Ultimate Guide for Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park Congo

About Mountain Gorillas in Virunga National Park

There are approximately 300 mountain gorillas living in the southern sectors of the park, with 8 habituated gorilla families that tourists can trek, allowing them the privilege of spending 1 hour with these magnificent apes. A gorilla trekking permit in Virunga costs $400 per person. Children under the age of 15 years will not be allowed to trek mountain gorillas. When trekking gorillas, it’s very important to follow the gorilla trekking rules and regulations.

The gorilla families you can trek while at Virunga National Park are the Mapuwa gorilla family, Rugendo gorilla family, Kabirizi gorilla family, Lulengo gorilla family, Munyaga gorilla family, Nyakamwe gorilla family, Bageni gorilla family, and Humba gorilla family.

Comparing Gorilla Trekking in Virunga vs Kahuzi-Biega National Park

Virunga National Park and Kahuzi-Biega National Park are the only two parks with gorillas in DR Congo. Both parks offer distinct gorilla trekking experiences to visitors and varying terrains and gorilla species.

Trekking with gorillas in Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park is the oldest national park in Africa and one of the UNESCO World Heritage site that have a very rich biodiversity. It is home to Congo’s only mountain gorillas and sits on the Virunga Conservation Area, right at the border with Rwanda and Uganda. Virunga National Park is a wildlife haven; what would have been the best national park in the world.

The Mountain Gorillas

With over 300 individuals, Virunga is famous for its population of mountain gorillas. Most of these gorillas inhabit the southern regions of the park. These gentle giants are the primary focus of gorilla trekking tours in the region. With over eight habituated mountain gorilla families, Virunga offers a perfect setting to see mountain gorillas in the wild.

The Congo Gorilla Trekking Experience in Virunga

Early morning, tourists assemble at the park headquarters for mountain gorilla group allocations before they are dispatched into the Virunga Conservation Area to search for mountain gorillas. The trek itself can take between 30 minutes to 6 hours. When you locate the gorillas, you will spend an hour with them; a perfect opportunity to photograph your experience, or eve film it for the archives.

Virunga Gorilla Permits and Costs

Each Congo gorilla permit costs USD 400 and entitles you to one gorilla trekking encounter. Multiple treks will require multiple permits.

The revenue generated from gorilla permits is used to protect the gorillas, further their conservation, pay the park rangers and support the local communities near the park to prevent them from engaging in illegal activities like poaching.

Trekking with gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park

Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Also known as Parc National de Kahuzi-Biega) is home to DR Congo’s lowland gorillas. The park is located in Bukavu in the eastern part of the country, bordering Rusizi District of Rwanda. Lowland gorillas are a distinct gorilla species as they mainly live in low altitude areas, unlike mountain gorillas that live in higher altitude areas.

The Eastern Lowland Gorillas

Kahuzi-Biega is shelters a big number of Eastern Lowland gorillas. These gorillas are also known as the Grauer’s gorillas. These gorillas are larger and have distinct behaviors compared to their mountain gorilla counterparts.

The Congo Gorilla Trekking Experience in Kahuzi-Biega

Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi-Biega National Park is quite intimate and unique. Despite receiving fewer visitors that Virunga, Kahuzi-Biega is less crowded and offers a very secluded experience. The trek is quitter and easier too. You get to trek through dense rainforests, before you actually encounter the gorillas.

Lowland Permits and Costs

A Congo gorilla trekking permit in Kahuzi-Biega National Park costs $400 for foreign non-residents, and is more affordable for Congolese residents. The revenue generated from gorilla permits is used to protect the gorillas, further their conservation, pay the park rangers and support the local communities near the park to prevent them from engaging in illegal activities like poaching.

Choosing Between the Two

Your choice to trek gorillas in Virunga or Kahuzi-Biega depends on what you want. If you want to trek mountain gorillas, Virunga National Park is the place to go. However, if you want a more secluded experience with the lowland gorillas of Congo then Kahuzi-Biega National Park is the place to go.

Regardless, both parks play a huge role in preserving the respective gorilla species. Whichever park you visit, you’re sure you are contributing to a good cause by actually saving these gorillas indirectly.

Gorilla Trekking in Virunga Park Congo

Gorilla trekking is the major activity for tourists at Virunga National Park. There are approximately 300 mountain gorillas living in the southern sectors of the park, with 8 habituated gorilla families that tourists can trek, allowing them the privilege of spending 1 hour with these magnificent apes. A gorilla trekking permit in Virunga costs $400 per person. Children under the age of 15 years will not be allowed to trek mountain gorillas. When trekking gorillas, it’s very important to follow the gorilla trekking rules and regulations.

