Gorilla Trekking From South Africa, Johannesburg, Cape Town

Gorilla Trekking From South Africa, Johannesburg, Cape Town. Do you wish to go gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda, or the Congo and will be starting or ending your trip in South Africa? Trekking gorillas in Africa, starting in South Africa, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that draws many tourists to the continent.

Watching gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, or the Congo is one of the best wildlife experiences every traveler would do on their safari, despite the high expenses, time, and discomfort from reserving to doing the journey through the forest to hunt for these endangered apes.

Gorilla trekking is a physically demanding activity that needs you to hike through the jungle, through rivers and marshes, and through thick vegetation in order to find the endangered mountain gorilla.

In Rwanda, Uganda, and the Congo, you may go on a gorilla hike and spend an hour observing these incredible animals in their natural habitat. Visit Bwindi Forest for a Gorilla Habituation experience, which allows you 4 hours encounter with the gorillas in their natural environment, if you’re a lone traveler who wants to spend more time with the gorillas in their natural home.

GORILLA Trekking Uganda 🦍

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda And Cost

There are only about 800 mountain gorillas left in the wild, and their only known habitats are in four national parks in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes, and Congo’s Virunga are just a few examples. The Lowland gorillas of Kahuzi Beiga National Park in Congo are another amazing sight to behold.

A gorilla permit is necessary for entry to any of the national parks that provide gorilla trekking. Given that services and permits sell out quickly, especially if you plan to do the trek during the peak season of June to September, it is always better to book at least 5 months in advance of traveling to ensure you get the dates and location you want for your gorilla adventure. Booking a Gorilla Trek in any of the aforementioned parks can be done alone or with the help of a reputable Tour Operator.

Permits to spend one hour in the company of mountain gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park cost $700 per foreigner per trek, $600 per resident, and $70 per citizen of East Africa (Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, and South Sudan).

Since Uganda is home to 17 habituated gorilla family groups (16 in Bwindi and 1 in Mgahinga), the country’s daily allotment of 136 Gorilla permits is sure to be quickly depleted.

A gorilla habituation permit costs $1500 per person and allows you to spend 4 hours encountering the semi-habituated mountain gorillas under the guidance of trackers and researchers, as opposed to the standard trekking time of 1 hour. This experience is only available in Bwindi forest, where gorilla trekking takes place. Gorilla permits in Uganda can be obtained either directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a reputable Ugandan tour company, such as Kabira Safaris.

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda & Cost

To spend one hour in the company of the mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park requires a permit that costs $1500 per foreign non-resident, $500 per foreign resident, and $200 for citizens of East Africa (Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, and South Sudan).

Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda offers gorilla trekking, and because the country has 12 gorilla families, only 96 permits are issued per day. Booking with the Rwanda Development Board or a reputable tour operator in Rwanda, such as Kabira Safaris, will get you a gorilla permit in Rwanda.

Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

Gorilla Trekking in Congo And Cost

Mountain Gorilla Trekking In Virunga National Park, Congo DRC

Virunga National Park is where you’ll go if you want to see Mountain Gorillas, while Kahuzi Beiga National Park is where you’ll see Lowland Gorillas. Permits to visit the mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park cost $400 per person, per trek, during the park’s peak season (mid-December to mid-March and mid-June to mid-October), and $200 during the park’s low season (mid-March to mid-May and mid-October to mid-December).

Kahuzi Beiga National Park charges $400 for non-African citizens, $200 for East African citizens, and $20 for citizens of the country of residence for a gorilla permit. Booking directly with Virunga National Park or with a reputable tour operator like Kabira Safaris are the two options for securing gorilla permits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In addition to the cost of the gorilla permit itself, you’ll need to account for lodging, transportation, food, and other incidentals while planning your trip to see the mountain gorillas.

Gorilla Trekking in Congo

What is the best time for Gorilla Trekking in Africa

The best time to go gorilla trekking in Africa is during the drier months of January, February, June, and early September, when the park is more accessible and the gorillas can be seen more clearly because the vegetation cover is not too high.