5 Days Mount Nyiragongo & Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari
5 Days Mount Nyiragongo & Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari: 5 Days to visit Virunga national park for Nyiragongo hike and the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park for a mountain gorilla trekking. This safari takes you to 3 countries in a space of 5 days. Visit Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda. This Congo and Rwanda safari can be booked any time of the year. The tour starts from Kigali and ends in Kigali.
Trip highlights of the 5 Days Mount Nyiragongo & Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari
- Day 1: Drive to Goma
- Day 2: Hike up Mount Nyiragongo
- Day 3: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.
- Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park
- Day 5: Drive back to Kigali
Trip description
Day 1: Drive to Goma
By 8 am, you will be expected to be at your pick up place ready for your driver guide to transfer to Goma. You will have a Kigali city tour visiting the Kimironko market and the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds for a history of the 1994 Rwanda guerilla.
You will have lunch in Musanze and connect to cross into DR Congo to Goma to check in at your hotel for dinner and night stay.
Hotel options in Goma
- Hotel Linda for a budget option
- Hotel Ihusi for midrange option
- Lac Kivu Lodge for the luxury option
Day 2: Hike up Mount Nyiragongo
Wake up early to have breakfast at your hotel in Goma and connect with your driver guide to transfer to the Kibati ranger post where the hikers of the day meet for the briefing before setting up hill. You will also get a chance to hire your porters and any other extras you may need overnight and start your hike by 9 am.
You will hike up for about 5 hours with 2 stopovers enroute. This hike gives you different stunning views of the country every level. You will reach the summit in the early evening hours and settle in as you wait for dinner to be served. Dinner and overnight will be the Nyiragongo shelters.
Ensure to carry warm clothing as it can get as low as 0 degrees.
Day 3: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.
Get up early enough to catch the sun rise from above. Pack your bags and enjoy a simple breakfast shortly before you leave the summit. You will hike back down to the trailhead and be at the Kibati ranger post by midday. You will then join the convoy headed to Goma and further connect to cross back to Rwanda. You will have lunch in Musanze/ Goma then connect to cross into Uganda. This is 4 to 5 hour transfer from Goma to Bwindi forest. You will arrive in the evening hours and settle into your hotel as you wait for dinner and overnight.
Hotel options in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.
- Ichumbi Gorilla lodge for budget and midrange option
- Chameleon hill lodge for luxury option
Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park
Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi is one of the most sought after activities in Uganda. Wake up ready for your experience. You will have breakfast, grab your lunch packs and after drive to the park headquarters to check in and attend the pre-trekking brief. Set out into the forest in search for these gentle giants. The trek will last about 4 to 6 hours depending on how far into the forest the mountain gorillas will be that day.
Enjoy one hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas at a 6 meters distance and after you exit the park. Drive back to your hotel for a late lunch or to relax and spend the evening at leisure. You are up for an eventful evening; you may take on an optional cultural visit to the Batwa community. Return before night fall and in time for dinner and overnight at your hotel as the night before.
Day 5: Drive back to Kigali
Breakfast will be served at your hotel and you will check out of your hotel and drive to cross back to Kigali via the Katuna border. You will arrive in Kigali in the afternoon hours and you will decide on taking on the Kigali city tour on this day if it was not possible the first day. You will thereafter be dropped off at your preferred drop off point.
End of the 5 Days Mount Nyiragongo & Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Safari
Trip quote includes
- Full-time safari vehicle with fuel
- English/ French speaking driver-guide
- Accommodation
- Nyiragongo hike permit
- Mountain gorilla permit
- Meals; breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Bottled water
- DRCongo tourist visa
Trip quote excludes
- PCR/ Covid tests
- International flight fares
- Rwanda and Uganda visa fees
- Optional activities
- Personal needs like airtime, medicines, laundry, gratuities, alcoholic beverages.