TOP CONGO GORILLA TREKKING FROM KIGALI

CONGO GORILLA TREKKING INFO

How much is a Congo Gorilla trekking permit?

Gorilla permits are needed for tourists planning a Congo Gorilla trekking tour in Congo’s Virunga National Park. As compared to other National Parks with mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda, Virunga National Park gorilla trekking permits are the most affordable. Virunga National Park offers discounted gorilla trekking safaris in addition to normal Congo gorilla trekking permits.

The peak season in Congo’s Virunga National Park is January, February, June, July, August, early September, and December. During the peak season, the cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Congo is $400 USD per person per trek. Virunga National Park attracts a large number of tourists during the peak season, which coincides with the dry season, making it simpler and easier to trek mountain gorillas in the Virunga forest.

If you plan to trek the gorillas in Congo during the peak season, book the gorilla trek at least three months in advance to ensure that you do not miss out on the trek in Congo. Mountain gorillas are cheaper in the Virunga Democratic Republic of Congo during the low season, particularly in April, March, and May, as well as November and November. During these months, the price of a mountain gorilla permit is reduced to $200 USD per person per trek, and this discount is valid from March 15th to May 15th, as well as October 15th and December 15th. Nonetheless, we recommend booking your gorilla trekking permit at least three months in advance of your actual travel dates.

What to do and see on a Congo mountain gorilla trekking safari departing from Kigali

The following activities are available in Virunga National Park for various park fees and tariffs.

Safaris to see mountain gorillas in Congo

This is one of the main events that take place in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the way from Kigali in Rwanda. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that no traveler can pass up. Although there are only a few individual mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park, the park contains one of the most extensive ecosystems. Virunga National Park has six habituated mountain gorilla families available for mountain gorilla trekking.

Mountain gorilla groups are known by various names, including the Humba gorilla family, the Rugendo gorilla family group, the Kabirizi gorilla family group, the Munyaga gorilla family group, the Nyakamwe gorilla family group, the Mapuwa gorilla family group, and the Bageni gorilla family group. The Kabirizi family group is the most well-known and well-known to many visitors/clients, with over 26 individual gorillas.

If you want to trek a particular gorilla family in Virunga National Park, you must book your gorilla trekking permit early enough so that you don’t miss out on trekking your desired gorilla family.

Experience chimps trekking in Congo.

You may also engage in chimp monitoring and chimp habituation experiences when visiting Virunga National Park in Congo. Second, in addition to gorilla trekking, chimp trekking is a common activity among tourists to the Democratic Republic of Congo from Kigali. You will only spend 1 hour with the chimp during monitoring and the entire day during the chimp habituation period. Both chimp tracking and habituation begin early in the morning with a briefing, after which you will be joined by a team of researchers and trackers and trek through the Virunga forest in search of the chimps.

During these safari activities, you will be able to learn about chimp feeding habits and natural behaviour, especially during the phase of chimp habituation, where you will spend the majority of the day, if not the entire day, with them before they nest in the evening.

You must follow the same protocol as for gorilla trekking in order to book your chimp tracking and habituation process early enough so that you do not miss out on this wonderful experience.

Nature walks and safaris through the Virunga Forest are available.

The Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been around for a long time and is known for its tropical rain forests and thick vegetation cover. Nature guided walks through the tropical Virunga rain forests on your DR Congo mountain gorilla safari from Kigali will allow you to explore and see the park’s beauty and unique features such as scenic landscapes, spotting bird species, and seeing different mammals and reptiles on your lucky day.

Hiking/Climbing Nyiragongo Mountain in Virunga National Park

Hiking the Nyiragongo Volcano is one of the challenging activities that give you adventure challenge in Virunga National Park on your DR Congo mountain gorilla safari from Kigali, the Nyiragongo Volcano is one of the few activities volcanoes in the world, and with its height standing at 3,470 meters, however, it is said that not much is known on when the volcano last erupted but reports have it it has been erupting for some time. Nyiragongo Mountain Volcano has erupted thirty-four times since 1882, with the most recent eruption occurring in 2002.

Virunga National Park Bird watching tours

Virunga National Park is covered with the most diverse Virunga forest, with numerous ecosystems ranging from wetlands, swamps, and grasslands, which has attracted many bird species, making it one of the best birding destinations in Africa, and hence you can engage in bird watching operation in Virunga national park on your DR Congo mountain gorilla safari from Kigali. The park records over 706 bird species, which you will be able to identify during your bird watching activity.
When is the best time to visit Virunga National Park in Congo to go mountain gorilla trekking?

