Virunga National Park, Congo (DRC)

Virunga Volcanoes is one of the few tropical rainforests in Africa protecting the rare and endangered mountain gorillas. Gorilla Tours to Congo take you to the Virunga National park. Virunga National Park is part of the 434 sq km that make up the the Virunga Gorilla Conservation Area that involves Uganda, Rwanda. Virunga National Park is a vital resource for the people of Congo. This gorilla park in Congo stretches along the borders of Rwanda and Uganda.

Virunga National Park covers an area of 790,000 ha. The park consists of an outstanding diversity of habitats, ranging from swamps and steppes to the snowfields of Rwenzori at an altitude of over 5,000 m, and from lava plains to the savannahs on the slopes of volcanoes. Other tourist attractions in the park include 1,000 hippopotamuses which inhabit in the rivers and birds from Siberia spend the winter there.

The primates live in family groups that are very protective of their home ranges deep in the forests. Each group normally has of a dominant male called the silver back gorilla with several females and their young as well as some non-adult males. To watch them in their natural habitat is certainly one of the most inspiring experiences that you can take while on your tour within Africa.

Gorilla Tracking Groups in Virunga National Park

Gorilla Tracking in Congo occurs in different gorilla groups that have been habitauted in the Virunga National Park. Below is the different mountain gorilla tracking groups and the number of gorilla trackers allowed per day.

Jomba:
– KWITONDA group : 8 visitors
– MAPUA group : 8 visitors

Bikenge:
– RUGENDO group : 6 visitors

Bukima:
– KABIRIZIgroup : 8 visitors
– MUNYAGA group : 6 visitors
– HUMBA group : 8 visitors

Gorilla Tracking Guide Lines
Please observe the gorilla tracking guidelines outlined within the gorilla tours guide on gorilla tracking tours within Congo. Gorilla trekking is a tremendous activity and one should be physically fit to enjoy this trip within the tropical rainforest of Africa. The minimum gorilla trekking age is fifteen years in Congo. Anyone with signs and symptoms of communicable disease will not be allowed to trek through the gorilla park.

Possessing of a gorilla permit is a guarantee of trekking and sighting the gorillas however, the quality of the gorilla trekking may not be guaranteed totally. Maximum time allowed with the gorillas will not go beyond one hour. We strongly recommend a client to bring sturdy hiking boots, leather gardening type gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent and any necessary medications rain poncho, knapsack, long-sleeved shirt and trousers for Gorilla Tracking.