Countries: Rwanda and DR Congo
Destinations: Kigali, Kahuzi Biega National Park and Virunga National Park
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrival
Day 2: Transfer to DRC – Rubavu
Day 3: Low Land Gorilla trek at Kahuzi Biega National Park
Day 4: Transfer to Tchegera Island & afternoon at leisure
Day 5: Transfer to Virunga National Park
Day 6: Mountain Gorilla Trekking at Virunga National Park
Day 7: Transfer to Kigali for departure (evening flight)
Overview.
7 Days best of DR Congo Gorilla adventure safari, with arrival through Kigali airport, takes you to Kahuzi Bienga National Park, which is a major lowland gorilla trekking park. You will trek the lowland gorillas at Kahuzi Biega National Park. You will take a wonderful ferry transfer across Lake Kivu to Goma, which rewards you with a great tour on Lake Kivu, before you’re transferred to Tchegera Island to relax, as you prepare for your Mountain Gorilla trekking at Virunga National Park. You will trek mountain gorilla at Virunga which is one of the most incredible national parks, offering a great gorilla experience. Later return to Kigali for your evening flight, with a Kigali city tour. This is one of the most beautiful incredible experiences, coming face to face with the gorillas twice in their natural environment. This tour combines both Rwanda and DRC, with arrivals and departures through Kigali airport.
Trip Highlights
- Low land Gorilla trekking at Kahuzi Biega National Park
- Mountain Gorilla Trekking at Virunga NP
- Ferry transfer with boat tour
- Kigali city tour
- Arrival and departure through Kigali airport.
Day 1: Welcome to Rwanda!
Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you will go through customs and immigration, and you will be met by our company guide who will warmly welcome you to the Land of a thousand hills that Rwanda is known for, and later drive to your booked hotel accommodation. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight stay at: Hotel des Mille Collins
Meals: Bed & breakfast
Day 2: Transfer to DR Congo. Travel time +6hours
Day Itinerary
Early morning enjoy your buffer breakfast and checkout of the hotel and drive Rubavu via Karongi and proceed for lunch in Rusizi, in a local restaurant, before we proceed to Rubavu border prost, where we shall undergo immigration process, get DRC visa and you cross over to DR Congo through Rubavo border to your booked lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Kahuzi Biega National Park
Located in the southeastern part of DR Congo, 30 km away from Bukavu, which is a border post between Rwanda and DR Congo, Kahuzi – Biega National Park is the only national park in DR Congo where visitors have the opportunity to track the famous eastern lowland gorillas in their natural habitat. The park was established in 1970, with the main aim to conserve the lowland Eastern gorillas, which are the major attraction of the park. The park has two fully habituated gorillas that are the major source of attraction. The park covers an area of 6000 km 2 and protects a mountain forest in eastern DRC, which is the most densely populated region of the country. The park is named after the two spectacular extinct volcanoes which dominate its high altitude sector, Mont Kahuzi (3,308m) and Mont Biega (2,790m).Kahuzi Biega National Park is a Safe destination that is managed by Wildlife Conservation Society. The eastern lowland gorilla—also known as Grauer’s gorilla—is the largest of the four gorilla subspecies. It is distinguished from other gorillas by its stocky body, large hands and short muzzle. Despite its size, eastern lowland gorillas subsist mainly on fruit and other herbaceous materials, just like other gorilla subspecies.
Overnight stay at: Orchid Safari Club
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: Low Land Gorilla trekking at Kahuzi Biega National Park
Day Itinerary
After a delightful breakfast in the morning, you will head for your first briefing at the park headquarters’, where you will as well get the registration, and pick up your assigned ranger guides and drive off to the park trekking starting point. You will later head off with your ranger guide, who will share with you a lot of information about Kahuzi Biega National Park. Upon sighting the gorillas, you will be allowed an ample 1 hour, to watch the gorillas, take video’s and photos of your choices under the guidance of your ranger guide. You will later return to your booked accommodation for refreshment, later have lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Orchid Safari Club
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4: Ferry transfer to Goma and later to Tchegera Island
Day Itinerary
After a relaxed early morning breakfast, you will be transferred by your guide, Bukavu port, where you will take a ferry transfer for roughly 3 hours to Goma. Your Goma guide will be waiting for you, to transfer you to board a boat that will take you to Tchegera Island, with a great boat tour of Lake Kivu. You will later catch up with lunch, and afternoon at leisure. Optional activities ranging from Kayaking, boat ride, and swimming are available at your disposal. Tchegera Island, is a beautiful Island in the north of Lake Kivu in DR Congo, nested in the hearts of Lake Kivu.
On clear nights, the island offers spectacular views of Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira as their glowing red lava pierce a star-covered sky.
Overnight stay at: Tchegera Tented Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Virunga
Day Itinerary
After having your relaxed breakfast, you will be transferred to Virunga, to your booked accommodation at Kibumba Tented Camp for your overnight stay at Virunga National Park.
Virunga National Park.
Virunga National Park is Africa’s most biodiverse protected area, home to over one thousand species of mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian as well as 1/3 of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. Located on the eastern edge of the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, Virunga has become known as the park of fire and ice for its diverse habitats ranging from the Rwenzori peaks to savanna and volcanic plains. Despite being a UNESCO world heritage site, Virunga is constantly threatened by war, poaching and illegal activities as well as unpreventable natural disasters.
With the support of donors, the Virunga Foundation actively conserves the Park which spans over 3,000 square miles.
Overnight stay at: Kibumba Tented Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking experience at Virunga National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast at Kibumba Tented Camp, trekkers will head down the hill to meet with their Ranger guides and have a briefing before the mountain gorilla trek, and later, you will drive to the starting point of the gorilla trek. The gorilla treks usually require 1-2.5 hours of hiking each way, depending on the location of the gorilla group being trekked and the difficulty of the terrain. After spending the allotted hour with the gorilla family group, trekkers will make their way back to camp, enjoy a late lunch and have the rest of the day at leisure, including time for nature walks and bird watching.
Overnight stay at: Kibumba Tented Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7: Transfer back to Kigali.
Day Itinerary
In the early morning, guests will leave the lodge after having breakfast and be transported back to Goma with drop-off at the Grande Barriere. Later cross the border back to Rwanda and transferred to Kigali, and if time allows, you will do Kigali city tour, by visiting the genocide memorial ground, art galleries and the local market for your shopping, before being transferred to Kigali airport to catch up with you evening flight back home. End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch.
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Congo lowland gorilla permit (400$) per person
- 1 Congo mountain gorilla permit (500$) per person
- Museums visit
- En-route lunches
- Kigali city tour
- Ferry transfer on Lake Kivu
- Service of a local Congolese guide
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water
- DR Congo Visa
- Fun and other excursions as mentioned in the itinerary.
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Rwanda Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips & gratuities
- Laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations
- Health test requirements
- Porter fees while trekking
- Personal travel Insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Phone call bills
- Extras while at the hotel
- Items of personal nature
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options. Write to us with more details about your safari.