it was renamed Virunga National Park, and the first Congolese Wildlife Authority was established.
Virunga National Park has gained the greatest potential for Congo Tourism and its has been ranked as the best gorilla trekking destination in congo for mountain Gorillas.

Nyiragongo Hiking is done in virunga national park

In Kahuzi Biega National park

The Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a protected area near Bukavu town in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is situated near the western bank of Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border. Established in 1970 by the Belgian photographer and conservationist Adrien Deschryver, the park is named after two dormant volcanoes, Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega, which are within its limits. With an area of 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi), Kahuzi-Biega is one of the biggest national parks in the country. Set in both mountainous and lowland terrain, it is one of the last refuges of the rare species of Eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri), an endangered category under the IUCN Red List. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1980 for its unique biodiversity of rainforest habitat and its eastern lowland gorillas.

Kahuzi biega national Park contains a flora and fauna of exceptional diversity, making it one of the most important sites in the Rift Albertine Valley, it is also one of the ecologically richest regions of Africa and worldwide. In particular, the most important world population of eastern lowland gorillas (or de Grauer), sub-species endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)  .

Cost of the Congo Gorilla Permits

In democratic republic of congo, a Gorilla permit costs USD 400 for each visit to either the mountain gorillas or the eastern lowland gorillas.

Book your permit: Gorilla permits can be booked at the two  Conservation Reservation Office in person as explained below;

In Virunga national Park, you can email: info@visitvirunga.org

Costs for Mountain gorilla permits:

• USD $400 per person for non-nationals
• USD $200 for eastern african citizens
• However the Park always offers special discounts at some months so always consult at the time of booking to see if there is any special promotions.

Costs for Chimpanzee  permits:

They always cost USD 100

The fees are inclusive of park entry fees.

In kahuzi Biega National Park,  you can email :contact@kahuzibieganationalpark.org to secure the online gorilla permit booking, Visa Applications and other travel deals .

Costs for Eastern lowland gorilla permits:

• USD $400 per person for non-nationals
• USD $200 for eastern african citizens

• Gorilla Guidelines

  There are several guidelines that Virunga National Park & Kahuzi Biega National Park kindly requests all visitors adhere by:

  • To minimize possible transmission of human diseases, visitors are asked to maintain a distance of 7m (about 22 feet) from the gorillas. If you are sick with a cold, flu or other contagious illness, please do not visit the gorillas.
  • Viewing time is limited to one hour.
  • Maximum 8 visitors per group.
  • Spitting in the park is strictly prohibited.
  • Should you need to cough, cover your mouth and turn away from the gorillas.
  • When with the gorillas, keep your voice low.
  • Try not to make rapid movements that may frighten the gorillas.
  • If a gorilla should charge or vocalize at you, do not be alarmed, stand still, look away from the gorilla and follow your guide’s directions.
  • Do not litter.
  • Tracking can be done by persons of age 15 and above.