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Kenya Tours and Congo Gorilla Trek

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Democratic Republic of Congo lies on the border of East Africa where Kenya is found. After having your Kenya tours you can still go for gorilla trekking in DR Congo.

Democratic Republic of Congo is a perfect country for gorilla trekking tours because the country protects both the mountain gorillas and Eastern Low-land gorillas of which it is the only country in the world to contain the both types of gorillas.

Virunga National Park is the only park in Central Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo which keeps the mountain gorillas and the eastern low-land gorillas in Congo are only found in Kahuzi Biega National Park though there is a believe that the eastern low-land gorillas can still be seen in Virunga National Park but Kahuzi Biega National Park is the most appropriate Park for the eastern low-land gorillas in Congo.

A gorilla permit in Congo costs US$ 400 a cheaper price compared to that of Uganda which costs US$ 600 and for Rwanda which costs US$ 1500 thus viewing the rare endangered mountain gorillas at a cheaper and an affordable price.

Gorilla trekkers in Virunga National Park will meet all the eight habituated mountain gorilla families which exist in the Park which are; Bageni, Lulengo, Munyaga, Nyakamwe, Mapuwa, Humba, Kabirizi and Rugendo which are all tracked from Bukima patrol post.

The tracking begins with briefings scheduled at 07:00am where trekkers are briefed on how to easily find these primates. There are some rules and regulations governing the tracking activity in the park.

These include; keeping maximum silence, not littering in the park, not eating and smoking from the park, keeping a distance of at least 7 meters away from the primates while viewing, not using flashlight cameras while taking photos, tracking in a group of eight individuals just to mention but a few.

Virunga National Park is really a perfect place for tourists who go there to track mountain gorillas. Besides gorilla tracking, the Park offers endless views of the most active volcanos in the whole world.

These are Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo Volcano. Nyiragongo is situated within Virunga and also provides views to the most violet and largest Lava Lake that lies at the top thus having a complete tour in Congo especially when you as well visit Kahuzi Biega National Park to see the eastern low-land gorillas and other primates in place.

Accommodation in Virunga National Park include; Bukima tented camp, Mikeno lodge, Tchegera Island tented camp and the Nyiragongo Volcano Summit Shelters which are situated on Nyiragongo Volcano therefore hikers to this Volcano are not encouraged to carry camping tents and they are instead emphasized to carry light hiking boots, heavy clothes for the coldness at the summit of the Volcano especially during the night since hiking of the Nyiragongo takes two days meaning that hikers will stay in the Nyiragongo Volcano Summit Shelters. Hikers are also advised to carry enough drinking water and packed food.

However, though not compulsory but for the sake of your success during the hike, you are also emphasized to employ porters to help you in carrying your luggage and the porters are found in Congo and paid an agreed price between the two of you and still you can also employ a cook if you want because at the summit there is no ready meals.

Nyiragongo hiking permit cost US$ 300 and hiking sticks will helps in balancing while hiking are also sold at US$ 5 at the starting point of the hike.

Kenya Tours:

Before or after your gorilla safari in Democratic Republic of Congo you can have your tour in Kenya of which it is one of the best countries for wildlife safaris in Africa and East Africa.

The Maasai Mara National Park is Kenya’s best Park for the wildlife safaris of which the Park is one of Africa’s best due to its quantity in the wildlife resided in the Park which include Lions, Elephants, Buffaloes, Rhinos, Leopards, Wildebeests, Zebras, Topis, Thomson’s gazelles, Impalas, Cheetahs, Hyenas, Grant’s antelope, Elands, Giraffes, Crocodiles, Hippos and many others of which all the present wildlife species in the Park are viewed in a large quantity.

The park also inhabits Rivers such as; Talek River and Mara River where hippos and Crocodiles are viewed from.

