5 Days Virunga mountain gorilla trekking and Nyiragongo hike safari
5 days Virunga mountain gorilla trekking and Nyiragongo hike safari takes you on a safari in Virunga national park, Virunga national park is an ecologically diverse national park and a UNESCO world heritage site situated in the eastern region of democratic republic of Congo. The park is a home to a number of mountain gorillas and hosts numerous volcanoes including the active mount Nyiragongo, the highlights of this safari experience are mountain gorilla trekking and Nyiragongo hiking which are all offered in Virunga national park.
Highlights of the safari
- Day 1: land in Kigali and transfer to Gisenyi- Congo border
- Day2:mountain gorilla trekking experience
- Day3: volcano Nyiragongo hiking experience
- Day 4: Descend volcano Nyiragongo and transfer to Gisenyi
- Day 5: transfer to Kigali and depart
Detailed itinerary of the safari
Day 1: arrival in Kigali and transfer to Gisenyi- Congo border
On the first day of your safari you will be picked from Kigali international airport by your safari guide a representative of Focus East Africa Tours and embark on your journey to democratic republic of Congo with border crossing to Goma. Upon arriving in Goma you will check in at the tourism office at Grande barrier border post for your mountain gorilla trekking permit and volcano hiking permit which are required for your experiences on this safari. Then you will transfer to your accommodation and in the evening you will have dinner and stay overnight.
Accommodation is got from Kibumba tented camp or Bukima tented camp
Day2: mountain gorilla trekking experience
On the second day of the safari you are to have mountain gorilla trekking experience, on this day you will wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and drive to Virunga national park’s headquarters for mountain gorilla trekking experience. A set of rules and regulations will be read to you, be grouped into 8 and be assigned a gorilla family to trek, from the headquarters with packed lunch and your ranger guide you will hike into the forests in search for mountain gorillas. the experience takes approximately 1-3 hours or more depending on the where the gorillas spent the night, after finding the gorillas you will be blown away by the huge size of these creatures, watch them take care of their young ones, watch young ones play and take beautiful memorable pictures all in one hour you are allowed to stay with mountain gorillas. at the end of the experience you will hike back to the headquarters and decide whether to go for an optional nature walk or drive back to your lodge and rest.
in the evening you will have dinner and stay overnight
Day3: volcano Nyiragongo hiking experience
On the third day of the safari is for the adventurous Nyiragongo hiking on Nyiragongo volcano, on this day you will wake up early in the morning for breakfast then meet your safari driver and transfer to the park’s headquarters for briefing about the hike. mountain Nyiragongo is an active volcano and one of the volcanoes of Virunga chain, this mountain stands at the altitude of 3470 meters is known as one of the world’s largest active volcanoes with an impressive lava lake. At Kibati ranger’s post where the experience starts from and you can hire porters from the post, then you will start your hike to the hike to the top of the volcano which takes approximately 5-6 hours that is why you go with your packed lunch. on your hike you will enjoy amazing sights of the surrounding, encounter forest creatures that is birds and other small mammals. on this day you will spend the night at the wooden shelter at the top of the volcano, in the evening you will have diner and stay overnight.
Day 4: Descend volcano Nyiragongo and transfer to Gisenyi
On the fourth day of the safari you will have breakfast, leave your campsite and descend back to Kibati ranger post, you have to be at Kibati by 11 am where you will meet your driver and embark on your journey to Gisenyi Rwanda. You will have en-route lunch and in Kigali you will check into your hotel and rest for the evening, you will have dinner and stay overnight.
Accommodation is got from
Luxury: Kigali Serena hotel
Mid-range: Garr hotel
Budget: Green page Inn
Day 5: transfer to Kigali and depart
On the fifth and last day of the safari you will wake up for breakfast, check out of your lodge and drive back to Kigali from Gisenyi. Depending on the time of your departure flight you will have a city tour in Kigali visiting places like Kigali genocide memorial city, kaplaki crafts village for buying souvenirs and handmade crafts. after the experience you will have lunch and be dropped off either at your lodge or Kigali international airport for your departure flight thus the end of your safari.
Safari inclusions
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Hiking fees
- Park entrance fees
- Congo Visa fee
- Vehicle entrance fees
- all accommodation as per itinerary
- 4X4 safari vehicle & Fuel
- Full time English/ French speaking driver/ guide
- Bottled mineral water while on safari
Safari exclusions
- Tips
- extra services not listed by the itinerary and expenses
- extra activities
