The 9 Days Rwanda and Congo gorilla safari offers you double gorilla trekking in Volcanoes for mountain gorillas and Lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Visit and trek two gorilla species in Rwanda and Congo at discounted rates with Go Rwanda Safaris. The trip also involves golden monkey trekking, Dian Fossey grave hike, and chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National park
Trip summary
Day 1: Pick up – Transfer to Nyungwe National park
Day 2: Chimps Tracking – Canopy walk/nature walk/birding
Day 3: Transfer from Nyungwe NP – Volcanoes National Park
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking / Tour the Twin Lakes
Day 5: Golden Monkeys Tracking / Dian Fossey Grave Hike
Day 6: Transfer form Volcanoes – Kigali City Tour
Day 7: Transfer to Bukavu- DR Congo
Day 8: Lowland Gorilla tracking tour in Kahuzi Biega – DR Congo
Day 9: Transfer back to Kigali
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up – Transfer to Nyungwe National park
Our tour guide will pick you up from either the airport or hotel, and hit the road to Nyungwe forest national park. Dinner and Overnight stay at Nyungwe Forst Lodge ( Luxury), Nyungwe Top View Hotel (Mid-range), Gisakura Guest House (Basic).
Day 2: Chimps Tracking – Canopy walk/nature walk/birding
Early rise for breakfast. Head out to Nyungwe forest headquarters for briefing about tracking chimps. The rangers know the best spots where you can easily track the chimpanzees. As you hike through the forest, you will come across other primates like monkeys, these will excite you as you get closer to the chimpanzees. Birds will be all over and for birdwatchers, this is the best place to be. Getting a chance to see these chimpanzees is breathtaking; you will see them play on trees, rest and feeding. You are allowed to take as many pictures as you can as long as you observe silence. After a wonderful time with the chimpanzees, you return for lunch and rest. In the afternoon, you go for a forest canopy walk or nature walk to see the twin lakes. You will spot different species of birds. Have dinner and overnight at your hotel
Day 3: Transfer from Nyungwe NP – Volcanoes National Park
Have an early at your hotel and your guide will drive you off to Volcanoes National Park. The drive will take you via Lake Kivu were you will have clear views of the water body and take pictures of the beautiful area. Have lunch en route and continue with our interesting drive. Arrive late and check in to your lodge at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge / Volcanoes Lodge ( Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge / La Palme (Mid-range), Muhabura Hotel (Basic).
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking / Tour the Twin Lakes
Have an early breakfast report to the Volcanoes park headquarters as early as 7:30am. After a short drill as regards your expected gorilla tracking conduct is concerned, you will enter the rain forest in search of the mountain gorillas. It is advisable to carry along with you a packed lunch, energy bite and mineral water on this expedition because sometimes tracking can last very long from 1 -6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. On locating the gorillas, the experience is so exhilarating and will be well worth the trouble. Spend a maximum of one hour with the gorillas then return to your lodge. In the afternoon if your up for it head out for a tour the twin lake of Burera & Ruhondo. Dinner and overnight at your lodge
Day 5: Golden Monkeys Tracking / Dian Fossey Grave Hike
Wake up early for your breakfast, drive to the park headquarters for breifing the Golden Monkey (Cercopithecus Kandti), now listed as endangered because of their small numbers. You will be separated in groups of 6 people maxixum, and the trackking will take most of the day. After the trek, return to the lodge for relaxation and later a community walk. Or you can opt to Hike to the Karisoke Gorilla Research Centre which Dian Fossey, the famous primatologist set up.
Day 6: Transfer form Volcanoes – Kigali City Tour
Have breakfast at the lodge and later drive back to Kigali for a grand city tour. Expect to tour historical places like the genocide memorial site, the national museum. Have an evening cultural presentation later dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Transfer to Bukavu- DR Congo.
In the morning, you will be picked by the driver from your hotel in Kigali and drive southwards to Cyangugu boarder on the way to Bukavu in DR Congo. You will have a stop over in Butare, where you will visit the national museum of Rwanda, the king’s palace in Nyanza, and the Rwanda genocide memorial site. After lunch, continue on a scenic journey to Bukavu with wonderful views of the hills in Rwanda through the tropical forest of Nyungwe National park and a clear view of Lake Kivu.
Dinner and overnight at CoCo Lodge (Luxury)/Orchid safari Lodge (Mid Range)/Hotel Horizon (Budget).
Day 8: Lowland Gorilla tracking tour in Kahuzi Biega – DR Congo
In the morning, you will head for the memorable adventure of tracking the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National park. Tacking lowland Gorillas is very amazing, lowland Gorillas differ from the mountain gorillas, the lowland gorillas are bigger in size, usually takes 1-4 hours tracking the lowland Gorillas. The lowland Gorillas stay in bigger families as compared to mountain gorillas; you will not regret the safari effort once you meet the amazing Gorillas! After tracking, you will go for a nature walk in the Kahuzi Biega park and visit Tshibati waterfalls, visit bukavu town, Mbayo tea plantations, the research centre and the surrounding traditional homes. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Transfer back to Kigali
In the morning after a relaxed breakfast, you will drive back to Kigali crossing via Cyangugu border. Reach Kigali late in the afternoon. End of safari – Depart.
End of Safari
