Congo gorilla trekking adventures are among the desired primate safari adventures. The country is among the less explored wildlife safari destinations and offers intimate and exclusive wildlife safari experiences. Congo has several national parks but the gorilla national parks in the eastern part of the country are more adventurous. The Democratic Republic of Congo has two main gorilla species that are the Eastern lowland and Mountain gorillas. Congo gorilla trekking adventures to meet any of the two gorilla species is rewarding. It gives you an insight into the life of the gorillas, some of the man’s closest primates.
Virunga National Park is Africa’s oldest national park having been established in 1925. The park is part of the Virunga massif with 5 of the eight mountain gorillas that are home to mountain gorillas. The national park area has over the years had security challenges. Virunga National Park is a great safari destination for Congo gorilla trekking adventures despite these challenges.
It has ten habituated gorilla families that are open to tourists. Mountain gorillas have over 95% DNA similar to humans. With this, there are set rules and regulations that people trekking to them Must follow. This is intended to protect mountain gorillas as they can easily contract communicable diseases and adapt human behavior when much exposed. People trekking are therefore advised to keep at least 7 meters away from the mountain gorillas when in their presence. One is also not allowed to touch a mountain gorilla but rather withdraw in case they come close.
When the Coronavirus pandemic hit the world, Virunga National Park and all primate parks in East Africa were closed. World economies gradually opened up but the primates especially mountain gorilla national parks were last to be opened up. The mountain gorilla parks in East Africa include Volcanoes National Park Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable, and Mgahinga Gorilla Parks in Uganda. Even when they opened up, there were set strict rules and regulations one had to follow observing standard operating procedures.
Virunga National Park's Current State
Virunga National Park is currently closed and Congo gorilla trekking adventures there are not possible. The situation however is continuously monitored and the park will eventually open. There are several safari itineraries you can look at when planning a visit to Virunga.
All gorilla trekking adventures to Virunga were scheduled when the park closed to ensure one’s safety. The 3-day Virunga Tour is the least number of days you can visit the park. Other gorilla tour options to the park include a 4-day Mikeno Mist Safari and a double gorilla trekking depending on your interest.
Kahuzi Biega National Park in the southern Kivu province is home to Eastern Lowland Gorillas. Eastern lowland gorillas are the biggest of the 4 gorilla subspecies and are endemic to Kahuzi Biega National Park. Just like mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas live in families headed by a dominant male gorilla called Silverback. They are also vegetarian with 85% of the diet consisting of plant vegetation and shoots.
Congo gorilla trekking adventures to Kahuzi Biega National Park are very exclusive. The park has two habituated eastern lowland gorilla families that are open for tourism. There you hike the forested mountains and meet these giants in the jungle and observe them as they eat, relax, and go by their daily routine.
A visit to Kahuzi Biega enables you to explore other primate wildlife species in the area. You can visit the Lwiro Sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees that is home to these and several monkey species.
Eastern Gorilla Habituation Experiences
For any gorilla family to be opened for tourism, it has to undergo the habituation process. This is done to ensure gorillas get used to human beings’ presence. Gorilla habituation is still ongoing in all gorilla parks including Kahuzi Biega National Park. There is an opportunity for you to join this process as you observe how rangers habituate gorillas. It starts early in the morning where you follow the eastern lowland gorillas right from their nests observing their routine.
The lowland gorilla habituation experience is rewarding and best for those seeking to understand how these apes manage in the jungle. On this experience once you get to the gorillas you can stay up to 4 hours in their presence.
There is also a mountain gorilla habituation experience in the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Our 3-day Gorilla habituation experience is the ideal tour option for this experience. We can however customize a safari for 6 to 10 days featuring both mountain and eastern lowland gorilla habituation experiences.
The Discovery Journeys Experience
Discovery Journeys and adventures to Congo mainly feature these gorilla trekking expeditions. We work with well-knowledgeable local guides who more than the gorillas share the culture and history of this great nation. Our primate safari calendar is open and this is the best time to book your Congo gorilla trekking adventures.
Our safari adventures go beyond the Congo to Kenya and Tanzania as well. These two countries are renowned savanna wildlife destination giants. They both have four of the Big five mammals and an ecosystem where the wildebeest migration takes place. Now that DRC is part of the East African Community, it is becoming easy to access the whole region. You can now book an East African safari adventure to the Congo for lowland gorilla trekking plus a visit to Masai Mara or Serengeti.
Remember we customize our safari itineraries and they can be amended depending on your preference and convenience. Contact us for more details about any of these leading wildlife safari destinations in the region.
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