Gorillas In Virunga National Park Tour

Visiting the Congolese gorillas in Virunga National Park

Visiting the gorillas is an incredible experience. The animals are truly enormous, but they are also good-natured and playful, living up to their reputation as "gentle giants."

You will have the opportunity to observe the gorillas for up to an hour. Gorillas may surround you while playing and eating in the trees, or the family may be at rest in an open grassy area. As you walk through the family you must keep a distance of at least seven meters. If a gorilla family consists of more than ten individuals, then we allow a group of six tourists to visit. We have five families that can be visited and have a maximum capacity of 26 tourists per day.

The treks leave from one of three patrol posts, with several rangers and trackers to accompany you. Bukima post, the most popular with tourists and closest to Goma, has a basic tented camp for overnight stays. Treks can take from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours to reach a gorilla family, often moving through dense forests and across steep hills, so a reasonable level of fitness is required. Weather conditions can range from sunny and warm to cold and rainy, so come prepared for both.

Because Mountain Gorillas share 98% of our DNA, they are highly susceptible to human disease. Any person can unknowingly transmit dangerous bacteria or a virus, including the common cold. For this reason, visitors represent a potential threat and are required to wear a surgical mask provided for you when you reach the gorilla family. If you don't feel well, have a fever, diarrhea, or a persistent sore throat; please do not visit the gorillas.

Explore More About Virunga National Park:

Virunga National Park is unique with its active chain of volcanoes and rich diversity of habitats that surpass those of any other African park. Its range contains an amalgamation of steppes, savannas and plains, marshlands, low altitude, and afro-montane forest belts to unique afro-alpine vegetation and permanent glaciers and snow on Monts Rwenzori whose peaks culminate at 5000 m height.

The property includes the spectacular massifs of Rwenzori and Virunga Mountains containing the two most active volcanoes in Africa. The wide diversity of habitats produces exceptional biodiversity, notably endemic species and rare and globally threatened species such as the mountain gorilla.

The Park is characterized by a mosaic of extraordinary habitats that extend over 790,000 ha. The property is clearly delineated by the 1954 Ordinance. The wealth is well protected despite the economic and demographic challenges to its periphery.

The Park contains two highly important ecological corridors it connects the different respective sectors: the Muaro corridor connects the Mikeno sector to the Nyamulagira sector; the west side connects the north sector to the center sector of the Virunga massif.

The best Time to Visit Virunga National Park is during the months of July through to September and by far the driest months of the year.