How Much Is A Gorilla Permit To See Lowland Gorillas In Kahuzi Biega National Park Congo?

At the moment the cost of the gorilla trekking permit for lowland gorillas is $450 per person.  A gorilla permit is a document that allows tourists to have at least one hour with the lowland gorillas. In Kahuzi Biega National Park, maximum of 8 gorilla trekking permits are allowed to be booked by the public per day per family.

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 At the moment about 5 gorilla trekking families are open to the public but the gorilla habituation process is still going on. The unstable political environment of Eastern D.R.Congo is still challenging the conservation bodies to increase the number of gorilla trekking families. Gorilla habituation is a process by which a wild gorilla family is helped to get used to human presence without altering their nature.

The eastern lowland gorillas at times called the Gorilla Beringei Graueri of Kahuzi Biega National Park differ from the mountain gorillas because of their larger bodies, larger hands, bear shorter hair on the hands and body. The eastern lowland gorillas have suffered a drastic decline since 1990s where the population was about 17000 gorillas. Due to factors happening in the forest, the population of eastern lowland gorillas has reduced to about half this population as of the recent census.

Some of the hard factors happening in the eastern D.R.Congo like rebel activities, mining, lumbering, poaching are causing the decline in the number of gorillas in this area. The Eastern lowland gorillas are currently on the list of the highly endangered primates in the world.

What is the cost of the Gorilla Permit for the Eastern Lowland Gorillas of Kahuzi Biega National Park?

The current cost of gorilla permit for Kahuzi Beiga National Park is $450 for international nonresidents, $250 for foreign residents and $25 for Congolese nationals.

The cost of the gorilla permit for Kahuzi Biega covers park entrance fees, ranger guide fees, one hour with the lowland gorillas and others. 

 The gorilla permit cost excludes tips, accommodation, transport and other personal expenses.

Is It Worth Buying The Gorilla Permit For Kahuzi Biega National Park?

Buying the gorilla permits for Kahuzi Biega National Park is an opportunity to have at least one hour with the few gorillas living in the world. It is the moment of truth for you to prove the stories portrayed about the gorillas. Gorilla trekking is an unforgettable experience that is once in a lifetime for most tourists.

Through purchasing the gorilla permit, you get to support the gorilla conservation work as more funds are still required to support the existence of the eastern lowland gorillas. A portion of the money collected from the sale of gorilla permits is used to support gorilla conservation.

The cost of gorilla permit for Kahuzi Biega National Park is lower compared to other gorilla permit costs from Uganda and Rwanda. In case you wish to do gorilla trekking but with a limited budget, this may be the solution to quench your thirst.

How To Book A Gorilla Permit For Kahuzi Biega National Park?

Select a date when you wish to go for gorilla trekking and state the number of people to travel with. When you send us an inquiry with request to do gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park, our tour consultant checks availability from the Virunga office. 

Gorilla permit availability for the high season reduces as the season draws closer. The high season is June, July, August, September, December, January and February when demand for these permits is high making it hard for last-minute permit bookings.

It is best to deposit the gorilla permits as a commitment to doing gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park. First come first served basis is used to book these gorilla permits and yet they are limited to a maximum of 8 per gorilla family. This number of gorilla permits is minimized to reduce on the effects of mass tourists on the vegetation on which the gorillas feed. 

Upon finding the gorilla permit, it is best to purchase it in advance so as not to lose it. The demand for gorilla permits is high in the peak season making it hard for last-minute bookings.

The low season which is March to May and November may attract fewer gorilla trekking permit bookings so for those wishing to have unpaid for exclusive time with the gorillas with less disturbance may make use of this opportunity.

Is gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega Difficult?

The trek to find the Eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park is challenging as you have to walk in the dense jungle. Gorillas are free animals that move in the forest with no restriction so you must be ready to walk in this environment. Along the trails in the forest is overgrown vegetation that covers and obstructs the way but the ranger guide with a machete trims the vegetation to create a path to get to the gorillas.

Kahuzi Biega is a tropical rainforest that receives rains which may fall anytime without warning so you need to wear gorilla trekking gear that is waterproof. Because less sunlight is let in through the dense forest canopy at times taking pictures and photos gets challenging.

Lowland gorillas are in an unsecured location with rebel activities so at times this makes it challenging for tourists especially when the gorillas move into the deeper ends of the forest. You need to bear some level of fitness before the gorilla trek so that you do not get muscle pool while with the Eastern lowland gorillas.

How Safe Is Gorilla Trekking In Kahuzi Biega National Park?

Kahuzi Biega National Park is in the eastern lowland area of D.R.Congo which is politically unstable. The rebel groups in this area make the gorilla trekking challenging. On gorilla trekking day, you must attend briefing from the wardens and ranger guide which you must follow.