Maasai Mara National Park is contiguous to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania of which the two Parks are East Africa’s finest due to the large number of wildlife they inhabit and all the Parks are situated on the same conservation area of Maasai village thus a visit to any of the Park will link you to interact with the Maasai people who live in both Tanzania and Kenya.

The park is a habitant to over 470 bird species and interestingly during July to November, some animals such as Wildebeests, Zebras, Thomson’s gazelles and Topis migrate from Serengeti to Maasai Mara National Park looking for pastures and then return back in the following months and since these animals migrate in a very huge number, most tourists make it the most ideal period to visit the Park due to the fact that they will be able to view a large quantity of wildlife including a view to over 1.5 million Wildebeests, over 97,000 Topis, over 500,000 Thomson’s gazelles, over 200,000 Zebras and also a very huge number of Lions and other animals.

The park entry fee is US$ 80 which is paid at the Park’s main gates which include; Sekenani main gate and Ololaimutia gate.

The park’s accommodations include; Entumoto camp, Little governor’s camp, Mara bush houses, Mara expedition camp, Mara intrepids, Mara plains camp, Mara leisure camp among others.

However still in the Kenya, you can also visit Amboseli National Park which is the best park in the whole world for a tourist to view the free-ranging elephants and it is Kenya’s second best park for wildlife tours after Maasai Mara National Park.

The Amboseli National Park also protects other species such as Cape buffaloes, Impalas, African lions, Masai giraffes, Spotted Hyenas, Cheetahs, Blue Wildebeests, Zebras and many others however the Park also boosts over 400 bird species.

The Park’s best accommodations include; Kibo safari camp, Ol Tukai safari lodge, Amboseli safari Serena lodge, Campi ya Kanzu, Amboseli Sopa lodge and many more.

Top Tourist Things to Do in Goma, DR Congo

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Goma is a city found in Democratic Republic of Congo and there are many attractive things which you can explore and enjoy their display plus their inhabitants.

The top things you can do in Goma are; to visit Virunga National Park, visit Nyiragongo volcano and then take a visit to Lake Kivu.

Virunga National Park plays host to the world’s rare endangered mountain gorillas and this draws several tourists to Democratic Republic of Congo.

The park inhabits over 200 mountain gorillas which are adventured through shifts of 8 individuals per group per day and the Congo gorilla safaris start at 08:30am after being briefed at 07:00am at the head offices of the Park.

It is to be noticed that viewing the gorillas you must keep at least a distance of 8 meters away from them and you should also spend strictly one hour with the gorillas.

Keeping a distance of 8 meters is due to personal security because though the gorillas are habituated, but the fact is that they are wild and also this is done too to avoid and prevent the easy spread of diseases to the primates since they catch human diseases.

This was the first African park to be put in place and it is the only place in central Africa where you can find the mountain gorillas however other gorillas are further found in East Africa in Uganda (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park) and in Volcanoes National Park found in Northwestern parts of Rwanda.

Those are the only places in the whole world where you can find the mountain gorillas but what makes Virunga the finest place for gorilla tours is that, it is the cheapest of all.

A gorilla permit in Democratic Republic of Congo costs US$ 400, in Uganda it costs US$ 600 and in Rwanda it can cost US$ 1050 if you are to visit more than one park in Rwanda or it can also cost US$ 1275 if you are to first have a conference in Rwanda and then visit Volcanoes National Park however the actual amount for the gorilla permit in Rwanda is US$ 1500 if you are to specifically visit Volcanoes National Park without addition of another park or without having a conference  you are to detain in Rwanda.

This all makes Virunga the most affordable and cheapest Park in the whole world ideal for gorilla tours.

Other things to see in Virunga National Park include; elephants, giraffes, low-land gorillas, chimpanzees, Okapi, buffaloes along with interacting with the Bambuti pygmy people. Best shelters in the Park include Bukima tented camp, Mikeno lodge and Lulimbi tented camp.

A visit to Nyiragongo Volcano:

This is one of the most enjoyable creatures within Goma and it should be an added tour after visiting Virunga national thus making your tour a complete one.

