4 days Kahuzi Biega national park

Trip Summary

4 days Kahuzi Biega national park : On this 4 days Kahuzi Biega national park visit, get to visit the lowland gorillas of the Democratic republic of Congo and also take a full day at the Lwiro chimpanzee sanctuary with the orphaned chimpanzees.

Lowland gorillas can be found in a number of countries in West Africa like Niger, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and the republic of Congo as well. The lowland gorillas of the Democratic republic of Congo can be visited in the Kahuzi Biega national park.

Kahuzi Biega national park is located in Bukavu town which is in the south part of the Democratic republic of Congo and is a home to a few of the lowland gorillas of the world. You can access this park via the Rusizi border of Rwanda- DR Congo. There is an estimated population of about 100,000 lowland gorillas left in the world that is why they are considered endangered species.

Trip Highlights

Day 1: Drive from Kigali and cross to Bukavu.
Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park.
Day 3: Lwiro Chimpanzee sanctuary.
Day 4: Drive to Kigali.

Trip Description

Day 1: Drive from Kigali and cross to Bukavu.

After you have received your test results and are cleared for movement, your driver guide will be waiting to transfer you to Kahuzi Biega. This is an 8 hour drive 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 Rusizi 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.

Hotel options in Bukavu

Hotel Elizabeth for budget option
Panorama hotel for midrange option
Orchid Safari lodge for luxury option

Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park.

Wake up very early and have a simple breakfast at your hotel and head out to the Kahuzi Biega national park 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.

Day 3: Lwiro Chimpanzee sanctuary visit

In the morning after breakfast, your driver guide will be waiting to transfer you to the Lwiro Chimpanzee sanctuary. The Lwiro Chimpanzee sanctuary is a home to the chimpanzees who may have been orphaned at a young age by the poachers. There are also chimpanzees that may have been harmed by poachers and are rescued. Get to take part in the daily running of the facility and connect back to your accommodation for another night.

Day 4: Drive back to Kigali.

Get up in time for breakfast at your hotel and after arrange your bags ready to drive back to Kigali. Leave Bukavu and cross into Rwanda in 10 minutes and then you will embark on this 8 hour transfer headed back to Kigali via the Nyungwe forest. You may have the enroute Butare museum visit if this was not possible on the day before.

You will drive to Butare or Gisakura for an enroute lunch as you prefer and continue further to Kigali for drop off at the hotel or at the airport as you will advise.

Trip includes:

Safari vehicle with fuel
Full time English/ French speaking driver guide
DR Congo tourist visa
Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
Lowland gorilla permits
Lwiro Chimpanzee sanctuary visit
Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Bottled water

Trip excludes:

International flights
PCR test
Personal expenses like tips, laundry, gratuities, airtime
Optional activities