Virunga National Park - Mountain Gorilla Habitat in DR Congo - Africa

The Virunga National Park lies in the Virunga Mountains extending to the Rwenzori Mountains, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and boarders Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda.


The park is Africa’s oldest national park, established in 1925, with a size of over 7800 Square Kilometres. Because of its features, it was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979, has become known for its mountain gorillas. The national park covers the western shores of Lake Edward, known for its hippopotami (depleted by more than 95 percent in 2006[1]) while elsewhere, marshland, grassland plateau and plains dominate the park.

 

The Ruwenzori Mountains lie on the Ugandan border and rise to alpine meadows and a glacier, while Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira are both active volcanoes with substantial associated lava plains.
The park was affected by the civil wars in the 1990’s which depleted the lives of wildlife, and most of them escaped, but with the stabilization of the area, more wildlife has influxed the forest because of its vast and unique nature.


The park is managed by the Congolese National Park Authorities, the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) and receives vital funding from the European Union. In August 2008, Emmanuel de Merode was appointed Director and Chief Warden for the park, commanding a ranger force of 680 men.


Currently, Virunga national park is very conducive and safe for Gorilla tracking tours, with the established security in the area and conservation of the Mountain Gorillas. There are six families of the Gorillas habituated for Tracking. There are also other animals in the park like chimpanzee, elephants, leopard, monkeys, and many others as well as several bird species.

 

DR Congo Gorilla safari Packages

3 Days Gorilla Tracking from Kigali
4 Days Congo gorilla Tracking, Uganda wildlife
6 Days Lowland & Mountain Gorilla Tour

Nyiragongo Volcano Hiking