Hiking Nyiragongo is the best experience you will ever achieve while at the volcano and Goma. Hiking of Nyiragongo volcano takes two days and reaching the summit of the volcano you will enjoy many things from there including the amazing magma at the summit.

The hiking takes 5 to 7 hours and it doesn’t require you to carry the camping tents because at the Mountain, there is a good shelter known as the Nyiragongo volcano summit shelters where you will rest from and talk about the highlights of your hiking.

However, due to the much coldness at the summit of Nyiragongo, you are reminded to carry heavy clothes like coats, sweaters, rain coats and carry as many clothes as you can instead of carrying one or two clothes.

You are also emphasized to hike with enough water and snacks plus food too or hike with your personal cook whom you will have to pay on agreed price.

A visit to Lake Kivu:

Lake Kivu lies on the borders of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo though almost 57% of the Lake lies in Congo. The Lake borders Virunga national park which is situated on Lake Kivu’s shores thus offering a holiday to Virunga national park’s tourists after doing the challenging activities there.

At Lake Kivu you will enjoy the extraction of methane which is done at the Lake and also get involved in boat cruises whereby through boat cruises you will see the crocodiles, hippos and aquatic birds.

At the Lake you will find fisher men while fishing thus giving you a chance of finding some of the fish species caught from Lake Kivu.

A visit to Tchegera Island:

While in Goma, you can also visit Tchegera Island and associate with the local people who live at the Island.

These people will tell you their good things they have achieved from the Island and on the other side, they will still tell you their remedies and problems they face most while at the Island of which some of the problems they face will include low market for the fish caught and diseases like HIV/AIDS which is greatly finishing them.

They will also tell you many other problems like poor facilities such as hospitals and schools however you will also find out the most activities which support the standards of living of the local people and other activities/jobs too. The Island consists of good accommodation for its visitors such as Tchegera Island tented camp.

Visit Virunga, Gorilla Trekking Safari

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Virunga National Park is situated in Democratic republic of Congo. It shares borders with Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Rwenzori Mountain and Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.

Though the Park is most famous for protecting the rare endangered Mountain gorillas, the highest number of wildlife in the Park are the birds, and the active mountain Nyiragongo that today pulls international and local tourist into Democratic Republic of Congo for Congo gorilla safaris and Nyiragongo Trek.

Which can start from Kigali or Goma. Here I mean that you can come with the flight from your home to Kigali International Airport and then drive to Gisenyi and then cross to Goma or come a day before to Goma with the Ethiopian Airline and stay in Goma. Therefore, you can plan your tour to Virunga national park as follows;

Your first day will be arriving in points of activities and then access in the Park’s lodges which include; Lulimbi Tented Camp, Kibumba Tented Camp, Mikeno Lodge and Bukima Tented Camp where you will spend the overnight plus having supper from there.

However before going to the lodge, you will first have the short detours in Congo in any destination of your desire.

The second day of your tour is when you will access Virunga National Park and you make sure that you go to the Park before 07:00am such that you get the pre – gorilla tracking briefing.

From the briefing, you will go for the tracking which starts at 08:30am and the activity is only recommended to individuals above 15 years of age plus those who are physically and reasonably fit since the activity is challenging.

8 individuals per group per day are allowed to go for the tracking and whenever you see the Mountain gorillas, you are emphasized to spend with the primates only one hour and keep at least 8 meters while viewing them.

Flashlight cameras are not encouraged to be used while taking photos therefore move with good HD cameras.

You will also get a brilliant view to various bird species, reptiles and mammals but while in the Park, you will be given a break during lunch time to go back to your lodge for lunch.

Then you will resume back to the Park for various activities such as bird watching, game drives whereby you will be able to see a variety of wildlife such as Okapi, Buffaloes, Elephants, Giraffes and by chance you will also see chimpanzees plus many other animals and birds.

