Where to see gorillas in Africa? Gorillas can be found in 10 countries in Africa including Uganda, Rwanda, Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon, and Angola.
Gorillas are classified into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla.
Both gorilla species contain two subspecies. The eastern gorilla species include the Mountain gorilla and the Eastern Lowland gorilla. The western gorilla species include the Cross River gorilla and the Western Lowland gorilla.
Most people want to track mountain gorillas which live in Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. Luckily, their numbers are increasing; according to the most recent census, there are currently over 1,060, up from 250 when conservation efforts began 50 years ago.
Over 100,000 western lowland gorillas live in the rain-forests of central and West Africa. They are highly endangered with fewer families habituated for trekking.
The world’s rarest gorilla subspecies – Cross River gorilla- has a population of around 200 – 300 and is also highly endangered. The gorilla has a small distribution in Nigeria and Cameroon that is logistically too challenging to offer gorilla tours. The eastern lowland gorilla which has a population of about 2,000-5,000 is endemic to DR Congo.
Best Places to See Gorillas in Africa
Here are my recommendations of where to see gorillas in Africa.
1. Uganda
Uganda is home to 50% of the world’s population of mountain gorillas, with 25 gorilla families currently habituated for tourism. Africa’s mountain gorillas can survive only in the wild – you cannot see these Great Apes in a zoo – which makes trekking to see them in their natural habitat a once-in-a-lifetime journey
Where to see gorillas in Uganda?
There are two gorilla trekking destinations in Uganda: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is by far the more popular choice as the park contains 24 gorilla families and around 500 gorillas.
Mgahinga while just as beautiful, lies within the volcanic Virunga Mountains neighboring DR Congo and Rwanda, and has only one habituated gorilla family.
Bwindi also offers the Gorilla Habituation Experience where you spend up to 4 hours with a semi-habituated gorilla family.
They are less predictable and not as docile as habituated families, and it is a fascinating, intimate glimpse into how gorillas gradually get used to humans.
Best Time to See Gorillas in Uganda
While a Uganda gorilla trekking adventure is considered a year-round activity, most visitors prefer the dry season months of June to September and December to February, when trekking conditions are more favourable. You may also like; best time to visit Uganda.
Gorilla Trekking Permits
The gorilla trekking permits in Uganda are among the most affordable. A gorilla permit here cost US$800 per person to spend one hour with the gorillas in Uganda. You can also opt for a gorilla habituation Eexperience permit of US$1500.
2. Rwanda
Rwanda offers the most accessible gorilla trekking in Africa.
It has 12 mountain gorilla families available for tracking, including the Susa family which lives high up on Mount Karisimbi and was studied by famous primatologist Dian Fossey.
Other gorilla families roam lower down the slopes and are easier to track, though being wild, they are constantly moving. In September, the annual naming ceremony of baby gorillas – Kwita Izina – attracts thousands of visitors to Rwanda.
Where to see gorillas in Rwanda?
All Rwanda’s gorillas live in Volcanoes National Park. This stunning park is located only 80 kilometers – about 3 hours by road – from Kigali International Airport.
It covers 160 square kilometers of prime rain-forest and encompasses 5 of the 8 volcanoes in the Virunga volcanic Mountains. It is a well-protected and monitored reserve full of monkeys (including the rare golden monkey) and forest birds.
Best Time to See Gorillas in Rwanda
While gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a year-round activity, the country’s dry seasons offer by far the easiest hiking conditions and the lowest risk of malaria. Rwanda’s long dry season kicks off in June and lasts until about mid-September – and a brief dry season from December to February. Read more: best time to visit Rwanda to see gorillas
Gorilla Trekking Permits
The downside is that Rwanda’s gorilla trekking permits are expensive at US$1500. With super-luxury accommodation now available in Musanze, Rwanda is becoming the ‘Botswana’ of gorilla trekking, offering great experiences but at high cost.
3. DR Congo
The name Congo conjures images of a vast tropical jungle cut through by the mysterious river for which it is named. Who hasn’t dreamed of setting foot there? Unfortunately, much of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the region’s largest country, is unsafe for travel.
Where to see Gorillas in DR Congo?
DR Congo is the only country in the world that has two subspecies of gorillas.
This includes the eastern lowland gorilla, which is endemic to the country – in other words, it occurs nowhere else in the world. The eastern lowland gorilla can only be seen in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, a short distance northwest of Bukavu – a port city at the southern tip of Lake Kivu on the border with Rwanda.
