Gorilla Treck In Rwanda, Uganda & Drc

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With only around 900 mountain gorillas left in the world, seeing them in the wild is something only a few people will ever have the chance to experience. We ensure our clients get to enjoy the best of the wild with an unforgettable experience.

Where Can You See Mountain Gorillas?

Mountain Gorillas

About 480 mountain gorillas inhabit an extinct volcanic region called the Virunga Range along the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in East Africa.

The other 400 or so mountain gorillas inhabit a nearby area of Bwindi in Uganda, a thick rainforest.

Uganda

There are two parks in Uganda, the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where you are able to go gorilla tracking.

Mgahinga National Park

Mgahinga is situated on the extreme southwest corner of Uganda on the slopes of the Virunga Mountains. It borders the DRC and Rwanda. The park only covers 28 square miles so it’s quite small, but besides gorillas you can also see leopard, buffalo, bushbuck and golden monkeys.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi is in south-western Uganda and is home to about half of all mountain gorillas. The park covers about 200 square miles of extremely dense rainforest and is a proclaimed World Heritage site. Part of the fun of tracking gorillas here is trying to follow them through the dense foliage. You can also get to see chimpanzees as well as some spectacular bird life.

Rwanda

Rwanda has one park in the North of the country encompassing its share of the mountain gorilla population: the Virunga National Park or Parc National des Volcans (PNV).

Virunga National Park

Democratic Republic of Congo

The DRC also has a section of the Virunga Mountains park called the Parc National des Virunga. The DRC gorilla population suffered a major setback because several gorillas were brutally hacked to death in 2007. In 2012 a census showed the gorillas were doing better than expected despite the civil war raging around them in large part due to the amazing efforts of rangers putting their lives on the line at Virunga National Park. In 2014 the Director of the park was shot in an ambush, but survived and continues the effort to save the park from various rebel movements encroaching on their territory as well as oil-companies looking to gain drilling rights. Watch the excellent “Virunga” documentary, available on Netflix for more.

Note:
Gorillas move around the Virunga National Park. In March 2005 it was reported that the gorilla group that is usually resident on the Ugandan side of the park had moved to Rwanda (tastier bamboo shoots perhaps). By mid – 2009 they had returned. We try to keep track of all gorilla movements and will know where the habituated groups are.

Tracking Mountain Gorillas

Getting to see gorillas is not easy, nor are you guaranteed to see them. The trek to where the gorilla groups live takes you through very dense vegetation, up steep slopes and can last several hours. The dense vegetation is filled with burning and stinging nettles, so wearing gloves is a good idea. Red ants are also common, so wear long socks to tuck your trousers into.

Gorillas move around the Virunga National Park.

Gorillas move around so they aren’t all that easy to track. The gorillas you’ll be meeting are habituated to humans which is why you are able to get quite close to them.

Some basic rules of tracking gorillas include;

• You have to be over 15 years of age
• You cannot be sick or have any infectious disease
• Only one hour is allowed with the gorillas and you have to keep a distance of at least 5 meters
• Maximum number of visitors per day is 6-12 people per group
• No flash photography is allowed
• Trekkers must be fit and well equipped, which includes warm clothing for the wet cool climate high in the mountains.
• No eating or drinking in the vicinity of the gorillas
• No touching the gorillas (although they may decide to touch you)
• No pointing at gorillas

Gorilla Permits

You need an official permit handled by each of the national parks to see the gorillas. Usually you have to obtain these several months in advance.

In Uganda it costs USD 850  per day per person for a gorilla permit in high season. In low season a permit costs $600 to track gorillas during the months March – May and October – November. You can get the permits in Kampala (the capital of Uganda) at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) headquarters. To make it simple, you can just purchase your whole gorilla tour through our specialized company.

In Rwanda you can get permits through the Rwanda Tourism Board offices (ORTPN) in Kigali or Ruhengeri (near the PNV). You can call (250) 576514 or 573396 or email at reservation@rwandatourism.com. The permits cost USD 750 per person per day. It is difficult to obtain a permit without booking a tour at the same time.In Rwanda, permits were are normally sold out for 4 months in advance, so book early especially if you plan to go between June – October.

In the DRC its best to just arrange your permit (USD 400). You can combine your visit with chimpanzee trekking and an amazing volcano trek.