This 6 Days gorilla trekking in Virunga and Volcanoes National Park Safari will give you the chance to visit the endangered mountain gorillas in Africa, which will lead you to gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, home to the world’s largest lava lake but also home to the mountain gorillas along the slopes of the Virunga Mountains. Similarly, you will get to hike the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, like Mount Gahinga, Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Bisoke, Mount Karisimbi and Mount Muhabura to access the habituated gorilla families. This 6 days gorilla trekking in Virunga and Volcanoes National Park will give you the ultimate safari experience exploring both national parks as shown below. The safari experience will end during your Dian Fossey museum visit, which will give you the chance to understand more about the works of Dian Fossey and her contribution to gorilla habituation in Africa.
Highlights of your safari
Day 1: Pick up and drive to Gisenyi, Congo Border.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Congo
Day 3: Transfer to Kigali
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Day 6: Dian Fossey Museum visit
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and drive to Gisenyi, Congo Border.
At an agreed location in Kigali city, our guide will pick you up, welcome you and transfer you to Congo. You will enjoy your drive to the border, watching the rolling hills of Rwanda. On reaching Goma, you will transfer to the grand barrier for check-in at the tourism office, where you will receive your gorilla trekking permit in Congo, Virunga National Park. After, you will be transferred to your hotel in Rumangabo. On arrival, you will have lunch and later on, you will get to participate in the nature walks in the park, which will give you access to a number of attractions like the primates, including the Albertine endemic primates and bird species, and many other rewarding attractions.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Congo
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel at Mikeno lodge, you will make your way to Bukima ranger post for a briefing about your gorilla trekking in Virunga national park. After the briefing session, you will be allocated a guide and a range and then make your way to the forests in search of the gentle giants. The search for the gorillas is dependent on their movements, and this can take between 2-7 hours. Later, head into the forest with your ranger guide and expect to hike for 1 to 3 hours until you find the mountain Gorillas in Virunga National Park. When you get to see them, you will enjoy one hour with them, watching their ways in the wild, and how they coexist with one another. How the juveniles groom one another. You will stay up to 1 hour maximum and head back to the Bukima camp, then be transferred back to your hotel Mikeno lodge and have the rest of the day at leisure, including time for a nature walk.
Day 3: Transfer to Kigali
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, you will then connect you’re your guide to transfer you back to Kigali city. Depending on your departure flight time, you will be able to do a city tour visiting the Genocide memorial site in Kigali and Kaplaki crafts village for souvenir shopping. Late, you will be dropped off at your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay at Hotel Des Mille Collines.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, you will make your way to transfer to Volcanoes National Park, where you will arrive in time to participate in Ibyi’wacu cultural village tour. Have a guided walk around the village at the different sites that exhibit the different aspects of the people of the village to have an insight into the interesting features of the culture of the people of Rwanda. By visiting Ibyiwacu cultural village get to see a medicine man who is mixing a number of herbs that were used to cure a number of diseases like barrenness and impotence, stomach upsets, fever and many more. If you’re interested, you can also get involved in mixing the herbs, which will give you an authentic experience. After the experience head to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. Tiloreza (mid-range) Amikus hotel (budget)
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up from your hotel. Our guide will meet you after having your breakfast and your lunches packed and he will take you to Kinigi Headquarters, where you are expected to be given a brief before starting the gorilla trek. This brief is done at 7 am. You are given guidelines during this brief before you are allowed to start the trek. This gorilla trek can take anywhere from 2 hours to half a day, as it’s unpredictable. When you finally find the gorillas, you will have to maintain a 7-meter distance, and you are allowed one hour to admire and take photos of the gorillas. During the time you spend with the gorillas you will get the opportunity to understand a number of their rewarding features like how they co-exist with one another, you will get to watch the duty of the dominant silverback whose role is to mate with the adult females to increase the members of the family, raid other gorilla families for their members, you will watch the juveniles grooming one another for a rewarding safari experience. After the trek, you will then make your way back to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay as the night before.
Day 6: Dian Fossey Museum visit
Dian Fossey museum visit, where you will spend about 2 hours learning about the famous gorilla lady with artifacts that belonged to her, along with an impression of the Virunga ranges. This is a thrilling walk through the museum. Connect back to Kigali for lunch and if you have more time, you may visit the Kimironko market to purchase some local souvenirs for the people back home and also get to interact with the community. Drop Off: You will be dropped off at your agreed location in Kigali, which will mark the end of your trip.
Note that your Rwanda Visa expires immediately you cross into Congo, so you will have to reapply for another while at the border and find it ready tour.
Inclusions
- 4X4 safari land cruiser with a pop-up Roof for game viewing & Fuel
- Full-time English-speaking driver/ guide
- Park entrance fees
- Lunch
- Full-day game drive
- Pick up and drop off in Kigali city
- Vehicle entrance fees
- Bottled mineral water while on safari
Excludes;
- Tips
- All items of personal nature like tents, beddings, laundry, phone calls, beer, e.t.c
- Anything else not included in the itinerary