In the Park you will also interact with the Bambuti pygmies which live near the Mountain of Moyo. Gorilla permit of the Democratic Republic of Congo costs US$ 400 high season and then US$ 200 low season and this is April to May and the November to Mid – December every year.

Your third day of your tour will be the hiking of Nyiragongo Mountain which is situated within Congo and Rwanda.

Here you will stay in the Nyiragongo Volcano summit shelters where you will also be enjoying the brilliant view of the Nyiragongo Mountain.

The hiking of Nyiragongo takes you two days whereby the hiking takes 7 to 9 hours which will be difficult for anyone to reach the climax on that very day.

The hiking will require you to be mentally prepared, believe that you can reach the summit and make sure that you are physically fit.

You are always emphasized to carry enough water and food plus scarves, sweaters/coats, gloves which will help you in the coldness.

It is always advisable to start the hiking in the morning though it is always warm but it is suspected to be more frigid then in the evenings.

The hiking of Nyiragongo Mountain should be an extended tour after the gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park that any tourist should not miss because it is one of the things which will make your tour very complete and a nice one.

Since you will spend two days in hiking Nyiragongo, your fifth day should then be a visit to Lake Kivu which is one of Africa’s great Lakes due to many activities that takes place from there.

You will see how methane is extracted from the Lake and also know the types of the many fish species which are caught from the Lake including the Nile tilapia.

Lake Kivu is also among the three African Lakes which undergo limnic eruptions of which the others include Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun all from Cameroon.

A visit to Lake Kivu should also take you at least two days because you will also get to see a variety of aquatic living organisms such as aquatic birds, crocodiles, and hippos. You will also get involved in fishing if you want plus the enjoyful boat trips at the Lake.

You will learn many things from the Lake as you will also be enjoying for example; you will also know the Lake empties to River Ruzizi which also later feeds Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania.

Still at Lake Kivu you will have a chance to view the tenth Island on a Lake which is known as ‘’IDJWI Island’’.

This should really be your safari holiday in Congo after the tiresome activities in Virunga National Park and the hiking of Nyiragongo therefore you should visit Lake Kivu to have fun immediately after your visit to Virunga and Nyiragongo Mountain.

Congo Gorilla Regulations in Virunga National Park

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Protecting the mountain gorillas is the first rule; this means that if the tracker is sick or has any infections shouldn’t be allowed to come in contact with the gorillas.

Manners are recommended- always turn away your face while coughing or sneezing and remember to cover the nose as well as the mouth to help reduce on the bacteria transfer to the mountain gorillas.

Don’t over stay with the gorillas – End ever to stay for the only recommended time with the gorillas; it’s usually one hour that is allowed.

Keeping distance from the primates- it’s always recommended that you stay away from mountain gorillas between 5 to 7 meters because they are wild animals and can easily catch diseases from humans.

Well behaving while trekking: the rangers always advise the trekkers to keep noise levels as low as possible, avoid pointing or using flash light when taking photos of the mountain gorillas.

Being prepared- remember to always carry water proof and warm gears for the cool conditions within the mountains since it sometimes gets wet within the forest and comfortable walking shoes are of a great advantage.

No smoking and no snacks- Visitors are not allowed to drink or eat as well as smoking during Congo gorilla tours in Virunga National Park.

Cleanliness is recommended- Always wash your hands before engaging in gorilla trekking. Keep hands intact- don’t touch the mountain gorillas at any time, always keep hands to yourself to avoid direct contact.

Avoid littering within the forest and keep the trash to yourself. Always remain calm– Avoid direct eye contact in case the gorilla charges and stay calm until it moves away. Toilet manners- A ranger will be willing to dig a hole for you and after make sure it is fully covered.

Cost of Congo Gorilla permits

Those planning to track mountain gorillas in Virunga national park, you are advised to book with one of the best tour operators. The Congo gorilla permit costs ($400) per person.

