Best Locations to trek with Gorillas in Africa

Though interesting and enjoyable, visiting gorillas in Africa is a real jungle adventure taking visitors hiking through narrow trails deep in the tropical rain forests of Africa before encountering these endangered mountain gorillas. Trekking requires one to be physically fit and determined since trails are sometimes slippery with more ups and downs in tracing for the rare mountain gorillas. A mere setting of ones eyes on the gorillas in their natural habitat is so interesting and memorable. Trekker's carry with them packed foods and water together with cameras that have no flashlight. The porters carry all other baggage except the cameras and trekkers spend a maximum of one hour with the mountain gorillas.

 

Since gorillas cannot be known exactly where they are situated due to their continuous movement and changing of locations, trekkers have to follow their guides through the impenetrable jungle in search for the great apes. The creatures are Glossy black against the rainforest's luminous greens and a dominant silverback that keeps watchful and protective for the entire family against any external attack heads each gorilla family. The efforts of the jungle that trekkers go through evaporate in an instant moment after setting the eyes on the rare human like species (the mountain gorilla) in their natural habitat as they feed and the mothers nurse their young ones a real human character. Young gorillas rough and tumble like wrestlers, maternal females gather in grooming groups, occasionally reprimanding the kids, while the patriarchal silverback keeps a protective eye on the surroundings.

 

In the whole world, there are approximately 880 mountain gorillas in the wild split in the virunga conservation area that stretches across three east African countries of Uganda in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Rwanda in the volcanoes national park and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the virunga national park. The mountain gorillas are the close relatives of human beings sharing 98% of human genes, a group 8 people maximum for one hour is allowed to encounter one gorilla family in both countries as explained below:

 

Rwanda: Short distance, easy trekking

Strategically situated 2 driving hours from Kigali, Volcanoes national park Rwanda is the hub for gorilla safaris in Rwanda. Volcanoes national park is only 2 hour drive from the international airport in Kigali to the national park which saves time for the short trip traveler to the country. Also, the volcanoes national park has bamboo type of vegetation which is so transparent and has less undergrowth, there is light penetration and taking photographs is easier compared to the tropical rain forests, the bamboo vegetation allows easy and quick movement is search of the gorilla and even tracing these endangered species is much easier. Therefore it is right to say that trekking mountain gorilla in the volcanoes national park in Rwanda takes less time and less energy in trekking that is, short "distance, easy trekking".

 

Concerning the cost of the permit, Rwanda sells gorilla permits at 750usd and can be accessed both on line ant at arrival, remember there are only 10 gorilla families available for trekking and a group of 8 people is allowed to interact with each family for one hour, it is so interesting that travelers feel one hour is less time for real.

 

Uganda: Many apes, Adventurous big game

It is a home to half of the mountain gorilla in the whole world found in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park in south western Uganda, there are 13 gorilla families in Uganda which provide high opportunities to trekkers in Uganda to access many permits. Hence a Uganda gorilla safari offers travellers more gorilla permits and qualifies a place you will always catch a gorilla permit even for last minute bookings. There is one gorilla family in Mgahinga gorilla national park called Nyakagezi and is available for trekking,

 

However despite the many apes, the two national parks with gorillas are far from the air port of Entebbe in that it takes approximately 9-10 hours to reach these destinations which make it hard for short trip travelers with limited time. Also, the main habitat for the gorilla (Bwindi impenetrable forest national park) is an impenetrable tropical rain forest which has much undergrowth with thorny bushes, it is a real adventure as trekkers snick through the forest sometimes slippery and dark with very little light penetration, after this hassle trekkers forget all the hard times as soon as they meet the gorilla family, led by the dominant silver back. The gorilla permit in Uganda is sold at 600usd which is quite cheaper compared to Rwanda. Not only the gorillas by the way, the national park have a variety of other wild animals, bird species and vegetation types all interesting for the travelers.

 

D R Congo: New born game

Though the country has been known for the political instabilities, the democratic republic of Congo has a lot to offer, wars have come to end and tourism is well done in the country. Not as the other countries (Uganda and Rwanda), the DRC is blessed with both mountain gorillas in the virunga national park and the eastern lowland gorillas in the kahuzi biega national park. As it is done in the other countries, a group of eight people is allowed to interact with the gorilla family for one hour to prevent the spread of diseases from people to the susceptible gorillas.

 

To conclude, Africa is one of the blessed continents where travellers can go gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and the eastern lowland gorillas in the kahuzi biega national park in DRC. Gorilla trekkers therefore had an opportunity to choose which destination is best for them with a reminder that the pre-trekking experience in all countries id different but the trekking experience is all intresting in all destinations.