Safest Places to See gorillas in Africa – Gorilla Trekking Uganda Vs Rwanda Vs Dr Congo

Looking for the safest places to visit the gorillas in Africa, get the ultimate experience in Wilderness of Africa after Rwenzori trekking in Uganda or Congo with the most trusted tour operator that has been offering Gorilla Trekking & Rwenzori tours for over a decade within the region.

If your planning a safest Gorilla trekking , then its recommended that you select to see the gorillas within the East African countries of Uganda, Rwanda and democratic republic of Congo for the ultimate Africa Safari experience.

When in need of the best place to go Gorilla trekking, Africa is the solution and the best region is the East Africa that hosts the mountain Gorillas and Eastern Lowland Gorillas that are found within the dense rain forests and montane vegetation  yet for the eastern lowland gorillas are found in the bamboo canopies that are good breeding places for mountain gorillas, lowland gorillas.

These types of gorillas are found in different countries in Africa like Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo. Any of the above-mentioned countries will give you a rewarding expedition in gorilla trekking. The mountain gorillas are only found in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo and they are the safest places for gorilla watching.

Mountain gorillas are characterized by having long hair on their bodies, short limbs, muscular arms,  large chest, and broad hands and feet. They are usually gentle and can be approached by humans with the restriction to gorilla trekking being 15 years of age for this timely experience in the rain forests of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo where they are habituated and open for trekking.

Gorilla Trekking

If your planning your gorilla trekking in Africa, we do recommend that you consider the following places as the safest destinations for gorilla trekking tours and they can be booked with Active African Vacations.

Uganda the pearl of Africa

• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park  hosts the mountain Gorillas  with over 18 gorilla families located in 4 sectors of the forest
• Mgahinga National Park hosts the mountains gorillas  has one gorilla family and 8 visitors are allowed per day. and has also Golden Monkey

Rwanda ( land of thousand Hills )

• Volcanoes  National Park hosts the mountain Gorillas with over 14 gorilla families with one headquarter.  Addons to see include the Golden Monkeys

Democratic Republic of Congo

• Virunga National Park hosts the mountain Gorillas with over 13 Gorilla families that are open for trekking with different headquarters , with chimpanzees and golden monkey  tracking
• Kahuzi Biega National Park hosts the Eastern lowland gorillas with over 6 gorilla families that are open for trekking with one headquarter, it has the chimpanzees and golden monkey tracking options

Rwenzori Mountaineering & Gorilla Trekking Tours 2024/25

If your plan is to see mountain Gorillas in Africa and see the great apes after Rwenzori trekking , then check on the suggested Rwenzori & Gorilla trekking tours offered by Active African Vacations the destination experts in Climbing tours to Rwenzoris.  Contact our safari experts to start planning your next trip.

Uganda Gorilla Trekking

The pearl of Africa is a popular destination for Primate Trekking-  Uganda has two destinations where gorilla trekking can take place and all these parks are managed by Uganda Wildlife authority. Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Mgahinga National Park are open for Uganda Gorilla trekking experiences.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in  Southwestern Uganda and has one of the densest natural rainforests in the world and protects over half the remaining mountain gorilla population in the whole world. it is divided into four sectors that is Nkuringo, Rushaga, Ruhija, and Buhoma. It is therefore important to know that whichever sector you choose for your gorilla tracking adventure is worth the cost of the trek.  Bwindi has over 21 habituated gorilla families that can be visited in a day by 8 people allocated to each family.

Gorilla habituation Safaris are only possible in  Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and a visitor is allowed to spend 4 good hours in the presence of the amazing apes.

Mgahinga National Park which is a volcano in the Virunga Massif at the border of Uganda Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This park has the least number of mountain gorillas as it has only one habituated gorilla family(Nyakagezi) with 10 individuals.

Beyond gorilla trekking, Mgahinga National Park offers a mixed bag of activities like golden monkey tracking, volcano hiking, and bird watching all done through the great volcanoes of Sabinyo and Mgahinga and are a wonderful opportunity for adventure.

The cost of a gorilla tracking permit in Uganda national parks costs$800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, and 300,000 for East African citizens. And the gorilla habituation permit goes for $ 1500.

Rwanda Gorilla Trekking

Rwanda is remarkably known for being a home for mountain gorillas that reside in Volcanoes National Park which is the closest national park that offers Gorilla trekking even on day tours. Rwanda Gorilla Trek offers the best Day tours to see the Gorillas in Rwanda for ultimate Primate Experiences, get the best adventure to Rwanda with Active African Vacations.

Volcanoes National Park protects the magnificent mountain slopes and ranges from which Rwanda attains the name ‘the land of Thousand Hills’ and has over 10habituated  families and a total of 340 mountain gorillas.

A Rwanda gorilla permit in Rwanda costs $1500 per person.  The Gorilla trekking Permit in Rwanda is more expensive than the cost to Uganda and DR Congo where the permits are cheaper like Uganda is 800$ and 400$ in Congo.

Congo Gorilla Trekking

Democratic republic of Congo hosts both the Mountain Gorillas and Eastern lowland gorillas and its the best place for gorilla trekking in East Africa as it grants you the best chances to compare the primates on unique Safari tour.

