6 Days Virunga Primates & Nyiragongo Hike | The Great Ape with Nyiragongo – Virunga
6 Days Virunga Primates & Nyiragongo Hike: Take on a 6 days safari in Virunga national park Congo visiting the mountain gorillas, chimpanzee family in Mahura forest, and hike up mount Nyiragongo. This safari package offers you the most that Virunga national park has to offer. Spend three nights in the luxurious Mikeno lodge with one night in Bukima tented camp.
This safari package is available for booking though out the year but only sets off from Goma on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Trip highlights of the 6 Days Virunga Primates & Nyiragongo Hike
- Day 1: Leave Kigali Rwanda for Virunga national park.
- Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park.
- Day 3: Second mountain gorilla trekking in DR Congo.
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park.
- Day 5: Nyiragongo hike up
- Day 6: Nyiragongo descent.
Trip description
Day 1: Leave Kigali Rwanda for Virunga national park.
As soon as you receive your Covid-19 test results or when you are ready to start your safari, your driver guide will be waiting for you to brief you on the next few days. You will exchange pleasantries and embark on your transfer from Kigali to DR Congo. You will drive for about 5 hours and arrive at the Grande Barrier border building and check in with Virunga tourism office strategically located opposite the immigrations office in the border building.
After checking in, you will join the convoy headed to the Virunga national park. You will arrive at the Mikeno lodge in time for a late lunch. Settle in as the sun sets. Dinner will be served and you will spend the night at Mikeno lodge.
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park.
Be served breakfast at the prestigious Mikeno lodge and after connect with your driver guide to drive to the Bukima ranger post for the briefing before the mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park congo. You will after head out into the forest to look for the mountain gorillas headed by the ranger guides. You will trek for about 2 to 4 hours from the trailhead up to the gorilla family of the day.
You will spend a magical one hour with the gentle animals while you enjoy their company as they go about their usual day. Exit the forest headed for lunch at the Bukima tented camp. You will settle in at the tented camp as you await dinner as that is where you will spend the second night in Virunga national park.
Day 3: Second mountain gorilla trekking in DR Congo.
Have breakfast and connect back with your driver guide to connect back to the Bukima ranger post for a second chance with the mountain gorillas of Virunga national park. You will attend the pre trekking brief once again and after head back into the forest. You may trek the gorilla family of the previous day or trek a different gorilla family. Spend the allotted one hour with the gorilla family of the day and after head out of the forest.
You will drive to the Mikeno lodge for a luxurious lunch. The rest of the day may be spent at the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage or at the Virunga headquarters and head back to the lodge in time for dinner and another night at Mikeno lodge
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park.
Wake up early enough to join the team headed to the chimpanzee family of Mahura forest in Virunga national park. The group of people habituating the chimpanzee family will lead the way through the forest and you will be able to hear the chimpanzee sound all the way from the entrance and see them swing from tree branch to tree branch.
After the chimpanzee experience, you will head back to the lodge for a late breakfast. If you were not able to spend time at the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage or at the Virunga headquarters the day before, you may do it this evening or spend the evening at the terrace relaxing. The fourth night will be spent at Mikeno lodge.
Day 5: Nyiragongo hike up
As early as 7 am, you will be expected to be done with breakfast and ready to join the team headed for the Nyiragongo hike up. Mount Nyiragongo is one of the only active volcanoes of Africa and can be visited on your congo safari.
You will report at the Bukima ranger post to hire your porters and any needs for the overnight hike and when ready, follow the guides up hill. You will hike for about 5 hours with 2 stopovers to refresh and catch a breath. Arrive at the summit in the evening hours and settle into your cabin where you will spend the night.
Day 6: Nyiragongo descent
You will wake up ready to leave Virunga national park for Rwanda. You will enjoy your last views at the top of the summit, have breakfast and start your descent of the volcano.
Reach the trailhead at about 12pm and meet up with your driver-guide to drive to Kigali Rwanda. You may have a Kigali city tour visiting the Kimironko market and the Kigali genocide memorial grounds and later be dropped off at your agreed drop off location in Kigali.
End of the 6 Days Virunga Primates & Nyiragongo Hike
Trip quote includes:
- Full-time safari vehicle with fuel
- English speaking driver guide
- Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
- Activities as indicated in the itinerary
- Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Bottled water
- DRCongo tourist visa
Trip quote excludes:
- PCR Covid-19 test
- Flights and optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary
- Rwanda visa
- Personal needs like airtime, laundry, insurance, medicines, alcoholic beverages
