5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari (The Greate Ape Package)
5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari takes you on the best primate tour in Virunga national park Congo where you will trek the major 2 primate species that is mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural habitats. This 5 days great ape package includes double gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, 3 nights at Mikeno lodge and 1 night at Bukima tented camp starting and ending in Goma but to make your safari more adorable, we as the tour operator picks you and drop you off in Kigali. This 5 days great ape package starts on Wednesday and ends on Sunday.
Highlights of the 5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari
- Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Virunga national park
- Day 2: 1st gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
- Day 3: 2nd Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park
- Day 5: Transfer back to Kigali for departures
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Virunga national park
Drive from Kigali to Virunga national park: On day 1 of 5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari, our company representative will pick you from an earlier communicated location in Kigali at around 8:00am in the morning and set off on a drive to Goma where you will check in with virunga tourism office to obtain the Congo visa, gorilla trekking permits and chimpanzee permit then join a convoy for a drive direct to your lodge for check in at Mikeno lodge and enjoy your lunch. You may choose to spend an evening at leisure or in case you are in for any activity then visit the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage that was put in place just near the park headquarters to protect the gorillas which lost their parents to poachers. In case you choose to visit Senkwekwe, remember to return to the lodge in time for dinner and overnight at the first luxury lodge in Virunga national park.
Meal plan: Lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Mikeno lodge
Day 2: 1st gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
First gorilla trekking in Virunga national park: Arise early enough for breakfast on day 2 of 5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari, check out of your lodge with enough drinking water, snacks, and wear your best gorilla trekking gear then head to the park headquarters for a pre gorilla trekking briefing. Listen very carefully to your rangers as they know about these endangered gorillas more than you do. You will be told about the gorillas, things to do and what not to do while in the habitat of gorillas, among others. After briefing, hire a porter and set off on your adventure to search for the habituated gorilla family in virunga national park. The entire walk takes about few minutes to 7 hours or even more but you will only spend one hour with the gorilla family members interacting with them, taking photographs and many more. Later on, after one hour with gorillas, you will exit the forest and be driven to Bukima tented camp for lunch and remain here for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Bukima tented camp
Day 3: 2nd Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
Second gorilla trekking in Virunga national park: After breakfast on day 3 of 5 days the great ape Package (Virunga gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari), you will be driven back to the park headquarters for a 2nd gorilla trekking in Virunga national park where you will still start with a briefing. Ensure that you inform your ranger in time for a different gorilla family or in case you need to trek a similar gorilla family still you will need to inform the ranger during briefing. After briefing, hire a porter again and be led into the forest to spend an hour with gorillas again. After this 2nd gorilla trek, you will be driven to Mikeno lodge where you will spend your overnight.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Mikeno lodge
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park
Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park: Arise from the comfort of your bed as early as possible on day 4 of 5 days the great ape Package (Virunga gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari) since chimpanzee trekking is conducted in Mahura forest and you need to be there by 6:00am to join a group of habituators that are still training these primates to get used to humans. This trek will take about 4 hours in the forest and later on be driven back to your lodge to enjoy a relaxed late breakfast in case you dint take it. Wait for lunch and spend the remaining hours of the day at leisure. In case you missed out visiting Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage then you may choose to do it on this day 4.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Mikeno lodge
Day 5: Transfer back to Kigali for departures
Drive back to Kigali for departures: On this last day of your 5 days the great ape Package (Virunga gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari), wake up on a freshly prepared breakfast at your lodge, check and be driven back to Kigali Rwanda with an enroute lunch. While in Kigali, you may choose to enjoy a brief Kigali city tour before being dropped off at your agreed location be it at a hotel or at the airport to catch a flight to the next destination.
Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch
End Of the 5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Chimpanzee Safari
Note: Keep in mind that for any Congo packages, nothing can be added or subtracted it remains as a whole right from the start to the end.
Inclusive in 5 days the great ape Package (Virunga gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari)
- 2 Congo virunga gorilla trekking permits
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Congo tourist Visa
- Rangers and security while on trip
- An English/ French speaking guide/ driver
- A 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation for 4 nights as per package
- Pick up and drop off
- Enough drinking water
- Meals as per itinerary
- All mentioned activities
Exclusive in 5 days the great ape Package (Virunga gorilla and chimpanzee trekking safari)
- International travel visa and flight air ticket
- Rwanda visa
- Tips
- Optional activities
- Additional accommodation before or after the safari
- Other expenses of personal nature such as alcohol, juices, souvenirs, crafts, laundry fees, life insurance, cigar, air time, etc