Due to the long-time civil war in this country, it has not been Safe for gorilla safaris but currently, there is some stability, and gorilla trekking can be carried out. In the Democratic Republic of  Congo, gorillas can be accessed in Virunga National Park,  Kahuzi Biega National Park. If your looking for combined Rwenzori and gorilla trekking tours, check with Active African vacations for the best.

The best time to visit Kahuzi Biega National Park for gorilla trekking is the dry season between  June – September and December – February. However, you can visit the park for other interesting activities like bird watching to enjoy the migratory birds in the Albertine Rift which are common in the wet season.

Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville)

This is a country that lies between DRC, Cameroon, Gabon, and the Central African Republic. It is a peaceful place that is favourable for a gorilla safari.  The best place to find gorillas in Congo Brazzaville is Odzala Kondoua National Park.  The park is a habitat for the Western lowland gorillas with 3 habitual gorilla groups.

The weather in this park is hot and muggy thus rendering the park staying unexploited for a long period. June is the dry month in this country and is best for gorilla trekking.

The park can be accessed from Maya-Maya airport in Brazzaville to northwest of the Republic of Congo.  A trekking permit costs $355 and gives an hour of interaction with the gorillas and park entrance charges.

The western lowland gorillas are small, brown, grey coated, and have a reddish chest.  They can also be found in Nouabale- Ndoki National Park which has over 4 habitual groups.

Accommodations near this park include MbokoCamp, Odzala Discovery  Camp, Ngaga, and Lango Camp.

Central African Republic.

It is an incredible home for the world’s most significant number of lowland gorillas and wild elephants. They are mostly found in the  Dzanga Sangha reserve that lies in the tropical Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville.

This reserve is monitored by the World Wildlife Fund  (WWF) and has over 3 habituated gorilla families and the only habituated group of agile mangabeys. The low-land gorillas in the Central African Republic are very cognitive primates in that they make tools out of any material and measure the depth of the river before crossing it to go looking for food.

The best time to visit the Dzanga Sanga reserve is the time between March and December.

The reserve is easily accessed from Bangui International Airport.

The accommodations available close to the reserve include Sanga Lodge and Doli Lodge.

Cameroon.

Cameroon is the best option if you choose to have a gorilla safari in West Africa. It is famously known for its cross-river gorillas.

While in Cameroon, visit the Mefou Primate Sanctuary as this is the best option for rescued orphaned gorillas. They are also a group of cross-river gorillas and are sub-species of the western lowland gorillas and they are 4 habitual groups comprising of 25 individuals inside the country.

The best times to visit the Mefou Primate Sanctuary are the months of  January to February and June to September.

You can access this park using a flight to Douala airport.

A gorilla permit in Cameroon is at $1000.

Accommodations around Mefou National Park include Djembe Camp and Kombo Camp.

Nigeria

Nigeria is a country with a unique experience in with cross-river gorillas.  They are called so because they reside in the mountainous regions at the border of  Nigeria and Cameroon. They are different from mountain gorillas in a way that they are aggressive and not friendly to humans. They are scattered across the country.

The cross-river gorillas are common in the  Mbe Mountains, Afi Mountains, and Cross River National Park.

The number of cross-river gorillas is comparatively low to other types of gorillas and can best be seen in January, February, June, and September.

The cross-river gorillas can be seen in the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Mbe Mountains, and the Okwango division of Cross River National Park using  Jos airport.

A trekking permit is at $400 per person. Some of the available accommodations near the park include Obudu Mountain Resort, Jorany Hotel Resort Ikom, Hotel Denesy, and Gardens.

Gabon

The best wild safaris to Gabon are basically concentrated on the western lowland gorillas that are mostly found in the Loango National Park.

Loango National Park has mass biodiversity that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean. Though gorilla tracking has not yet been fully established, the park is a habitat to chimpanzees, forest elephants, and a combination of sea life creatures.

The best time to visit Loango National Park is May – September. And can be easily accessed through Libreville International Airport.

The gorilla tracking permit in Gabon costs $1500 and has so far one fully habitual group.

The accommodations close to this national park include Loango Lodge and Gavilo Lodge.

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea is another African Country where you can spot lowland gorillas.  They are common in Monte Alen National Park.

Though gorilla tracking in this country has not yet been established fully by the government, you can go trekking with the help of the locals.

The best time for a gorilla safari to Monte Alen National Park is the dry season between  December and February. The park can be accessed using Malabo International Airport.

Despite having a small surface area, the park is habitat to over 2000 gorillas and many other wildlife species.

Accommodations close to this park include Hotel Monte Alen, hotel Llatchi, and Colinas Hotel.

Angola

This is another interesting place where we find western lowland gorillas in the Northern part of the country. The lowland gorillas in this country are mainly found in the Cabinda enclave near the river Congo.

Gorilla trekking in Angola is not yet fully developed and chances of seeing gorillas are low but the best time for a gorilla safari is June to October.

The Cabinda enclave can be accessed using Cabinda airport which is  5 km away and the accommodations close include the Executive Paraiso Hotel and Spit Hotel.

 

All in all, when it comes to preparing and engaging in a gorilla safari to Africa expect to go hiking through thick rainforests and other dense vegetation because they are the common habitats for mountain and lowland gorillas.

You also need to be aware of the best time for visiting a specific Park or reserve, with the necessary gear, and most importantly of all, secure a gorilla tracking permit early enough before the trekking date.

Keep in mind that whichever country you visit for a gorilla expedition, will give you a memorable life experience that is worth its cost.