Gorilla Trekking Permits in Congo
Gorilla Trekking Permits in Congo are the documents that are issued to travelers to allow them access to the gorilla trekking areas of Kahuzi Biega National Park & Virunga National Park. If you are thinking about gorilla trekking in Congo, its better you first think about the gorilla trekking permits. The fact is, you cannot do gorilla trekking, not only in Congo but other countries like Uganda and Rwanda, without the gorilla trekking permits. Gorilla trekking is one of the most exhilarating experiences you can ever have in Congo. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a home for two species of gorillas, the lowland eastern gorillas, and the mountain gorillas.
The Democratic republic of Congo has Virunga National Park, which is also a major home for the endangered sought after mountain gorillas. Virunga national park has over eight habituated families of mountain gorillas that are available for trekking and visiting. Besides the mountain gorillas, the democratic republic of Congo is also a renowned destination for the trekking of the eastern lowland gorillas, mainly in kahuzi beiga.
Many visitors visit the democratic republic of Congo for gorilla trekking in two major destinations; Kahuzi beiga national park and Virunga national park. Kahuzi beiga national park is a home for the commonly known eastern lowland gorillas different form the endangered sought after mountain gorillas which are located in Virunga national park.
What are gorilla trekking permits?
The gorilla trekking permits are legal documents issued by government nature conservation bodies, which allow a visitor to engage in the gorilla activities in different gorilla safaris destinations in Africa. The gorilla trekking permit in Congo will allow you to enjoy the exhilarating mountain gorillas in Virunga national park and the eastern lowland gorillas in the kahuzi beiga national park. To note, the gorilla permit can be a gorilla trekking permit or a gorilla habituation permit. The gorilla habituation permits differ from the gorilla trekking permits in terms of cost and duration of validity within the wilderness.
Permits in Kahuzi Beiga National Park
The gorilla trekking permits for Kahuzi beiga national park, mainly trekking for the eastern low land gorillas, are issued by the government body of the democratic republic of Congo known as the ICCN which is “Institut Congolais pour la conservation de la nature”. Kahuzi beiga national park is famously known for having about 6 families of low land gorillas open for visiting by the travelers to the democratic republic of Congo.
The gorilla trekking permits for the eastern lowland gorillas in kahuzi beiga national park in the democratic republic of Congo are charged usd400 per person. Each person, along with his or her permit, is allowed to have a one-hour interaction with the eastern lowland gorillas. The one-hour interaction with the lowland gorillas is worthy because it allows you to learn about these species’ behavioral patterns, like feeding patterns, socialization, copulation among others. Do not bother relating gorilla trekking experience with some zoo time, the gorilla experience is real and allows you to see the gorillas in their natural habitats within the wildest places of Africa like Kahuzi beiga, Virunga national park, volcanoes national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park, and Mgahinga National Park.
Permits in Virunga national park in Congo
Virunga national park is one of the famous places in Africa where mountain gorillas can trek. Virunga national park is also the only place in the democratic republic of Congo where you can find the mountain gorillas. Still, just like the other national parks, gorilla trekking in the Virunga is only possible if you possess a genuine gorilla trekking permit.
There are a lot of local tour operators that can help you book your gorilla trekking permit in Virunga national park. Alternatively, Virunga foundation together with the government of the democratic republic of Congo offers discounted gorilla trekking permits; this is only for the trekkers to Virunga national park in Congo.
Just like Kahuzi beiga national park, your gorilla trekking permit costs USD400 in Virunga national park, however you can get a promotional discount permit at USD200 during the low season of tourism, which is mid-October to mid-December. Therefore, you might wish to visit Virunga national park in the low tourism season, so that you can enjoy the huge discount on the Virunga national park gorilla trekking permits.
What you have to know about gorilla permits in Congo
The gorilla trekking permits in Congo are highly competitive, probably this is because they are the cheapest gorilla trekking permits among all the gorilla trekking destinations within the Virunga conservation area, volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Mgahinga national parks in uganda and Virunga national park in Congo.
The gorilla trekking permits to Virunga national park are offered on the first come first serve basis; this is greatly attributed to the competitiveness of these cheap trekking permits. There is no much promise that you can find the permits available for you on a day you require to book for your mountain gorilla trekking safari. For the reason, it is better for you to book for your Virunga national park mountain gorilla trekking permit just in time when they are out.
It good you pay immediately for your virunga national park mountain gorilla trekking permit judt in time; the longer you delay in payment or booking for your virunga national park mountain gorilla trekking permit, may result into failure of acquiring one. It is the best idea for you to book for your mountain gorilla trekking permit in virunga about 3-4 months before the actual trekking day, especially in the peak seasons, the mountain gorilla trekking permits might be hard to acquire.
To note, the peak season is experienced from late December through January to February, and from June through July to August. No cancellation policy is attached to the gorilla trekking permit in virunga national park; no money is refunded for any case of canceling oyur gorilla trekking permit to virunga national park. The purchase for the virunga mountain gorilla trekking permits in Congo happens immediately after the money is received; it is a cash for the permit system. Your gorilla trekking permit in virunga national park, includes the park entry fee, however, exclusive of the accommodation, transport and auxiliary activity charges.
Steps for booking gorilla permits in Congo
- You have to contact a tour operator; it is always good if you use the local tour operators since they are always with the most updated information about the release of the mountain gorilla trekking permits in Congo and the nearby countries where mountain gorilla trekking safaris are conducted such as uganda and Rwanda.
- Secondly, the tour operator will let you know about the feedback, such as the free days you can trek or else confirm the choice. After giving you the feedback, you can also confirm with the tour operator and he books the permit tentatively.
- After, the tour operator can send you the bank details on which you can complete your payment for your gorilla trekking permit. It good to take caution on this, there are many frauds that can make use of your information to drain your bank account.
- The payment will be mature within 3-4 days after; make sure that the payment you sent includes the cost of the permit and the bank charges as well, your tour operator can help you with the summation.
- After the payment, you are required to send your passport details; it is the passport details that are used by the ICCN to make for you the gorilla trekking, permit. Then that all and you are good to go for your mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, in the democratic republic of Congo.
To note; the steps might change based on the different policies of several tour operators, but you have to be very smart if at all you are to avoid frauds. Or else let achieve global safaris to do your entire gorilla trekking safari for you with no hustle.
