Gorilla safaris are by far the key highlight of every African tour holiday. The beauty about embarking on gorilla safaris in Africa with an experienced tour operator like African Rock Safaris is that visitors are guaranteed of magical encounters with not only the massive mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda but also the Eastern lowland gorillas in Congo. We also organise private Tanzania Safaris which we can combine with gorilla safaris to create an East African adventure for you and your loved ones.
Gorilla Safaris in Africa mean a complete interaction with all the sub-species of the Eastern gorillas. Your encounter with them isn’t possible in a zoo but rather in African impenetrable jungles and the entire process involves active participation. Our gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo are often designed uniquely combining the inspirational big 5 game and other experiences.
Our expertly designed gorilla trekking tours focus on key destinations such as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park & Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda), Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda), Virunga National Park and Kahuzi-Biega National Park (D.R. Congo).
Embarking on gorilla safari tour in Uganda is a lifetime opportunity to enjoy up close and personal encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas in the wild. The treks to see Uganda gorillas are only done while in the lush jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Within Uganda’s Bwindi and Mgahinga NP, their reside over half of the world’s remaining 1063 endangered mountain gorillas. Interaction with Uganda’s mountain gorillas can be done on normal gorilla trekking or during gorilla habituation experience.
Considering Bwindi for your gorilla trekking in Uganda means a great chance to interact with anyone of the park’s 20 habituated gorilla families. These survive within the 4 sectors; Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo and Rushaga.
Bwindi protects up to 459 of the mountain gorillas that still survive on earth today and holds the largest concentration of habituated gorilla groups compared to any destination. Like Mgahinga, the biodiverse Bwindi is found in the Southwestern part of Uganda. The 2 protected areas were established in 1991 and Bwindi was recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
This tour take you to the misty mountains of Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to face our closet cousins the mountain gorillas, go on a hunt for the African Big4 in Queen Elizabeth National park and we close the trip with the chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest.
This tour take you to the misty mountains of Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to face our closet cousins the mountain gorillas, go on a hunt for the African Big4 in Queen Elizabeth National park and we close the trip with the chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest.
The 20 days Uganda and Tanzania Adventure explores the best of nature's primates and big game wildlife of the two East African Countries.
The highlight of this 3 days Ultimate Gorilla trekking Tour is a Uganda safari to the most sought after bucket list of experiencing the trekking of Uganda’s mountain Gorillas in the wild and one of the most unforgettable wildlife encounters in the world!
Gorilla families to explore on a gorilla safari in Uganda include;
You can only get a chance to enjoy a trek with Uganda’s endangered mountain gorillas if you have a valid gorilla permit. The current gorilla permit fees are at USD 800 per person and you can book your permit through our reservation team.
Some of the top accommodation options for visitors on gorilla trekking tour in Uganda include Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla leisure Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Lake Mulehe Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Lake Mutanda resort, Bakiga Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Silverback Lodge Bwindi, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Rushaga gorilla havens lodge, Mount. Gahinga lodge, Travelers Rest hotel and more.
Gorilla trekking in Rwanda like in Rwanda takes you on a mesmerizing adventure to find a family of mountain gorillas. A total of 30% of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas are inhabited within the country’s lush Volcanoes National Park.
Trekking with Rwanda’s Mountain gorillas entirely involves exploring the jungles of Volcanoes National Park. This protected area forms part of the extensive Virunga Conservation Area (VCA) and it protects 12 habituated gorilla families.
Volcanoes National Park lies in the Northwestern side of Rwanda and its headquarters are in Kinigi where briefing about gorilla trekking guidelines and allocation of gorilla families plus park guides are all done by the park officials. The different gorilla families in Volcanoes NP include Agashya (Group 13), Umubano, Karisimbi, Susa, Sabyinyo, Hirwa, Kwitonda, Amahoro, Pablo, Titus, Ugenda and more.
Trekking with Rwanda gorillas takes between 2 and 6 hours with guaranteed 1 hour for your up close and personal encounter with a family of these huge apes. The adventure involves active hike through the lush rainforest and park’s elevation ranges from 2500 to 4507m.
Other special events worth adding on Rwanda gorilla safari include the Kwita Izina often conducted in September of each year; hike to the Dian Fossey tomb site, visit the Dian Fossey museum and more.
Rwanda gorilla permits are a must-book for you to embark on a journey to see the endangered mountain gorillas in the country’s Volcanoes National Park. A single valid permit here costs USD 1500 per person which you can secure through the reliable tour operator on the ground.
This ultimate 7 days Rwanda Gorilla trek and Tanzania Migration Safari is a full-week gorilla and wildlife expedition through Africa’s...
This tour take you to the misty mountains of Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to face our closet cousins the mountain gorillas, go on a hunt for the African Big4 in Queen Elizabeth National park and we close the trip with the chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest.
This tour take you to the misty mountains of Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to face our closet cousins the mountain gorillas, go on a hunt for the African Big4 in Queen Elizabeth National park and we close the trip with the chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest.
