Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to the world’s last Mountain Gorillas as well as Eastern Lowland Gorillas and Eastern Chimpanzees. According to their site, “Park rangers and staff strive to provide conditions which support the growth of their populations, which are threatened by conflict, habitat loss and poaching, leaving them in danger of extinction.”
The park is seemingly what spurred this whole endeavor. The main purpose of Dan’s first trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo was to visit his favorite region while also introducing himself to a new county and culture. The wildlife was just an added bonus, and a great one at that. So a gorilla trek was scheduled for the tail end of his trip in August 2021.
Along his tour with Christian, Dan was continuously humbled by the hospitality and kindness of everyone he met in the DRC. From guides, hosts, locals, children, other travelers and the park rangers at Virunga, there is a huge sense of community and appreciation for life that makes DRC unlike other countries. More often than not, many people we share our story with don’t know much about DRC or Central Africa. It seems to be uncharted territory for many. Which gives us all the more reason to spread the word about such a beautiful country full of people that are looking to build a better future.
To see more about the country and more specifically, Virunga National Park, visit their website: https://virunga.org/
Or watch the 54x award winning documentary ‘Virunga’ on Netflix and see for yourself!