The mountain gorillas in Virunga national park can be visited anytime during the year however some paths are hard to navigate during the wet seasons of (May/April and November & October) whereby during this season, Congo gorilla trekking permits are reduced to ($200) per person. Other months are okay for gorilla trekking since it’s a dry season.

Congo Gorilla Trek & Chimps Habituation

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Welcome to Democratic Republic of Congo. It is one of the best countries to go for gorilla trekking safaris experience.

The country borders Uganda to the west and Rwanda at large and visitors can use the two countries to reach Congo since these are adjacent to one another.

Democratic Republic of Congo is a country of amazing things and it the only country in Africa where visitors can track both the endangered mountain gorilla and the eastern lowland gorillas.

Gorilla trekking in Congo is done in two national parks including Virunga National Park and Kahuzi Biega National park; gorilla tracking permits here are at the lowest price of $400 per individual and per trek.

Virunga National park is located in the western parts of the country and it is comprised of eight volcanoes and one of the best is the Nyiragongo Mountain which is the most active volcano Africa, gorilla trekking in Virunga starts from Bukima patrol post where trekkers find the guides for a briefing before the real trek.

The park is well protected and trekkers are given armed park rangers who escort the trekkers throughout the activity, these explain all the relevant  information to the clients regarding gorilla trekking and conservation and visitors are given a maximum of one hour experiencing  and after visitors are taken back to the park  headquarters to pick their certificates from the management.

Visitors can track also from Kahuzi Biega – National Park, and this is where the eastern lowland gorillas can be tracked from in addition to your trekking, this offers the best experience since visitors who wish to do double gorilla trekking in both of the parks enjoys more.

Getting a chance to compare the lowland gorillas with the mountain gorillas is the most interesting activity here. This sets Congo far apart from the rest of the countries.

Visitors can also enjoy chimpanzee habituation on the same tour since chimpanzee trekking is another activity that is practiced within Tonga forest adjacent to Virunga national park.

Participating in chimpanzee habituation makes your safari a fully packaged and one of the remarkable habituation experiences.

Spending a day with these amazing primates will make your safari an experiential one since you will be full of joy, under this you will see how chimps can genuinely utilize tools and also the male one how they make orders in their families. The different joke made by the young chimps will not leave you sad around the forest.

Visit Virunga National Park Congo

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Established in 1925 and inscribed as an IUCN World Heritage Site in 1979, Virunga National Park is one of Africa’s most bio-diverse conservation areas that run more than 300km along the border with Rwanda and Uganda. It protects the entire Congolese portion of the Virunga Volcanoes, Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Edward, and habitat range encompassing glacial peaks, Afro-montane moorland, high-altitude forest, lowland rain forest and open savannah.

Virunga is Africa’s richest protected area in terms of avian diversity with an astonishing 706 bird species recorded more than in the whole of Rwanda, including several Congolese or Albertine Rift Endemics. A checklist of 208 mammal species contains 23 primates including mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, and common chimpanzee along with Congolese endemics such as the bizarre Okapi a striped, horse-sized relative of the giraffe and typical savannah dwellers such as lion, elephant and buffalo.

Activities offered in Virunga National Park

Nyiragongo Volcano hike

The Nyiragongo Volcano hike is one of the popular activities in Virunga National Park whose perfect cone rises above Goma and the Lake Kivu shore to an altitude of 3468m. One of Africa’s most active volcanoes, Nyiragongo was responsible for the massive killer lava flows that devastated Goma in 2002, and the hike to the top passes the subsidiary cone formed by this most recent eruption. At the top, sheer windswept cliffs plummet into nested main crater, which is at least 600m deep and has average diameters of 1,2m.

At the heart of immense natural cauldron, a circular lake of live lava bubbles away like a massive casserole, its surface pattern ceaselessly mutating as blackened crusts of magma collide, crumble and melt, spewing bright red flumes of molten tens of metres into the air.

