Top 5 Stunning Places to go for Gorilla Trekking in Africa : Gorillas are wonderful beings that possess great strength, sharp intelligence, and beauty. The only place on the planet where these incredible apes can be observed and monitored is central Sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately, several gorilla species are now severely endangered as a result of poaching, sickness, and habitat degradation. Even though there is a lot of conservation effort being done to safeguard them, it is worthwhile to think about going to view them as soon as you can, before access is more restricted or, in the worst case scenario, they go extinct entirely.
Whether they are mountain gorillas, Western lowland gorillas, or even the uncommon Grauer’s gorilla, gorilla encounters and trekking are one of the pinnacle and unforgettable wildlife safari experiences. So where can you see gorillas? The majority of people desire to go gorilla tracking, and there is great discussion about which country has the best mountain gorilla safari.
There are three countries where you can best see and go gorilla trekking in Africa and have an unforgettable safari experience, these countries includes: Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Thankfully, they are becoming more numerous; the most recent census showed there are over 1,000, up from 250 when conservation efforts first began some 50 years ago, Top 5 Stunning Places to go for Gorilla Trekking in Africa.
The lush rainforests of west and central Africa are home to more than 100,000 western lowland gorillas. Fewer groups are habituated to tracking due to their inaccessible homelands, making them critically endangered. The perfect gorilla safari for you will depend on your travel preferences and financial constraints. Here are our recommendations for the top gorilla viewing, tracking and trekking locations in Africa.
- Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
One of the best sites to view gorillas in the wild is Rwanda. About 30% of the mountain gorillas left in the world are found in Rwanda. Volcanoes National Park’s gorilla trekking is particularly well-liked and draws tens of thousands of tourists there each year. Currently, Rwanda is home to ten habituated mountain gorilla populations. According to some, Rwanda is the easiest place in the world to see mountain gorillas. There is a greater than 97 percent chance of seeing gorillas in Rwanda.
Where to see gorillas in Rwanda?
Northwesterly Rwanda is home to the magnificent Volcanoes National Park, which spans 160 square kilometers (62 square miles) of outstanding rainforest and includes five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains range. It provides a mysterious setting for Rwanda’s intensive gorilla conservation adventures. Gorillas are extremely gregarious, critically endangered primates who spend most of their waking hours hunting for food on the ground. Because they move less than 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) each day, gorillas are easily trackable. An expert gorilla tracker will lead you through the park’s towering African redwoods, bamboo, tangles of vines, and blooming lobelias to the spot where you’ll have a moving encounter with one of humans’ closest living relatives.
It is really Gorillas in the Mist country because Volcanoes National Park served as Dian Fossey’s home base. You can even pay your respects at Fossey’s tomb. In this well-maintained and controlled reserve, monkeys (including the endangered golden monkey) and forest birds can be seen. The good effects of gorilla trekking in Rwanda are reinforced by the fact that at least 10% of the money made from tourism is donated to local projects across the park, giving the preservation of these giant apes real significance for rural populations.
When to Visit Rwanda for Gorilla tracking and trekking?
The country’s dry seasons provide by far the easiest hiking conditions and the lowest risk of malaria, despite the fact that gorilla trekking is considered to be a year-round safari activity in Rwanda, Top 5 Stunning Places to go for Gorilla Trekking in Africa.
The lengthy rainy season in Rwanda lasts from around March through May. Then, from June through roughly mid-September, the lengthy dry season begins; this is typically the best time to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda. A brief dry season from December to February follows a shorter wet season that lasts from October to November. Although it can get a little more humid than in the months of June to September, this is also an excellent time to view gorillas in Rwanda.
- Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
Not only is Uganda a well-known gorilla trekking safari destination, but it also has one of Africa’s top primate research centre. Again, new infrastructure makes trekking in these areas more convenient for tourists. For a special and genuine gorilla trekking experience, you can travel to both the Virunga Conservation Area and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
Where to see gorillas in Uganda?
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are the two places in Uganda where one can go gorilla trekking. Due to its larger gorilla population, superior location for fly-in safaris, and wider selection of lodging alternatives, Bwindi is by far the more popular option. The park you choose to visit will depend on your overall trip itinerary and the amount of time you have.
