African gorilla photo tours in Uganda and Congo will be a memorable one to each gorilla trekker who makes it in those countries.

Out of the only four national parks which inhabit the rare mountain gorillas, three of them are found in Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo whereby Uganda consists of two gorilla tracking Parks (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park) and the Congo’s Park protecting these rare endangered primates is known as Virunga National Park of which the rest gorilla Park is called Volcanoes National Park found in Rwanda and if you have enough time, you can explore all the four Parks at the same time because they all lie on the same conservation area except Bwindi.

Therefore you can start your gorilla tour from Bwindi and then access Mgahinga Gorilla National Park where you will originate from to access Volcanoes National Park and end with Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

What makes your gorilla photo tour in all the four Parks memorable is that each of these Parks consists of different habituated gorilla families thus it is very important if you visit all the four Parks in order to conquer a memorable gorilla photo tour in Africa simply because all the gorilla families have different characters which will amaze you.

A Uganda gorilla permit costs US$ 700 and Rwanda’s gorilla permit costs US$ 1500 well as Congo’s gorilla permit costs US$ 400.

Uganda protects the hugest number of mountain gorillas and a gorilla trekker will be able to interact and capture a variety of photos while in this Park.

The Park consists of 14 habituated gorilla families which reside in four sectors of the Park (Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo) hence capturing photos of all the 14 habituated gorilla families will be something you cannot forget easily.

Three families are found in Buhoma sector (Mubare family, Rushegura family and Habinyanja family) and Rushaga sector resides the highest number of gorilla families and these include; Bweza, Nshongi, Busingye, Kahungye, Bikingi, Mishaya and Bushaho however Ruhija sector also resides Bitukura family, Oruzogo family and Kyaguriro family plus the other family called Nkuringo family which is resided in  Nkuringo sector.

Taking photos as you explore these shy endangered primates is such a rewarding thing to your gorilla tour in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.

A gorilla trekker in Bwindi can take residence in some of the Park’s accommodations according to which sector he or she is tracking the primates from of which some of the lodges include; Buhoma lodge, Nkuringo gorilla camp, Mahogany springs, Ruhija gorilla safari lodge, Rushaga gorilla camp and many others.

As you finish your visit to Bwindi which is found in western parts of Uganda, you can finish your gorilla tour in Uganda as you visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for another habituated gorilla family which resides in the Park.

Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only gorilla family found in the Park of which the Park is the smallest Ugandan Park but surprisingly out of the 1000 mountain gorillas in the world, this small Park at least keeps over 100 of them.

This makes this Park worthy a visit in order to enjoy gorilla trekking and due to the hilly landscape of the Park makes your gorilla photography tour to be more enjoyful to be accompanied with photos revealing the Park’s beauty.

The Park has got good and luxury accommodations such as Mount Gahinga lodge and Mucha hotel where trekkers will stay in for the reason of their gorilla photo tour.

From Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, accessing either Virunga National Park or Volcanoes National Park is due to your decision because they are both too close to the two Parks since they are all situated on the same conservation ground bordering each other.

If you decide to first visit Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and then end with Virunga National Park in Congo will then be more rewarding and easier of which in the Volcanoes National Park you will meet 11 habituated gorilla families having different behaviors from those in Uganda since also humans have different characters according to family backgrounds.

Unlike in Bwindi where tracking is done in four sectors due to the high number of the primates (over 500 gorillas), Volcanoes National Park keeps over 200 mountain gorillas and can all be tracked in one tracking sector of which you will enjoy all the 11 habituated gorilla families in the Park which include; Sabyinyo, Susa, Bwenge, Titus, Karisimbi, Umubano, Ugenda, Hirwa, Kwitonda, Agashya and Amahoro.

Taking photos of these habituated gorilla families is something you should do for remembrance and also the Park still consists of five Volcanoes which you can still pick one and hike if you have enough time; Karisimbi volcano is a two days hike, Bisoke volcano is a one day hike however Karisimbi volcano hike is the most rewarding.

Other volcanoes in the Park include Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhabura however these three Volcanoes are shared between Uganda and Rwanda.

Accommodations in the Park include; Bisate lodge, Virunga lodge, Mountain Gorilla view lodge, Kwitonda lodge and many others.

From Volcanoes National Park, you will now end your gorilla photo tour in Virunga National Park which lies in the eastern parts of Democratic Republic Congo.

Gorilla tracking in Virunga National Park takes place from Bukima patrol post where you will have chances of viewing all the 8 habituated gorilla families found in the Park of which they include; Rugendo, Mapuwa, Bageni, Lulengo, Humba, Nyakamwe, Munyaga and Kabirizi.

If a trekker has enough time and he/she a fun of hiking, in the Park there exists a great active Volcano of which hikers of this volcano (Nyiragongo Volcano) enjoy the large lava lake at the top/summits of the Volcano.

Taking photos of this bubbling lava lake is quite difficult especially during day time thus it is clearly seen at night and the hike takes two days.

A Nyiragongo Volcano hike permit costs US$ 300 including prices for the shelters which are situated on the Volcano thus you don’t need to carry tents instead just pack your hiking boots, heavy clothes for the cold night, enough snacks and water plus enough packed food.

Photos to this largest bubbling Lava Lake accompanied with photos of the Mountain gorillas will make your African photo tour a complete one however still in Virunga National Park you will also spot the eastern Low-land gorillas and chimpanzees thus making your tour more efficient.

Accommodations in Virunga are so good of which they include Tchegera Island tented camp Bukima tented camp, Nyiragongo Volcano Summit Shelters and Mikeno lodge.

However, gorilla trekking begins at 07:00am with the briefings and then trekkers begin trekking at 08:30am and tracking is done in groups of 8 individuals per group therefore Trekkers are advised to access the Parks before the briefing time such that you catch up with the briefings because they are very important for trekkers.