10 Days Virunga Wild Adventure | The Rutshuru Expedition
10 Days Virunga Wild Adventure: Take on a fully packed 10-day adventure in Virunga national park. Take on a double mountain gorilla trek, a chimpanzee trek, and a wildlife experience with a visit to Tchegera Island with a few nights in the luxury Mikeno lodge.
Book this safari anytime of the year. It starts from and ends in Kigali.
Trip highlights of the 10 Days Virunga Wild Adventure
- Day 1: Drive to Virunga national park
- Day 2: First mountain gorilla trek
- Day 3: Second mountain gorilla trek
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park
- Day 5: Transfer to Lulimbi sector
- Day 6: Safari walk
- Day 7: Bird watching
- Day 8: Transfer to Tchegera island
- Day 9: Day at leisure
- Day 10: Leave Tchegera island for Kigali
Trip description
Day 1: Drive to Virunga national park
By 8 am, you will be expected to be ready to set out to start your transfer to Virunga national park. You will drive 5 hours west of Rwanda and check in at the Virunga tourism office at the Grande Barrier border building. After receiving your permits for your next day’s activities, you will join the team headed to the Virunga national park.
Arrive at your lodge in time for a late lunch and spend the rest of the day relaxing at your lodge as you wait for nightfall. Dinner and overnight will be in Virunga national park.
Hotel options in Virunga national park.
- Kibumba tented camp for midrange
- Bukima tented camp for midrange
- Mikeno lodge for luxury
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
By 7 am, you should be done with breakfast and ready to set out to the Bukima ranger post to receive the morning briefing before you enter the forest in search of the mountain gorillas. You will be assigned a gorilla family to trek and connect with a ranger guide for the experience.
You will trek for about 2 to 4 hours until you meet your gorilla family of the day. Spend an hour in their presence after head out to exit the forest. You will have lunch at Bukima tented camp where you will spend the rest of the day and night.
Day 3: Second mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
Wake up energized and ready for your second chance with the mountain gorillas. You will drive back to the Bukima ranger post for the morning briefing right after breakfast. Get allocated your mountain gorilla group of the day. You can opt to trek the same family or a different gorilla family for a change.
Set out into the forest searching for the mountain gorillas. When you meet you these gentle giants, spend one hour in their natural habitat and after exit the forest. You will drive back to Mikeno lodge where the rest of the day will be spent.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trek and Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage visit
Chimpanzees are early risers so you will be expected to rise early by 5 am to set out into the Mahura forest to join the team habituating the chimpanzee family. You will watch the chimpanzees swing from one tree branch to another. Very authentic experience!
Return to your lodge for a late breakfast and spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the lodge’s amenities. Later in the afternoon, you will go to the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage the world’s only gorilla orphanage for a visit. Return in time for dinner and another night stay at Mikeno lodge.
Transfer to Lulimbi sector
You will be served your last breakfast at Mikeno lodge and set out to connect to the Lulimbi sector. You will arrive in the midmorning hours. Check in at the Lulimbi Tented camp located on the southeastern shores of Lake Edward. Settle in and have lunch.
After lunch you may take on a guided safari walk across the Ishasha plains and get back to the hotel before dinner time. Night will be spent at Lulimbi Tented camp
Day 6: Safari walk
Wake up to a tasty breakfast and after set out to the savannah plains of Virunga national park for a guided safari walk in the wild. You will come across a number of fauna and an abundant bird life.
You will return to your hotel for lunch and spend the rest of the day at the lodge relaxing. You will view the Lulimbi resident hippos wallowing around the shores of Ishasha river also get a view of the savannah elephants taking a drink of the Ishasha waters. Take on an evening game drive on the Ishasha plains.
Day 7: Bird watching
Have breakfast at leisure and drive to the shores of Lake Edward for a bird watching experience for a few hours. You will also have a nice BBQ lunch before you head back to camp where you will spend the rest of the day relaxing. Dinner will be served and you will spend your second night at the camp.
Day 8: Transfer to Tchegera island
Wake up for breakfast and check out of your hotel.
Your driver guide will be waiting to transfer you to Tchegera Island. You will drive to Kituku port where you will board the boat headed to Tchegera Island. You will arrive at the Island in time for a late lunch. Chill at the shores of Lake Kivu as the sun sets. Dinner will be served an overnight will be at Tchegera island.
Day 9: Day at leisure
You may spend this day lounging at the island kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, nature walks as the day goes by.
Day 10: Leave Tchegera for Kigali
Wake up to a luxury breakfast and set out to catch the boat back to Kituku port. Your driver guide will be waiting to transfer you back to Kigali for drop off. If you have time, you can take on a brief Kigali city tour and be dropped off as you will advise.
End of the 10 Days Virunga Wild Adventure (The Rutshuru Expedition)
Trip inclusive of
- Full-time safari vehicle
- English/ French speaking driver guide
- DRCongo tourist visa
- Accommodation all nights
- Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Bottled water
- Mountain gorilla permit
- Tchegera Island visit
- Chimpanzee trek permit
Trip exclusive of:
- Rwanda visa
- Flight fares
- Optional activities
- Personal needs like phone service, laundry, gratuities.
