The great biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of Congo allows it to host great safari types for travelers from far and wide. Below are the most common safari types that you can undertake while for your Congo tours. Congo Gorilla safari tours and other primate safaris, Bird watching in Congo and Wildlife tours. Read below about these different safaris.
Congo Gorilla Safari Tours and Other Primate Safaris
Congo is a rich Gorilla trekking destination, particularly because the country holds two species of Gorillas which more so leave close to each other. Even though Bwindi in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda take an upper hand in Gorilla trekking safaris, Congo Gorilla safaris will allow you to see both the Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park and the Mountain Gorillas in Virunga National Park. Hence making Gorilla safaris the major tourist attraction in the country.
Travelers who are interested in the Western Lowland Gorilla trekking experience can visit West African countries like Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea to get more experiences on top of their Congo Gorilla safari. The Western Lowland Gorilla species are therefore spread in countries within the Congo basin for example in Odzala National Park.
Eastern or Western Lowland Gorilla trekking and Mountain Gorilla trekking at the same time in the Congo basin is a very rewarding experience for tourists, and will likewise leave you very uplifted. There are 8 habituated Mountain Gorilla families in Congo’s Virunga National Park and two are in the process of habituation for your Gorilla trekking safari.
The habituated Mountain Gorilla groups in Virunga National Park include: Kabirizi Family, Bageni Family, Mapuwa Family, Rugendo Family, Lulengo Family, Munyaga Family, Humba Family and Nyakamwe Family.
On the other hand, there are about 400 Eastern Lowland Gorillas in the Kahuzi-Biega NP and they live in about 9 groups. 5 of these groups are habituated for Lowland Gorilla trekking hence promoting a beautiful Congo Gorilla safari. They include the following: Mpungwe Family, Chimanuka Gorilla family, Mugahunka family, Nganwa Gorilla Family and Bonnani Family.
Additionally, visitors who would like to encounter other primates like the Bonobo that is endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo can trek them at the Lomako Yokokala Faunal Reserve.
Other primate tours to do along your Congo Gorilla Safaris include Chimpanzee trekking, Golden Monkey trekking, and watching Baboons, Black and White Colobus Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Central African Red Colobus, and Grey Cheeked Mangabey Monkeys
The Gorilla Encounter | Congo Gorilla Tracking Day, The Real Experience
With your Gorilla tracking permit, you will head to the park headquarters where park rangers will first brief you before going for the real trekking adventure. Once you meet a Mountain Gorilla group during your Gorilla trekking safari in the Democratic Republic of Congo, you will spend a magical one hour with them to explore and study their daily lives. For example, you will be enthralled by their feeding patterns and other human-related behaviors as you also enjoy taking their photos or videos to create memories.
Many travelers are so moved by this special moment that they spend with the Mountain Gorillas or Eastern Lowland Gorillas in the wild and the experience alone is an ecstatic encounter. Your Gorilla tracking day will therefore leave you with the real experience of what an amazing Congo Gorilla safari feels like while or after your Gorilla trekking experience.
Note that certain rules and regulations apply when you are going Gorilla trekking or when you finally meet these primates. For example, you will have to keep a 7-meter distance from them, avoid taking flash photographs, and also avoid eating near them.
Mountain Gorilla Tracking And The Climatic Conditions Of Congo
Being covered by the Congo basin and its location near the equator, the Democratic Republic of Congo has a humid tropical or equatorial climate. The country hence has both rainy and dry seasons. The dry season runs from around December to March and June to September while the rainy season runs from April to May and October to November.
However, the climate is generally good, especially at Virunga National Park for Gorilla trekking tours. The mean temperatures vary between 23-28 degrees Celsius in the lowland areas of the park while it is between 16-24 degrees Celsius in the high altitudes. The best season for your Gorilla tracking safaris in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Virunga National Park, and Kahuzi Biega National Park is therefore the dry season. This is when the tracks for Gorilla trekking are dry and easy to pass through.
Cost of Congo Gorilla Permits
For those inquiring “How much is the Virunga Gorilla trek?”, the cost of a Gorilla tracking permit for your Congo Gorilla safaris in Virunga National Park and Kahuzi Biega National Park is categorized depending on the visitor. That is, whether they are foreign nonresidents, foreign residents, and citizens from East African nations as seen here. Foreign citizens (USD) 400, and East African Citizen (USD) 200.
The cost of a Gorilla trek in Virunga National Park and Kahuzi Biega National Park is less than the half price of Gorilla trek costs in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and likewise cheaper than tracking Gorillas in Uganda.
Most Popular Gorilla Tours in Congo & Beyond
Below are the most popular Gorilla safari packages for Congo tours;
- 3 Days Mountain Gorilla Trekking Congo Safari.
