5 Days Gorilla Trekking and Nyiragongo Hike in Congo

Congo

Tour Type

Explore Tours

Overview for 5 Days Gorilla and Hike in Congo

This 5 Days Gorilla and Hike is a magical journey that will take you to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park in Uganda for gorilla trekking and then to Congo for a hike to the Nyiragongo Volcano one of the most active volcanoes in the world with an elevation of 3,470 m (11,380 ft), Not much is known about how long the volcano has been erupting, but since 1882, it has erupted at least 34 times and the most recent eruption happened in 2002.

Detailed 5 Days Gorilla and Hike Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and drive to Bwindi Forest National park for overnight.

You will be picked up from Kigali International Airport/Any Hotel in Kigali to start your journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The journey is very scenic as it takes you through a country of ‘a thousand hills’ to ‘the Pearl of Africa’. You cross over to Uganda at the Katuna or Chanika boarder with a stop at Kabale town (when you cross from Katuna border) or Kisoro (when you cross from Chanika border) before proceeding to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for overnight.

Drive time: Approximately 4-5 hours

Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

Lodging: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge or Trekkers Tavern Lodge

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest National park.

After breakfast, you will walk to the Park Headquarters with your packed lunch for briefing about gorilla trekking. Your guide will take you through all the Dos and Don’ts while with the mountain gorillas. Thereafter, you will be transferred to the starting point to begin your trek into the forest to look for the gorilla family you have been assigned.

PLEASE NOTE ;Gorilla family allocation depends on your interests, fitness and age.

You may inform your guide of your interests and he will try to request for the gorilla family of your choice before you start the trek into the forest. Gorilla trekking can be strenuous and a certain level of fitness is required. Gorilla trekking can take between 30 minutes to three quarters of the day so one needs to prepare for both.

You guide will try to provide information about trees, birds and other wildlife in the forest until you reach a given family of gorillas. You will be allowed only one hour to observe the gorillas as they go about their daily activities and take photographs of the gorillas before you trek back to the park Headquarters to pick your certificates that confirm that you tracked gorillas in Uganda.

You will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Lodging: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge or Trekkers Tavern Lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Transfer to Gisenyi, Lake Kivu for overnight.

After breakfast you will transfer to Gisenyi town which is the largest town in Lake Kivu towns. You will have some good times from Gisenyi because of the beautiful beaches and can have boat cruise from Lake Kivu while sighting series of islands and overlooking Nyiragongo volcano. You will have lunch from Gisenyi and later overnight.

Drive time: Approximately 4-5 hours

Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

Lodging: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.

Day 4: Nyiragongo hiking to the summit

The driver will pick you from the hotel which is in Gisenyi town very early in the morning. He will drive through Goma town to Virunga national park headquarters for briefing and you will be given a well knowledgeable guide. You will set off with hiking at 10:30am if you use kibati starting point, it take around 5 hours to reach the summit of Nyiragongo Mountain. Upon arrival at the summit, you will enjoy the spectacular views of the burning volcano and later have dinner and accommodation at the mountain camp tents.

Accommodation: Mountain Camp Tent

Day 5: Descend the Nyiragongo Volcano and Departure to Kigali to End the tour.

Have breakfast and after descend down from Nyiragongo volcano mountain, you will meet the driver and return to Goma and if time allows , you will have a city tour of Goma visiting Goma caves and then proceed

You will be driven back to Kigali for your post-tour accommodation or you may choose to fly out of Kigali on the last day of your tour. Since you will use the same route back, you will have another stop at the Rwanda-Congo border crossing for photo moments, buying souvenirs or to just relax before continuing to Kigali.

Main Destination: Kigali

Accommodation: End of Tour, No accommodation

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Drinks: Mineral Water

Additional accommodation can be arranged for extra cost

You’ll be dropped off at the airport (or hotel)