Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park; Gorilla trekking is an amazing life experience that is done in only three countries that is; Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Congo gorillas can be found in Virunga National park, Uganda mountain gorillas can be found in two national parks; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and in Rwanda can be seen in Volcanoes national park.
However, Virunga National Park marks one of the famous destinations to go for mountain gorilla trekking tours. The park does not boost with only mountain gorillas but also attracts two active volcanoes. Although Virunga National Park has suffered along with threatening of political conflict in Congo somehow it’s still surviving. More so, the park was created in 1925 by king Belgium King Albert 1 and was named Albert national park. More then, it was primarily gazette to inhabitants of the endangered mountain gorillas which can also be found in Rwanda and Uganda only thereby giving rise to gorilla trekking.
After Congo’s independence that occurred in 1990, the park deteriorated like the country and it was not recognized till the early 70s when the president picked interest in conservation and the park was renamed Virunga National Park. Despite this, the park sounds like one of the oldest and largest in Africa with the amount of an area raising about 7800 square kilometers and extending from the Virunga Mountains in the south to the Rwenzori in the north.
More to that, Virunga is well known for its bird species, mammal, and reptile species. But the most spotted species include; Chimpanzees, Mountain gorillas, giraffes, and buffaloes among others.
Virunga National Park is the oldest wildlife-protected area on African soil established to protect and conserve the wildlife species that help in research purposes and protecting an indigenous threatened fruit-gathering in the community of the Twa. The vestiges of Virunga’s various ecosystem includes; Volcanic mountains, block mountain, A libertine rift, craters and crater lakes, rainforests, woodlands, swamp and wetland vegetation, open grasslands many more. Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is another gorilla trekking destination next to Queen Elizabeth, Semliki, Rwenzori, and Mgahinga National Parks as well as Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Cost of Gorilla Trekking Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda;
Congo gorilla trekking permits cost USD400, Uganda costs USD700, and Rwanda gorilla permits cost USD1,500 per person per trek.
The major tourist attraction in the park is gorilla trekking and the reason why the tourists prefer visiting Virunga National Park for tracking gorillas because the cost of Gorilla Permits in Congo is low and is less congested compared to other trekking centers like Rwanda –Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi. There is no fear of visiting the area because the area has been free for rebel activity and it is safe to travel. Though some travelers think that place is not safe yet several tourists flock here every day.
Virunga National Park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and this was because of her ecological importance through political upheavals with negative implications on the conservancy. The 1990’s war period in Rwanda become a challenge to the Virunga because of the high influx of refugees into the Virunga Conservancy who encroached on wildlife resources. Then in 1994, the Virunga conservancy was appointed as World Heritage in danger and later became a Ramsar site of International importance in 1996.
Gorilla Trekking Tour- Virunga National Park
This is the main key activity to do in the park which starts early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters about gorilla trekking rules. You will be ranged in a group of 8 persons and then you will be allocated to the assigned gorilla family led by trained park ranger guides. As you’re trekking them in their forest trails, you will be able to sightsee other forest and mountainous species. Once you locate the gorilla family you were assigned to, an hour will be given to you to observe the gorillas in a group comprised of silverback the head of the family, off strings, females, and juveniles. The trekking experience can take about 30 to 7 hours depending on their movements and the time given includes observing the gorillas, photography as well as video capturing.
Apart from doing Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, you can do chimpanzee tracking /habituations/Nyiragongo hikes, nature walks, landscape viewing, and Bird watching.
Note; Virunga National Park hosts a large number of gorilla families where gorilla trekking can be conducted such as the Kabirizi Family, Bageni family, Mapuwa family, Nyakamwe family, Humba family, Lulengo family, Rugendo families among others.
Where to stay on a visit to Virunga National park;
Virunga National Park is the most visited safari destination in the Democratic Republic of Congo, that offers excellent accommodations with good amenities ranging from budget, Mid-range to Luxury and they all offer affordable rates includes; Mt Nyiragongo Summit Shelters, Bukima Tented Camp, Kibumba Tented Camp, Tchegera Island Camp, Mikeno Lodge, Lulimbi Tented Camp among others.
Getting to Virunga National Park;
Virunga National Park lies in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It can be reached by road through different driving routes; Too many visitors to Virunga National Park fly to Kigali International Airport then connect through Gisenyi town and cross to Goma in Congo by dirt road. From Gisenyi can take a 2-hour drive to access the park headquarter.
You can start the journey from Uganda drive via the Bunagana border post in Kisoro town and driving an hour to Bukima a trekking start point to trek mountain gorillas.
