Best Gorilla Safari Destinations/Places in Africa | 2027
The Top Gorilla Safari Destinations; Bwindi Impenetrable, Mgahinga Gorilla and Volcanoes National Parks and Other Uganda Safari Parks; Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth, and Kidepo National Parks.
A safari to Uganda is awful in general though it becomes more magical if we take you through the top highlight of the country, the pearl is a fantastic place for honeymoon vacationists or holiday vacations. Kabira Gorilla Safaris is a locally based Tour and Travel Company proven and registered under Uganda Tourism Board that can help you plan your safari to the country with a guaranteed wilderness experience.
Gorilla Safari Destinations
The top gorilla safari destinations in Africa are Uganda, Rwanda, and the Republic of Congo, home to rare mountain and lowland gorillas in their natural rainforest habitats.
Uganda
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Houses nearly half the world’s mountain gorillas; permits cost $800 USD.
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Features scenic volcano slopes and one habituated gorilla group.
Rwanda
- Volcanoes National Park: Offers the most accessible trekking in the Virunga Mountains; luxury lodges are nearby; permits cost $1,500 USD.
Republic of Congo & DRC
- Odzala-Kokoua National Park (Congo): Famous for tracking western lowland gorillas in dense remote jungles via camps like Ngaga.
- Virunga & Kahuzi-Biega (DRC): Dramatic parks for mountain and lowland gorillas, though security checks are essential.
1. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda is all you need to know about Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. here we give you the latest information on the attractions, activities, best time, location, and accommodation facilities around the park.
Size: 33.7km2, making it Uganda’s smallest National Park.
The park takes its name from “Gahinga” – the local word for the piles of volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the foot of the volcanoes.
The British administration declared the area a game sanctuary in 1930; it was gazetted as a National Park in 1991.
Mgahinga has one habituated transboundary gorilla group.
The Batwa were self-sufficient – and visitors can see how during a fascinating tour with a Batwa guide to learn the secrets of the forest.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits high in the clouds, at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m. As its name suggests, it was created to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey.
2. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is in southwestern Uganda. The park is part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and is situated along with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) border next to the Virunga National Park and on the edge of the Albertine Rift.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, located in south-western Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley, is one of Africa’s most ancient and biologically diverse rainforests. Dating back over 25,000 years, this mist-covered jungle is home to an incredible 400 plant species and provides refuge to some of the world’s rarest wildlife.
Most famously, Bwindi protects approximately 459 mountain gorillas—almost half of the world’s remaining population. This “impenetrable forest” is one of the best places on earth to experience gorilla trekking, offering visitors the chance to come face-to-face with these majestic primates in their natural habitat.
3. Volcanoes National Park Rwanda
The Volcanoes National Park (also known as Parc National des Volcans) is arguably the best place in the world to observe the critically endangered mountain gorilla. This is where Dian Fossey started the habituation of these gentle giants decades ago.
Volcanoes National Park is a famous rainforest reserve in northwestern Rwanda known for mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, and volcano hiking. It protects five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains and sits about a 2-hour drive from Kigali.
Location: Musanze district, 116 km (72 miles) from Kigali International Airport.
Size: 160 square kilometers (62 square miles) of lush rainforest and bamboo.
Main Animals: Endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, spotted hyenas, and buffaloes.
Famous Volcanoes: Mount Karisimbi (highest at 4,507m) and Mount Bisoke (with a crater lake).
Explore Uganda
Why Uganda? – Winston Churchill a former British prime minister in 1907 penned down the statement that “For magnificence, for variety of form and color, for the profusion of brilliant life-bird, insect reptile, beast – for vast scale – Uganda is truly the pearl of Africa”, and more than a century later the statement still manifests. Uganda’s holiday destinations are thus worth visiting.
Uganda is notably one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, habituating 13 types of primates and 330 mammals, with six of which are found nowhere else, the country is home to over 1000 bird species and also encompasses the vast range of landscape that varies from Africa’s highest mountain ranges to the source of the world’s longest river, River Nile, and harbors the largest lake on the continent, Lake Victoria.
When it comes to a holiday safari to East Africa, Uganda is a wise and wonderful choice, though most people think of Tanzania and Kenya. Uganda is a better choice since the country offers one more thing that cannot be found in the other two countries, the mountain gorillas.
Major Gorilla Safari Destinations and Other Safari Parks
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – is located in the southwestern part of the country, home to mountain gorillas and the famous gorilla trekking.
- Murchison Falls National Park – located in western Uganda, the largest National Park in the country. The national park habituates great numbers of wildlife and is famous for its unique waterfalls.
- Kibale Forest National Park – famous as the primates’ capital of the world, the National Park is home to various primates though mainly chimpanzees are more thought of when you talk about the National Park.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park – the National Park is the second-largest in the country after Murchison Falls National Park. The best place to have a boat safari in Uganda and a UNESCO world heritage site.
- Kidepo Valley National Park – is one of the most beautiful parks in Africa, as voted by CNN. The National Park has been tipped as Uganda’s Masai Mara. The beautiful park has a variety of wildlife and wildlife enthusiasts shouldn’t miss this.
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – the best alternative for gorilla trekking in Uganda and perhaps the only place to see golden monkeys
- Lake Mburo National Park – the national park is one of the smallest in the country, however famous for the large numbers of zebra.
There are several other destinations to go on your holiday safari to Uganda including sites, Mountains, and lakes. Gorilla Safari Destinations list is just endless.