- 3 Days Lowland Gorilla Congo Safaris.
- 5 Days Congo Lowland Gorilla Safari & Nyungwe Forest National Park Chimpanzee trekking.
- 5 Days Congo Gorilla Safari and Mount Nyiragongo hike.
- 10 Days Primate Safari in Uganda, Rwanda(Volcanoes National Park), Congo Gorilla safaris.
- 12 Days Uganda Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park), Congo Gorilla safari, Chimpanzee trekking & Wildlife Safari.
Congo Gorilla Trekking Guide | Gorilla Trekking Regulations In Virunga National Park
Before or while on your Mountain or Lowland Gorilla trekking tours, take note of the important Gorilla tracking rules and regulations that your ranger guide will explain to you at the park headquarters before your trekking adventure on your Gorilla tours. These guidelines for your Gorilla tours include the following;
- Make sure that you are not ill with any cough or flu when going for the Gorilla trekking experience or your Gorilla tours. This is because primates can easily catch airborne sicknesses because of their high DNA compatibility. Therefore when with Mountain Gorillas and you feel like sneezing or coughing, do it under your elbows, away from them.
- Also, when going for a Gorilla trek, make sure that you wear dull colors, especially for women as bright colors tend to attract the Gorillas especially the males on your Gorilla tours.
- In case you want to ease yourself while tracking Gorillas, make sure that the waste is buried at least 30cm deep.
- Lowland Gorilla trekking or Mountain trekking of Gorillas is only for those who are 15 years and above.
- Do not use flash photography when with either the Mountain Gorillas or the Lowland species of Gorillas as this will get their attention causing them to either take your camera or attack you if they feel like the flash is a threat.
- If a Gorilla takes any of your belongings during your Gorilla tours, allow it to have it as it will soon find no use for it and drop it. You will then be able to get your property back.
- Do not eat near the Mountain Gorillas during your Gorilla tours as they will seek to have some of your eats.
- Only a maximum of 8 members per group are allowed to do a Gorilla trekking experience for one family on Gorilla tours.
Top Mountain Gorilla Trekking Tour Companies in Congo For Your Congo Gorilla Safari Companies
Below are the top Gorilla trekking tour operators and companies for your Congo Gorilla safari or Gorilla tours in East and Central African destinations.
Bird Watching In The Democratic Republic Of Congo
Bird watching in DR Congo is another amazing adventure to experience on top of Gorilla tracking while on your Congo safaris. Congo arguably has the highest bird checklist than any other country in Africa and with special endemics to the Albertine Rift and the Congo basin. Out of about 1,185 bird species in DRC, 21 of them are endemic, 32 are globally threatened and 3 birds are rare. You can especially see these birds on nature walks while in the different birding destinations.
Examples of birds endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo include; Congo Peacock, Schouteden’s Swift, Congo Bay-Owl, Bedford’s Paradise Flycatcher, Prigogine’s Greenbul, Lake Lufira Weaver, Rockefeller’s Sunbird, Chapin’s Babbler, Grauer’s Cuckooshrike, and the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike. Other common birds to see during your Congo safaris include the White-Faced Whistling-Duck, Helmeted Guineafowl, Flamingos, Great Blue Turaco, and the Africa Jacana.
Wildlife Tours
The wild animals of Congo are likewise an interesting expedition in safari parks like Garamba National Park, Upemba National Park, and Maiko National Park. What wildlife is in the Republic of the Congo?; Apart from the gentle giants that you will see on your Gorilla safari, you will also be able to enjoy views of unique wildlife species like Buffaloes, Forest Elephants, Lions, Giant Forest Hog, Congolese Giraffes, Hippos, Spotted Hyenas, and various Antelopes.
Where To Visit Wildlife In The Democratic Republic of Congo
There are various places in the Congo that you can visit during your Congo safari. However, the major destinations and places to visit are the national parks which include the following: Virunga National Park is the major destination for Congo Gorilla safaris, Kahuzi Biega National Park, Odzala National Park, Salonga NP, Mangroves NP, Garamba NP, Lomami NP, Upemba NP, Kundelungu NP and Maiko NP.
Let us look at some of these destinations and what to expect from them;
Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is the oldest national park in Africa created in 1925. It was formerly called Albert National Park but to commemorate Congo’s independence from the colonialists, it was renamed Virunga National Park which is the major destination for Congo Gorilla safaris. It was formerly called Albert National Park as it was founded in 1925 by King Albert I of Belgium.