The standard trip runs overnight, sleeping in one of the huts on the rim which is highly recommended as the view of the lava lake is most spectacular at dusk and after dark. Hikers should come with food, remember there are no cooking facilities at the top, and should bank arrange packed meals or book for a Mikeno Package at only $80 that caters for everything. It can be very cold and windy at the top, so a sleeping bag is also necessary, as is a good rain jacket, hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes, plenty of warm clothes including gloves and a change of clothes in case of rain. A torch and spare batteries are also essential.

The hike starts at Kibati Ranger Camp about 15km from Goma on the west side of the main road of Rumangabo, Mikeno Lodge and Bukima, and the hike departs at 10:00am sharp. It is only 6.3km from here to the rim, but it is a steep climb, starting at an altitude of 2,000m and gaining more than 1,400m and the ascent takes around 4-6 hours’ depending less on your individual fitness than on the overall fitness of the party, all hikers on any given day are expected to stick together for security reasons.

The first 2.5km hike from Kibati takes around 40 minutes, easy underfoot through an area of montane forest, the second hike is steeper but 20-30 minutes ascent of the scree-strewn south-eastern slope of the dormant subsidiary cone created by the 2002 eruption. From here it is slightly less than 1km to the third hike a 20-30 minute ascent along an old lava flow to the base of the main cone. The toughest leg follows gaining almost a 60-70 minute hike that brings you to hike four, site of a ruinous old mountain hut.

From post four, the breathlessly steep scramble up the final 400m of loose rocks leading to the crater rim and cabana site should take 20-30 minutes. Up to 16 overnight volcano permits are issued daily corresponding to the number of beds in the eight double huts at the rim.

Porters can be hired for $24 overnight trip to carry up to 15kg of luggage each. In addition, you will need to pay for transport to and from Kibati, which can be arranged through the park website. Nyiragongo volcano permit costs $300 per person.

Gorilla Tracking

Virunga National Park offers a mountain gorilla safari experience comparable in quality and in most respects to that of neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda. Six gorilla groups are habituated to tourist’s visits, with six permits being issued daily for larger groups, and four for smaller groups, creating a total availability of 30 permits daily. Trekking apply to four groups that are normally tracked from Bukima which lies on the slopes of Mount Mikeno about 90 minutes’ drive from Mikeno Lodge and twice that distance from Goma.

Gorilla trekking permits for Virunga National Park cost $400 per person per trek, for Uganda costs $600 per person and Rwanda costs $1500 per person. Of the 3 countries Uganda, Rwanda and D.R.C Congo, Virunga National Park offers cheaper gorilla trekking permits than either of its neighbours. The experience is broadly similar to tracking in Rwanda with the same one hour limit imposed in tourist visits.

Chimpanzee Tracking

Set a few dozen kilometres to the north-west of Rumangabo, Tongo is a 19km block of medium altitude forest isolated from other similar habitats by lava flows. Traversed by an 80km network of walking trails, Tongo is home to a community of around 35 chimpanzees first habituated by the Frankfurt Zoologist Society (FZS) and opened to tourism in the late1980’s only to close again in 1993 because of instability. The (FZS) re-launched the Tongo habituation programme in 2010, but it was once again shuttered because of fighting in the area in 2012.

The habituation team at Tongo re-opened once again working with the chimps on a daily basis. Guests staying at Mikeno Lodge can join this team on their daily visits to the chimpanzees. The day begins when a group of local trackers leave their camp at 4:30 am to locate where the chimpanzees spent the previous night. Lodge guests set out at 6:00 am to find the chimpanzees. Groups are limited to 4 people and time with the chimpanzees is restricted to one hour. Note: that the chimps at Rumangabo will occasionally migrate in and out of tracking range, so visits are sometimes cancelled because of the chimps’ movements.

