Gorilla Tours in Africa are the highlight of most travelers on African safaris visiting Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. An encounter with the endangered gorillas, looking direct into their red round eyes is a dream come true for many and a lifetime experience you should not miss! Gorilla Tours in Africa take place in three designated national parks which are Bwindi Impenetrable Forest/Mgahinga Gorilla National parks in Uganda, Volcanoes National park in Rwanda and Virunga National park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Superfine Safaris Limited helps you customize best gorilla tours in Africa at pocket friendly prices without compromising the quality of the experience
Once you get to the park headquarters, you are handed over into the hands of the rangers from the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. After a briefing, in your group of eight travelers, you will be led into the jungle by armed rangers. The hiking is very physically demanding on difficult terrain and at quite a fast pace since the rangers are usually keen to find the gorillas as early as possible so that the group can return to the gate before the evening. Gorilla trekking time is not certain but ranges from between 2 to over 6 hours. It may be less or more than this depending on the location of the gorillas and the speed of the slowest person in your group. Ranger guides move at a speed of the slowest person.
After reaching the gorillas, you are given one hour to observe them and enjoy their company. And yes, the experience is as good as everyone says! Mountain gorilla habitats are quite dense and some of the gorillas, particularly the younger ones, can be hard to see clearly if they don’t feel like coming out into the clearing. The rangers do their best to get a good view for everyone.
Gorilla Tours Uganda
Book and enjoy our tailored Uganda gorilla tours to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park. Located in south western Uganda, Bwindi Forest is a prime gorilla tours destination sheltering half of the world’s total gorilla population. There are over 500 mountain gorillas in Uganda scattered in the four regions of Bwindi Forest. The gorilla regions in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest are Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the East, Rushaga and Nkuringo in the south. The other gorilla tours in Uganda take place in Mgahinga Gorilla National park to see the one and only Nyakagyezi Gorilla Family. Trekking in each sector of Bwindi Forest offer you chance to meet a different gorilla family of different characters. The list of gorilla families in Uganda include:
- Nyakagyezi Family
- Mubare Group
- Habinyanja Group
- Rushegura Group
- Kyaguliro Group
- Christmas Family
- Mishaya Family
- Oruzogo group
- Nshongi Family
- Bitukura Family
- Kutu Family
- Kahungye Family
- Katwe Family
- Busingye Family
- Rwigi Family
Uganda gorilla tour packages
Our Uganda gorilla tour packages include 3 Day Gorilla trekking Uganda , 5 Days Uganda gorilla and chimpanzee safari, 1 Day Gorilla trekking Uganda starting and ending from Kigali Rwanda. Contact superfine safaris for the best gorilla trekking tours in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorilla Tours Rwanda
Go gorilla tours Rwanda to Volcanoes National park, home to the highest number of gorillas in the Virunga Conservation Area. Situated in north western Rwanda, Volcanoes National park is naturally blessed with spectacular setting, amazing wildlife and greenery! The cost of Rwanda gorilla tours is $1500 for a permit. The cost may be more if you add transport, accommodation, driver allowance, and porters among others. Rwanda offers the best luxury gorilla tours compared to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The list of habituated mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National park Rwanda include:
- Karisimbi Family
- Amahoro Family
- Agashya Family
- Umubano Family
- Kwitonda Family
- Susa A Family
- Ugenda Family
- Hirwa Family
- Pablo Family
- Titus Family
Each Rwanda gorilla family is visited by a group of eight travelers each day for a maximum of an hour. Gorilla tours Rwanda also offer you chances of encountering other wild animals which live in Volcanoes Park. These include golden monkeys, colobus monkeys, baboons, Forest Elephants, and various bird species. Some of the top Rwanda gorilla tour packages include 3 days Rwanda gorilla trekking, 1 Day gorilla trekking Rwanda and 5 days Rwanda primates’ safari that include both gorillas and chimpanzees
Congo Gorilla Tours
Congo Gorilla Tours entail trekking mountain and lowland gorillas. YES, the country is home to two different gorilla species which give you opportunity to meet the on the same trip. The 5 days Congo gorilla safari entail double trekking to see mountain gorillas in Virunga National park and Eastern Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National park. Fortunately the cost of gorilla trekking in Congo is still low at $450 compared to $800 in Uganda and $1500 in Rwanda. Congo gorilla tours are therefore the best for budget travelers
Tips for Gorilla Tours in Africa
- Get as fit as you can before the trip, but don’t feel that you must be a super athlete. You will be assigned to a gorilla family group based on their location and your age/fitness level. Some treks are easy or moderate. Just know that some treks turn out, as mind did, to be more difficult than originally estimated.
- Notify your driver/guide of any health or fitness issues the night before your trek. He/she may have some influence about which level of difficulty you are assigned to.
- Hire a porter. You need a porter to assist you carry the camera equipment, rain jacket, water, etc. Porters also help to support by grabbing your hands in case of slippery grounds.
- Speaking of water, take more than you think you will need, in case your trek is longer than expected (and if you hire a porter, you don’t even have to carry it).
- Snacks and packets of electrolyte powder mix will be helpful to re-fuel during your trek
- Bathroom breaks – The guide explained that at any point, you could ask to pause for a bathroom break. Ladies can go behind these bushes, and men can go behind those bushes. Also, they explained that if you needed to go for long call, the porters/guides would dig a shallow hole in the ground for your use.
- Ladies – If you go to an online retail store and type in “female urinal” you will find an array of products that allow women to pee standing up and while fully clothed (wow, such power!). They are specially designed funnel-like items, inexpensive, small/discrete, plus no toilet paper is needed – genius! I know it seems odd; just practice in your own bathroom or shower a time or two, but they really work!
- Also, practice with your camera, and recognize that you may or may not need a long zoom. A wide focus area may cause your camera to focus on the vegetation in the foreground, and your gorillas will be blurry. Before you leave, practice photographing your dog, the neighbor’s cat, etc. With only one hour with the gorillas, you will be glad if you’ve already figure out the best position to use for photography on your gorilla tour safari
About Gorilla Trekking Certificates
OHH YES, travelers are rewarded with mountain gorilla trekking certificates after successful gorilla trekking. This is an evidence that someone trekked the gorillas! Travelers go worth the gorilla certificate and they can always refer to it for remembrance.
Packing list for Gorilla Tours in Africa
Walking boots are a must, binoculars were extremely useful and of course a camera to capture all the wildlife. You are also reminded to carry inspect repellents, sunglass, warm sweaters, gardening hand gloves, energy giving snacks and bottled drinking water. A first aid kit and toiletries are also recommended on your Gorilla trekking tour in Africa.
