Read this first
Access to Virunga National Park has been interrupted repeatedly by armed conflict in North Kivu, and the park has closed to visitors more than once in recent years. Situations change quickly in both directions. We keep in contact with the park and with operators in Goma and Bukavu, and we will tell you the honest current position — including when that position is 'not this season'. Always read your own government's travel advice as well.
If it is open, the Congo offers something neither Uganda nor Rwanda can. Two of the world's gorilla subspecies live here, the permits cost a quarter of Rwanda's, and the parks receive a fraction of the visitors.
Virunga National Park — mountain gorillas
Africa's oldest national park, founded in 1925, on the Congolese side of the same volcano chain that Uganda and Rwanda share. Around eight families are habituated for tourism, trekked from the Bukima patrol post about two hours from Goma. Permits are US$400. Rangers here have paid an extraordinary price to keep the park functioning, and the entrance fee funds that work directly.
Virunga's other draw is Mount Nyiragongo: an overnight climb to a rim shelter above one of the world's few permanent lava lakes. Nyiragongo erupted in 2021 and access has varied since; check current status before planning around it.
Kahuzi-Biega — eastern lowland gorillas
Two hours from Bukavu, on the western side of Lake Kivu, Kahuzi-Biega is the only place on earth where you can trek eastern lowland gorillas — the largest of the four gorilla subspecies, found nowhere else. The Chimanuka group is the main habituated family. The forest is lower and flatter than the Virungas, so the walking is generally easier, and permits are US$400.
Grauer's gorillas have declined severely over the past thirty years, largely because of mining and hunting pressure in the region. Tourism revenue is one of the few counterweights.
Getting in
| Park | Nearest city | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Virunga (Bukima) | Goma | Cross from Gisenyi/Rubavu in Rwanda, then about 2 hrs by road |
| Kahuzi-Biega | Bukavu | Cross from Rusizi/Cyangugu in Rwanda, then about 2 hrs |
You need a DRC visa arranged in advance, usually through the park itself, plus proof of yellow fever vaccination. Almost everyone arrives via Rwanda, so a multiple-entry Rwandan visa or the East Africa Tourist Visa matters.
Should you do it?
If you have already trekked in Uganda or Rwanda, want to see Grauer's gorillas, are an experienced traveller in complicated places and have flexible plans — it can be the most memorable thing you do in Africa. If this is your only trip and you need certainty, trek in Bwindi or Volcanoes instead, and put the money you save into a longer safari.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much is gorilla trekking in the DR Congo?
US$400 for a mountain gorilla permit in Virunga National Park and US$400 for eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega. It is the cheapest mountain gorilla permit anywhere.
Is it safe to trek gorillas in the DR Congo?
It depends entirely on the moment, and eastern DRC has seen repeated instability that has closed Virunga to tourism for extended periods. We do not sell Congo trekking speculatively. If you ask us about it we will give you the current position from our own ground contacts, and if the answer is no, we will say so.
What is the difference between mountain and lowland gorillas?
Eastern lowland gorillas, or Grauer's gorillas, are the largest gorilla subspecies. They live at lower altitude in the forests west of the Rift, have shorter hair and broader faces, and are found only in the DR Congo. Kahuzi-Biega is the one place you can trek them.
Next
Keep planning
- Uganda vs Rwanda — the two reliable options
- Permits and costs — all three countries compared
- Rwanda gorilla safaris — the usual gateway to eastern DRC
- Complete trekking guide — how trekking works everywhere
Enquire
Ask us about Congo access
We will give you the current position from our own contacts in Goma and Bukavu, and a realistic alternative if it is not workable.
We check live permit availability before we reply. No deposit is needed to have a conversation.