How and Where To Buy Gorilla Permits in Congo.
Suppose you’re arranging a gorilla safari in DR Congo. In such scenario, you must obtain a gorilla permit for Kahuzi or Virunga National Park that will let you to join an early morning trek with rangers. Here, you’ll discover all the information regarding when, how, and where to obtain gorilla permits in Congo.
Gorilla trekking in DR Congo is special since it’s the only nation containing both mountain gorillas and lowland gorillas. However, the safety difficulties in the nation mean that tourism is not as established as in Uganda and Rwanda. Nevertheless, the gorilla safari experience remains the same. Buying a gorilla permit in Congo is as enormously necessary to conserve these endangered monkeys as it is in the other gorilla locations.
Although Rwanda and Uganda are the most recognized gorilla trekking locations, there are additional reasons why DRC is a particularly wonderful site to hike gorillas.
First of all, this is the only place where you visit both lowland and mountain gorillas on a single tour. For genuine monkey nuts, you can add on a chimpanzee safari, too.
Secondly, considering how Congo has few visitors, the cash from gorilla permits is vitally crucial to contribute to the protection of the gorillas and their habitats. The Mountain gorilla population has risen to over 1000 individuals, due primarily to Uganda and Rwanda’s great tourist and conservation initiatives.
However, the number of eastern lowland gorillas is continuously declining. Buying the gorilla permit in Congo might give park funds and employment for local populations.
Finally, DR Congo offers the lowest gorilla permits, costing USD 450, compared to USD 800 in Uganda and USD 1,500 in Rwanda. You’re also more likely to acquire last-minute gorilla permits in peak season, which simply doesn’t happen in Rwanda and Uganda.
Where do tourists follow gorillas in Congo?
Gorilla trekking in DR Congo occurs at Virunga National Park, located on the slopes of the Virunga Mountains and the adjoining Kahuzi-Biega National Park.
There are eight habituated groups in Virunga National Park. Each group may include from 7 – 26 individuals, a silverback leader with various personalities and qualities which your trekking guide discusses along the hike.
Tours begin in the early morning from a rangers’ post named Bukima, situated a short drive from Goma town. The length of your gorilla hike depends on the location of the gorillas; you might be trekking for less than an hour or as many as five.
Fortunately, you’ll not be doing this on your lonesome but with up to seven other visitors and armed rangers who accurately detect the gorillas’ positions.
Visitors may monitor Eastern lowland gorillas at Kahuzi-Biega National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with six habituated gorilla groups. They may enter Kahuzi via Bukavu, approximately 40 kilometers from Rwanda.
From Goma, you may reach Kahuzi via Lake Kivu by boat or by driving along the shoreline. All activities and Congo gorilla permit verification at Kahuzi begging at Tshvanga Visitor Centre.
How much is a gorilla permit in Congo?
A gorilla permit in Congo costs USD 450 per person each expedition. The permit is lowered at $250 for Congolese citizens and $300 for SADC nationalities.
Occasionally, permits are reduced for all visitors for a specific period; please check with our advisors for the latest development.
What is included in the permit?
The gorilla permit in Congo prices are included of park admission fees. Also included in the permit is armed protection by park rangers and exactly one hour observing the gorillas. You’ll be issued a walking stick at the visitors’ center, which you have to return after the hike.
However, the permit does not cover the transportation from the registration and orientation facility to the hiking trailhead, which might be up to 25 miles distant.
for the tourist center, you may hire a porter to help carry your day pack or aid you hiking when required for an extra fee of $15. It also supplies essential money to local communities.
Where to acquire a gorilla permit in Congo?
You may acquire a gorilla permit in Congo from either the park administration directly or via a certified tour operator like Katland by email or phone.
How to acquire a gorilla permit in Congo?
To schedule a gorilla permit via park management, submit an inquiry email to Virunga’s tourist office in Goma at visit@virunga.org. You’ll get availability choices with information on how to make payment. Your permit will only be reserved following an initial payment with a scanned copy of your passport. It might take a week or longer to have the permission processed.
Alternatively, you may have a local tour operator handle the gorilla permit logistics and confirm the booking when ready. They’ll require your trip information, including tracking date, your names, passport data, and a deposit on the permit.
Send our specialists an email, and we’ll make the entire procedure of receiving a gorilla permit in congo smooth.
Last-minute congo gorilla permits
Because DR Congo has few tourists, last-minute gorilla permits for Virunga National Park or Kahuzi are typically assured, which is not the case in Rwanda or Uganda. 
We highlight the necessity of making a booking at the earliest opportunity, owing of the small group aspect of our travels. For reservations received within 30 days of departure, the Contract between the Organization and the Client comes into existence after full payment has been completed and received by Virunga National Park.
Congo Permit Cancellation & Terms
Changes are subject to availability. Please note an extra administrative cost may be levied when you seek to amend the trekking date on the gorilla permit.
Should you desire to cancel, the following costs will apply;
31 days or more – 2.9% (credit card transaction charge)
30-20 days before departure – 30%
19-14 days before departure – 60%
13-8 days before departure – 90%
Less than seven days – 100%
When is the ideal time for gorilla trekking in Congo?
Gorilla trekking in Congo is possible all year round, with confirmed sightings for most people. However, the weather might destroy your chances of a nice encounter. So, get your gorilla permit on a day with favorable weather for trekking.
However, permission availability might strongly impact when you’ll climb the Virungas in pursuit of the elusive gorillas. Permits generally sell out in high travel seasons.
The optimum period for gorilla trekking in DR Congo is, thus, during dry seasons of mid-December – early February, and June-September, when it’s more pleasant for hiking beneath the tropical jungle. Don’t be totally dismayed by the November and March-May rains since you may have the rainforests and mountains to yourself, and what can beat an uninterrupted experience in the wilderness than that?
What to carry for Congo gorilla trekking
Here’s a list of necessary items you should bring for the gorilla hike in DR Congo.
Trousers with a sleeve shirt or t-shirt
Hiking boots to handle the slippery steep jungle
Long socks to tuck in your jeans and stop mosquitoes crawling up your thighs
Raincoat or poncho just in case it rains; it’s a jungle after all
Pack a reusable container for drinking water to keep you hydrated
Some snacks and a lunch-pack container
Camera or phone to capture photographs
Booking a gorilla trekking expedition in Congo.
Avoid the time-demanding hassles of acquiring a gorilla permit in Congo and book with a reliable and certified tour operator. Katland Safaris conducts gorilla trekking vacations in Congo, organizing all the bookings and local transports.
With you, we’ll tailor your vacation in Congo, provide you all the required information for remaining safe and take care of all the ground management. Please contact us for a free estimate.
