Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse national park and is one of the most incredible places to visit in the world. Most people probably stopped reading by now, because you know, the Congo is supposedly one the most dangerous countries in the world. Why would anyone in their right mind even consider going there?
I have one word for you: GORILLAS! Gorilla trekking in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is quite possibly the best thing that you’ll ever do.
I had been dreaming of gorilla trekking in the DRC for years. While Rwanda and Uganda are the traditional heavyweights for gorilla trekking, I was drawn to the raw, off-the-beaten-path allure of the DRC for my first encounter.
My fascination with the Congo started years ago, in high school. As teenagers, we thought it was cool to go down to the only bookshop in town, the CNA, and page through magazines for hours and then leave without ever buying them. While my friends always went straight for the Sports Illustrated, Seventeen or Fastbikes, I would hightail for the National Geographics.
And there in the local CNA, I laid eyes on Virunga (in what was then Zaire) for the first time and so began my long-lasting fascination with the country. I remember glossy double-page spreads of gorillas and the lava lake of the Nyiragongo volcano. However, it was the story of the immense struggle to protect this last paradise in Africa that filled me with intrigue and awe.
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Crossing from Rwanda to the DRC
Fast forward 20 years or so and I’m nervously excited as I’m about to walk across the Grande Barrier border post between Rwanda and the Congo. I put on my don’t-mess-with-me-face as I hand my passport and yellow fever card to the immigration officer.
I’m expecting a bribe will have to be paid to make my entry into the DRC smoother. I fix my eyes on his lips, waiting for the word cadeau (gift) to come out.
But no.
Instead, he stamps my passport with a smile and waves me through with a Bienvenue en République démocratique du Congo. How peculiar for a country with Democratic in its name, I tell myself as I walk into the DRC.
You’ll feel the difference between Gisenyi in Rwanda and Goma in the DRC instantly. Goma and Gisenyi both sit on the shores of Lake Kivu. They are basically one city separated by an imaginary line that divides them into two different countries.
Gisenyi is English, cool, laid-back and very walkable. Imagine an African version of Lake Como. Goma is French, definitely edgy, and somewhat of a dustbowl. The city looks like a major earthquake struck or a volcano erupted just last week.
The only vehicles you see on the streets are big and white SUVs with NGO or UN stickers on the doors. The rest of the traffic is on motorbikes, on foot or pushing the unique Congolese chukudus.
How to Get from Kigali to Goma
Goma does have an international airport. However, it’s more convenient and reliable to fly into Kigali in neighbouring Rwanda, and then crossing into the DRC from there. To get from Kigali to Goma, your first step will be getting to the town of Gisenyi on the Rwanda-DRC border.
Minibuses from Kigali to Gisenyi leave from the Nyabugogo Bus Park throughout the day. Several companies are plying the route. Minibuses leave once they are full, so look for one that’s not too empty.
I took the Virunga Express between Kigali and Gisenyi, which cost about Rfr 3 000 and took about 3 hours.
Gisenyi is also a good place to spend the night before crossing into the DRC. Overall, the accommodation in Gisenyi offers much better value for money compared to Goma.
If you’re looking for a luxury stay on the shores of Lake Kivu, head straight to Lake Kivu Serena Hotel. Not looking for the lap of luxury? Then I suggest you do as I did, and go straight to the Presbyterian Church Guesthouse (AKA Bethany Investments).
The Presbyterian Church Guesthouse offers simple, clean single/doubles with hot water showers in a lovely garden for Rfr 8 000/10 000. The next morning, grab a Rolex (wrap) and coffee for breakfast and then jump on a boda-boda (motorbike taxi)to the border.
There are two border crossings into Goma. However, if you arranged your visa with Virunga National Park, you are only allowed to enter at Grande Barrier. Make sure that you are going to the right one.
Arrange with Virunga National Park before arrival so that they can send someone to collect you at the border. After collecting your gorilla and Nyiragongo trekking permits from the park’s office in town, make your way to your hotel in Goma.
Where to Stay in Goma Before Your Gorilla Trek
Virunga National Park has some AMAZING accommodation options inside the park. Visitors can choose between a tented camp, a luxury lodge or even staying on an island in Lake Kivu. Unfortunately, my budget simply couldn’t stretch that far.
The next best place to stay in Goma during your gorilla trek is the lovely Lac Kivu Lodge. As the name suggests, it sits right on the lake, and the lush gardens, a great restaurant and bar, a swimming pool and the well-appointed rooms all make it the best place to stay in Goma.
It is a world away from the dust and anxiety of downtown Goma. Tropical gardens fall into the lake and are the perfect spot for an icy Primus Lager while watching the sunset over Lake Kivu.
Lac Kivu Lodge has excellent security and is also the go-to place for NGOs in Goma, so you’re sure to meet some interesting people here.
Is Virunga National Park Safe?
