Congo Safaris

Congo safaris are all about the 2 most spectacular and rarely visited national parks of Africa: the mountain gorillas and the erupting volcano Nyiragongo are found in Virunga, while Kahuzi-Biega is known for hosting the largest subspecies of gorillas in the world, the eastern lowland gorillas, and the permits can be acquired at a much lower price than in other neighbouring countries, like Uganda and Rwanda. An important note about safety concerns must be mentioned here as well, however, as Virunga National Park has been closed since 2025 due to the seizing of Goma by M23 rebels, and the latest recommendations advise against travelling there because of the current situation. Understanding this distinction is essential before planning any DRC trip, since the situation differs meaningfully between the country’s two gorilla destinations.

Current Safety Situation.

Before anything else, it’s worth being direct about where things stand. Virunga National Park, in the eastern DRC near Goma, has been closed since the 2025 M23 offensive that captured the city, and given how fragile any ceasefire in the region has proven historically, there’s no reliable timeline for reopening. Anyone researching older articles or blog posts describing gorilla treks in Virunga should understand that information predates this closure and doesn’t reflect the current situation.

Kahuzi-Biega National Park, located further south near Bukavu, has continued operating and remains considered safe for visitors, offering trekking access to eastern lowland gorillas, a genuinely distinct experience from Virunga’s mountain gorillas. Travellers seriously considering a Congo safari in the current environment should treat Kahuzi-Biega as the primary realistic option, while continuing to monitor official sources and travel advisories for any change in Virunga’s status before making firm plans involving that park specifically.

Why Travellers Have Historically Been Attracted to Congo.

Despite the DRC’s reputation and despite current access limitations, it’s worth understanding why Congo safaris have built such a devoted following among adventurous travellers. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the only country where visitors can encounter two distinct gorilla subspecies in the wild: mountain gorillas in Virunga and eastern lowland gorillas, the largest gorilla subspecies on earth, in Kahuzi-Biega.

Permit costs run dramatically lower than in neighbouring countries, historically around $400 in Virunga and similarly affordable in Kahuzi-Biega, compared to Rwanda’s $1,500 permit and Uganda’s $800 equivalent. Travellers who’ve made the trip in the past consistently describe Congo’s parks as offering a rawer, less commercialised wilderness experience, with considerably fewer visitors per gorilla family than the more heavily trafficked parks in Uganda and Rwanda.

Kahuzi-Biega National Park.

Kahuzi-Biega National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Bukavu in eastern DRC, protects the eastern lowland gorilla, also known as Grauer’s gorilla, a physically larger and visually distinct cousin of the mountain gorillas found in Uganda, Rwanda, and Virunga. Treks here follow a broadly similar structure to mountain gorilla trekking: an early morning briefing, a guided hike led by trackers and rangers, and an hour observing a habituated family once located. Because eastern lowland gorillas live at lower altitudes with somewhat different terrain than the steep volcanic slopes of the Virunga range, some trekkers describe Kahuzi-Biega treks as marginally less physically demanding, though this varies by specific family and location on any given day.

Access to Kahuzi-Biega typically routes through Bukavu, itself reachable via Rwanda, with Kigali serving as the more practical international gateway given Rwanda’s stronger flight connections compared to flying directly into the DRC. Travellers combining a Kahuzi-Biega trek with broader Rwanda plans, gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, or a Lake Kivu stay often find this the most logistically manageable way to experience Congo’s wildlife given current regional conditions.

What does a Virunga trip include when it’s open?

For context, and for travellers hoping to plan a future visit once conditions allow, it’s worth understanding what a Virunga safari historically offered. Beyond gorilla trekking itself, the park’s biggest additional attraction was Mount Nyiragongo, one of Africa’s most active volcanoes, where guided overnight hikes brought visitors to the crater rim to observe its permanent lava lake, one of only a handful in the world. Chimpanzee tracking, extensive birdwatching across the park’s varied habitats, and a visit to the Senkwekwe Centre, the world’s only sanctuary for orphaned mountain gorillas, rounded out what was widely considered one of Africa’s most complete, adventure-oriented safari destinations before the current closure.

Visa and Entry Logistics.

Entry into the DRC for gorilla trekking has historically been streamlined through the park authorities themselves rather than requiring separate visa applications through embassies. Virunga National Park, when operational, offered a visa service where the park applied on behalf of visitors, who then collected their visa on arrival at the border crossing between Rwanda and Congo. Kahuzi-Biega access follows a broadly similar principle, typically arranged through your chosen operator or the park authority directly, though given the evolving security situation, visa and entry requirements are worth confirming directly and immediately before travel rather than relying on older published guides.

Cost Comparison Across the Three Gorilla Countries.

Even accounting for current access limitations, it’s useful to understand how Congo’s pricing compares to its neighbours’ for future planning purposes. DRC gorilla permits have historically run around $400, roughly half of Uganda’s $800 permit and a fraction of Rwanda’s $1,500 rate, making Congo, when accessible, the most budget-friendly of the three gorilla trekking countries by a considerable margin. A full 3-day Congo gorilla trip, including accommodation, transport, and permits, has typically run somewhere between $1,700 for a budget itinerary and $2,300 for a more comfortable one, though these figures predate the current Virunga closure and should be treated as a historical reference rather than current, bookable pricing.

Making a Decision in the Current Climate.

Given the closure of Virunga and the genuinely serious nature of the conflict driving it, most safety-conscious travel advisors and government travel advisories currently recommend against visiting that specific park, regardless of how compelling its historical reputation. For travellers still drawn to a Congo experience, Kahuzi-Biega remains the more defensible option, though even there, staying closely updated on regional security through official sources, rather than older blog content, is essential before committing to travel. For travellers who want mountain gorilla trekking specifically without the current regional uncertainty, Uganda and Rwanda remain the considerably safer, fully operational alternatives.

Congo safaris have long offered one of Africa’s most rewarding and least crowded wildlife safari experiences, built around two distinct gorilla subspecies, an active volcano, and a rawer, more off-the-beaten-path atmosphere than Uganda or Rwanda’s more established circuits. That being said, the present situation in 2026 demands an important caveat: Virunga National Park is still closed because of regional conflicts, and no one should plan a trip there before verifying the information. While the Kahuzi-Biega National Park keeps functioning and is the only possible choice at present, Uganda and Rwanda represent a safer choice for gorilla watching in the DRC, which cannot boast of low prices and wild nature anymore.