How To Book Gorilla Permits To See Eastern Lowland Gorillas In Kahuzi Biega National Park

How To Book Gorilla Permits To See Eastern Lowland Gorillas In Kahuzi Biega National Park. To book a gorilla trekking permit for Kahuzi Biega National Park, you need to select a date or estimate the starting and ending times of this gorilla tour. Finding the availability of gorilla permits is the first step to booking the lowland gorilla safari.

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To avoid going back and forth with checking gorilla permit availability for Kahuzi Biega National Park, state the number of people traveling in advance.

 The Virunga’s Tourism Office is responsible for selling and regulating Eastern Lowland gorilla permits but booking is required. You may directly contact their office or use the assistance of a credible tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris.

When you enquire from Encounter Africa Safaris about the gorilla trekking tour to Kahuzi Biega National Park, with your details, our tours consultant checks availability from the Virungas’ Tourism Office.

Your D.R.Congo gorilla permits can only be confirmed when you make the initial deposit. In case you are using the service of a tour operator, you need to provide some details to be added to your gorilla permit like your full name as presented on the passport, date of birth, nationality, and others and these are used for identification 

Although the eastern part of D.R.Congo is affected by civil unrest, gorilla conservation is still happening and during the moments of grace, tourists get that opportunity to visit these primates.

On gorilla trekking day, all permits are verified from the Tshvanga visitor center.

How much is the cost of Gorilla permits for Eastern Lowland gorilla trekking?

At the moment, the cost of a gorilla permit for D.R.Congo is $450 per person per trek for international non-residents, the locals $250 per person, and African Nationals $300. The gorilla trekking permit cost may change at times without warning.

Included in the cost of gorilla permits are park entrance fees, conservation fees, ranger guide fees, security, and others.

Why Do Gorilla Trekking for the Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park?

Gorilla trekking is an opportunity to be just meters away from some of the highly endangered primates in the world. The human actions in the Eastern part of D.R.Congo are one of the number one reasons for the decline of the population of these gorillas.

By purchasing the gorilla permit, you support the continued work of protecting these gorillas and their habitats amidst challenges in this area.

When you go gorilla trekking with the Eastern Lowland gorillas and the mountain gorillas, you get that special opportunity to physically make the difference between the two. Both gorilla species may possess some similarities but even their differences make each primate species stand out and great to watch.

Gorilla trekking in the Virunga area is an opportunity to test your capability to withstand the challenges of walking through a politically unstable area but emerge victorious. Gorilla Trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park is a trip of fulfillment.

How to Get To Kahuzi Biega National Park For Eastern Lowland Gorilla Trekking?

From Rwanda, Kahuzi Biega National Park can be accessed via Bukavu which is about 40 kilometers from Rwanda.

From Uganda, pass via Goma to Kahuzi Biega National Park then drive around Lake Kivu shores or use the boat to this park.

When Is The Best Time To Go Gorilla Trekking For The Eastern Lowland Gorillas?

Gorilla trekking in D.R. Congo is open all year but the dry season opens better chances to see these secretive primates. The eastern part of D.R.Congo is highly forested and even receives unexpected showers without warning but in the dry season there are fewer rains. 

The dry season is normally June to September and December to early February making the walk through the trails of this forest more quicker to navigate. The amount of undergrowth protruding through to cover these trails is less. More sunlight is allowed through the dense forest to the ground therefore producing a conducive environment to search for these gorillas.

The dry season provides better timing for a combo of gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park and other safari activities from its neighbors like Uganda and Rwanda.

This however is the peak tourism season when demand for gorilla permits is high so it is best to secure the permit in advance.

During the wet season, although there is less demand for gorilla permits at Kahuzi Biega National Park, you can still do the gorilla trek. This period may open chances to an unprepared for solo gorilla trekking experience with less distraction.

Are Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park Dangerous?

No Mountain gorillas are not dangerous primates even though their outlook is quite scary. Before the gorilla family is opened to public viewing, it is first habituated for an unknown time until it is ready for other people to visit.

Gorilla habituation is a process where a wild gorilla family is helped by researchers and trackers to get used to the presence of humans without altering their nature. This process may take 2 years to more years depending on how fast or slow these primates get accustomed to human presence

In nature, the gorillas are shy and calm but this doesn’t mean they cannot charge so ensure you religiously follow the rules of gorilla trekking given during briefing.

When agitated, the gorillas thump their chests, hoot, pull grass around them, and do other odd behaviors. It is not all the time that you witness this behavior that the gorillas are angry with visitors. Sometimes the gorillas show off, trying to communicate with each other and others. wait for the ranger guide to establish the root cause of the matter so that you do not cause a stampede in the wilderness.

What Assures Seeing Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park?

The gorillas live in cohesive families that occupy a particular location for some time until food is proved insufficient to support the entire group then they move. They do not move very far from their previous location so may be traced easily.

These gorillas are monitored by a team of ranger guides early morning before tourists are allowed to visit to establish their night hideout and day hangout direction. Some of these clues are what ranger guides with tourists use to locate these gorillas and not waste a lot of time in the jungle.

As tourists, you are asked to help trace these gorillas by checking out their leftover clues like their footprints, freshly chewed foliage, fresh dung, and others.

 Even though the Eastern Part of D.R.Congo is sometimes insecure, there are seasons of peace and gorilla trekking.

Is Gorilla Trekking In Kahuzi Biega National Park Difficult?

Waking in the jungle to search for the gorillas is quite challenging as sometimes these primates move deeper into the forest. This requires some level of patience to successfully find these primates. 

Even though they are lowland gorillas, they still have to move in search of a meal to support their bodies all day and night which may be quite challenging especially if they are found in a far area.

The jungle also has some harsh conditions that may be uncomfortable to visitors like the biting nettles but it is best to wear the right gorilla trekking gear.

Carry some energy bites to keep munching on in case you get hungry.

The ranger guide with a machete tries to trim the trails in case there is protruding vegetation that may obstruct the way.

What Is The Age Limit For Gorilla Trekking In Kahuzi Biega National Park?

15 years and over is the age limit for gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park as this adventure includes walking in the jungle. The gorillas are also scary at first sight which may scare the children below this age.

Sometimes the gorillas reach out to their visitors but do not touch them which may be irresistible for children below 15 years especially if they are animal lovers. This may upset the gorillas.

To avoid the occurrence of such a matter, it was deemed best to set the age limit to 15 years and over.

How Long Is Gorilla Trekking In Kahuzi Biega National Park?

The time of finding the gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park is hard to determine. The eastern Lowland gorillas are mobile primates with nothing to stop their movements. Locating the gorillas also depends on factors prevailing in the forest like food location, death of a family member, case of an attack from another gorilla family, weather conditions of the day, and others. Even the pace of fellow tourists makes a huge impact on the time of finding these gorillas.

Finding these gorillas requires some level of patience but you can also make use of the time in the forest by looking for other interesting wild animals in the jungle, great scenery, and much more. Stay closer to the people you are trekking the gorillas with so that you are not forgotten in the jungle.

When you locate the gorillas only one hour is allowed with them to minimize the effects of human presence on these primates. Contact us for more information.