Gorilla National Parks

If you wish to visit the mountain gorillas, you can do it in Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo. The three countries divide the Virunga volcanoes into Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Congo’s Virunga National Park. For a rainforest environment, Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the place to go.

The only place to see Grauer’s gorillas is Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Congo. Even though the alternative name is “Eastern Lowland” gorillas, these are the highlands as well — and the environment resembles Bwindi.

DR Congo Update, December 2025: Due to a long-term conflict between rebels and government forces eastern DR Congo currently isn’t suitable for travel.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park /Uganda/

Bwindi, lying on the southwestern edge of Uganda, is the most in-demand mountain gorilla tracking destination of our region. The steep valleys and high ridges of Africa’s oldest rainforest can be reached through four gates.

The dense old-growth rainforest laid over pretty tough terrain provides refuge to about a half of the world’s mountain gorillas, and they can be accessed through four park gates.

Buhoma, the national park headquarters, has most accessible gorillas and offers a nature walk to triple waterfalls.

Nkuringo boasts greatest views over the forest and towards the Virunga volcanoes, with a hike across the park to Buhoma being the top activity.

Ruhija is the best birding destination and the starting point of a nature walk to the swamp that gave Bwindi its name.

Rushaga presents the largest number of habituated gorilla groups and even the longer gorilla habituation experience.

These are Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. (The gate called Ndego on the map is for vehicle access, not gorilla tracking.) 

The Virungas

Not to be confused with Virunga National Park, the Virungas are a chain of eight volcanoes straddling the Gorilla Highlands region across Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo:

• Mt Bisoke (3,711 m/12,175 ft) — dormant, on the DR Congo–Rwanda border
• Mt Gahinga (3,474 m/11,398 ft) — dormant, on the Rwanda–Uganda border
• Mt Karisimbi (4,507 m/14,787 ft) — dormant, on the DR Congo–Rwanda border
• Mt Mikeno (4,437 m/14,560 ft) — dormant, in DR Congo
• Mt Muhabura (4,127 m/13,540 ft) — dormant, on the Rwanda–Uganda border
• Mt Nyamuragira (3,058 m/10,031 ft) — active, in DR Congo
• Mt Nyiragongo (3,470 m/11,400 ft) — active, in DR Congo
• Mt Sabyinyo (3,669 m/11,959 ft) — dormant, where DR Congo, Rwanda and Uganda meet

The unofficial capital of the Virungas is Musanze (formerly Ruhengeri) in northern Rwanda, about half an hour from Volcanoes National Park. On the Ugandan side, the Virungas are protected by Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, with Kisoro as the main urban hub. In DR Congo, Goma serves as the gateway to Virunga National Park (closed to tourism at present).

While Rwanda’s Twin Lakes are the most famous, the Ugandan side of the Virungas offers similar pairs: Lake Mutanda paired with Lake Murehe, and Lake Kayumbu with Lake Chahafi.

Kahuzi-Biega National Park /DR Congo/

Named after two dormant volcanoes, this park near Bukavu is known worldwide for Grauer’s or eastern lowland gorillas. Three habituated groups reside in the highland sector of the park that also protects over 1,100 plant species and 350 species of birds.

Kahuzi-Biega has the distinction of being the only national park in the Gorilla Highlands region that has properly integrated Batwa “Pygmies” in its daily activities.

Choosing the Park

In the Virungas, tracking is likely to take place in the mountain gorilla’s beloved bamboo environment, not far away from the park boundaries. In Rwanda, the tarmac extends straight to the national park headquarters, and because it is situated merely a couple of hours away from Kigali Airport, this is the most convenient — and pricey — tracking site.

Bwindi is an adventurous gorilla tracking location as the last hours of driving are often quite rough. The distance between some access points is such that a day of rough driving may be needed. In short, knowing that you will track your gorillas “in Bwindi” does not give a very full picture. The Buhoma gate, the park headquarters, is the oldest among them and hence best known and touristically developed. Buhoma gorillas are often easily accessible and sporadically even venture into lodge compounds. However, it would be wrong to ignore the other three gate options. If nothing else, they are closer to towns that offer a wider selection of more modestly priced accommodation.

Note: Nkuringo high above the forest tends to be the most physically challenging gorilla tracking location.