7 days Kahuzi Biega and Mikeno Mist Virunga national park

7 days Kahuzi Biega and Mikeno Mist Virunga national park.

Trip Summary

7 days Kahuzi Biega and Mikeno Mist Virunga national park :On this 7 days Kahuzi Biega and Mikeno Mist Virunga national park, get to visit both the lowland gorillas and the mountain gorillas and also top it up with a hike up the active Mount Nyiragongo.

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.

Virunga national park is one of the most visited destinations in the DR Congo and this is majorly because of the mountain gorillas found in this park. It is one of the only four parks where you can do mountain gorilla trekking. This is located in the Goma town and can be accessed via the Grande Barrier border of Rwanda and DR Congo.

Trip Highlights

• Day 1: Drive from Kigali and cross to Bukavu.
• Day 2: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park.
• Day 3: Speed boat transfer to Goma port.
• Day 4: Transfer to Virunga national park.
• Day 5: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park.
• Day 6: Hike up Mount Nyiragongo
• Day 7: Descend the Mount Nyiragongo and 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: Speed boat transfer to Goma port.

Get up in time for breakfast at your hotel and after arrange your bags ready to take on the speed boat headed to Goma port from Bukavu. This is a 3 hour water transfer on Lake Kivu. The Lake Kivu connects the two towns. You will arrive at the Goma port and connect with your driver guide who will transfer you to your hotel in Goma for lunch.

You may have an optional Goma city tour and return back to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Hotel options in Goma

• Hotel Linda for budget option
• La Joie Plaza hotel for midrange option
• Lac Kivu lodge for luxury option

Day 4: Transfer to Virunga national park.

This will be your first day of your Mikeno mist package in Virunga. You will leave your hotel in Goma and drive 10 minutes to the Grande Barrier border building where the tourism office of Virunga national park is strategically located.

You will check in and receive your permits for the following days’ activities. You will after join the security convoy headed to Virunga national park. You will drive and arrive at your hotel in the park in time for lunch. You will spend the rest of the day at leisure at your hotel.

Hotel options in Virunga national park

• Kibumba Tented camp for budget and midrange option
• Bukima Tented camp for midrange
• Mikeno lodge for luxury
• Ngila lodge for luxury

Day 5: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park.

A very big day as it is the day you will be trekking the mountain gorillas. You will leave your hotel after having breakfast and connect to the Bukima ranger post where you will attend the pre trekking morning briefing.

After the briefing, you will hire the necessary things you may need and head out into the forest. Trekking mountain gorillas will take abit longer than the lowland gorillas because these prefer to stay on the mountain slopes which are further in the forest. When you meet your gorilla family of the day, you will spend one hour in their presence and after exit the forest for a late lunch.

Dinner will be served and you will spend another night in Virunga national park.

Day 6: Hike up the Mount Nyiragongo.

Wake up energized for this hike up Mount Nyiragongo. This is a 6 hour hike uphill. You will have a briefing at the trailhead that will give you allowance to also book a porter or hiking stick before you set out.

You will start by 9 am and have two breaks midway to rest abit and reach the summit by 5pm. You will be able to see the lava lake from the top and you will settle in at the Nyiragongo summit shelters for the night.

Day 7: Descend the Mount Nyiragongo and drive to Kigali.

You will rise early to catch the sun rise from the top and take breakfast. You will have a simple breakfast at the top and after get ready to descend back to the trailhead. You will be back to the start of the volcano by midday and your driver guide will be ready to transfer you back to Kigali.

You will drive to Goma or Gisenyi for 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
• Mountain gorilla permits
• Lowland gorilla permits
• Mount Nyiragongo hike
• Speed boat transfer
• Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Bottled water

Trip excludes:

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