Eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Congo
Eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Congo; Eastern lowland gorilla trekking is an exceptional activity in Congo that is done in Kahuzi biega national park and it involves tourists moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the lowland gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Kahuzi biega national park is one of the biggest national parks located in Eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo close to Bukavu town on the western bank of Lake Kivu. the national park was named after the two volcanic mountains that is mount biega which is 2,790 meters above the sea level and mount kahuzi which is 3,308 meters above the sea level. Kahuzi biega national park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 due to its unique biodiversity as it’s a home of 137 mammal species including the Eastern lowland gorillas and over 350 bird species.
Eastern lowland gorilla trekking experience
Kahuzi biega national park is a home of 9 gorilla families and only 5 are habituated for trekking namely Mpungwe gorilla family, Mugahuka gorilla family, Chimanuka gorilla family, Bonnani gorilla family and Nganwa gorilla family. Eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi biega national park starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest in search of the gorillas which takes about 2 hours to 5 hours depending on where they are located. During trekking, you will be able to view other primate species, bird species among others and once the gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural environment where you will be able learn more about their habits, behaviours, watch them feed, breastfeed, take photos and record videos to show people back home.
Cost of eastern lowland gorilla trekking permits in Congo
Lowland gorilla trekking permit in Kahuzi biega national park costs 400 USD per person for foreign non residents and foreign residents.
How to book eastern lowland gorilla trekking permits in Congo
Eastern lowland gorilla trekking permits in Kahuzi biega national park can either be booked directly through the park authorities where you will contact the park offices via email or telephone calls. Eastern lowland gorilla trekking permits in Kahuzi biega national park can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us with the date, month and year when you wish to visit the lowland gorillas. After contacting us, we will check for permit availability and if there are permits available you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once we receive the payment, we will purchase the permits on your behalf.
Best time to go for eastern lowland gorilla trekking safari
Eastern lowland gorilla trekking can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June to September and December to February because during this period there is less rainfall in the park therefore gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes gorilla trekking easy.
How to get to Kahuzi biega national park
Kahuzi biega national park is located in eastern part of Congo and can be accessed by road transport means where you will fly to Kigali international airport and then drive to Kahuzi biega national park via Nyungwe forest national park and rusizi border which takes about 7 hours’ drive.
What to pack for eastern lowland gorilla trekking safari?
When going for lowland gorilla trekking safari in Congo, there are a number of essential items that travellers should pack including garden gloves, hiking shoes, insect repellent, long sleeved shirt and trouser, camera and extra batteries, waterproof rain jacket, warm sweater, walking stick, energy snacks and drinking water, back pack among others.
Where to stay in during your gorilla trekking safari Kahuzi biega national park
There are few accommodation facilities in kahuzi biega national park where you can stay during your safari. The accommodations range from budget, midrange and luxury including Coco Lodge Bukavu, Exodus Hotel Bukavu, Hotel Begonias Bukavu, Lake Side Hotel Bukavu, L’Orchids Safari Club, Panorama Hotel, Hotel Elizabeth among others.
Eastern lowland gorilla trekking is an adventurous activity in Kahuzi biega national park that can be combined with wildlife viewing in Kidepo valley national park. For more information, you can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website to book an affordable gorilla trekking package.