As you search for the Eastern lowland Gorillas, ensure you stay closer to the ranger guide so that you are not lost in the wilderness. Walking through the forest requires you to have an escorting ranger guide and stay closer to the people you are trekking gorillas with.

While walking through the forest, ask the ranger guide to trim the trail for you in case there is overgrown vegetation that may obstruct the way along the trails. 

When Is The Best Time To Do Gorilla Trekking In Kahuzi Biega National Park?

The dry season is most preferred for gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park as it is normally June to September and December to early February. The conditions in the forest in this season favor you to walk through the forest.

Eastern Lowland gorillas are full of life in this season and may be quicker to spot. Even other forest dwellers like the primates, birds, different fully grown trees are exciting to see during the dry season. although rains in this area fall for almost the entire day, the dry season rains are less. More sunlight is let in through the dense canopy to the ground and rivers within the forest flow within normal course.

The dry season is peak tourism too attracting more people to book gorilla permits so ensure you reserve yours in advance. As the high season opens, the availability of gorilla permits gets slim creating last-minute disappointment.

 The dry season also creates a great ambiance for taking photos and filming the eastern lowland gorillas as more sunlight is let in through the dense forest.

The wet season that is March, April, May and November is normally the low tourism season attracting fewer gorilla safari bookings. This may provide an opportunity to walk solo in search for the gorillas and so you have less disturbance from fellow tourists.

What time do you return from Gorilla Trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park?

Return time during gorilla trek is hard to determine right from the starting time of the trek. After briefing the ranger guide leads the way into the forest in search of the Eastern lowland gorillas but finding them depends on factors happening in the forest.

The ranger guide leading tourists starts from the trail heading where the gorillas were last seen the previous day. These gorillas rarely move far from their previous location because of their bulky bodies. Even though seeing the eastern lowland gorillas may take some unknown time, open your mind to seeing other forest occupants like the primates, birds, butterflies and other forest occupants.

Along the way, to find the lowland gorillas, you may face some obstacles like the change in weather, in case the gorilla family is brutally attacked by another family, death and much more. Even the pace of fellow tourists affects when you find the gorillas. As a tourist, you may also help with searching for the gorillas using clues they leave behind like footprints, freshly chewed foliage, listening to jungle tales and much more.

As you draw closer to the lowland gorillas, you may hear them murmur before facing them so you need to lower your voice in order not to scare these primates. 

Ensure you wait for the ranger guide to establish the mood of the gorilla family before taking photos as at times they may be in a bad mood. Finally, when you face the eastern lowland gorillas, only one hour is allowed with them. This is to minimize the chances of agitating the lowland gorillas that are highly sensitive to intruders in their presence.

After an hour with the lowland gorillas, get away slowly without causing any discomfort with the gorillas.

Are Eastern Lowland Gorillas Aggressive?

In nature, gorillas are calm primates even though their bodies are huge and covered in dark fur and walk by knuckle locomotion. These gorillas have dark brown eyes and are shy even when angered may walk into the deeper ends of the forest.

The gorilla family is first habituated for some time so that they get used to the presence of humans. Gorilla habituation is a process by which a wild gorilla family is helped to get used to human presence without altering their nature. This process is what helps the gorilla family to withstand the presence of humans at least for an hour.

What is the packing list for Gorilla Trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park?

• Rainproof gears in case it falls without warning
• Safari boots to wear while in the jungle as the ground is so boggy and may have pricking items.
• Safari clothes in colors that a wilderness friendly
•  Extra batteries in case one runs low
•  A camera to take memories of what conspired during gorilla trekking safari in D.R.Congo
• Garden gloves to wear in case you have to hold a tighter grip on creeper in the forest
• Pajamas warm enough for the extremely cold nights
• A torch for lighting in the night when lights go off
• Some hard cash to change into local currency in case you need to purchase something during gorilla trekking safari. Credit cards are rarely used because getting money from them takes a long time.
• A foldable safari hat with a wide brim to protect your hair from dripping water off the tree leaves.
• Insect repellant to smear the body with to keep away insects.
• A pair of binoculars to get a clearer view of far-ranging features
• Toiletries in case your lodge doesn’t provide them or if you are not comfortable using them
• Backpack to carry with the gorilla safari gears and hand them to a porter where required.
• A travel adapter and charger in case you need to recharge your electronic gadgets
• Sunscreen in case you visit another pack and you have to bask under the sun by the poolside. 
• A pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from buzzing insects in the wilderness.
• Snacks to munch on when you get hungry while gorilla trekking
• Bug spray in case your room may contain them
•  Warmers because this area receives cold conditions in the early morning after afternoons.

Lowland gorillas are unique and spending time with them is an experience like no other. Contact our team to plan your safari to the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park.