11 Days Congo Rwanda and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari from Kigali
This 11 Days Congo Rwanda and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari from Kigali is one of our classic safaris that promises you an experience like no other. Major highlights of this tour that you should look out for includes lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe forest national park and golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, and finally gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable national park which is home to half the world’s population of Mountain gorillas.
Highlights for 11 Days Congo, Rwanda and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari from Kigali
Day 1: Pick-up in Kigali and Transfer to Bukavu (Congo)
Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega NP
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national and visit Gisakura Tea Estate
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and Canopy Walk
Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes national park and Ibyi’wacu Village Tour.
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes national park
Day 7: Drive to Bwindi and Batwa Cultural Tour
Day 8: Gorilla Trek in Bwindi
Day 9: Transfer to Bunyonyi- Afternoon Boat Cruise
Day 10: Free Day
Day 11: Transfer back to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary for 10 Days Congo, Rwanda and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari from Kigali
Day 1: Pick-up in Kigali and Transfer to Bukavu (Congo)
Depending on your location in Kigali, our company representative-guide/driver will pick you up and drive for about 5 hours through Nyungwe national park with amazing rolling hill in Rusizi with stopovers for lunch and refreshing. Cross through Cyangugu border to Bukavu town in Democratic Republic of Congo. On arrival at Bukavu, nearest town to Kahuzi Biega, advance to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
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.
Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega NP
After enjoying your breakfast at the lodge, drive to the park headquarters for about 45 minutes for briefing about the Eastern lowland gorillas. You will then set off to your fascinating experience of the lowland gorillas in the valleys of Kahuzi as you encounter different mammals, birds and primates. It’s usually a 1-6 hours’ experience of the jungle, depending on their movement while watching them interact/play with each other as you take photos and videos
You will then descend back and meet up with your driver back to your hotel for dinner and overnight at your hotel as night before.
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.
Day 3: Transfer to Nyungwe forest national and visit Gisakura Tea Estate
In the morning after a relaxed breakfast, you will drive back to Rwanda crossing via Ruzizi 1 border. You will connect to your hotel to check in and have lunch. Later you will head out for a tea tour to Gisakura Tea Estate where you will be taken through the process of how tea is made in Rwanda and finally wind-up your tour with a tasty cup of tea.
Retire back to your lodge/hotel for dinner and overnight stay your hotel/lodge.
Day 4: Chimpanzee tracking and Canopy Walk
Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing about the endangered chimpanzees before entering the forest in search of the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are much easier to spot as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimpanzee tracking usually takes about 3 hours. On finding them, spend an hour while taking pictures and videos. Have your packed lunch which you carried from the lodge in the morning.
After lunch, you with your driver guide will connect to the park for the 2 pm canopy walk in Nyungwe forest. The canopy walk in Nyungwe forest is a 200 metres long bridge suspended 9 meters high to give you a view of the forest from above. Enjoy the breathtaking sounds and sights and fresh air of the untouched tropical rain forest from the bird’s view. Drive straight to your hotel in time for dinner at the hotel as the night before. Connect back to your hotel in time for dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
Day 5: Transfer to Volcanoes national park and Ibyi’wacu Village Tour.
Once breakfast has been served, you will drive to connect to Kibuye for a lunch. Drive further to arrive in Volcanoes national park for your cultural tour at the Iby’iwacu cultural center. You will drive to check in at your hotel.
Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes national park
Breakfast will be served early and lunch will be packed. The briefing is at 7 am. Your guide will give you highlights of specific details about the way of life of the gorillas you will be tracking. The hike can take anything from one to seven hours.
Trekking through the steep, bamboo slopes and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Once you reach the gorillas, you are allowed to spend one hour with them as you stand 6 meters away.
Upon completion of this magical encounter, you will connect again with your driver/ guide and drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Drive to Bwindi and Batwa Cultural Tour
Wake up in time to have breakfast at your lodge. You will then meet your driver and embark on about a 2-3 hours’ drive to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, arriving in time to check-in and have lunch at your lodge. After lunch, you will later head out for an afternoon cultural tour to the nearby Batwa communities that live outside the park. Get a chance to interact with the friendly locals and learn more about the unique Batwa culture as you are entertained to traditional dance and singing performances.
Later drive back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 8: Gorilla Trek in Bwindi
Breakfast will be served early and lunch will be packed. The briefing is at 7 am. Your guide will give you highlights of specific details about the way of life of the gorillas you will be tracking. The hike can take anything from one to seven hours.
Trekking through the steep, bamboo slopes and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. Once you reach the gorillas, you are allowed to spend one hour with them as you stand 6 meters away. Upon completion of this magical encounter, you will connect again with your driver / guide and transfer back to your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay same as previous night.
Day 9: Transfer to Bunyonyi- Afternoon Boat Cruise
Have breakfast and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. Enjoy the scenic drive to your lodge at lake Bunyonyi. Upon your arrival at the lodge, check-in and later have lunch. Later in the afternoon you will head out for a boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi as you explore some of the islands on the lake include Akampene Island which also known known as the ‘punishment Island.’ Later return back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 10: Free Day
On the tenth day of your 11 Days Congo, Rwanda and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari from Kigali, you will wake up in time to have a relaxed breakfast meal at your lodge. Spend the rest of your day at leisure with a variety of optional activities that you can do such as quad biking, zip lining, hiking, bird watching and cycling to mention but a few. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 11: Transfer back to Kigali
Breakfast will be served early and embark on your journey back to Kigali with lunch en-route. Upon your arrival in Kigali, your driver guide will drop you off at a hotel of your choice or at the airport in case you have an evening flight out of the country.
End of 11 Days Congo, Rwanda and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari from Kigali!
