Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park
Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park is one of the most amazing activities done in the Virunga massif and travelers have booked this trip from time and again. Virunga national park is Africa’s oldest National Park and one of the naturally blessed parks that a tourist can visit to have memorable Congo safaris. The park is blessed with nature from the beautiful flora and fauna to a number of landforms including two of its most active mountains in Africa that is mount Nyiragongo where you can find the world’s largest lava lake and Mount Nyamuragira and another Virunga Mountain Mount Mikeno and a number of water bodies like Lake Edward, River Semliki, River Congo, Lake Kivu among other water bodies in the park. The park is a home to a number of primate species including the different Congo gorilla families, a number of chimpanzees, golden monkeys among other interesting attractions that can be seen when you participate in a number of activities within the park for instance; the wildlife safaris in virunga national park, gorilla trekking, hiking the Virunga Mountains among other activities in the park.
Where we find the gorilla families
For a tourist interested in gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, they can access the different gorilla families in the park by hiking Mount Mikeno where they can see the different Congo gorilla families along the different slopes of the mountain. With gorilla trekking you will get to understand more about the gorilla families, for instance, Munyanga gorilla families which is one of the most interesting gorilla families in the park whose adult female Bilali gave birth to twins which is quite rare when it comes to the gorillas that usually give birth to one infant, the gorilla family is also common for its bald-headed gorilla Kadogo. Other gorilla families that can be found along the slopes of Mount Mikeno include; Nyakamwe gorilla family, Lulengo gorilla Family, Bageni gorilla family among other interesting gorilla families that can be seen during gorilla trekking in virunga national park.
Gorilla trekking permit in virunga national park
Tourists interested in gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, they should put in mind the different activities in virunga national park are sold in packages which will make it easy for you to avoid preparation struggles when it comes the different activities in the park. for instance, you can buy the Mikeno mist package which will enable you to participate in gorilla trekking and you should also put in mind that gorilla trekking permit in Virunga national park is only at a fee of 400USD which is quite cheaper than gorilla trekking in Uganda which is at a fee of 600USD which will increase to 700USD and gorilla trekking in Rwanda, Volcanoes national park at a fee of 1500USD making gorilla trekking in Congo cheaper and more affordable.
What involves in gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking in virunga national park involves tourists hiking Mount Mikeno in order to access the different Congo gorilla families but before they hike to the gorilla families, they will have to participate in a briefing session where you will be taken through your whole activity of gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, the guidelines to follow during the activity, what to do during the encounters with the gorillas, in case of any emergencies in the park during gorilla trekking what you are supposed to do to ensure that you have a comfortable and memorable activity in Virunga National Park.
When you get to the different gorilla families in the park you will spend one hour with the gorillas understanding their behavior in the wild, you will get to know their feeding patterns, what they eat, their nap time how they construct their nests how they groom one another among other interesting facts about the gorillas, you will also get to take pictures of the primates for amazing memories in the park.
Guidelines of gorilla trekking
- Avoid making unnecessary noise in the park to avoid attacks from the gorillas
- You should avoid smoking in the presence of the gorillas to avoid spreading diseases to the park
- You should avoid eating in the presence of gorillas to avoid spreading diseases to the primates.
- You should avoid looking at the gorillas in the eyes of the gorillas because it is a sign of disrespect and a challenge for superiority which can lead them to attack you which can be fatal.
- Unnecessary movements in the park can trigger the primates as a threat which will also lead them to attack you.
- A distance of 7 metres should be maintained to avoid contracting diseases to the gorillas.
- You should avoid taking pictures of the gorillas while using flash mode.
- You should follow the lead of the guide and a ranger to have an amazing and safe activity of gorilla trekking in virunga national park.
Senkwenkwe gorilla sanctuary
Depending on the different packages you buy in Virunga national park to participate in gorilla trekking if you get the chance to visit the Senkwenkwe gorilla orphanage which will offer an amazing experience after participating in gorilla trekking in the park.
The Senkwenkwe gorilla orphanage was established to provide refuge to a number of gorillas that were left to be orphans after their parents were killed by the poachers in the park, with the help of the park administration and a team of rangers, they established the gorilla sanctuary where you can participate in a number of activities like feeding the infants, cleaning their rooms, playing with them among other interesting activities that will ensure that you have an amazing time during your encounter with the gorillas in the sanctuary.
