Where to see gorillas in Africa?

The best places to see gorillas in Africa

Where to see gorillas in Africa? – Here are the Best place to see Gorillas in Africa.

Rwanda

The best places to see gorillas in Africa- Rwanda is one of the countries where you can have a life-changing safari with an opportunity to trek the gorillas. Famously known as a country of a thousand hills, Rwanda is a superb destination for Gorilla safaris.  With almost half of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population, it’s no surprise that the majority of guests visit Rwanda to track and view our highly endangered cousins. Rwanda gorilla safaris are the most famous on most travelers’ bucket lists traveling to Rwanda however, this iconic country is superb for primates in general, including the fun-loving Sykes monkey, the Golden monkey, and the boisterous chimpanzee in the Nyungwe Forest.

Here is an other  best places to see gorillas in Africa

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Rwanda gorilla safaris are safe despite a turbulent past. For guests seeking a deeply enriching safari, Rwanda gorilla safaris offer an experience that is difficult to find anywhere else.

Gorilla Safari Experience in Rwanda – what to expect on a gorilla safari in Rwanda

Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda are found in the Volcanoes National Park that is in the northwestern part of the country, stretching on a total land area of 160 square kilometers and encounters the large rainforest in the Virunga Mountains. The park harbors the Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga, and Sabyinyo that are five of the eight Virunga Mountains. Volcanoes National Park is part of the large Virunga ecosystem that stretches in three countries of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rwanda gorilla safaris offer an exceptional life-changing adventure that is spiced with other top primate sightings in the Rwandan National Parks. Gorilla safari Consultants is a genuine and accredited Tour and Travel company to plan with you your adventure in Rwanda.

Is gorilla trekking in Rwanda worth it?

There is no need to hesitate for gorilla trekking in our opinion; the answer is “Yes”. Gorilla trekking is worth the cost, energy, and time. Past travelers have reviewed the experience as unforgettable, magical, and life-changing worth the penny. Despite the high costs, discomfort, and time, gorilla watching tours in Rwanda are perhaps the best wildlife experience in the world that is worth doing.

You will never have regrets for any of the trekking and the cost of the permit is absolutely worth the value. You must, however, prepare for some hustle up and down the steep rocky hills in the forest, sometimes on a rainy and muddy day. But when you meet this huge yet humble primate in their territory, it will be worth your effort. You will spend approximately one hour with this endangered great ape and get any details you have been wishing to know about them. But to do this, you have to reserve a gorilla tracking permit well in advance before you embark on this life-changing adventure. Gorilla trekking is something any traveler should include in their bucket list when planning for an Africa safari.

Gorilla trekking experience in Rwanda is one of the life’s privileges for you to live to remember. In Rwanda in the early morning before tracking (Maybe 7:00 AM), the visitors will usually be entertained by the lively traditional dance troupe (SACOLA Traditional Dancers), there are coffee/tea dispensers with cups available for free to visitors, wow what a great experience. The trek however in the early morning starts with a briefing.  In the briefing, you are told what to bring with you and which rules you should follow during the trek. Next after the briefing, the rangers usually determine in which group you are. The groups are basically based on the physical conditions of the members in the group. Each of the groups is dedicated to a gorilla family. The chances of seeing the mountain gorillas in Rwanda in high and it takes you a few hours of the trek. The fact that the rangers are knowledgeable about their movements, you will absolutely be successful on your trek.

Uganda

The best known here are the mountain gorillas. The mountain gorilla safaris in Uganda are in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, with 13 groups and over 400 gorillas. Mgahinga National Park, while just as beautiful, lies within the Virunga Massif neighboring DRC and Rwanda, and has only one habituated group which sometimes wanders over the borders.

As with Rwanda, it’s a very smooth operation, with excellent rangers and trackers, and local communities benefitting from fees. The hiking can be tough – there’s a reason it’s called impenetrable – but some groups are easier to reach than others.

Bwindi offers a unique experience of gorillas, the Gorilla Habituation Experience where you spend up to four hours with a semi-habituated group. They’re less predictable and not as docile as habituated groups, and it’s a fascinating, intimate glimpse into how gorillas gradually get used to humans.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo is another where you can see gorillas in Africa. Congo gorilla safaris are remarkably known by most African travelers, though Uganda and Rwanda are the most thought safari destination for gorilla trekking in Africa. Unlike Uganda and Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo offers a great opportunity to witness various gorilla species since it is home to three gorilla species: western lowland, eastern lowland, and mountain gorillas, and you can track the latter two in eastern DRC. Gorilla trekking safaris in the Democratic Republic of Congo offer an exceptional safari experience, which you will enjoy in the thick rainforest of the country. Congo gorilla safaris despite having the same gorilla trekking experience just like in Uganda and Rwanda, DRC Has less developed infrastructure and it is the best to opt for if you crave to dwell in the African thick rain forests that offer an incredible feeling typical feeling of remote Africa, and a feel of the cool breeze that will make you feel the bond with nature.

Mountain gorillas are the most commonly tracked species. They inhabit the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes, which line DRC’s eastern border with Rwanda and Uganda, and roam across these three countries. Mountain gorillas are something of a conservation success story, with their numbers have grown from just 620 individuals in 1989 to just over 1,000 in 2018. The success in growing the mountain gorilla population means that as of November 2018, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) classifies them as endangered – previously they were critically endangered. They tend to live on the ground, making for some particularly close encounters as they forage, snooze and play in the foliage. Gorilla safaris Consultants has well-planned Mountain Gorilla trekking packages to fit your best interest.

The other gorilla species in the Democratic Republic of Congo include;

Eastern lowland gorillas

Eastern lowland gorillas live in the forests and swampland just to the west of the Virunga Volcanoes. Also known as Grauer’s gorilla, this is the largest of the four gorilla species, with males standing up to 1.85m tall – that’s over six feet. They spend more time in the trees than their mountain counterparts, which can make observing them easier if they are not too far from the ground, although from time to time they will forage high in the canopy.

Their numbers are not well known. Due to ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, it is extremely difficult to count eastern lowland gorillas and study their behavior. In the mid-1990s, their population was estimated at 17,000; current reports say there may be anything from a quarter to half of those remaining in these forests. Given the threats it faces, the eastern lowland gorilla is critically endangered. Congo gorilla safaris with Gorilla Safari Consultants will take you into the deep Congo forest where you will experience these massive primates.

Western lowland gorillas

Western lowland gorillas are the most numerous of all gorilla species; however, in DRC they live only in the far west of the country, close to the Atlantic coast. You can track them elsewhere, most notably in the Central African Republic but also in the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon. The western lowland gorilla is critically endangered.

Other frequently asked questions about gorillas

How much is a gorilla permit in Congo?

Unlike Rwanda and Uganda, Gorilla trekking permits in Congo are cheaper. The gorilla trekking permits in Congo for both the lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas go for 400 USD for the foreigners and 200 USD for the Congolese citizens.

Are there mountain gorillas in Congo?

The answer is YES, there are gorillas in Congo. There are fewer than 1000 mountain gorillas left in the world. Mountain Gorillas live exclusively in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in two separate subpopulations.