How to prepare for a gorilla trekking safari

Virunga Expedition

11 days Virunga Expedition

Trip Summary:

11 days Virunga Expedition : Spend 11 days in Virunga national park enjoying the most that the park has to offer. Get to enjoy 2 mountain gorilla treks, a chimpanzee habituation trekking, the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage, enjoy the savannah game drives in the Lulimbi sector, nature walks, bird watching experience, hike up the mount Nyiragongo and spend a few days on Tchegera Island.

Get to enjoy the best accommodations that is the Mikeno lodge, Lulimbi Tented camp, the Bukima tented camp and the Tchegera Island Tented camp.

Trip Highlights

  • Day 1: Kigali to Virunga National park.
  • Day 2: First gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
  • Day 3: Second gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
  • Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park
  • Day 5: Transfer to Lulimbi sector
  • Day 6: Safari walk in the Lulimbi sector
  • Day 7: Bird watching on Lake Edward
  • Day 8: Hike up the Mount Nyiragongo
  • Day 9: Descend the Mount Nyiragongo and connect to Tchegera Island
  • Day 10: Day on the Island
  • Day 11: Leave Tchegera for Kigali/ Goma

Trip description

Day 1: Kigali to Virunga National park.

When you are ready to set out from Kigali to Virunga national park DR Congo, your driver guide will be patiently waiting to brief and take you on the 5 hour road transfer. You will drive west wards via the Volcanoes national park of Rwanda and connect via the Goma-Gisenyi border known as the Grande Barrier.

You will check in at the Virunga tourism office where you will be handed your activity permits and join the security team headed for the park. You will get there in time for lunch and dinner. Spend your first night in Virunga national park.

Hotel options in Virunga national park

  • Mikeno lodge for luxury
  • Ngila lodge for luxury
  • Bukima tented camp for midrange

Day 2: First gorilla trekking in Virunga national park

Have an early breakfast at your hotel and get set for the first encounter with the mountain gorillas. You will drive to the Bukima ranger post where you will receive the briefing ahead of your mountain gorilla trek. Enter the forest in search of the mountain gorillas for about 3 hours and enjoy the one hour with them.

Later connect to your hotel for lunch and then spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner will be served and you will spend another night in Virunga national park.

11 days Virunga Expedition
11 days Virunga Expedition

Day 3: Second gorilla trekking in Virunga national park

Wake up for your second chance with the mountain gorillas. Have a simple breakfast ahead of your mountain gorilla trek. You will attend the morning briefing and this time approach the forest with some experience.

After enjoying the gorilla trekking, you will head back to your hotel for lunch and if you are feeling energetic or interested, you will head out to the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage located in the compound of Mikeno lodge. Get back to the dining area in time for dinner and spend your third night in Virunga national park.

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park

Chimpanzee trekking is done early morning so you will be expected to be at the briefing point by 6 am ready to join the group of people who are habituating the chimpanzee family in the Mahura forest. Chimpanzees are more active than the mountain gorillas so expect to hear their sounds from a far and once around them, you will notice them jumping from one tree branch to another.

Return to the lodge for a late breakfast and the rest of the day can be spent at the lodge reading a book, taking another visit to the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage or head out to the Virunga national park headquarters.

Day 5: Transfer to Lulimbi sector

Wake up for breakfast and check out of your lodge and meet your driver guide who will be waiting to drive you to the Lulimbi sector of the park. This Lulimbi sector is the savannah side of Virunga national park where you get a chance with the wild game.

You will arrive in the morning hours which will allow you to settle in and lunch will be served. You may go for a guided safari walk in the afternoon along the Ishasha plains and later head back for a sundowner on the Ishasha river which is a home to the hippos of the region. Spend a night in the Lulimbi Tented camp.

Day 6: Safari walk in the Lulimbi sector

Have breakfast on a chilled note and after head out for another safari walk to spot some animals of the region. This is a great chance to also do some birding if you are a bird lover. Enjoy the savannah land and before the sun heat takes over, get back to your camp for lunch and to relax. Enjoy the views of the hippos wallowing in the Ishasha river from your camp.

11 days Virunga Expedition
11 days Virunga Expedition

Later in the evening, you may take on an evening game drive in the Ishasha sector.

Day 7: Bird watching on Lake Edward

This is the highlight for the birders. You get a whole morning dedicated to the birding experience in the Lulimbi sector so be sure to have your pair of binoculars in your packed luggage. You will spot a number of birds on the shores of Lake Edward.

You will enjoy a BBQ lunch later in the park before you get back to your camp to relax the rest of the day as you wait for dinner to be served.

Day 8: Hike up the Mount Nyiragongo

Get up ready to leave this savannah side of the park and head out to the Bukima ranger post which is the trailhead of the Mount Nyiragongo hike. You will receive a briefing before you start your hike up, hire your porters and the Nyiragongo back pack and start your 5 to 6 hour hike up hill.

You will have 2 stopovers to grab a bite and stretch and continue hiking uphill arriving at the summit in the early evening hours. You will spend the night at the Nyiragongo summit shelters.

Day 9: Descend the Mount Nyiragongo and connect to Tchegera Island

Wake up early to enjoy the sun rise from the top. Have a simple breakfast and head out to start your descent back to the mountain slope. You will arrive at the trailhead at around midday and your driver guide will be waiting to transfer you to Butembo port to catch the speed boat to the Tchegera Island.

11 days Virunga Expedition
11 days Virunga Expedition

Arrive in time for lunch at Tchegera and relax from the past day’s activities. Dinner will be served and you will enjoy the night at the luxury Tchegera Island Tented Camp

Day 10: Day on the Island

You will enjoy this day at leisure enjoying the island as time goes. You may do some kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, nature walks in the virgin trails and spend another night on the island.

Day 11: Leave Tchegera for Kigali/ Goma

The final day of this safari will have you waking up to a luxury breakfast at the Tchegera Island Tented camp. After the breakfast, you will get on the speed boat headed back to the Butembo port and connect further to Kigali via the Goma Gisenyi border.

You may be dropped off in Goma or in Kigali as you will advise.

Trip quote to include

  • Kigali pick up and drop off
  • Tourist vehicle with fuel
  • Full time safari guide
  • Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary above
  • Meals all days of the trip
  • Activities as planned in the itinerary
  • Bottled water enroute
  • DR Congo tourist visa
  • Mount Nyiragongo back pack

Trip quote to exclude

  • Optional activities in the itinerary
  • International flights
  • Rwanda transit visa
  • Personal needs like laundry, airtime, medicines, tips, porters etc

 

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