When to Go?
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!You can track gorillas at any time of year, although many trekkers prefer dry season because rainy season tends to make the trekking trails more difficult navigate and Gorillas tends not to be active due to much coldness. Dry season extend to December to February and June to July. The wet season is from September to November and March to May.
How to Get There?
Most tours will include transport from either Kigali in Rwanda or Kampala in Uganda to Volcanoes National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National park respectively. You can as well use public means to the home of Mountain Gorillas but it’s highly recommended to get private means. To Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo, you can fly to Kigali Airport – drive to Gisenyi region and cross to Goma city in DRC. Spend the night there and then drive to Viringa National Park or Kahuzi Biega – the next morning to trek Gorillas.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda
Public buses run (almost) daily from Kampala to Butogota a town near the park entrance. It takes about ten hours. Your final destination is Buhoma and you’ll have to catch a taxi from Butogota to get there.
Mgahinga National Park
The main town outside of the Mgahinga Park is Kisoro (still 6 miles outside the park Head Quarter). To get to Kisoro you have to go through Kabale which is known as the “Switzerland of Africa”. The area is cool in day light and cold in nights. It is a smooth, easy ride from Kampala to Kibale (around 6-8 hours by bus). From Kibale to Kisoro you’ll be driving on a very bumpy unpaved road. The Horizon bus company operates 2 buses a day from Kampala through to Kisoro.
Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda
Getting to Volcanoes national Park (PNV) in Rwanda is about a 3 hour drive from the capital Kigali. The town of Ruhengeri is at the entrance to the park. You can catch mini-bus taxis or hire a regular taxi in case you can not afford private means.
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The park is 20 miles outside of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. It’s a very rough road, so best to go with someone who knows the area well and take a tour. The tourist infrastructure is not as well developed as in Rwanda and Uganda.
Where to Stay
Most gorilla safaris will include accommodations, but these links below will help those traveling independently and also give you an idea of what is available. This list is by no means exhaustive. I stayed at Virunga Lodge in Rwanda; it was fantastic but not one for budget travelers.