Both Bwindi and Mgahinga are located in deep southwest Uganda, close to the borders with Rwanda to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. The southwest of Uganda is home to many safari locations. This makes it simple to combine a gorilla trekking safari with other wildlife safari to create a single itinerary packed with unforgettable safari experience.
The Best time/ Season to go for Gorillas viewing/ trekking in Uganda
The country has two dry seasons and two wet seasons each year. Although gorilla trekking in Uganda is considered a year-round safari activity, most tourists favor the drier months of June through September and December through February because these are the best times to go trekking.
Due to the low numbers of visitors during the low seasons, Uganda’s parks are less congested and its lodging options are more reasonable (March to May and October to November). For travelers on a tight budget who want to go gorilla trekking in Uganda, this is the perfect time to do so, Top 5 Stunning Places to go for Gorilla Trekking in Africa.
- Gorilla trekking in Democratic Republic of Congo
Only the Democratic Republic of Congo is home to both lowland and mountain gorillas. It is the least visited, most adventurous, and least expensive of the three homelands of the Virunga Mountains, with permits costing $400, compared to Uganda and Rwanda. Within the Virunga National Park in the DRC, which was recently shut down following the kidnapping of British tourists, there are four groups of mountain gorillas. In February 2019, it reopened with promises that it was secure once more.
Apart from Virunga national park, The Kahuzi-Biega National Park, which is home to about 250 Grauer’s gorillas, is the best spot to see them, while the charming lakeside town of Bukavu offers comfortable lodging in colonial houses.
Where to see gorillas in Congo?
The untouched equatorial rainforest covering 13 500 square kilometers (5 200 square miles) in the country’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park serves as a haven for about 100 mammal species and one of Africa’s most diversified monkey populations. The best area to see western lowland gorillas in the wild is in Congo, where the park is recognized for its excellent conservation efforts. Lowland gorillas are smaller and less shaggy, with softer fur, narrower faces, and rounder nostrils than their mountain cousins found in Rwanda and Uganda. Nevertheless, they are always beautiful to see, much like their larger altitude-dwelling relatives.
When to Go: When to Visit the Congo to See Gorillas
The priceless ecosystem in the tropical rainforest of the Congo Basin, known as the “green lungs” of the earth, depends on rain to function. Because of this, the three seasons that best describe it are wet, wetter, and wettest.
The “low rainfall” season, which lasts from June to September, and the “gentle rainfall” season, which lasts from December to February, are the best times to go gorilla trekking in the Congo. The driest and coolest months of the year are generally regarded to be July and August.
- Cross River Gorillas in Nigeria
One of the subspecies of the western gorilla is the cross-river gorilla. Cross river gorillas are much less common than their western lowland cousins, whose numbers can be counted in the thousands. Only 200 to 300 cross-river gorillas are still living in the area. The only site in the world where cross-river gorillas can be seen in the wild is on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. Due to their rarity, seeing them might be a difficult and time-consuming effort, but the rewards are unquestionably great, Top 5 Stunning Places to go for Gorilla Trekking in Africa.
- Western Lowland Gorillas in the Central African Republic
The western lowland gorilla, a species of severely endangered western gorilla, is widespread and can be found in the Congo, Cameroon, Angola, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.
Even though they can be found in all of these places, the Dzanga area is home to the most western lowland gorillas. Conservation efforts have been undertaken in the southeast of the Central African Republic to save the gorillas from extinction. Only three habituated groups of western lowland gorillas remain in existence today. Two of these three types are present in the central region of Central African Republic (CAR).
THE BEST NATIONAL PARKS TO SEE GORILLAS IN AFRICA
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.
- Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
- Virunga National Park, Congo
- Cross River National Park.
- Monte Alen National Park.
- Kahuzi-Biega National Park
- Mgahinga National Park.
- Loango National Park.
- Odzala National Park.
- Dzanga Ndoki National Park
- Nouabale Ndoki National Park.
- Mefou National Park.
- Lope National Park.
- Campo Maan National Park.
- Limbe Wildlife Centre
- Moukalaba Doudou National Park.
Conclusion, despite being known as the best wildlife safari destination in Africa, No gorillas can be found in Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, or Zimbabwe. For the best gorilla adventure excursions in Africa, go to Uganda, DRC and Rwanda. For the extraordinary safari experience Most African safari companies combine gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda with wildlife safaris in Tanzania and Kenya.
