Gorilla trekking safari is an exciting activity to participate in because of its associated everlasting memories to remember, it’s one of the major pulling forces to most of the enormous visitors to Africa.
This activity usually involves visiting these shy endangered herbivorous apes in the jungle in a group of a maximum number of eight people, the trekking starts in the morning after your breakfast and a simple briefing at the park offices about dos and don’ts while in the presence of these apes.
Well permanently established routes are followed heading into the Jungle with a park ranger guide to lead you through the Jungle for easy location of these apes since for them are usually well informed of where these apes spent their last night.
After locating these apes in the jungle, you are assigned a permission of one hour period to be around these apes while seeing them playing with their young ones, feeding, laughing, taking photos of them and videos for reference. While in the jungles the trekking is associated with sighting of other interesting features which include big tree species, primates like Black & White Colobus monkeys, Red tailed Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Golden Monkeys, Vervets, Baboons, insects like Butterflies, tsetse flies and more, Shrubs, Caterpillars, Reptiles like Snakes and different bird species recorded sightable.
These gorilla species are rarely seen and the remaining few numbers are found in the African continent mostly in the Eastern part in countries like Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo which is found in the central part of Africa.
When it comes to gorilla trekking, Rwanda is ranked to be with the shortest trekking distances since Volcanoes National Park where these gorillas are found is located nearer to Kigali airport (about 2-3 hours’ drive) when compared to other gorilla hosting destinations.
Volcanoes National Park is located in the North western part of Rwanda characterized with tropical rain forest, bamboo forests where golden monkeys reside plus fertile swampy areas, it is recorded with over twelve gorilla families for trekking which include Karisimbi, Sabyinyo gorilla family, Umubano, Amahoro gorilla family, Susa A and Susa B, Ugenda, Kwitonda, Agasha and Hirwa gorilla family among others.
Usually, when taking gorilla trekking in Rwanda, if you are not so physically fit, too old at retiring age or on time please raise your complaint before you are given groups like Susa, Karisimbi because they are very difficult to trek and located very far in the mountainous areas.
For easy trekking check out for groups like Sabyinyo, Agasha and more, as usual to be eligible for gorilla trekking you must be free from any infectious diseases because you may spread your diseases to these apes, a permit which guarantees you permission is a must have requirement and in Rwanda this permit costs $1500 USD per person which is usually booked in advance before your trekking dates and once this money for the permit is paid its non-refundable.
If you are lucky golden monkey species are on your spot while in the jungle plus other primates like Colobus monkeys, Vervets, Baboons plus different bird species recorded sightable in Volcanoes National Park.
Then gorilla trekking in Democratic Republic of Congo is cheaper when compared to other gorilla hosting destinations in the African Continent; Democratic Republic of Congo is located in the Central part of Africa commonly known to be hosting both species of gorillas which include Mountain Gorillas and Eastern Lowland Gorillas habituated in its two major national parks to Visit, these include Virunga National Park commonly known for Mountain Gorillas and Kahuzi Biega National Park commonly known for the Eastern Lowland Gorillas.
The main driving force and tourists’ heaven in Democratic Republic of Congo is Virunga National Park which is also ranked to be the oldest National Park in Africa formerly called Albert National Park, it is characterized with tropical rain forest, Woodlands, bamboo forests, hilly and mountainous areas plus fertile swampy areas with over six Gorilla families for trekking.
Looking forward to visiting gorillas in Democratic Republic of Congo its better you first decide whether you meet with Mountain Gorillas or Lowland Gorillas or if possible, according to your itinerary you can go for both putting it in mind that you will be required to buy two gorilla permits which cost $400 USD each per person, this permit is valid to be used by only one person and they are usually booked in advance before your trekking dates.
Other Primates to sight while in Democratic Republic of Congo include Chimpanzees in Tongo forest but rarely seen during some seasons, Monkeys like Black & White Colobus, Red tailed Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Vervets, Baboons, Reptiles include snakes like black cobra, python and more, Insects include Butter flies, tsetse flies and different African bird species recorded sightable.
