Welcome to Democratic Republic of Congo positioned in the Albertine Rift Valley. The country with various parks and from Virunga National Park that is nestled in the eastern parts of the country you can have unforgettable safari. The park is a perfect destination for gorilla safari lovers in Africa. It is the only habitant for the rare endangered mountain gorillas in the Central Sub-Saharan Africa, and also one of the only four parks in the world to protect these great apes, others being Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park & Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in south-western Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in north-western Rwanda and these parks can easily be accessed from one to another.
Virunga, Volcanoes and Mgahinga national parks were one park called the Virunga Massif before splitting to form these three different parks, and thus a tourist can easily cross from Volcanoes to Virunga, Mgahinga to Virunga, Volcanoes to Mgahinga, and also Mgahinga to Volcanoes. Tourists can also easily access Bwindi while in any of the Virunga massif parks since it is within a close proximity to Mgahinga national park, all located in south-western Uganda.
For guests going for gorilla trekking in Virunga (Congo) will only pay US$ 400 for the Congo gorilla permit, which is the cheapest of all the other countries’ gorilla permits. The permit can quickly be purchased for you by the local tour companies though trekkers are always advised to deal with better companies which offer good and quick services. Some of the good tour companies you should opt for while booking your gorilla safari include: Nature Adventure Africa Safaris Ltd, among others.
If you use any of the above companies, the company will offer you with everything you may need to make your gorilla safari so joyous and memorable, including hiring you a good vehicle of your choice, reserving for you a good accommodation in the Park and many others. Besides gorilla safaris/trekking, Virunga national park also offers many other interesting facilities such as; chimpanzee tracking, hiking of Mount Nyiragongo, bird watching, and game viewing where you may spot various animal species like forest elephants, Nile Crocodiles (in Semuliki River), hippos, duikers, okapis, common warthogs, and African buffaloes, and various monkey species, among others.
Kahuzi Biega National Park
Located in the eastern parts of Congo near Bukavu, the Park is one of the last refugees of the eastern lowland gorillas and tracking them is the main and most interesting activity in the Park. Congo is the only country world-wide to reside both the rare endangered mountain gorillas and the eastern lowland gorillas thus giving a huge opportunity to the gorilla lovers to experience both types while in Congo. Still here you will have to pay the Congo gorilla permit which costs US$ 400 and it will be purchased for you by your desired tour company. Kahuzi-Biega is one of the biggest national parks in the country set in both mountainous and lowland terrain, and the park was named after its two dormant volcanoes (Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega) which are within its limits. Besides tracking the eastern lowland gorillas, travelers to the park will also view many other attractive animal species such as; eastern chimpanzees, African forest elephants, Mount Kahuzi climbing mouse, hippos and buffaloes, among others.
Lomami National Park
The Park is conveniently located in the middle basin of the Lomami River, which is the major tributary of Congo River straddling the provinces of Maniema and Tshopo with a slight overlap into the forests of Tshuapa and Lualaba Rivers hence making the park more spectacular and adorable. The park lies south of Kisangani which is Tshopo province’s capital and northwest of Kindu, the capital of Maniema province.
The Park is basically known for protecting the Congolese endemic great ape, (Bonobo). A bonobo is at times referred to as; pygmy chimpanzee, or gracile chimpanzee, or dwarf. It is an endangered great ape and one of the two species making up the ‘’Pan’’ genus. The other second species making up the same genus is the ‘’Pan troglodytes’’ (common chimpanzee). Though the ‘’name chimpanzee’’ is sometimes used to refer to both species together, it is usually understood as referring to the common chimpanzee, well as the ‘’Pan Paniscus’’ is usually referred to as a bonobo. Bonobos live in the southern ends of the river and thereby were separated from the ancestors of the common chimpanzees which live in the northern parts of the river. The Park is outstanding for residing a huge number of bonobos and numerous primate species, which include; Lesula, Dryas monkeys, Sclater’s Angolan Colobus, Northern black mangabeys, De Brazza’s monkeys, and Tshuapa Colobus, among others. Other Park’s residents include; over 500 forest elephants, rain forest giraffes, Okapis, and many Congolese endemics plus a large number of bird species.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
The reserve is home to approximately 5,000 okapis, 4,000 elephants, 2,000 leopards, chimpanzees, and crocodiles. Other resident animals also include forest buffaloes and water chevrotains. The reserve boasts over 300 species of birds, and is one of the most important sites for bird conservation in mainland Africa. Nomadic Mbuti pygmies and indigenous Bantu farmers also live within the reserve. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a world heritage site in the Ituri Forest in the north-eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the borders with South Sudan and Uganda.
Other places of interest in the Democratic Republic of Congo include; Garamba National Park, Salonga National Park, Kundelungu National Park, Upemba National Park, Lake Kivu and among others.
Best tour companies organizing Congo safaris
The best tour companies you should use in order to have a successful and unforgettable Congo safari include; Congo Parks, Eco Tours Congo, and Nature Adventure Africa Safari Limited among others.
