When is the Best Time to Visit Virunga National Park?

When is the Best Time to Visit Virunga National Park? Although Virunga National Park in Congo is available all year, gorilla trekking in Virunga national park is best during the dry seasons of June to September and December to February. During the dry seasons, there is little chance of rain, the terrain is passable, and the dirt roads leading to the park are dry.

Although some visitors opt to visit Virunga national park during the rainy season to take advantage of low-season specials, the wet seasons are generally avoided by most visitors. Nonetheless, the availability of gorilla permits in Virunga national park may have a greater impact on your visit than the weather.

Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park.

Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is one of four national parks in the world that allow gorilla trekking excursions to observe mountain gorillas in their native environment. While civil wars in the region deter travelers, those who have visited the montane Virunga forest believe it is one of the most wonderful experiences in these regions of Africa. Tourists are led to the gorillas by armed rangers and excellent trackers and are permitted to spend at least an hour silently sitting approximately 10 meters away from the gorillas, When is the Best Time to Visit Virunga National Park?

Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, as in Rwanda’s Volcanoes and Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park, begins early in the morning at 8:00 a.m. in small groups of 8 tourists, two armed rangers, a professional tracker guide, and, in certain cases, porters to aid visitors walk the rough terrain.

At Virunga national park, gorilla trekking expeditions might last half a day, and finding the gorillas can take anything from 30 minutes to 6 hours through thick jungle, steep hills, and cold-misty weather. Trekking mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park demands moderate physical fitness, so train before you go.

How many gorilla families are in Virunga National Park?

Any tourist above the age of 15 years can do gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, which includes roughly eight habituated gorilla groups. For ease of identification, the gorilla groups are designated Humba, Rugendo, Kabirizi, Lulengo, Munyaga, Mapuwa, Nyakamwe, and Bageni. Hence, under the protective and attentive eye of the dominant male silverback gorilla, you’ll be tracking anyone with up to 30 family members.

Because rangers monitor habituated gorilla groups in Virunga during the day, they would know where the gorilla family is at any given moment. Before you walk into the forest, the park superintendent will assign you to a group based on your physical fitness during your morning briefing at the park headquarters. This ensures that every tourist gets to observe the gorillas.

Gorilla trekking safaris in Congo’s Virunga National Park is comparable to trekking in Bwindi national park in Uganda or Volcanoes in Rwanda. You’ll be traveling over uneven terrain, steep hills, muddy dirt, unused routes, and through deep bush to reach the gorillas. It does rain suddenly in the rainforest, after all. There is no shortcut or way of knowing how long it would take to reach the gorillas; this is what distinguishes gorilla trekking as a true African bush adventure.

Cost of Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park.

A permit for gorilla trekking in Congo’s Virunga National Park costs USD 450 per person each trip for everyone above 15 years. DR Congo provides the cheapest gorilla trekking experiences, with permits costing $700 in Uganda and $1,500 in Rwanda.

You may reserve your gorilla permit with the Virunga Foundation at Virunga National Park, or through a certified local tour operator like Explore Rwanda Tours via email at info@virungaparkcongo.com

How to get to Virunga National Park

Goma, an hour’s drive outside the park, is the closest town to Virunga National Park. There are flights into Goma; check with your airline’s flight planner. Nonetheless, Uganda Airlines, Rwandair, and Ethiopian Airways operate regular flights between Goma in DR Congo and Kigali city in Rwanda, Entebbe in Uganda, and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, When is the Best Time to Visit Virunga National Park?

Another option is to fly into Kigali International Airport in Rwanda, pass the western Rwanda border at Gisenyi, and drive for 4-6 hours to Virunga park. This route may be closed due to Covid-19; please verify with our reservations department before you travel.

What to pack for your gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park?

Your packing list should contain a lightweight rain jacket, a sweater for the evenings at the lodge, a pair of warm socks, and maybe a scarf to assist you keep warm and dry during your stay.

To avoid muddy routes and stay dry, bring a pair of lightweight, waterproof hiking shoes, pants, and gaiters. To keep prickly plants from pocking your skin, wear a long-sleeved shirt. Bring a waterproof backpack to keep your electronics dry, as well as a tent to protect your head. All of these should be light, otherwise you’ll be sweating while trekking with a big burden.