6 Day Great Ape Congo allows you to see two great ape taxa in Virunga National Park. This package consists of a night at Mikeno Lodge, another night at Bukima Tented Camp, two days of gorilla tracking with an additional two nights’ accommodation at Mikeno Lodge. This package departs Goma on Monday and Wednesday at 11:00.
Day 1: Arrival and airport transfer (Kigali – Rwanda)
On your arrival, our guide will meet you at the airport and you will have options for the Kigali City tour, depending on your time of arrival. Kigali city has a lot of attractions: cultural museums, monuments and genocide memorials, among others
Day 2: Kigali – Goma (DR Congo)
After your breakfast, depart Kigali early to arrive Rubavu, at Grande Barriere border crossing by 10:00 am and they will ensure check-in with Virunga tourism office by 11:00 am. The tourism office is conveniently located in the Grande Barriere border post building, opposite passport control. The guests are provided with gorilla permits as they check-in. These permits must be presented before the start of each trek. Guests will then be transported to Mikeno Lodge at the Park headquarters in Rumangabo. When the guests reach Mikeno lodge, they will be served a late lunch and the afternoon can be left to the guests to enjoy their leisure, including exploring Rumangabo’s several nature trails, bird watching or paying a visit to Virunga’s Congo hounds.
Day 3: Gorilla tracking – Virunga National Park
After your breakfast, set off for the gorilla trekking activity at Bukima Ranger Post. The trekkers will meet their Ranger guides at Bukima Ranger post and receive a briefing before starting the trek. These gorilla treks usually require about 3 hours or less of hiking each way. The timing depends on the location of the group being trekked and the difficulty of the terrain. When the trekkers meet the gorillas, they will be given 1 hour to spend in the presence of the gorillas so that they learn their behaviours and take photos too. After this experience, the trekkers will return to Bukima camp where a late lunch will be served. Guests will have the rest of the afternoon off to explore Bukima, including bird watching and visiting the Park’s bamboo project.
Day 4: Gorilla tracking – Virunga National Park
Today, you will start your second gorilla trek by 8:30 am. After the trek, lunch will be served at Bukima camp. After that, then travel back to Mikeno Lodge. Have the afternoon at pleasure at lodge terrace or visit the gorilla orphans at the Senkwekwe Center.
Day 5: Chimpanzees tracking within Mahura Forest – Rumangabo
After your early breakfast, will head out for a chimpanzee trek at 6:00 am. This is one of the unique experiences that allow visitors to join the team as they study and habituate the family of chimpanzees found in the Mahura Forest surrounding Rumangabo. After your chimps tracking, you will be invited to spend the rest of the day exploring the Park headquarters or just relaxing with a book on the terrace of Mikeno Lodge.
Day 6: Virunga national park – Goma – Kigali
After your breakfast, travel back to the Goma town, cross the border post and have a leisure drive back to Kigali and airport transfer.
Included in this package:
- Three nights accommodation at Mikeno Lodge and out the park as per itinerary
- Two gorilla trek permits
- One night accommodation at Bukima Tented Camp
- All transport to, from and within the Park
Not included in this package:
- Drinks
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities and anything of personal nature.