7 Day Congo great Ape with Nyiragongo hiking experience takes to the special of Virunga National Park where you get to experience the mountain gorilla and chimpanzee tracking along with an overnight hike to Mount Nyiragongo, the world’s largest lava lake. This safari offers the best of Virunga national park.
The security convoy goes to the Bukima sector as the lodging for this package is Mikeno lodge for three nights, one night at Bukima tented camp then and overnight at the Nyiragongo summit in the shelters.
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, and transfer to Goma
After your breakfast, depart Kigali early to arrive Rubavu, cross to Goma border to check in with the Virunga tourism office that is located in the Grande Barrier. Have the paperwork, double-check your visa, yellow fever vaccination card and Gorilla tracking permits, chimpanzee tracking permit, and the Nyiragongo hike permit.
You will then join the convoy to move from Goma to Rumangabo – Bukima gorilla sector where you will spend your first night at Mikeno lodge. You will spend the evening at leisure either bird watching, reading a novel or even have a short guided village walk as you wait for dinner.
Day 3: First Gorilla Tracking
Early morning after your breakfast at the prestigious Mikeno lodge, you will set off from the lodge in anticipation of your first gorilla tracking experience. You will be driven to the Bukima Ranger post which is the start for the gorilla trek and also where the brief before any trekker starts the gorilla trek. This search for the gorillas is usually a 1 and half hour to 2-hour trek before you are in the gorilla’s vicinity. You will spend 1-hour maximum studying the gorillas, also can take photos but without a flash and also ensure to maintain a distance as guided by the rangers.
After the trek, connect for lunch at Bukima tented Camp where you will have lunch and spend the rest of the day. Read a book or relax with the view of the volcanoes in line. Dinner and overnight will be Bukima Tented camp.
Day 4: Second gorilla trek
Today, by 8:30, set out for your second gorilla trek, just like the day before, have a mini briefing then set out into the forest for yet another chance with the mountain gorillas.
Set back to Bukima tented camp for lunch and be transferred back to Mikeno lodge for the rest of the evening. Dinner and overnight will be at Mikeno lodge.
Day 5: Chimpanzee tracking
As early as 6:00 am you will be expected to be up for your chimpanzee tracking. This trek is more like a habituation experience for the chimps of Virunga National Park found in Mahura forest. This will take about 4 hours then later return to the accommodation for a late breakfast.
This day you may opt for optional activity like visiting the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage or have a village visit if you are feeling energetic or rest and shed off the fatigue from the constant treks as you anticipate for the next day’s hike. Dinner and overnight will be at Mikeno lodge/ Kibumba Tented Camp.
Day 6: Nyiragongo Hike
On this day, you will have your early morning breakfast and set off to the park headquarters by 8 am ready for your hike up the world’s largest lava lake. You will join other hikers, have a briefing and get porters and the necessities you may need overnight.
This hike will take about 5 to 6 hours with 2 resting points until you reach the summit. Spend the evening enjoying the views of the boiling magma. Dinner and overnight at the summit
Day 7: Descend and transfer back to Kigali
After breakfast, descend the mountain by around 11 am be at the Bukima ranger post and connect to Goma then Kigali for Airport transfer.
Quotation Includes;
- Visa DR Congo.
- Gorilla tracking permits
- Park activity fees
- Congo Visa
- Vehicle entrance fees
- All accommodation as per itinerary
- 4X4 safari vehicle & Fuel
- Full-time English speaking driver/ guide
- Bottled mineral water while on safari
Excludes;
- Tips
- Multiple entries (Uganda/ Rwanda) visa fees
- Air tickets
- All items of personal nature like laundry, phone calls, beer, etc
- Anything else not included in the itinerary