The gorilla families you can trek while at Virunga National Park are the Mapuwa gorilla family, Rugendo gorilla family, Kabirizi gorilla family, Lulengo gorilla family, Munyaga gorilla family, Nyakamwe gorilla family, Bageni gorilla family, and Humba gorilla family.

Mountain Gorilla Families in Congo

Congo has over eight habituation Mountain gorilla families in Virunga National Park. It is estimated that the total population of mountain gorillas in Congo is over 300, but not all of them are habituated. Below are the most popular gorilla families in Congo;

1. Bageni Gorilla Group

The Bageni mountain gorilla family is found in Bukima and Gatovu sections of Virunga National Park. This is the largest mountain gorilla family in Virunga with 26 individuals, and this group is a splinter of the Kabirizi gorilla family. Bageni, the dominating silverback, broke away from the Kabirizi family to start his own group.

2. Nyakamwe Gorilla Family

This group was formed when the dominating silverback, Nyakamwe, broke away from his family Humba to start his own group in 2014. This group has 11 members and can be trekked in the Bukima area of Virunga National Park.

3. Munyaga Gorilla Family

The Munyaga gorilla family is composed of only 7 members, dominated by Gasore. Although the group has only 7 individuals, visitors like to trek it because it’s one of the lucky groups with a set of twins from Bilali. The group derives its name from its former leader, Munyaga, who was succeeded by Mazawo, who was also succeeded by Gasore.

4. Lulengo Gorilla Family

This group can be trekked in the Jomba area of the park near the Uganda-Congo border. The family is composed of 9 members, dominated by the silverback Lulengo. The Lulengo gorilla family was initially called the Musekura gorilla family, but the name changed in memory of a park director who lost his life in a land mine accident.

5. Mapuwa Gorilla Family

The Mapuwa gorilla family is also located in Jomba near the Uganda-Congo border. The dominating silverback was Mapuwa before the current one, Mvuyekure, took over the group. The group is composed of 22 members.

6. Rugendo Gorilla Family

The Rugendo gorilla family is one of the oldest habituated gorilla families in Virunga National Park. The group was named after the silverback Rugendo, who was dominating at the time of habituation, but is now dominated by Bukima. Rugendo led the group with 18 members until his son, Humba, broke off with 10 members to form his own gorilla family. Rugendo died during clashes between the Congolese army and Rwandan rebels.

7. Humba Gorilla Family

The Humba gorilla family was formed when Humba fought with his father, Rugendo, and grabbed 10 members to start his own gorilla family in 1998. Later, Nyakamwe broke away from this group to start his own family. Humba’s group can be trekked within Gatovu and Bikengi sectors of the park.

8. Kabirizi Gorilla Family

The Kabirizi gorilla family can be trekked from the Bukima section near Goma. The group derived its name from Kabirizi, an ICNN director who died in a traffic accident. This group was initially dominated by Ndugutse, and the name was also Ndugutse before it changed to Kabirizi. Ndugutse was shot in 1997 after being caught in a crossfire between Rwandan rebels and the Congo government. A wild lone gorilla, Kabirizi, took over the group after Ndugutses’s death.

Best time to trek gorillas in Congo

The best time to visit Virunga National Park is during the dry season when the park’s roads are easily accessible, and the hiking and trekking trails are not muddy and slippery. If you’re going for wildlife watching, you will easily spot wildlife during the dry season when the vegetation is shorter and less dense.

Safety while Trekking with Gorillas in Congo

Congo is not politically stable from time to time, so trekking for mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park in Congo must be well-planned. Before embarking on gorilla trekking in Congo, ensure that you check the current situation in the country.

Safety during gorilla trekking also starts with you as an individual. There are sets of rules and regulations given during the briefing before you venture out to search for gorillas in the wilderness. You must always be attentive by observing these rules and regulations while in the presence of mountain gorillas to avoid gorillas charging at you.

Although gorillas are gentle animals, they can also become agitated when disturbed. Additionally, most lodges in national parks have armed security personnel to protect the lodge and visitors from any harm.

Congo Gorilla Trekking Tips & Advice

Reading through tips and advice is a great way to prepare yourself, and the same applies to gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park. Browse through some of our common gorilla trekking tips below.

