5 Days Virunga Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike
5 Days Virunga Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike combines an East Africa safari adventure in two countries of Rwanda and Congo taking you on a breath taking boat cruise along the most stunning lake in Rwanda Lake Kivu then connect to Virunga national park to enjoy Mountain gorilla trekking safari and hike up the most active volcano with in Virunga massif which is none other than Mount Nyiragongo. This 5 days Lake Kivu, Congo gorilla trekking and mount Nyiragongo hike combines bot primate viewing adventure and Volcano hike starting and ending in Kigali Rwanda.
Highlights of the 5 Days Virunga Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike
- Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Lake Kivu for a boat cruise
- Day 2: Transfer to Goma
- Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
- Day 4: Hike mount Nyiragongo (Ascend)
- Day 5: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and transfer to Kigali for departures
Detailed Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Lake Kivu for a boat cruise
Transfer to Lake Kivu for boat cruise: On day 1 of 5 days Lake Kivu, Congo gorilla trekking and mount Nyiragongo hike, you will be picked up from your hotel in Kigali where you would have spent an overnight. Our company representative who is your safari driver will then brief you about this 5 days safari as you drive from Kigali heading to Gisenyi where Lake Kivu is situated. Once you get in Gisenyi, check in your reserved hotel for lunch and spend your afternoon cruising on Lake Kivu while overlooking several tourist attractions including a view of Mount Nyiragongo, wildlife along the shores and many more that will make your 1st day of 5 days Lake Kivu, Congo gorilla trekking and mount Nyiragongo hike memorable. Later in the evening if time allows, you will explore Gisenyi city viewing some of the attractions within and finally return to your lodge for diner and overnight sleep.
Meal plan: Lunch and dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Goma
Transfer to Goma: After enjoying your breakfast at leisure along the shores of Lake Kivu on day 2 of 5 Days Virunga Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike, you will check out of the lodge and meet your safari driver to start the journey from Lake Kivu to Goma in Congo where you will enter via Grand Barrie for clearances, then visit Virunga park management to obtain your gorilla trekking permit and mount Nyiragongo hiking permit before proceeding to your lodge where you will check in for dinner and overnight awaiting another fascinating activity the next day.
Meal plan: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park: Since gorilla trekking starts in the morning, you are supposed to arise very early for breakfast on day 3 of 5 Days Virunga Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike, pack some snacks and drinking water then meet the convoy for a drive to Bukima police post where the pre gorilla trekking briefing is conducted. During the briefing, you will be informed of the duration allowed in presence of gorillas which is one hour, the dos and don’ts and the possible encounters in the wilderness of virunga national park. After briefing, you will hire a porter and then set off on a walk to search for the habituated gorilla family in the forest. Once you find the gorilla family, you will spend just one hour as communicated during briefing, take as many photographs as you can and ask any thing you need to know about that particular gorilla family. Trek back to the starting point to be driven back to your lodge for a relaxed dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Hike mount Nyiragongo (Ascend)
Nyiragongo Hike (Ascend mount Nyiragongo): After breakfast on day 4 of 5 Days Virunga Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike, check out of the lodge and be transferred to Kibati ranger post to join other hikers for a fascinating adventure to view the most active Lave Lake at the summit of Mount Nyiragongo. Ensure that you’re at the starting point in time to avoid missing up on this adventure since all hikers must move in a group thus in case of late coming and the group has left implies that you have missed and there is no refund for the Nyiragongo hiking permit so be time conscious. During the briefing, you will get to learn about mount Nyiragongo that last erupted in 2002 with a disastrous eruption that swept a lot of human beings and their properties. Ensure that you have packed a sleeping bag or else hire one before starting the hike. During the hike, you will encounter with several wildlife species including primates, mammals, birds, butterflies and many more. While at the summit of Mount Nyiragongo, you will be rewarded with a glowing lava lake all night long as you have no limitations on how long to view it. It’s up to you to camp near it and watch it till you are fully satisfied.
Meal plan: Breakfast at the lodge, packed lunch and dinner at the summit of Nyiragongo
Day 5: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and transfer to Kigali for departures
Descend Mount Nyiragongo: After breakfast at the summit of Nyiragongo on day 5 of 5 days Lake Kivu, Congo gorilla trekking and mount Nyiragongo hike, you will start descending with other hikers in a group as you return to Kibati ranger post where you will find a security convoy waiting to transfer you back to Goma to meet with your safari driver and be driven to a nearby hotel for a meal before embarking on a drive to Kigali Rwanda. Depending on your flight details, you will enjoy Kigali city tour visiting some of the genocide memorial sites, craft shops, kimironko market and many more then be dropped either at the hotel in Kigali or to Kigali international airport for departures.
Meal plan: Lunch
END OF 5 DAYS LAKE KIVU, CONGO GORILLA TREKKING AND MOUNT NYIRAGONGO HIKE