Rwenzori Mountains

In the far north of the park, the Congolese portion of the Rwenzori Mountains is technically open to tourists, though far less accessible than the Uganda side. From the Congo, road travel between Goma and the north of the park was considered unsafe at the time of writing, so the Ruwenzori’s are usually accessed via flights to the town of Beni or via Uganda border crossing at Kasindi.  A five nights/ six day circuit including a summit of Margherita Peak from the Congolese side can be arranged here, but hikers and climbers must be fully self-sufficient in terms of all food and gear.

Supporting Virunga’s Marathon Campaign

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We wanted to share a quick message, to send a huge thank you to everyone who has donated to this year’s marathon campaign. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity, and the way you have rallied together around the world to support Angèle, and Virunga National Park.

We are thrilled that together we have raised a phenomenal £128,000 / $174,000, surpassing, and more than doubling our initial fundraising goal. It is hard to find the right words to express our gratitude, but we are so warmed by the way our community has come together. Thank you all for such kindness.

Funds raised will be going towards the Park’s essential programmes, including supporting the rangers who put their lives at risk to protect Virunga and the communities around it. Angèle’s Virgin Money Giving marathon fundraising page will remain live for a few more days, so there is still time left to make a donation to our London Marathon Campaign.

With a wholehearted thank you from all of us at Virunga National Park.

Leadership Giving – Dian Fossey Fund

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Leadership Giving. It’s Closer Than You Think. As a loyal Fossey Fund supporter, you play a critical role in ensuring that gorilla populations remain stable in the wild. But the impact of your support is even more profound…

When you give, you are actually transforming the landscape of wildlife and biodiversity conservation in places where an investment in conservation is also an investment in a whole country and its people. This is especially true for Fossey Fund’s leadership givers.

That’s why we hope you’ll consider deepening your commitment by joining the Dian Fossey Leadership Circle, an extraordinary community of donors whose annual support totals $1,000 or more.

You don’t have to give a large gift all at once to make a meaningful difference. A monthly gift of less than $100 allows you to make a real impact for the gorillas, biodiversity, and people of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For just $84 per month, would you consider becoming a member of the Dian Fossey Leadership Circle?

Dian’s firm commitment to wildlife preservation is a reminder to all of us of the power of one person’s actions to literally change the world. It is in that same indomitable spirit that we invite you to join the Dian Fossey Leadership Circle today.

Don’t forget – when you set up a monthly gift before May 10th, you’ll help us unlock an additional $50,000 for gorilla conservation! for more information visit GorillaFund.org

Uganda Congo Gorilla Safari – Africa

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Uganda forms part of the greatest must be visited countries in the African Continent, starting from is weather and climates, physical and non-physical features plus the enormous herds of wildlife found in its different national park. The country is located in east Africa and therefore land locked; visiting the Pearl of Africa for gorilla safaris is the best choice you will make forever since it leads other country in gorilla tourism with the greatest numbers of endangered mountain gorillas. However, gorilla can also be trekked from DR. Congo where both Mountain gorillas and Lowland gorillas can be found in the African continent.

Gorillas in Uganda are tracked are tracked form the only two national parks found in the south western parts of the country in the gorilla favorable conditions, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the best destinations for tracking.  Mountain gorillas in Uganda, the park has got fourteen Gorilla groups distributed in its four segmented sectors of Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Visitors are assigned gorillas depending on their bookings and how physical one is since some groups are found in far places that require trekking up to the hills via the designated trails of rocks and stones.

Visitors can either take up a trekking activity whereby a permit goes for $600 or Gorilla habituation activity which costs $1500 per person per day and the difference between these activities is the time spent while with the gorillas. Trekkers start the activity early in the morning since gorillas are mobile, they keep on moving in search for food and therefore they build up their nests in different places though the activity is too interesting to the many, this is because visitors are given park rangers who escort them and give them guidance throughout the activity.

