10 Day Rwanda, Congo, Uganda gorilla trekking & Nyiragongo hike tour
This 10 Day Rwanda, congo, uganda gorilla trekking & Nyiragongo hike tour is the best way to explore the different primates experiences in East and Central Africa as it features the Eastern Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi beiga national park and Nyiragongo Volcano hike in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lowland gorillas can only be trekked in Kahuzi beiga national park and it has 3 gorilla families that are habituated and available for visitors while Nyirangongo Volcano hike takes you to the summit of the active volcano hosting the largest lava lake in the whole world. While at the summit you will also view the Virunga Mountain which makes part of Mountain Muhavura in Uganda where you find Mgahinga national park – home of a one group of gorillas called Nyakagezi. The Virunga Mountains also takes park of Mountain Kirisimbi, Mount Bisoke where we find Volcanoes national park in Rwanda. Volcanoes national park just like Mgahinga national park, is home to the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Therefore this trip also features Golden monkey trekking and finally Chimpanzee trekking which will happen in Nyungwe national park which is a home to about 13 primates species however the chimpanzees are the most visited primates in this park followed by Colobus Monkey trekking. Other activities featured in this trip include; cultural tours, Canopy walk, nature walks, and birdwatching which will be expected in every destination.
This 10 days travel plan will start and end in Kigali Rwanda simply given that Kigali international airport is the nearest airport to access the Kahuzi beiga national park. It also requires an earlier arrival in Rwanda like a day before your transfer to Kahuzi Beiga national park given the time taken driving. It’s important to note that the Democratic Republic of Congo is not an East African country and therefore note that your Rwanda Visa expires immediately you cross into Congo so you will have to reapply for another while at the border and find it ready after the tour.
Highlights of the safari
- Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national park – Canopy walk
- Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Bukavu – DRC
- Day 3: Lowland gorilla trekking
- Day 4: Transfer to Goma
- Day 5: Climb Nyiragongo hike
- Day 6: Descend and transfer to Gisenyi
- Day 7: Explore Lake Kivu and transfer to Volcanoes national park
- Day 8: Golden Monkey trekking – Transfer to Mgahinga national park
- Day 9: Mountain gorilla trekking
- Day 10: Transfer to Kigali city/Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick-up from Kigali and transfer to Nyungwe national park – Canopy walk
Upon arrival at Kigali airport/Depending on your location in Kigali city, you will be meet our company representative who will also be your safari guide for the trip and set off Nyungwe national park which is about 6-7 hours’ drive from Kigali with en-route stop for lunch and visit of Rwanda national museum and the Nyanza King’s palace in Butare and Huye before you proceed to Nyungwe. Arrive at the park quite earlier to be able to do the canopy walk. Nyungwe forest has the most outstanding canopy which is a 70 meter suspended bridge which gives the aerial perfect view of the forest. Walking along the canopy offers an opportunity to view some of the available primates and birds at the top. After the walk, meet your guide and drive to your accommodation to relax, have dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation and meals(Full board basis)
- Luxury option; One and Only Nyungwe Hotel
- Mid-range option; Nyungwe Top Hill Hotel
- Budget option; Gisakura Guesthouse
Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and transfer to Bukavu – DR-Congo
After breakfast, meet your safari guide to connect to Nyungwe forest. Nyungwe is one of the largest rainforest in East Africa and habitant for 13 species of primates. You will meet for a briefing about the Chimpanzee trekking experience at the park headquarters. Chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest are semi-habituated quite difficult spot however; the rangers will ensure that you get to see the endangered chimpanzees. It will take about 2-5 hours to find the chimpanzees and on finding them, you will be allowed to view them for a hour before you return to the starting point where you will meet your guide to embark on your journey to cross to Bukavu in Congo. It’s about 2-3 hours’ drive through the Nyungwe forest national park with amazing views of the rolling hill in Rusizi. Cross through Cyangugu border after finalising with the immigration process and proceed to Bukavu town which is the nearest town to Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. Upon arrival at Bukavu town, connect to your accommodation for dinner and overnight stay
Accommodation and meals (Full board)
- Luxury option; Orchid safari lodge
- Mid-range option; Panorama Hotel
- Budget option; Hotel Elizabeth
Day 3: Lowland gorilla trekking
Enjoy your breakfast at your hotel before transfer to the park headquarters for briefing about the Eastern lowland gorillas. Thereafter embark on your fascinating trekking experience of the Eastern lowland gorillas in the valleys of Kahuzi as you encounter different mammals, birds and primates. The search usually takes about 1-6 hours’ trekking in the jungle depending on the movements of the lowland gorillas and on finding them, you will be allowed to spend 1 hour in their presence as you watch them interact/play with each other while you take photos and videos of the experience. After your encounter with the Eastern lowland gorillas, you will descend, meet your driver and return to your hotel for relaxation.