It’s 06:00 when the Virunga Land Rover comes to pick me up from Lac Kivu Lodge. The big day has arrived and I’m jittery and excited. Where’s my gorilla permit? Did I pack an extra camera battery? I hope there are not too many people in the group. What if you don’t see the gorillas?
First, we drive through Goma. The city still hasn’t recovered from the earthquake… Once the tar ends and the buildings stop I ask the driver where we will pick up the other members of the group.
No monsieur. You are the only one.
Most people think that Virunga is not safe and therefore do their gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda.
The safety of tourists is of prime concern for Virunga, and before we leave Goma we stop to pick up 2 armed escorts. Each group going on the gorilla trek will be joined by a guide and two trained park rangers who know how to handle an AK47.
While the DRC might be unstable at times, no tourist has ever been harmed in any way when visiting Virunga National Park. Whenever Visit Virunga feels that things on the ground are not safe for visitors, they will close the park and stop all tourist activity. This actually happens from time to time.
The eastern DRC has had its ups and downs for decades now. Recent years have arguably been the safest to visit Virunga in a very long time. Still, militia activity is active in the area, and many park rangers still lose their lives every year in the line of duty.
Do not come to Virunga without being aware of the risks and proper travel insurance.
Seeing the Gorillas in Virunga National Park
The drive towards the Bukima sector of the park is surreal, almost like a scene from The Lord of the Rings. Some stretches of the road go through typical African savannah, which could rival that of Kenya or Tanzania. I keep looking for antelope, but most of the wildlife has been wiped out after decades of militia activity in the area.
As we near the Bukima Patrol post, the scenery really gets out of this world. The otherworldly Mikeno volcano dominates the scene with rural settlements and the greenest farmland imaginable in the foreground.
Mount Mikeno is the main habitat of the mountain gorillas in Virunga. The fertile volcanic soil surrounding the slopes of the volcano is prime land for agriculture, and it is an eye-opener to see how close together man and beast have to co-exist. The villages here are vibrant and undeniably Central African.
The Land Rover stops at the Bukima Patrol post and we start walking through cabbage fields. We pass several small farming communities where children come running out of their houses shouting MUZUNGU! (white man). The adults are all smiles. The air is cool and fresh.
My guide tells me that sometimes they find the gorillas here in the cabbage fields. I quickly fire off a silent prayer that won’t be the case today. I didn’t come to the Congo to see gorillas in a cabbage field.
After a short walk, we get to a wire fence where the cabbage stops and the jungle begins. Finally, I can feel that we are in gorilla territory.
Scouts have gone ahead to find the gorillas, and my guide tells me that they have found them. They relay the GPS coordinates to us and we are now for the first time actually tracking the gorillas. My guides use their machetes to slash open a little path for me through the thick undergrowth of vines and bushes.
Suddenly my guides stop walking. I can tell that we are nearby. The way guides are talking in whispers and hand gestures. I’m given a surgical mask to put on. As our closest relatives, gorillas can catch human diseases. Park rangers not only have to protect these gorillas from habitat loss, but also things like the human flu.
Where are they?
How many?
Should I have brought my binoculars?
All these things flash through my mind as I fumble the elastics of the mask over my ears.
Gorilla Watching
I heard them before I saw them. Not monkey sounds or thumping of chests.
No.
Farts.
The biggest ripper farts I’ve ever heard.
My guide hacks away at some leaves and it’s like a stage curtain opening to the greatest show on earth. The guide points up into the trees where a whole family is munching and farting away. As soon as they see us they all climb down to meet their guest: the moms, the toddlers and the babies.
I stand there, dumbfounded. This was not what I imagined gorilla trekking to be. Somehow I pictured a safari experience that I’ve had many times before, where you observe animals in their natural habitat through binoculars. But this is not a safari. It is a very intimate visit to our closest relatives.
While you are told to keep 3 meters away from the gorillas, how do you tell a gorilla that?
Several times the gorillas would push up against me as they move around going around their business.
The state of astonishment quickly gives way to a sense of urgency. I must take photos! I only have one hour!
Trying to describe a visit to the mountain gorillas is futile, so I won’t even try. It’s such an overwhelming intimate wildlife experience. They are so big, so powerful, so gentle, so…HUMAN!
If you’re looking for the best (and ethical) wildlife or safari experience in Africa, this is it right here. You are not merely a tourist on safari, you are a guest at a gorilla family in their natural habitat.
Gorilla Trekking in Virunga Without a Tour
Can I just walk into the jungle and see the gorillas independently?
No.
Do I need to sell a kidney and join an organised safari to see the gorillas?
No.
Organising your trip to Virunga is extremely convenient with the Visit Virunga website. You really do not need a tour or travel agency to arrange this for you. I contacted a few agencies in the DRC and Rwanda about gorilla trekking tours before coming, and the cost was at least double what I paid directly to Virunga.