Also, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is another gorilla trekking destination in Uganda, this is where another gorilla group known as the Nyakagezi gorilla group is found. This park is loved by the majority tourists because of its magnificent wonders, gorilla tracking here becomes too interesting since visitors follow designated paths and therefore rangers lead all the groups. The place is secure; this gives a chance to the tourists to view the three volcanic cones of hills that are situated around the Virunga ranges. These are the Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhavura mountains.

From Uganda, one may proceed to DR. Congo, this is bordered by Uganda to the west, and this is another country in Africa where the endangered mountain gorillas can be tracked. DR. Congo has got two types of gorillas and in Africa; Congo is where you can find both the endangered mountain gorillas and the lowland gorillas. Endangered mountain gorillas are tracked from Virunga National Park and gorilla trekking permits are bought at $400 per person per day, all visitors start their trek from Bukima Station where they meet the rangers who take them through the activity.

Kahuzi-Biega national park, this park found in the western banks of Lake Kivu, the two hills within the park including Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega gave birth to the park’s name and it is one of the largest national parks in the country. Here trekkers trek into the tropical rain forest and all visitors are required to use one hour with the gorillas after seeing them. This is an interesting activity done by almost every tourist who wishes to do double gorilla trekking in Congo and this also enables visitors to compare both the lowland gorillas and the Mountain gorillas in their jungle.

Congo Gorilla Trek & Nyiragongo Hike

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Traveling to Congo for gorilla trek and Nyiragongo hiking tours forms part of the greatest never to miss tours due to the amazing features associated with this country, Congo is one of the three countries in Africa where one can find both Mountain and lowland gorillas in her two national parks. Except Uganda and Rwanda, nowhere else in African mountain gorillas can be trekked other than DR. Congo.

Trekking gorilla from Congo requires one to pay a gorilla permit at USD 400 and all the arrangements can be done with tours in Uganda pertaining the safari plans. Visitors are required to be above 15years of age since this activity is a hectic one and therefore. Trekkers starts the activity from Bukima patrol post to those who track mountain gorillas from Virunga national park and every trekking group is led by park rangers who take visitors through all the hiking trails.

Those who are enthusiastic with trekking the lowland gorillas from Kahuzi-Biega national park may also do the same booking with the company for all the arrangements. 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. Tracking from Kahuzi – Biega national park offers visitors a chance to see over 400 gorilla species and the park has got around nine Gorilla groups but currently two groups are trekked.

After gorilla trekking, visitors may also take up a Nyiragongo hiking package, this is done around the Virunga massif and it forms part of the Albertine rift valley. This volcano is also found within the Virunga national park and its located 20km north of Goma city plus Lake Kivu, the Nyiragongo mountain with its twin sister Nyamulagira volcanoes forms the remaining active volcanic mountains in Africa.

Visiting DR. Congo and you omit visiting Nyiragongo becomes one of the greatest blander on your safaris since this is the best supplementary package after gorillas trekking, this kind of tour can be arranged with Nature Adventure Africa and this may start from Gisenyi in Rwanda crossing to Goma in DR. Congo and Nyiragongo hiking starts from Kibati Ranger post. Hiking starts early in the morning and all visitors are taken through a warm briefing; Mikeno lodge provides all the meals throughout the hike. Hiking rates at USD 300 for adults who are international and these fees includes hiking permit and accommodation within the huts on top of the mountain.

This hike takes around 4-6hours to reach the summit depending on how physically fit the hikers are since climbing starts at an altitude of 1989m and ascends at 3470m, the higher you go the cooler it becomes and therefore one needs to carry rain coats and cold weather gears. Porters are always available to carry the visitor’s luggage to those who are willing to pay a fee of USD 24 for an overnight or USD 12 for just a single day

While at the top, get to enjoy the breath-taking view of the lava and the active volcano, here visitors take time at night to observe how the activities of this active volcano operates as it turns the sky yellowish with fumes through the vent exploding out.

While at the top, the next descending day visitors get a chance of seeing Lake Kivu, Virunga national park plus the Goma city.