Combining Gorilla trekking safaris with wildlife safaris in Congo : Democratic Republic of Congo is known as a land rich in natural resources located in the central Africa Naturally located on the Congo River, it is now a metropolis that is home to more than six million people. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is named after the Congo River, which flows through the entire country. The country is one of the eleventh largest in the world and the second largest in Africa . Democratic Republic of Congo boasts magnificent biodiversity, with lush rainforests, diverse flora, and unique fauna. Democratic Republic of Congo is a home to the oldest national park in Africa- Virunga National Park, the park is one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet and home to the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas. The Virunga contains two of the world’s most active volcanoes. It has a diverse habitat that ranges from swamps and steppes, lava plains, and Savannah on the volcano’s slopes. Virunga National Park is the oldest national park in Africa. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located by the eastern part of DR Congo on the border of Uganda and Rwanda. Apart from the mountain gorillas, there are about 20,000 hippopotamuses in the rivers and a variety of birds from Siberia.
Mountain gorilla trekking; gorilla trekking in Virunga national park is the highlight of every trip to the democratic republic of Congo. Endangered gorilla trekking is an enthralling activities that offers visitors with an opportunity to explore the hidden gems of the Virunga National Park as well as the volcanos since the activities involves moving on foot in the jungles of the tropical rainforest in search for the fascinating mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Virunga National Park is a home to 8 mountain gorilla groups which can be trekked by visitors every day such as Kabirizi group, Humba group, Rugendo group, Mapuwa group, Lulengo group, Munyanga group, Nyakamwe group, and Bageni group. Visitors on a Congo gorilla trekking safari in the forest will also get to encounter with other fascinating species such as chimpanzees, duikers, bushbucks, warthogs, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, waterbucks, Kobs, topis, okapi, aardvark, buffaloes, leopards, elephants, birds such as cardinal woodpecker, White-throated Bee-eater, Olive Bee-eater, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Banded Prinia, banded prinia, grey-headed negrofinch, hadeda ibis, mountain green bull among others on your way.
Once the mountain gorillas are found travelers are only allowed to interact with this fascinating creature for only one hour observing how that live in their social families, caring for their young ones like breastfeeding, carrying and playing, you will also be allowed to take videos and photos. Trekking these fascinating creatures in Virunga national park is only allowed to persons above the age of 15 year with maximum number of 8 person trekking in one gorilla group per day. Combining gorilla trekking and wildlife experiences in the democratic republic of Congo will provide you with a complete tour safaris in the country.
Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is one of the popular captivity would be the best to combined by gorilla trekking in Virunga national park , Chimpanzee trekking is one of the famous activities that’s carries out by many travelers who visit Virunga national . Trekking these captivating chimpanzees offers an enthralling venture experience which involves walking in the jungles of the tropical rainforest in search for this fascinating apes. Chimpanzee trekking activity in Virunga National Park is an activity which was introduced to add on the park’s thrilling activities in 2014 because of this successful experience this captivating chimpanzees are now used to human existence unless if aggressive provoked. Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park normally begins in the morning with briefing of expectations and the rules of the chimpanzees trekking. During Congo chimpanzee trekking, you will get to encounter with the chimpanzees collecting fruits, feeding their young ones, nesting among others. Chimpanzees trekking is an adventurous activity and only allowed maximum of 4 people to trek one chimpanzee community
Bird watching in Virunga national park
Virunga national park is the best bird watching destination in the country, the park is known as a birder paradise. The park is a home to overs 702 different kinds of birds species, among are those in the endemic in the Albertine rift. Bird watching is one of the activities commonly joined with the gorilla trekking safaris usually before or after meeting with the giant fascinating mountain gorillas. Some of the birds species stopped here includes , shoebills storks, egrets, grey herons, ibises, grey-throated barbet, Grauer’s swamp warbler, alpine swift, African olive pigeon, white-headed woophoopoes, Angolan swallow, Rwenzori batis, tropical boubou, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet, Double-toothed Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, White-fronted Bee-eater, Red-throated Bee-eater, White-throated Bee-eater, Olive Bee-eater, Croaking Cisticola, Short-winged Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Banded Prinia, Little Rush Warbler, Eastern Rush Warbler, Bracken Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler among others
Tshibati waterfall hike in Kahuzi-Beige national park
This is another enthralling activity to combine with the mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park, hiking to Tshibati waterfall is an activity that any traveler on a Congo safari should not miss out to do. Experiences park guides will lead on the Tshibati waterfalls trail through swampy vegetation, bamboo forest up to the 3 magnificent waterfalls. While hiking to the waterfalls, you will get chance to meet with the chimpanzees, lowland gorillas and other monkey species as well as different kinds of birds.
Wildlife’s viewing in Garamba National Park
Wildlife viewing in Garumba would be the best safari option to combine with gorilla tracking in Virunga National Park. Garamba National Park is one of the national parks in Congo rich with the diversity of flora and fauna. The park is a home to vast number Species of Hippopotamus and Nile buffalo, primates of which can be easily viewed along the tropical rainforest such as the Guereza colobus, Patas monkey, Vervet monkey, the De Brazza’s monkey, and the chimpanzee. Other species found in the park includes red river hog, warthog, bushbuck, waterbuck, Ugandan Kob, Lelwel’s hartebeest, roan antelope, Sitatunga, bongo, blue duiker, yellow-backed duiker, and Oribi. Viewing this captivating wildlife is a life live experience.
