On the African continent and probably the whole world, Uganda has the biggest population of gorillas. Inhabited by its two gorilla destinations, Uganda houses approximately 559 gorillas. On an annual basis, visitors from across the world are attracted to the country by these huge numbers, as it is an assurance of spotting and encountering these gorillas. Although Uganda is a small landlocked country in the heart of Africa, it has half of the gorilla population on earth. If this cannot prove to you that Uganda is the true pearl of Africa, then I don’t know what will. The country’s dominance in the gorilla attractions ranks it as the best gorilla destination in the world.

What are the other gorilla destinations in Africa?

Right from the ranking charts, other gorilla destinations, that is, countries, follow Uganda in the number of gorillas. These include the following.

Rwanda

Rwanda comes close to Uganda with approximately 300 gorillas, putting it in the second position in the countries with the largest numbers of gorillas in Africa. With the country’s size, few would have actually guessed that Rwanda could be second. Rwanda is typically known as a gorilla destination because gorillas are its biggest export to the rest of the world. Gorillas are part of Rwanda as they represent a significant to the economy of the country. This is because of the large numbers of visitors that flock to the country, specifically to encounter these primates out in the wild. The gorilla primates have a cultural significance to the country, with some cultures, like the naming of newborn babies were employing the primates and calling the kwita izina ceremony, where newborn gorillas are named.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo closes the list of gorilla number rankings in third place. Over 203 gorilla individuals rule the tropical and montane vegetation of this great country. However, one would argue and exclaim why the Democratic Republic of Congo, with its large size, has the least number of gorillas. Many factors revolve around this question, but the most important is the approach that is caused by various reasons, like civil and political unrest. These factors lead to the death of many gorilla primates, and some other primates migrated to the neighboring gorilla destinations. However, this does not take away the fact that visitors can still encounter the gorilla primates in the country.

What are the types of gorilla species in Africa?

The African continent is blessed with an incredible variety of flora and fauna, including the gorilla primates. Though rare and endangered, Africa hosts the remaining gorilla primate species in the world. These gorilla primate species include the following.

Mountain gorillas

Native to only the eastern region of Africa, the mountain gorillas are a species of gorilla primates that inhabit the mountainous areas, thus their name. Quite similar to other gorilla primate species, the mountain gorillas are distinguished by size and their habitats. Mountain gorillas are the largest in all the gorilla species a Silverbacks, the male gorilla, weigh in at 200-220 kilograms with a height of 1.5-1.8 meters. Since the mountain gorillas live in cooler temperatures at high altitudes, their coats are long with much darker and heavier fur. Their body features are built for cold weather temperatures. The mountain gorillas can only be spotted from the Virunga Conservation Area. This conservation area encompasses countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lowland gorillas

The lowland gorillas differ from their mountain gorilla primate cousins in many ways, from habitat to distinctive body features. The lowland gorilla species lives in the lowland areas of Africa with a riverine and tropical vegetation type. These lowland gorillas are further subdivided into two subspecies of western lowland gorillas and eastern lowland gorillas. Western lowland gorillas, as their name suggests, live in the western lowland regions of Africa. They can be encountered in countries like Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon, among others. The eastern lowland gorillas are sometimes called Grauer’s gorillas, and these dwell in the eastern regions of the continent in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lowland gorillas can be identified by their smaller size, long bodies, and brown, reddish fur on their foreheads. Lowland silverback gorillas can weigh 160-210 kilograms with a height of 1.6-1.85 meters.

Where to have a gorilla adventure experience in Africa?

Africa has two gorilla species as mentioned earlier and these primates can be encountered out in their natural habitats for at least an hour, this process is called gorilla trekking. Below are of the national parks in Africa to have a gorilla experience.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is Africa’s leading gorilla trekking destination, situated in Uganda. Part of the Virunga Conservation Area, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park stands tall as it hosts the largest number of mountain gorillas in this conservation area. Bwindi was established in 1991, and approximately 4 years later, recognized as a UNESCO site. The park stretches across the districts of Kabale, Kisoro, and Kanungu, covering a distance of about 321 square kilometers. The park is divided into four sectors of Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Rushaga gorilla sectors. These gorilla sectors have a significant number of about 50 gorilla families, and visitors can embark on a gorilla trekking adventure in the 24 habituated families. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park harbors over 459 mountain gorillas.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Established in 1991, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, as its name suggests, is a gorilla destination in Uganda located in the southwestern region of the country. It is situated close to the border with Rwanda, with a land area of about 33.7 square kilometers. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest of all the gorilla habitats in the Virunga Conservation Area. This is in context with the number of mountain gorillas it hosts, of about 100. Mgahinga has just one gorilla family called Nyakagezi and is often sighted by visitors on a gorilla trekking safari.

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park is Rwanda’s only gorilla destination, located in its northern region. It stretches for about 160 square kilometers. Volcanoes National Park is the country’s most famous protected area, hosting about 300 mountain gorillas. This park comes close as one of the oldest national parks, not just in the country or the Virunga Conservation Area, but also in Africa. Over 13 gorilla families are habituated in Volcanoes National Park, and visitors are guaranteed to encounter them.

Virunga National Park

Situated in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Goma province, Virunga National Park is the only mountain gorilla destination in the country. The Virunga Conservation Area gets its name from this park since its mountainous influence stretches across the region. Virunga National Park was established in 1925 during the colonial era and harbors over 203 mountain gorillas. This park is the largest among the Virunga Conservation Area, spanning 7,769 square kilometers.

Kahuzi-Biega National Park

Named after the two mountains of Kahuzi and Biega that are located inside the park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park is the only eastern lowland gorilla destination in the region. This park is situated in the southeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo in South Kivu province close to the shores of Lake Kivu. This stunning gorilla habitat covers a large area of about 6,000 square kilometers. The park has only 8 habituated families among the 250 eastern lowland or Grauer’s gorillas.