10 Days Congo Gorillas, Chimpanzees, and Nyiragongo hiking safari

10 Days Congo gorillas, chimpanzees and Nyiragongo hiking safari is amongst the most enjoyed long Congo safari that enables primates lovers and adventurous travelers to engage in trekking both mountain gorillas in Virunga national park, Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga national park, chimpanzee trekking in virunga national park and finally engage in Nyiragongo volcanoes hiking. This 10 days Congo gorillas, chimpanzees and Nyiragongo hiking safari includes 10 days and 9 nights starting and ending in Kigali Rwanda.

Highlights of 10 days Congo Gorillas, Chimpanzees, and Nyiragongo Hiking safari

• Day 1: Arrival and Kigali city tour
• Day 2: Transfer to Kahuzi Beiga national park in Bukavu
• Day 3: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga national park
• Day 4: Guided nature walks
• Day 5: Transfer to virunga national park
• Day 6:1st Gorilla trekking in virunga national park
• Day 7: 2nd Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
• Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking in virunga national park
• Day 9: Hike Mount Nyiragongo (Ascend)
• Day 10: Descend Nyiragongo and depart

Detailed Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Kigali city tour

• Arrival: On day 1 of 10 days Congo gorillas, chimpanzees and Nyiragongo hiking safari, you will be expected to arrive at Kigali international airport where your Congo safari driver will pick you and transfer you to your reserved hotel in Kigali. Depending on your arrival time, you will spend the evening on Kigali city tour, visit kimironko market, Kigali genocide memorial sites and finally have your dinner and overnight.
• Meal plan: Lunch and dinner

Day 2: Transfer to Kahuzi Beiga national park in Bukavu

• Transfer to Kahuzi Beiga national park: After breakfast on day 2 of 10 days Congo gorillas, chimpanzees and Nyiragongo hiking safari, you will set off from Kigali and embark on the journey to Bukavu. The road drive is slightly long but rewarding as you pass through thrilling hills and farms, have a glance at Lake Kivu. Enjoy an enroute lunch and as soon as you arrive in Bukavu, you will do clearances with park officials and finally proceed to your lodge for check in dinner and overnight.
• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3: Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga national park

• Lowland gorilla trekking: After breakfast on day 3 of 10 days Congo gorillas, chimpanzees and Nyiragongo hiking safari, pack some snacks, water bottle and be ready to be transferred for briefing about gorilla trekking, hire a porter and finally start the search of habituated lowland gorillas in their natural habitats. Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Beiga national park lasts between 2 hours to 8 hours and only hour is allowed for photo taking session and viewing the gorillas closely.
• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4: Guided nature walks

• Guided nature walks: There is a lot to see while on foot thus day 4 of 10 days Congo gorillas, chimpanzees and Nyiragongo hiking safari will take you in the wilderness of Kahuzi Beiga national park via well-defined walking trails including waterfall trail that enables tourists to spend some time viewing the waterfall. During the guide walk, you will be in position to encounter with several wildlife species including primates, mammals, birds, butterflies and the unique flora within the park.
• Meal pan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5: Transfer to virunga national park

• Transfer from Bukavu to Goma: arise in the morning for breakfast on day 5 of 10 days Congo gorillas, chimpanzees and Nyiragongo hiking safari, then check out of the lodge and grab a boat for a cruise to Goma. This is the most fascinating experience as you sail on top of the water on a speed boat for about 4 hours. The lake rewards with a lot of things along the shores including the water birds, mammals and stunning view of Mount Nyiragongo and other volcanoes in close vicinity without forgetting the beautiful flora along the shores of the lake and the rolling hills in the background. Upon arrival in Goma, you will enjoy an early lunch and then be transferred to the Virunga national park offices for check in, obtain gorilla trekking and Nyiragongo hiking permits and finally be driven to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6:1st Gorilla trekking in virunga national park

• 1st Gorilla trekking: Enjoy a cup of coffee for breakfast, fill your backpack with snacks and drinking water and finally put on gorilla trekking gear and you await to be driven to join other trekkers for a briefing about gorillas and the gorilla trekking activity in Congo. During briefing, you will be entitled to ask anything you need to know about gorillas and gorilla trekking and don’t forget to hire a porter to assist you in carrying your backpack. A hiking stick will be provided to you during the briefing. After briefing the journey in the wild start as you trail through the forest following the gorilla trails until you finally spot them. Suring gorilla trekking, ensure that you keep your voice low and follow all guideline as advised by the park officials and the rangers. Ensure that the flash light of your camera is completely off to avoid scaring away the gorillas and finally after finding the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend a maximum duration of one hour with gorillas and finally return to your lodge for a relaxed dinner and overnight.
• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7: 2nd Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park

• 2nd Gorilla trekking: After breakfast on day 7 of 10 days Congo safari, you will repeat the same procedure just like the previous day. But on this day 7, ensure that you request for a different gorilla family not the same as you trekked the previous day and this will offer you wide range of experience in comparison to two different gorilla families as you distinguish between their behaviors and identify some unique characters amongst particular gorilla family members. During gorilla trekking, you will also encounter other wildlife including wild pigs, elephants and other unique species that reside in the forest alongside gorillas. As the previous day, you will spend one hour with gorillas taking these eye-catching photographs and learning behaviors of gorillas in their natural habitats.
• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking in virunga national park

• Chimpanzee trekking: day 8 of 10 days Congo gorillas, chimpanzees and Nyiragongo hiking safari requires you to arise very early in the morning for breakfast and by 6:00am, you will head out for a fascinating chimpanzee trek in Mahura forest alongside other trekkers, rangers and the local guide. This is the best way to spend time in jungle watching and listening to the vocals of our cousins as they roam the forest in search of food, play, copulate, groom, and breast feed among others. After chimpanzee trek, you will return to your lodge for lunch and spend the remaining hours of the day at leisure as you prepare your mind for the next day’s activity.
• Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9: Hike mount Nyiragongo (Ascend)

• Nyiragongo Hike: On day 9 of 10 days Congo safari, enjoy breakfast at the lodge and thereafter checkout and meet the driver for transfer to Kibati ranger post where Nyiragongo hike starts. You will be briefed by rangers about Nyiragongo, the expectations during the hike, the last time of eruption, the dos and don’ts plus any other information you need to hear for a successful Nyiragongo hike. After briefing, hire a porter and start the journey to summit the top of Nyiragongo while viewing the thrilling vegetation and different wildlife along the hike including primates, mammals, birds, butterflies and a splendid view of the nearby volcanoes and the entire virunga national park. Ascending is estimated to about 6hours. During the night at the summit, you will truly have a glance at the true African nature as you watch a boiling lava lake amidst the darkness.
• Meal plan: Breakfast, packed lunch, dinner at the summit

Day 10: Descend Nyiragongo and depart

• Descend Nyiragongo: breakfast will be served at the summit very early in the morning on the last day of 10 days Congo safari. Meet the rest of hikers and start to descend Nyiragongo at 6:30am back to Kibati ranger post the trailhead for all Nyiragongo hiking safaris. While at Kibati, you be transferred back to Goma to meet your Congo safari driver for a drive back to Kigali Rwanda for lunch and departures.
• Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch

END OF 10 DAYS CONGO SAFARI