9 Days (Budget 2023) Congo Gorilla Tour Kahuzi Biega & Virunga
9 Days (Budget 2023) Congo Gorilla Tour takes you Eastern Lowland & Mountain Gorillas Trek Congo at Kahuzi Biega National Park and Virunga National Park. 9 Days (Budget 2023) Congo Gorilla Tour is your ultimate safari to do in the DR Congo as a solo traveler or with friends and family.
Trip Highlights of the 9 Days (Budget 2023) Congo Gorilla Tour
- Day 1: Drive from Kigali and cross to Bukavu.
- Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beige national park.
- Day 3: Speed boat transfer to Goma port.
- Day 4: Transfer to Virunga national park.
- Day 5: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park.
- Day 6: Chimpanzee habituation in Mahura forest
- Day 7: Second mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
- Day 8: Hike up Mount Nyiragongo
- Day 9: Descend the Mount Nyiragongo and drive to Kigali.
Detailed Itinerary of the 9 Days (Budget 2023) Congo Gorilla Tour
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali airport and cross to Bukavu.
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will be met and greeted by our friendly and professional driver/ guide who will take you through the travel plan. He will then transfer you to Kahuzi Beiga national park which is an 8-hour drive from Kigali so you will be expected to start in the morning hours. You will drive south of Rwanda via Butare where you may stop for a visit at the Butare museum and lunch.
You will drive further connecting to the Ruzizi border where you will check in and cross to Bukavu town. You will check into your hotel and settle in as you wait for dinner and a night’s stay.
Accommodation options: Orchids safari club (Luxury), Coco lodge (Midrange), Elizabeth Hotel (Budget)
Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga National Park.
Wake up very early and have breakfast at your hotel and head out to the Kahuzi Biega national park head quaters for the morning brief before any activity. The ranger guides will give a few guidelines on what to expect and what is the accepted code of conduct while in the forest. You will thereafter hire any things you may need like porters or walking sticks and head out into the forest.
You will hike for about 2 hours until you meet your gorilla family of the day. You will spend a magical 1 hour with them at a 6 meters distance and after exit the forest to connect back with your driver guide who will take you back to your hotel for a late lunch.
In the evening, you may take a guided community visit and get back to the hotel in time for dinner and a second night.
Accommodation options: Orchids safari club (Luxury), Coco lodge (Midrange), Elizabeth Hotel (Budget)
Day 3: Speed boat transfer to Goma port.
After breakfast, you will arrange your bags ready to take on the speed boat to Goma port from Bukavu. This is a 3-hour water transfer on Lake Kivu. You will arrive at the Goma port and connect with your driver guide who will transfer you to your hotel in Goma for lunch.
You may have an optional Goma city tour and return back to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation options: Goma Serena hotel (Luxury), Hôtel Cap Kivu (Mid-range), Inzu Lodge (Budget option)
Day 4: Transfer to Virunga national park.
This will be your first day of your Great Ape package in Virunga. You will leave your hotel in Goma and drive 10 minutes to the Grande Barrier border building where the tourism office of Virunga national park is strategically located.
You will check in and receive your permits for the following days’ mountain gorilla trekking. You will after join the security convoy headed to Virunga national park. You will drive and arrive at your hotel in the park in time for lunch. You will spend the rest of the day at leisure at your hotel.
Accommodation options: Mikeno lodge (Luxury), Bukima tented camp (Midrange), Kibumba tented camp (Budget)
Day 5: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park.
You will leave your hotel after having breakfast and connect to the Bukima ranger post where you will attend the pre trekking morning briefing.
After the briefing, you will head out into the forest. Trekking mountain gorillas will take longer than the lowland gorillas because these prefer to stay on the mountain slopes which are further in the forest. When you meet your gorilla family of the day, you will spend one hour in their presence and after exit the forest for a late lunch.
Accommodation options: Mikeno lodge (Luxury), Bukima tented camp (Midrange), Kibumba tented camp (Budget)
Day 6: Second mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
Wake up for an early breakfast before you head out to the briefing point. Your driver guide will drive you to the starting point for your second chance with the mountain gorillas. You will be allocated another gorilla family and you will enter the forest this time as an experienced trekker.
Spend the allotted one hour with the mountain gorillas and exit the park headed for lunch at your lodge and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Accommodation options: Mikeno lodge (Luxury), Bukima tented camp (Midrange), Kibumba tented camp (Budget)
Day 7: Hike up the Mount Nyiragongo.
Wake up energized for this hike up Mount Nyiragongo which is a 6-hour hike uphill. You will have a briefing at the trailhead that will give you allowance to also book a porter or hiking stick before you set out.
You will start by 9 am and have two breaks midway to rest then reach the summit by 5pm. You will be able to see the lava lake from the top and you will settle in at the Nyiragongo summit shelters for the night.
Accommodation: Nyiragongo summit shelters
Day 9: Descend the Mount Nyiragongo and drive to Kigali.
After breakfast at the top, you will descend back to the trailhead. You will be back to the start of the volcano by midday and your driver guide will transfer you back to Kigali.
You will drive to Goma or Gisenyi for lunch as you prefer and continue further to Kigali for drop off at the hotel or at the airport as you will advise.