All activities inside the park are conducted by Virunga National Park itself, so these agencies are simply acting as a middleman and raking in the money.
On the Visit Virunga website, you can mix and match and build your custom trip to the park, and only pay for what you need. You can choose from different activities such as gorilla trekking, the Nyiragongo hike, chimpanzee trekking, accommodation and transportation inside the park.
Virunga National Park also has a very handy visa service for visitors to the park. Getting a visa for the DRC can be quite a bureaucratic headache. Dealing directly with Virunga makes getting a DRC visa easy and stress-free.
The Park will apply for the visa on your behalf, and you simply collect it on arrival at the Grande Barrier border post between Gisenyi and Goma. It really couldn’t be easier.
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How Difficult is Gorilla Trekking?
How long is a piece of string? It really depends on so many things, such as your personal level of fitness, where the gorillas are and the weather.
All things considered, gorilla trekking is not that difficult, and anyone who can walk for a few hours should have a great time.
When I went, I was lucky that we located the gorilla family within an hour after setting off from the Bukima Patrol post. The walk to the gorillas was not overly steep, and you will follow your guide and scout, who will be hacking a path open for you with their machetes.
As the gorilla safaris take place first thing in the morning, together with the altitude, you really shouldn’t be worried about being too hot or struggling with humidity. It’s indeed a very enjoyable hike through verdant forests.
That being said, gorillas are wild animals and do move around. They often cross into neighbouring Rwanda or Uganda. You may need to walk for a few hours before reaching them.
How Long Does Gorilla Trekking Take?
You’ll only get to spend 1 hour with the gorillas. The walk to and from the gorillas will be on top of this. Plan to spend at least half a day on your gorilla safari, but it could also be a full day. I was lucky that we found the gorillas in no time.
My guide dropped me at the Grande Barrier border post around lunchtime. I crossed back into Rwanda, had a bite to eat, jumped on a bus and reached Kigali before dark.
DRC vs Uganda vs Rwanda for Gorilla Trekking?
You can go mountain gorilla trekking in the DRC, Rwanda or Uganda-and NOWHERE ELSE on Earth. Each of these countries has something different to offer. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before deciding where to go gorilla trekking.
Gorilla trekking groups are strictly capped at 8 people per gorilla family in all three countries (Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC) for the safety of the gorillas.
Regardless of whether you see the gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda, or the DRC, your visit makes a meaningful impact to both nature conservation and uplifting the local community. In all three countries, community projects surrounding the gorilla parks directly benefit from tourism. Due to the committed effort of conservation in the region, gorilla numbers are steadily increasing.
Gorilla trekking in the DRC
- Cheapest gorilla trekking permits ($400 per person).
- Can be combined with climbing the incredible, active Nyiragongo volcano.
- Safety might be an issue, so check to see if the park is accepting visitors.
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
- The second most affordable option at $800 per person.
- Uganda is a more popular choice, meaning the trekking hubs are more vibrant and busy, whereas the DRC offers a more solitary, quiet experience.
- Could be combined with a classic big game safari in Queen Elizabeth or Murchison Falls National Park.
- While the drive from Entebbe can take 8-9 hours, most travellers now opt for a 1.5-hour domestic flight to Kisoro or Kihihi, making the Pearl of Africa very accessible.
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
- Most expensive gorilla permits at $1 500 per person.
- Under 3 hours away from Kigali International airport.
- Can be combined with chimpanzee trekking and safari in Akagera National Park.
Gorilla Trekking Tips
Tip your trekking guides and scouts. These rangers are doing an outstanding job and are the front line of Virunga’s conservation effort.
Wear your mask! We all know what happens if you don’t wear a mask…Gorillas share 98% of our DNA, which makes them susceptible to human diseases like the common flu.
Top tip: While you should absolutely be taking pictures, also put down your camera at some point and simply enjoy the moment. Eventually, your photos will be buried on a hard drive somewhere. But that intimate moment you shared while staring a gorilla right in the eye will stay with you forever.
Wear long pants and comfortable shoes. You might be trekking for hours through the wet jungle and undergrowth before finding the gorillas. ( I was lucky as we reached the gorillas in under an hour). Wearing shorts is a terrible idea, as you’ll get scratches or cuts in no time.
Is Gorilla Trekking Worth it?
ABSOLUTELY!!!! Gorilla trekking has been one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. While you might think that gorilla permits are expensive (yes, they are), you cannot put a price on this extraordinary wildlife experience.
It doesn’t matter if you go to see gorillas in Uganda, DRC, or Rwanda, as long as you come. I promise you you’ll never forget it. Besides the gorillas, this is one of Africa’s most spectacular regions.
You will not regret going on a gorilla trek.
JUST.GO.ALREADY!
Thank you for this post looking to go next month
Happy days! Enjoy your trip, Zoe.