• Tourists must always book their permits in advance, especially when trekking with gorillas during the peak season.
• While booking gorilla permits, tourists are advised to book with the organizations responsible for selling permits or use a trusted tour company.
• Mountain gorillas live in higher elevations of tropical and sub-tropical rainforests that sometimes receive rainfall even in the drier months. You are advised to come with raincoats, warm clothes, waterproof hiking boots, jackets, and garden gloves, among other items.
• For budget travelers, the best time for trekking with gorillas is in the low season.
• Luxurious and mid-range travelers can visit the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
• Tourists should endeavor to book accommodation within the sector in which they have obtained permits. This is because you can spend a lot of time moving from a lodge in one sector to trek in another sector.
• People with disabilities should inform the park headquarters in advance or a tour operator about the situation to make it easier to book sedan seats or bamboo stretchers ahead of time and also to allocate a nearby gorilla family for you.
• Always follow the gorilla trekking rules and regulations and avoid making gorillas feel insecure to prevent them from charging at you.
• Engage in physical fitness exercises because gorillas live at high elevations that require hiking and physical fitness is essential.
• Rwanda and Uganda share the same climate zone in their gorilla trekking national parks. Mountain gorillas can be visited all year round, but some months are more convenient than the rest, so the best time for gorilla trekking is from June to September and December to February.

Recommended Gorilla Trekking Gear & Equipment

The recommended gorilla trekking gear for the wet season includes:

• Rain jacket
• Good hiking boots
• Garden gloves
• Long-sleeved clothes
• Warm clothes

The recommended gorilla trekking gear for the dry season includes:

• Sunglasses and hats
• Sunscreen

The recommended gorilla trekking gear for both the dry and wet seasons includes:

• Drinking water
• Binoculars
• Cameras and batteries
• Energy snacks and packed lunch
• Insect repellents

Other Things to Do in Virunga Besides Gorilla Trekking

Chimpanzee Trekking & Habituation

Chimpanzee habituation is the process of acclimating chimpanzees to human presence. This involves spending four solid hours in the presence of chimpanzees, alongside scientists and researchers. Only a maximum of four people can visit a chimpanzee family in a day. The activity started in 2014, led by a trained group from the Mogul Frankfurt Zoological Society. Chimpanzees are very fascinating primates to encounter, much like mountain gorillas.

Wildlife viewing

Virunga National Park is not only endowed with mountain gorillas but also with eastern lowland gorillas, as well as other primate species like chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, De Brazza monkeys, vervet monkeys, bush babies, and many more. There are other animals in the park, including okapi, zebras, hippos, forest elephants, topis, buffalos, warthogs, and various antelopes, to mention a few.

Bird Watching in Virunga

Virunga National Park harbors various species of birds, some of which are endemic to the Albertine region. Examples of these birds include the double-toothed barbet, grey-throated barbet, narrow-tailed starling, Madagascar bee-eater, Rwenzori batis, African olive pigeon, mountain illadopsis, tropical boubou, white-headed wood hoopoe, handsome francolin, alpine swift, thick-bellied seaeater, chestnut-throated apalis, black-headed waxbill, Mackinnon’s shrike, mountain greenbul, blue-spotted wood dove, Angolan swallow, black and white manikin, barred long-tailed cuckoo, Chubb’s cisticola, green sandpiper, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, blue-headed sunbird, strange weaver, African dusky flycatcher, and harrier hawk, among others.

Climbing Mount Nyiragongo & Mount Nyamuragira

Mount Nyiragongo is one of Africa’s most active volcanoes, boasting the world’s largest lava lake. The mountain stands at an elevation of 3,470 meters above sea level and hosts the most voluminous lava lake known in history. The mountain has erupted at least 35 times since 1882, and it’s unclear how long the volcano has been active. The last eruption occurred in 2002. Tourists can hike to the summit of the volcano for an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience and breathtaking views. Nights at the top of Mount Nyiragongo are extremely scenic, with the mesmerizing lava lake.

Much like Mount Nyiragongo, Mount Nyamuragira is one of the world’s active volcanoes, having erupted at least 40 times since 1885. This volcano doesn’t only erupt from its summit but also from its flanks, creating small volcanoes that vanish after a short while. The most recent eruptions occurred in January 2010 and November 2011. Hiking Mount Nyamuragira also provides stunning views beyond what a camera can capture.

Visit the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage Center

The Senkwekwe Center is home to orphaned gorillas and is located at the headquarters of Virunga National Park, near Mikeno Lodge. The orphanage was established when two young orphaned gorillas were rescued from a massacre that occurred involving park rangers and rebels in 2007. The name of the orphanage was derived from the group leader of the orphaned gorillas, who was called Senkwekwe and was killed during the massacre. The gorillas have adapted to living in the orphanage and have formed their own group. You can observe how closely they interact with humans.

Getting to Virunga

Virunga National Park can be easily reached from Kigali International Airport. Therefore, most visitors to the park fly into Kigali and drive to the border of Congo and Rwanda, located in Gisenyi/Goma, in about 3-4 hours. The border crossing is much easier if you have a visa and a yellow fever vaccination card.

Where to Stay when Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park

There are quite a number of lodges and hotels where you can stay while at Virunga National Park. These include Mikeno Lodge, Tchegera Tented Camp, Bukima Tented Camp, Nyiragongo Volcano Summit Shelters, and many others.