7 Days Congo Adventure
This 7 days Congo adventure will start and end in Kigali. You will start the safari with a city tour in Kigali one of the cleanest cities in Africa and then connect to Virunga national park for gorilla trekking an interesting activity that gives you an opportunity to spend time with the habituated gorilla family and also hike Nyiragongo volcano an active mountain in the Virunga conservation areas that stands at an elevation of 3470 meters above the sea level. From Virunga national park you will connect to Kahuzi Biega national park where you will visit the lowland gorillas in their natural habitats which helps you to compare experiences of the mountain gorillas and lowland gorillas.
Highlights of the 7 days Congo adventure
Day 1: Transfer to Kigali for a city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Virunga national park
Day 3: Gorilla trekking
Day 4: Climb Nyiragongo volcano
Day 5: Descend from the volcano and transfer to Kahuzi Biega national park
Day 6: Lowland gorilla trekking
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 of the 7 days Congo adventure
Arrival and transfer to a hotel in Kigali, upon arrival at Kigali international airport on the first day of the 7 days Congo adventure you will be welcomed by our driver guide who will brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Kigali for a city tour. Upon arrival in the city you will have lunch and then visit some interesting destinations like Kigali genocide memorial center where you will know more about the brutal killing of the many people in Rwanda during the 1994 Rwanda genocide between the Hutus and Tutsi, visit Kimironko market where you will meet with the local vendors, craft centers where you will buy some souvenirs like paintings, craft items like sandals, jewelry, bags among others. After the city tour you will transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Virunga national park
After breakfast on the second day of the 7 days Congo adventure, your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel to transfer to Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo. The journey takes about 4 to 5 hours drive and on the way you will have en-route lunch and spectacular views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, rolling hills in Rwanda, Lake Kivu, smiling people, terraced farmlands among others. You will pass via Goma Grande Barrier border and then join the Virunga security convoy to connect to Bukima and upon arrival you will check into the lodge, have dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
Gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on the third day of the 7 days Congo adventure, you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for the briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of gorilla trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people where grouping is done according to age and physical fitness, allocated a gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the forest.
Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park takes about 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on where the habituated gorilla family is located, during trekking you will have great views of different bird species like blue headed sunbird, red faced woodland warbler, kivu ground thrush, primate species like chimpanzees, blue monkeys, red colobus monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, plant and tree species among others. Once the gorilla family is found you will be allowed to spend one hour with the gorillas in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them feed, breastfeed, play, learn more about their lifestyle, behaviors, take photos and record the moments to show people back home. After the one hour with the gentle giants you will trek to the park headquarters where you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Ascend Nyiragongo Volcano
Ascend Nyiragongo volcano, after an early breakfast on the fourth day of the 7 days Congo adventure, you will carry packed lunch and your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to transfer to the trail head at Kibat patrol post for a briefing about the rules, regulations, expectations, stopping points and what to carry during hiking. After the briefing you will be grouped and then start hiking the volcano which takes about 4 to 6 hours to reach the summit. During hiking you will pass through lower altitude areas, lava rocks, slippery stones in higher altitudes and have great views of the beautiful scenery, landscape, different bird species, mammals, plants among others. when you reach on top of the volcano you will have spectacular views of the boiling lava lake and the cooks will help you to prepare hot coffee, dinner and you will be spend an overnight in a cabin as you smell the boiling and bubbling lava.
Day 5: Descend from Nyiragongo Volcano and transfer to Kahuzi Biega national park
Descend from Nyiragongo Volcano, on the fifth day of the 7 days Congo adventure you will have an early breakfast and then start descending from the peak of the mountain to the starting point which takes about 3 hours. While descending down you will have scenic views of Virunga national park, Lake Kivu, Rwenzori Mountains, bird species among others and when you reach the starting point you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for lunch. After lunch you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Kahuzi Beiga national park. On the way you will have views of the beautiful landscape, scenery homesteads and upon arrival in the park you will check into the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Lowland gorilla trekking and guided nature walk
Lowland gorilla trekking, after an early breakfast on the sixth day of the 7 days Congo adventure you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations of lowland gorilla trekking. Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park is done in groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a gorilla family to trek daily and a park guide who is well conversant with trails in the jungle. After the briefing you will therefore start trekking which takes about 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on where the gorillas are located.
During trekking you will be able to view other wildlife species including bird species like hornbills, sun birds, bar tailed trogon, barbets, other primates like red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked magabey, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, plant species among others. Once the lowland gorillas are found you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural environment where you will be able to ask questions, watch them carry out their daily activities, learn about their behaviors, lifestyle, take photos, record videos among others. After the breathtaking moment with the lowland gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters where you will meet your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for lunch.
Guided nature walk, after lunch you will go for an interesting nature walk which starts from the camp at Tshivanga following different routes such as the Lwiro route that takes you to Tshibati waterfall where you will enjoy the cool breeze, relax your mind and breath fresh air. During the guided nature walk you will have spectacular views of different bird species like Rwenzori turaco, shelleys crimsonwing, grauers broadbill, plant and tree species, forest dwellers among others. You will also visit Mbayo tea plantations and the communities around the park where you will be able to interact with the local people, visit their farmlands, homesteads, learn about their culture, taste their food among others. After the guided nature walk you will meet up with your driver guide and transfer to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Departure to Kigali
After an ultimate breakfast on the last day of the 7 days Congo adventure, you will check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to Kigali. You will pass via Cyangugu border and have great views of the landscapes, scenery, traditional homesteads among others on the way. Upon arrival in Kigali you will have lunch and after your driver guide will drive you to Kigali international airport for your departure flight.
End of 7 days Congo adventure
Inclusions of the 7 days Congo adventure
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Mount Nyiragongo hiking permit
- Kigali city tour
- Guided nature walk
- An English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
Exclusions of the 7 days Congo adventure
- Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
