This 4 days Congo safari offers mountain gorilla trekking and mount Nyiragongo hike is a perfect time for travel enthusiasts to meet the most endangered apes in Virunga National park and also to explore the most volcanic mountain in the world. DRC has for long been unstable but for the past few years reopened for tourists to explore the stunning beauty of this unique part of the East African region. Book our 4 days Congo Gorillas and Nyiragongo to have an encounter with the best of nature in the DRC.
Summary
Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to DRC
Day 2: Gorilla tracking at Virunga National Park
Day 3: Mount Nyiragongo Hike
Day 4: Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to DRC
You will arrive through Rwanda and be picked by our representative from the airport or at your Hotel and have a short city tour in this beautiful city. Visit the genocide burial grounds, national museum and the local markets. You will then have your lunch in the city and embark on your journey to Rwanda’s border with DRC. Enjoy scenic views of the countryside of Rwanda as you drive through the different towns and villages on highways until you arrive at Goma. You will then have your documents cleared by the responsible offices on the Congo side and then be handed over to a team from Virunga National park to take you to your Hotel. You must understand that our representative(s) will not be allowed to enter DRC but will rather hand you over to Virunga National park team and wait for you at the border. Dinner and overnight will be at your Hotel/lodge.
Day 2: Gorilla tracking at Virunga National Park
After a tasty meal at the lodge very early in the morning, you will be picked and transferred to the briefing area by the Virunga national park team. You will then be led to starting point at Bukima and be led into the forest to search for the biggest apes in the world-the Gorillas. Virunga has a number of habituated Gorilla groups and the choice of which to track will depend on your abilities as a tourist but also personal liking is usually considered. You will be given one hour to interact with the Gorillas and this hour starts from the time of encounter with them. The park is also home to other mammals like primates and chimpanzees which you may also encounter during your visit to the Gorillas. After this exhausting exercise, you will return to the starting point and drive back to your Hotel for a meal and relaxation. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 3: Mount Nyiragongo Hike
After a heavy breakfast, you will be picked and driven to Kibatsi village where the starting point is for the hike. The 4-6 hours’ hike starts very early with a team of guides, porters and the tourists moving together through the known trails of this mountain. You will hike enjoying the great views of this mountain and the lower side of this mountain is even more lively with the evergreen lush vegetation cover with some inhabitants. The vegetation cover however keeps reducing as you get to the higher points of the mountain due to the heat from the volcanic events that burnt it down. You will then arrive at the summit in the evening like at around 5 pm and immediately be on your way to watch the unending fire flame in the lava lake. The beauty and view is even better in the dark times of the evening watching from a safe distance as demarcated by the management of the park. The summit also offers you great views of the entire Congo side including the Kahuzi Biega park and other mountains nearby. Spend a night at a camp at the summit together with your guides and porters. Dinner and night stay will be at the summit.
Day 4: Departure
Begin to descend after a breakfast meal prepared at the summit and soon be at the bottom of mount Nyiragongo. The journey is not as tough as hiking and will take you 3-4 hours to get to the bottom of the mountain. You will then be transferred back to Goma to meet your guide and be on your way to Kigali with several stopovers. You will soon be in Kigali and proceed to the airport or your Hotel in Kigali.
End of the 4 days Congo Gorillas and Nyiragongo
Included
- Gorilla permits
- Bottled drinking water
- A 4×4 safari vehicle
- Airport transfers
- Meals and accommodation
- All park entrance fees
Excluded
- Souvenirs
- Beverages
- Cigarettes
- All items of personal nature
