GORILLA TREKKING IN VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK
Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park is among the famous activities you can take part in when you visit Africa’s oldest national park. The park is famous for the recently erupted mount Nyiragongo which has the world’s largest lava lake however once you take part in the different activities in Virunga national park, you will get the chance to see that there more to the park than just mount Nyiragongo when you get to see a number of attractions in the park from the different drainage features, numerous bird species to primate species like the mountain gorillas that are one of the rewarding gorilla species in the park.
Where to carry out gorilla trekking
For tourists interested in taking part in Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park, they will have a memorable experience given the fact that the gorilla trekking permits in Virunga national park can be purchased at a fee pf 400USD which is quite cheap compared to gorilla trekking permits in Rwanda that go for 1500 USD and gorilla trekking in Rwanda and the gorilla trekking permits in Uganda which cost 700USD. When tourists get to the park to take part in gorilla trekking, they will make way to Rumangabo or Bukima sectors of the park where you will make way to the habituated gorilla families in Congo along the slopes of mount Mikeno which is among the famous Virunga mountains in Congo. During gorilla trekking in Virunga national park, you will have the most authentic experience which involves hiking through the dense forests of the park as the ranger slash through the vegetation to get to the habituated gorilla families which you will spend one hour with them observing a number of interesting features about the mountain gorillas in the wild that can also be found in volcanoes national park, Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park.
What to expect during gorilla trekking
During gorilla trekking in Virunga national park you will have the most rewarding experience watching the gentle giants in the park carry out their daily activities in the wild. Interesting about the gorillas that you visit is the fact that they are habituated species that have undergone through the gorilla habituation process that you can participate in gorilla habituation in Uganda making them accustomed to human presence and much friendlier and calmer in the presence of humans.
During gorilla trekking in Virunga national park, you will spend one hour with the habituated family observing their behaviour like their feeding patterns, you will get to see the adult females of the gorilla family breast feeding the infants you will also get to see them clinging onto their fur which happens up to 3 years, you will also get the chance to see the dominant silverback who is the overall overseer of the gorilla group, you will also have the chance to see the gorilla diet which comprises of a number of edible leaves, celery, bamboo shoots, invertebrates like the caterpillars, millipedes, centipedes and many interesting features. You will also have the chance to video, take pictures of the gorillas to ensure that you have the most amazing adventures spending with gorillas in the park.
Since gorilla trekking in Virunga national park can be carried out half day, you will have spare time to take part in a number of activities in the park for a number of amazing experiences and these include; visiting the Senkwenkwe gorilla orphanage where you will have the chance to visit and volunteer taking care of a number of orphaned gorillas in the park, you can also participate in the nature walks where you will have relaxing experiences watching number of attractions like the primates for instance the golden monkeys swinging from one tree branch to another, you will also get to the chimpanzees, a number of bird species to make your Congo safaris quite remarkable.
Packing list for gorilla trekking
- Good hiking shoes because the slopes tend to get slippery when it rains and because there are thick vegetation covers having the best shoes will help you pass through the forests quite easy.
- Face mask should be carried which help to prevent the primates from contracting covid-19 and also avoiding spreading viruses to other trackers during the activity in case they came across contaminated surfaces or sick patients.
- A camera should also not miss out on your packing list because Virunga national park has a number of rewarding attractions that a worthy taking pictures of including the mountain gorillas carrying out their activities in the park that will make your safari quite remarkable. As you take pictures of the gorillas you should avoid using flash mode because it may trigger the gorillas as a threat and hence lead them to attack you.
- Insect repellent should also be carried because there are a number of disease spread insects like mosquitoes, and other insects whose bites can cause irritations.
