Where are mountain gorillas mostly found in Africa? Mountain gorillas are regarded as to be both primates and great apes which are only found in the Virunga Mountains and right next to this great chain of mountains. This region, which shares borders with Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is known as the Impenetrable Forest because it is made up of mountain jungles.
These primates, which share 98% of their DNA with humans, are unique to this region of Africa. This indicates that there are numerous traits and behaviours that humans and mountain gorillas have in common. Living in families, where each family has a leader known as the silverback, is one of these things. These primates can readily interact with one another, nurse their young, and are susceptible to infectious diseases like the flu, diarrhea, cough, cholera, and more.
As their name implies, mountain gorillas inhabit highland regions between 8,000 and 13,000 feet above sea level. Mountain gorillas can be found in two national parks in Uganda, known as the Pearl of Africa: Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Nearly half of the mountain gorilla population is protected in Bwindi National Park, which is home to 23 habituated gorilla families that allow trekkers to join them and a few other groups for acclimatisation. The only habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park is Nyakagezi, but the park also provides golden monkey trekking, a unique safari experience with primates. Both national parks are situated near the Rwandan and Democratic Republic of the Congo borders in far southwest Uganda.
Mountain gorillas flourish in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, which is named after the stunning country’s surrounding hills. Rwanda is known as the “land of a thousand hills.” Because this park is located near the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, gorilla families are able to continue their migration between these two nations. In addition to golden monkeys, more than ten habituated gorilla families are available for gorilla trekking experiences.
One can always go gorilla trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda.
These gentle giants can be found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Virunga National Park, which is home to ten habituated gorilla families and offers daily trekking opportunities. Two active volcanoes in the Virunga mountain ranges, Mt. Nyiragongo (which is mostly hiked) and Mt. Nyamuragira, are part of this incredible park. The third is the dormant volcano Mount Mikeno. To truly understand the differences between the two gorilla subspecies, you should choose to visit the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park while you are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Gorillas reside in groups also known as families and each family is comprised of 2 to 30 members. The silverback is essential to the group’s control and to the mating of all the females. At this point, mountain gorillas in Africa would have gone extinct, but for the work of female primatologist Dian Fossey and Dr. Louis Leaky, who launched an anti-poaching study and campaign, the gorillas are now saved from being killed for their meat, trophies, and other uses.
There are two activities that allow visitors to get up close and personal with mountain gorillas: gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation tours. While gorilla habituation experience allows tourists to spend up to 4 hours in the presence of a habituated gorilla family, gorilla trekking only allows visitors to spend an hour in the presence of gorillas in the three countries.
The gorilla habituation experience is limited to the southern Rushaga sector of Uganda’s Bwindi National Park.
Are you prepared to see African mountain gorillas? Focus East Africa Tours is prepared to take you for a gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation safari, to create life-long memories.