This activity is just as rewarding as visiting mountain gorillas. Indeed, some might say it is actually more so, as they are even larger than their mountain-dwelling cousins, and low visitor numbers here make for a more adventurous and less-touristy experience.
Eastern DR Congo is also an important stronghold for mountain gorillas. These live on the bamboo-covered slopes of the Virunga Mountains.
Unfortunately, while mountain gorilla trekking is offered in the other two countries, the Congolese portion of the Virungas has been closed to tourism since March 2020.
When Virunga National Park does reopen for mountain gorilla trekking, other activities are likely to include climbing the volcanic Mount Nyiragongo, which contains the world’s largest lava lake, and relaxing on Lake Kivu’s beautiful Tchegera Island.
Best Time to See Gorillas in DR Congo
The best time to gorillas in DR Congo is from June to September. The area has a very wet climate and it can rain at any time, but June to September is drier and the forest trails tend to be less slippery. The drier period between the long and short rains, from December to February, is a great time to travel too.
Gorilla trekking permits
A gorilla trekking permit in DR Congo costs $400 per person per trek is included in the price of your safari package.
4. Republic of the Congo
Not to be confused with its unstable neighbor the Democratic Republic Congo, the quieter and peaceful Republic of the Congo (also known Congo Brazzaville) is one of the best places to see western lowland gorillas in Africa.
But because of its remoteness, it is not a cheap destination but it offers an exclusive safari experience, with groups of only 4 people and rustic luxury accommodation combined with some tough tracking. It is best suited to more intrepid or adventurous travelers.
Where to See Gorillas in Republic of the Congo?
Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the north-west of Republic of the Congo has two habituated gorilla families in this wild, tropical rain-forest.
The national park is still relatively unknown and comprises 13,500 square kilometers of undisturbed equatorial rain-forest – a sanctuary for about 100 mammal species and one of Africa’s most diverse primate populations.
Odzala-Kokoua is known for its successful conservation of western lowland gorillas.
Unlike their mountain gorilla cousins found in Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda, lowland gorillas are smaller and less shaggy, with softer fur, narrower faces and rounder nostrils. But as with their larger altitude-dwelling relatives, they are always a joy to behold.
Best Time to See Gorillas in Congo
Rain is an essential part of the valuable ecosystem in the Congo Basin’s equatorial rainforest, planet Earth’s ‘green lungs’. Trekking for western lowland gorillas in Republic of the Congo is easier during the ‘low rainfall’ season that runs from June to September, and the ‘gentle rainfall’ season from December to February.
Gorilla Trekking Permits
The cost of a permit for trekking gorillas in Republic of the Congo is $350 USD per person and is included in the price of your tour package.
FAQs About Where To See Gorillas In Africa
1. Are there gorillas in Tanzania?
There are no gorillas in Tanzania and Kenya. There are also no gorillas in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Visit Uganda and Rwanda for the ultimate gorilla trekking tours in Africa. Most safari companies in Africa combine wildlife safaris with gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwandan.
2. What part of Africa has the most mountain gorillas?
The highest population of mountain gorillas in Africa is in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. The park contains nearly 50% of the world’s population. That equates to around 500 individuals, according to the last official census in 2019, with 24 gorilla families currently habituated for tourism — more than in any other area of Africa.
3. Where is the cheapest place to see gorillas in Africa?
Uganda has cheaper gorilla trekking costs compared to other countries. A gorilla trekking permit in Uganda costs US$800 per person per trek. In Rwanda, a gorilla permit costs $1500 per person per trek. The Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo offer the cheapest gorilla trekking permits at US$350 and US$400 respectively. However, because of the remoteness and logistics, they not cheap destinations.
4. Is it better to see gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda?
There is much debate as to which country offers the best mountain gorilla safari. The whole truth is that both Uganda and Rwanda have mountain gorillas and there is no big difference when it comes to the experience obtained at the end of your gorilla trek. Read more: gorilla trekking Rwanda Vs Uganda
Want To Go Gorilla Trekking?
Whichever gorilla safari destination you choose, it pays to prepare well for your gorilla trek. Hiking through mountainous rainforest can be muddy work. It can be hot and humid with occasional short downpours too, so suitable clothing, strong hiking boots, and gear like trekking poles all add up to a more comfortable trek.
It is a bucket-list experience precisely because it is not easy to get close to gorillas in the wild but, when you do; you will be more than thrilled.