This park stands between Lake Albert and Lake Kivu and is famous for its biodiversity and protection of endangered Mountain Gorillas that facilitate the amazing Gorilla tours in the country. It is among the only four places in the whole world where you can go for Mountain Gorilla trekking. The other three destinations for Gorilla trekking are Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Its rich biodiversity acclaimed it a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 as it protects about half of the Sub-Saharan treasures of Africa. Among this rich biodiversity, there are 2 active volcanic mountains in this park which are Mount Nyiragongo (an active volcano with the fastest-flowing lava in the world) and Mount Nyamuragira. Mount Nyiragongo is the most famous active Volcano in Congo.
The endangered Mountain Gorillas and the Golden Monkeys are among the over 300 species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift Valley found in this park, thus a rich destination for Congo Gorilla safaris. Other animals in the park are the Chimpanzees, Dent’s Mona Monkey, and other monkey species. Other major attractions in Virunga National Park include the various bird species, the active volcanic mountains, and various butterfly and moth species.
The amazing surrounding areas like Lake Kivu, Albert, George, River Nile, Congo, and Semuliki are other beautiful major attractions around the park and you can well explore them during your tour.
Why Visit Virunga National Park- Mountain Gorilla Tracking on Congo Safari Vacation Trips
Even though Uganda’s Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda are the most famous for Mountain Gorilla tracking, Virunga National Park will allow you to link with the Kahuzi Biega National Park where you can also trek the Eastern lowland Gorillas. Consequently, you will be able to see both subspecies of the Eastern Gorillas.
Additionally, Mountain Gorilla tracking in Virunga National Park is the cheapest of all the four destinations. Hence it will give you the chance of viewing these gentle giants quite cheaply as you also enjoy the scenic nature walks during the tours.
Accessibility of Virunga National Park In Congo, Getting There
Virunga National Park is in Eastern Congo and you can access it from any part of the world by road or by air.
By air, travelers will fly into Goma National Park and then connect by road to the Virunga National Park.
When traveling by road, it is easier to connect from Goma town and those coming from other countries will need their travel documents presented to the immigration personnel at the border post.
Kahuzi Biega National Park
One of the largest national parks in DR Congo protects the last remaining Lowland Gorillas of the world for your amazing Gorilla trek in Eastern Congo. This park on the Western bank of Lake Kivu is hence a worthwhile destination to visit during your Congo safaris and enjoy other activities like nature walks. The park was designated a UNESCO site in 1997 because of its wide biodiversity including about 349 mammal species, 136 species of birds, and more than 1, 178 plant species.
Salonga National Park
Salonga NP which is another of Congo’s most treasured UNESCO World Heritage Sites harbors the largest tropical rainforest reserve in Africa. In this park, you will meet Bonobos, Leopards, Bongo Antelopes, Dryas Monkeys, and Black-rested Mangabeys among others. You can also participate in other activities like nature walks, and viewing wildlife, hence one of the places that you visit while on your Congo safari.
Mangroves National Park
This is the only marine park in DR Congo and it is also a Ramsar site protecting an extensive level of mangrove forests. The park mostly protects aquatic and unique wildlife species such as the Manatee, Snakes, Crocodiles, Hippos, and the Southern reedbuck. You can likewise take nature walks especially as you go on a birding safari within the park.
Garamba National Park
Garamba NP has also designated a UNESCO heritage site in 1980 for its protection of rare species like the Northern White Rhinoceroses, Hippos, Giraffes, Giant Forest Hog, and African Forest Elephants. With the other biodiversity to find in this destination, it is one of the places that you ought to visit when for a Congo safari.
What To Pack For Your Congo Safaris
On your Congo safaris, remember to pack the following necessities to make your Gorilla tours and other experiences more enjoyable and memorable.
- A sunscreen lotion
- Insect repellant
- A waterproof back bag
- A camera
- Pair of binoculars
- A guidebook
How to Dress For Your Gorilla Safaris in Congo in The Democratic Republic of Congo – What to Wear
When choosing what to dress for your Gorilla tours, it is important to go for comfort so that you have an easier experience on your Congo safari. Some of the clothes you can consider for your Congo adventure are;
- Long-sleeved shirts and trousers; will protect you from the conditions of the environment like the weather or insect bites.
- Strong sturdy shoes or trekking boots; will make your movement much easier and simple during your Gorilla safari experience.
- A hat or cape; will protect you from the heat of the sun in case it is too much.
- Sunglasses; will likewise protect your eyes from direct in case it is much sunlight hence giving your clearer views of wildlife species.
Safari Lodges In The Democratic Republic Of Congo
Some of the lodges to stay in during your different Congo safaris are; Mikeno Lodge, Lulimbi Tented Camp, Tchegera Island Tented Camp and Nyiragongo, and Hotel Royal.