Later afternoon, you will go for a nature walk and visit Tshibati waterfalls, visit bukavu town, Mbayo tea plantations, the research centre and the surrounding traditional homes. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay
Day 4: Transfer to Goma
After early morning breakfast, you will take a speed boat from Bukavu to Goma which takes 3-4 hours. Upon arrival in Goma, you will meet your other guide on an agreed location waiting to welcome you and transfer you to Goma. Check-in with the tourism office strategically located at the Grand Barrier border Post to receive your Volcano permit which you will be presented at the beginning of hike. Thereafter proceed to your accommodation to rest. Dinner and overnight stay
- Luxury option: Lac Kivu Hotel
- Mid-range/Budget: Hotel Linda
Day 5: Mount Nyiragongo Hiking experience
After your breakfast, you will drive to the park headquarters for briefing about the Nyiragongo hiking tour. You will then go for your 4-5 hour hike of mount Nyiragongo which is an active volcano. You will hike through the dense rainforest, until when you reach the summit. You will spend the evening enjoying the views from the crater and later in the night, you watch the boiling lava since the boiling lava is best vividly in the night. You will spend the night at one of the shelters at the top.
Day 6: Descend the Nyiragongo and Transfer to Gisenyi
After breakfast, you will briefly view the lava in the morning before you start descending from the Nyiragongo volcano. The time reached at the end is around 11:00 am depending on your speed. Meet your guide and drive to Goma border to cross back to Rwanda. Your safari guide will be waiting at the border to transfer you and check-in at a hotel around Lake Kivu in Gisenyi – Rwanda, have lunch and later afternoon, spend your day at leisure relaxing at your hotel with memories of the Volcano hike before dinner and overnight stay
Accommodation and meals (Full board)
- Luxury option: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
- Mid-range option: Palm Garden Hotel
- Budget option: Paradise Malahide Hotel
Day 7: Explore Lake Kivu and transfer to Volcanoes national park
After breakfast, connect to explore Lake Kivu on a boat trip and visit some of the islands on the lake and also explore the beaches given your interest. This will take about 2 hours, then after, transfer to Musanze – home of the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes national park. On arrival, check-in your hotel, have lunch then connect for a Ibyacuwa community village tour where you get to experience the culture and traditions of the people of Rwanda. Later evening, return to your lodge to rest, dinner and overnight stay
Accommodation and meals (Full board)
- Luxury option; 5 Volcanoes Gorilla lodge
- Mid-range option: Le Bambou Gorilla lodge
- Budget option; Hotel Muhabura/Kinigi Guesthouse
Day 8: Golden Monkey trekking – Transfer to Mgahinga national park
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the park headquarters – Kinigi for a briefing about the expectations of the golden monkey trekking experience. Drive to the starting point with your ranger guides not forgetting your packed water and in the right trekking gears. Golden monkey trekking also provides views of other primates such as the black and white Colobus monkeys, Olive baboons among others. On meeting the primates, you will spend an hour with them while taking pictures before you descend back to the starting point where you will meet your safari driver waiting to take you.
After lunch, you will embark on a 3 hours’ drive to Cyanika border of Uganda and Rwanda to connect your accommodation near Mgahinga national park. Check-in, refresh, have dinner and overnight stay
Accommodation and meals
- Luxury option: Gahinga Lodge
- Mid-range option: Lake Mulehe Safari lodge
- Budget option: Travelers’ Rest Hotel
Day 9: Mountain gorilla trekking
After an early morning breakfast, drive to the park headquarters where you will report for a briefing along with other trekkers and trek only existing mountain gorilla family in Mgahinga national park called Nyakagezi family. Enter the forest with the park rangers in search of the gorillas. Trekking may take about 2- 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorilla in the wild, meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour, before you descend back to the starting point where your driver will be waiting for you to return and relax at the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay as above
Day 10: Transfer to Kigali city/Departure
Wake up to a delicious breakfast before you check-out of the hotel to transfer back to Rwanda. It’s about 4-5 hours’ drive to Kigali via Katuna border with incredible views of the rolling hills of Rwanda. Upon arrival in Kigali city, you will have lunch and en-route city tour before you are either dropped at a location you advise in Kigali or be dropped off at Kigali international airport for your onward flight back home or to your next destination. End of 10 Day Rwanda, congo, uganda gorilla trekking & Nyiragongo hike tour