This tour take you to the misty mountains of Bwindi impenetrable national park where you will be able to face our closet cousins the mountain gorillas, go on a hunt for the African Big4 in Queen Elizabeth National park and we close the trip with the chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu forest.
Gorilla safaris in D.R. Congo allow you to interact with not only mountain gorillas but also the Eastern lowland gorillas. This is the only destination in Africa where the 2 Eastern gorilla sub-species can be spotted in the wild. These unique apes survive in the different national parks where mountain gorillas exist in the Virunga National Park and lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park plus Maiko National Park.
Virunga National Park is East-Central Africa’s biggest gorilla park, spanning over 7800sq.km. The park was created in 1925 making it one of the oldest and is also the most biodiverse protected areas on planet earth. Originally, this gorilla park was established as Albertine NP and encompassed the present Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Today, the two parks stand alone and Virunga NP in the D.R. Congo is popular for its diverse ecosystem. These comprise of Virunga Volcanoes, wetland vegetation, grasslands, swamps, rainforests, woodlands, Craters, and more. Its boundaries extend to bordering areas with Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth NP, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
Within the Virunga National Park, there are 8 fully habituated gorilla groups such as Humba, Nyakamwe, Bageni, Mapuwa, Kabirizi group, Rugendo, Lulengo and more –each of which is visited by a maximum of 8 guests per day. Visiting a family of Virunga NP mountain gorillas requires you to have a valid gorilla permit and each costs USD 400 per person.
Other experiences to add on your Virunga gorilla trek include birding, landscape viewing, Nyiragongo volcano hike, chimpanzee tracking, nature walks, Senkwekwe orphanage visit and more.
Visitor overnight stay is possible in any of the budget, midrange or luxury accommodation options. The available lodges in and around Virunga NP include Kibumba Tented Camp, Lulimbi Tented Camp, Mikeno Lodge, Tchegera Island Camp and Bukima Tented Camp.
Kahuzi-Biega National Park –this happens to be the only location for tourists to enjoy a trek to see Eastern lowland gorillas. This park lies in the Eastern Province of D.R. Congo and holds up to 5 habituated gorilla families. Kahuzi-Biega Park expands up to 6000sq.km and has families like Nganwe, Bonnani gorilla family, Mugaruka group, Chimanuka group and Mpungwe group.
Visitor overnight stay is possible in the accommodation around the park including Orchid’s Safari Club, Mont Kahuzi Hotel, Hotel Begonias, Exodus Bukavu Camp, Lakeside Hotel and more. Note, the cost of gorilla permits for lowland gorilla safaris is same as that of mountain gorilla adventures that is USD 400 per person.
EveStanley2024-04-25Gorillas in the Mist, Chimps and Safari: EXTRAORDINARY!!!! This was my ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ trip and it far exceeded anything I could have imagined. We had the most Amazing, friendly, helpful, attending, gregarious and kindest guide, Jaz! He has become our life long friend! The trip’s organization, the lodging, food, and of course the gorillas, chimps, birds (shoebill and so much more) and every safari animal was out of this world! Thank You Chris for sharing your Love of Uganda, its people and culture. We will return. You will never go wrong with African Rock Safaris! Look no farther! 💕💕💕 Eve
GREG CAMERON2024-03-12Uganda the real Safaria A very professional safaria company,with great follow up skills. My driver/guide was top notch and was a treat to spend 22 days with him touring Uganda. Jaz is his name and always had my safety at heart. We saw "the Big 5" animals and a few more. The lodgings were very nice and the food was excellent. I would strongly recommend African RockSafarias,they have excellent knowledge of safarias and know where to see the animals.They listened to what I wanted to experience and they made it happen. Thanks so much for such an outstanding safaria
JEAN MICHEL F2024-02-2811 day safari in Uganda Magnificent trip! Uganda is an extraordinary destination with wonderful landscapes, exciting safaris even if there are fewer animals than in Kenya and fabulous encounters with chimpanzees and gorillas which remain unforgettable moments. Very welcoming and endearing population. Impeccable organization by African Rock Safari, Sympathy driver guide, very kind and attentive. Too bad we didn't have a hotel with a swimming pool for the last day in Entebbe. Thank you again and congratulations to all those involved.
Monika H2024-02-28Experience with the African rock safari agency The agency prepared a beautiful program for us. everything was perfectly and professionally managed (accommodation, safari, gorilla trek, food...) I definitely recommend the agency. Monika Slovakia
Fabiha H2024-02-27Tourists from Saudi Arabia I came from Saudi Arabia with my family. We had an amazing experience with African Rock Safari. Our tour guide was Christopher and he was very friendly and knowledgable. We followed a tailored itenierary, and got to make the best out of our stay.
