Current travel notice: As of mid-2026, the governments of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand advise against all travel to North and South Kivu provinces, where Virunga National Park is located, due to active armed conflict involving the M23 rebel group and Rwandan forces, which currently control Goma and Bukavu. Virunga’s tourism program has been suspended repeatedly since 2018 for the same reason and is not currently operating. There is also an active Ebola (Bundibugyo virus) outbreak affecting Ituri and North Kivu provinces. We are not currently offering bookable itineraries to eastern DRC and cannot recommend travel there until the security and public health situation stabilizes. This page describes what the region offers so travelers can understand the destination, please check official government travel advisories and contact us directly before considering any trip here.

Beneath the current instability, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga region holds some of the most extraordinary wildlife and landscapes in Africa, which is why it remains on many travelers’ long-term wish lists, even while it’s off the table for now.

What Makes Virunga Exceptional

Mountain Gorilla Trekking

Virunga National Park is one of only three places on Earth where mountain gorillas can be tracked in the wild, alongside Rwanda and Uganda. The park has historically offered some of the most affordable gorilla permits in the region.

Active Volcano Climbing

Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, offers a multi-day hike to a summit camp overlooking a churning lava lake, a genuinely rare experience found in very few places worldwide.

Rainforest & Biodiversity

Virunga sits within the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest rainforest, home to forest elephants, okapi, chimpanzees, and extraordinary bird diversity found almost nowhere else.

Why We’re Not Booking This Destination Right Now

Eastern DRC has experienced repeated closures of Virunga’s tourism program since 2018 due to attacks on rangers, rebel activity, and most recently the M23 offensive that has controlled Goma since early 2025. Government advisories from multiple countries currently rate the region at their highest risk level. Airports in Goma and Bukavu are not operating commercial flights, and evacuation routes in the area are unreliable. We take these advisories seriously and won’t sell a trip we can’t stand behind.

What We’d Recommend Instead

If Virunga’s gorillas and volcanoes are on your list, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park offers mountain gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking in the same Virunga volcanic range, from the Rwandan side, currently operating normally, with strong infrastructure and no travel advisories in effect. It’s the itinerary we’d point you toward today.