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo is located in the tropics and is covered in tropical rainforests. Since the park contains a tropical rainforest, it is marked by sudden downpours at any time of day. However, we suggest that you visit Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the driest months of the year, which are January, February, June, July, August, and early September, since during the dry season, you can walk more comfortably through the forest trails than during the wet season. During the dry season, gorillas can be easily seen because most vegetation plants try to shed their leaves, making more room for gorilla trekkers to see the gorillas. The rainy season lasts from March to April, May to October, and November. Most tourists avoid traveling during these months due to heavy rains, which make the gorilla trekking trail impassable, hence making the gorilla trekking so hard.

However, this is the period when discounted Congo gorilla trekking permit deals are available, and visitors visiting Congo during these months will pay US$200 for gorilla trekking permits per trek, and even accommodation prices appear to decrease during the rainy season.

What lodging options are available on a DR Congo mountain gorilla safari from Kigali?

Accommodation options in Virunga National Park vary from low-cost to mid-range to upscale/luxurious. Budget accommodation options in Virunga National Park Congo include Kikumba Tented Camp and Bukima Tented Camp, which cost between $90 and $100 USD. Midrange accommodation facilities include Lulimbi tented camp and Tchegera Island Camp, among others, with rates ranging from $100 to $200 USD per person per night. Mikeno Lodge, a luxury/upmarket accommodation facility in Virunga, charges between $200 and $400 per night per guest. All you have to do is tell us about your preferred lodging choice, and we will book it for you.

How to Get to Congo from Kigali for Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Virunga National Park is the only place in Congo where you can go gorilla trekking. This is found in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern region. Visitors must fly to Kigali International Airport and then take a bus to Gisenyi. You can join Congo from Kisenyi Town through the Gisenyi Rwanda Congo Border. The district at the border is named Goma in Congo, and from there you can continue driving to Bukima, which will take you to the Virunga National Park headquarters, where the gorilla trekking operation begins. The park headquarters is only a two-hour drive from Gisheyi place.
When is the best time to book a Congo mountain gorilla trekking safari from Kigali?

As previously mentioned, the Democratic Republic of Congo offers regular and discounted gorilla trekking permits yearly to tourists interested in mountain gorilla trekking. The timing of your Congo mountain gorilla safari from Kigali will be determined by your travel budget. However, since gorilla trekking permits are cheaper and appear to sell out quickly, it is important that you book 3 or 4 months in advance of your expected dates of travel. You must contact us as soon as possible so that we can verify the availability of the permits in Virunga, you pay, and we book them for you based on your expected dates of travel, and we get back to you as soon as possible.

Regulations for gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park

Congo Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park has some stringent rules and regulations that trackers must obey on their Congo gorilla safari expeditions. These include group size, the number of groups to monitor every day, and the amount of time spent with the mountain gorillas. This is also intended to ensure the protection of these endangered species. This is due to the mountain gorillas’ susceptibility to certain human diseases as a result of their near proximity to humans.

Gorilla Safari Group Size: Only a maximum of eight people per day are permitted to trek, which helps to prevent disease transmission from humans to mountain gorillas.

Age Restrictions: Only people aged 15 and up are permitted to trek.

Visitation hours: Congo Gorilla trekking takes place during the day, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Time limit with gorillas: You are only permitted to spend one hour with the mountain gorillas.

gorillas from Congo
Congo Gorillas, Virunga National Park Rules and Regulations (Dos and Don’ts)

The first rule is to protect the mountain gorillas; this means that if the tracker is sick or infected, he or she should not be allowed to come into contact with the gorillas.
Manners are advised- always turn away your face while coughing or sneezing and try to cover your nose and mouth to help prevent bacteria transmission to mountain gorillas.
Don’t stay too long with the gorillas- Just stay for the recommended amount of time with the gorillas, which is normally one hour.

Keeping a safe distance from the primates- It is often advised to keep a safe distance of 5 to 7 meters from mountain gorillas because they are wild animals and can easily catch diseases from humans.

Behave well when trekking: rangers often advise trekkers to keep noise levels as low as possible and to stop pointing or using flash lights while photographing mountain gorillas.
Being prepared: Always bring water-resistant and warm clothing for the cool temperatures in the mountains, as it can get wet inside the trees, and comfortable walking shoes.
No smoking and no snacks- During gorilla trekking in Congo, visitors are not permitted to drink or feed, nor are they permitted to smoke.

It is always a good idea to keep your hands clean before going gorilla trekking.
Keep your hands to yourself- don’t touch the mountain gorillas at any time, and keep your hands to yourself to prevent direct contact.
Avoid littering in the forest and keep your garbage to yourself. Always remain calm– Avoid direct eye contact with the gorilla if it attacks and remain calm before it moves away.
Toilet etiquette: A ranger will gladly dig a hole for you and then cover it completely.

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