Eastern Lowland Gorilla Adventures

Gorilla Trekking Journeys!

Eastern lowland gorilla adventures are part of the great primate Discovery Journeys in the region. These gorilla species are endemic to Kahuzi Biega National Park in Eastern DR Congo. The Park is located in the southern Kivu province about an hour and 30 minutes drive from Bukavu the region’s major town. Eastern lowland gorillas live in families led by a dominant male called Silverback. These families comprise females, infants, and juveniles and can be up to 10 individuals or more.

Eastern Lowland Gorilla Habitant

These gorilla species live in the forested mountains of Kahuzi and Biega. The forested park covers a land area of about 600,000 acres. This habitat is made of various vegetation zones starting from the rainforests that transcend into the light bamboo forests.

Eastern lowland gorillas being vegetation take advantage of this habitat and entirely depend on it for food. The abundance of the food makes these gorilla species grow in size and weight. They are actually the largest of all the gorilla species.

The eastern gorillas live at an altitude ranging from 2,100 to 2,400 meters above sea level. They can be trekked to in 2 to 4 hours.

The Habituation Process

For any gorilla family to be opened to tourism it has to undergo the habituation process. This is done to ensure the gorillas are accustomed to human beings’ presence in their ecosystem. Even though we share over 95% DNA with these apes they are still wild animals if not habituated. This habituation process is therefore very crucial not just for tourism but for gorilla sustainability.

Kahuzi Biega National Park has over 250 gorillas with 14 habituated families. It is only 2 families that are open to tourism because of the limited number of tourists visiting the area. The overall lowland gorilla habituation would have been higher but poaching, civil war, and habitant encroachment led to the reduction of their population.

You can be part of the Eastern lowland gorilla habituation process in the park. This gives you an insight into the daily routine of these apes and a better understanding of their lives. Our 5 Days Lowland Gorilla habituation safari is ideal and most recommended.

Eastern Lowland Gorilla Trekking

Lowland gorilla trekking is the major primate adventure done in Kahuzi Biega National Park. It is very exclusive and remarkable as you journey with the world’s most rare apes. On this lowland gorilla trekking adventure, unlike the habituation process, you only stay for an hour in the presence of the gorillas.

The process starts with a briefing at the park headquarters by the head ranger guide. From here you are guided in the lowland and tropical rainforests following the Eastern Lowland gorillas. This hike takes 2 to 4 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas.

Eastern Lowland Gorilla Adventures in Kahuzi Biega National Park enable you to see other wildlife species in the park. These mainly include the birds that are endemic to the Albertine Rift Valley and the Central African Forests.

Other Gorilla Species

The other gorilla species include mountain gorillas and cross-river gorillas. Democratic Republic of Congo is blessed to have 2 gorilla species, mountain and Eastern lowland gorillas. Mountain Gorillas live in Virunga National Park which is also Africa’s oldest National Park.

Uganda and Rwanda are the only other countries with Mountain gorillas. You can visit Rwanda for gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park any time of the year. You can equally take on Uganda Adventure Safaris and Journeys featuring gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga Gorilla Parks.