Felix J2024-02-15Wonderful safari in Uganda We drove through the country with our guide for nine days. The start and end was in Entebbe, from there we went north to Murchison Falls National Park with the Kabalega Falls. Then south-west to Kibale National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. The absolute highlight were the gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Then we went back east to the last stop in Lake Mburo National Park. Christopher from African Rock Safaris had planned the tour excellently! Our guide William drove us safely through the country and gave us many great moments. We saw giraffes, zebras, antelopes, elephants, water buffalo, lions and a leopard. In the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary we were also able to admire some rhinos. We also encountered a lot of monkeys, including chimpanzees and gorillas 🦍 The gorillas are really something very special! The accommodations were all well located, clean and almost always had a great view. For breakfast there are eggs, fruit or pancakes 🥞. Lunch and dinner were varied and plentiful 😅
falco752024-02-13Amazing Rwanda with African Rock Safaris We visited Rwanda on a private tour with African Rock Safaris. Everything was very well organized, the accommodations were excellent, the 4x4 car very good, and the logistics were also very good. Our guide-driver, Vicent, was great: very good knowledge of the circuit, the country, know-how for any situation, very good conversation, very pleasant and open-minded! Thank you African Rock Safaris and thank you Vicent!! We recommend them to everyone! We visited Rwanda on a private tour with African Rock Safaris. Everything was very well organized, the accommodations were excellent, the 4x4 car was very good, and the logistics were also very good. Our guide-driver, Vicent, was great: very good knowledge of the circuit, the country, know-how for any situation, very good conversation, very pleasant and open minded! Thank you African Rock Safaris and thank you Vicent!! We recommend them to everyone!
Jaie R2024-01-15Unbelievable trip Rwanda and Uganda had it all. Company extremely professional and our guide/driver was awesome!!! 10/10 you won’t regret going with African Rock Safaris.
Fahad I2023-12-12The pearl of Uganda: African Rock Safaris No words to describe the wonderful experience we had with Christopher's African Rock Safaris. This was the first tour company, we had our inquiry for a tour to Uganda, and after inquiring with many others, we finally decided to go with African Rock Safaris. Why, because, this team was very flexible in customising according to our needs. Christopher arranged the best guide for us - Jaz. Jaz is very knowledgeable and has got a passion for photography. The lodges arranged by the team was exceptional. I would definitely recommend African Rock Safaris for your East African adventures and ask for Jaz to add more value to your adventure. All the best for the team
Sophia2023-11-20Wonderful 15 days in Rwanda/Tanzania We -a couple from Germany- had an amazing time in Rwanda and Tanzania. Our operator Chris was super responsive, caring and available during planning and during trip itself. Our local guides for both countries were super nice, very knowledgeable and caring. They were very experienced, had a deep knowledge in landscapes, nature and animals. We couldn’t wish for more. The lodges were great, car and transport was very comfortable and we saw everything we hoped for. There were some minor hiccups at the end of the tour, but we sorted everything out and since we tried something new here we don’t think this will happen again. Definitely recommendable.
Mountain gorilla trekking is specifically done in the 4 parks where the massive mountain gorillas survive from. That is in the Virunga National Park in the D.R. Congo, Uganda’s Bwindi and Mgahinga NP, then Volcanoes National Park Rwanda. The Eastern lowland gorilla trekking takes place only in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the D.R. Congo.
The lowland gorilla trekking involves searching for already habituated Eastern lowland gorilla families and mountain gorilla treks entirely take you on a close interaction with the rare mountain gorillas.
All gorilla families (whether mountain gorillas or eastern lowland gorillas) are led by dominant male silverbacks. These are huge mature male gorillas with silver like hair grown on their backs up to the hips. They are popular for their physical strength and they take charge of the entire group, defending the rest of the members from attacks or enemies, responsible for mating and also search for areas for feeding in the course of the day.
Visits to interact with Uganda gorillas or in the D.R. Congo and Rwanda can be done at any time of the year. But the dry season is incredibly the most preferred thanks to its favorable weather conditions characterized by low or completely no rains. The best months of the year to go gorilla trekking in Uganda, Rwanda and D.R. Congo is around June, July, August and December to February.
Regardless of the month or period that you intend to visit gorillas, packing right should be considered. The essentials that you may require for a successful gorilla trek in Uganda, Rwanda and DRC include waterproof hiking boots, camera free of flashlight, waterproof daypack, long-sleeved shirts, a rain jacket, a sweater, trousers, a tin of an insect repellent, first aid kit, snacks and bottled water, etc.
If you intend to engage in a gorilla trekking adventure, then be ready for active hike because this is not the ordinary town or city walks you have had. The trek with gorillas takes 2-6 hours involving winding via the lush rainforest and at times steep slopes. These apes often spend their time in high altitudes of 1160 to 2607m and the entire adventure requires moderate level of fitness.
Different gorilla families offer varying gorilla trekking experiences from easy to hard thus presenting guests a choice. In case you desire a family that provides trekking challenge, the park official can still allocate one for you.
The cost of a gorilla trekking tour varies depending on a number of factors including the length of stay in the destination, means of transportation, accommodation type, the destination choice as each has a set rates for gorilla permits; and others. But a Uganda gorilla tour may cost around USD 1250 to 2900 per person sharing.
