6 Days Congo Safari Tour – Gorilla Trekking in Congo – Overview

The 6 Days Congo Safari Tour – Gorilla Trekking in Congo Kahuzi Biega & Virunga National Park is an amazing complete Congo tour package that will offer you an opportunity to explore the two outstanding national parks of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The 6 Days Gorilla Safari will take you through Africa’s most picturesque Virunga National Park –the natural home of mountain gorillas situated in the North-Eastern part of DR Congo.

Thereafter, the safari connects you to a stunning lowland gorillas trek in Khauzi Biega National Park located in South Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The 6 days Congo safari tour will entail activities like Mountain gorilla trekking, lowland gorilla trekking, Volcano Hiking, Nature walks, cultural & community tours, bird watching, and so on.

The 6 days Congo safari tour will offer you a life-changing experience with a taste of world-class services from some of the best lodges /hotels in DR Congo.

6 Days Congo Safari Tour – Gorilla Trekking in Congo – Kahuzi Biega & Virunga National Park – Highlights

• Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport & Transfer to Goma.
• Day 2: Early Morning Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park.
• Day 3: Early Morning Nyiragongo Volcano Hike
• Day 4: Make Decent from Nyiragongo Volcano & Transfer to Bukavu
• Day 5: Early Morning Lowland Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega – DR Congo &Afternoon Nature Walks
• Day 6: Transfer from Bukavu –DR Congo back to Kigali & Departure

6 Days Congo Safari, Gorilla Trekking In Congo Tour Kahuzi Biega & Virunga National Park – Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Kigali International Airport & Transfer to Goma.

As soon as you arrive at Kigali International Airport, you will meet and greet our professional driver guide who then takes you to one of Kigali hotels for refreshment and a mini briefing about the safari.

Thereafter, you will embark on a scenic transfer drive to Goma, DRC. The drive journey of 184kms about 3-4 hours without en route stopovers is a breeze because of the excellent roads/transport in Rwanda to the border.

When you cross the border, you will start feeling the excitement of Congo. On arrival to Goma town, you will advance to the lodge to check-in, have dinner, and overnight.

Accommodation: Mbiza Hotel (Upmarket/Luxury), VIP Palace Goma (Mid-Range/Standard), Hotel la Versaille (Budget)

Day 2: Early Morning Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park.

Following an early morning ebullient breakfast, you will transfer from your lodge to the park headquarters in the Bukima sector for an early morning briefing about the dos’ and don’ts of gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park.

After the briefing, you will be led to the trailheads to enter the forest to search for the mountain gorillas in their serene environment of Virunga National Park.

After 1-4 hours of trek depending on the movement of the mountain gorillas, you will come closer to the apes.

Once up close to the mountain gorillas, you will be required to wear surgical masks that are provided to you when encountering the gorillas in their natural habitat of Virunga National Park.

You will be allowed to spend one hour with the mountain gorillas and during this time you can decide to sit down and watch gorillas carry on with their daily activities of feeding, and caring for young ones.

You will remain close to the beautiful apes while observing them, and photographing, and immediately after one hour, you will retire to the starting point and thereafter, embark on a drive back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.

Accommodation: Mbiza Hotel (Upmarket/Luxury), VIP Palace Goma (Mid-Range/Standard), Hotel la Versaille (Budget)

Day 3: Early Morning Nyiragongo Volcano Hike

Following your early morning breakfast, you will embark on the transfer to the mountain trailhead at Kibat Patrol Post in Nyiragongo Volcano. The scenic drive to Nyiragongo towering above its own lava flows from previous eruptions is really very festinating.

On arrival at the trailhead, you will be briefed and thereafter, embark on the climb of about 5-6hours to the top of the Volcano. You will be accompanied by two armed rangers/guides who speak English and French.

Your hike to the summit of the volcano does not only reward you with a spectacular view of the flora and fauna gorgeous at lower elevations, but you also give a local person a job.

When you get high enough, the views of over an old crater to Lake Kivu are stunning. Of course, those views are nothing compared to when you reach the crater and see the lava pool inside which is simply incredible.

The night will be spent in tents on the rim of the giant crater, high above the active lava lake. Accommodation is in simple but comfortable A-frame huts on the crater edge. Warm clothes and a sleeping bag are essential as it will be very cold and windy all night.

Day 4: Make Decent From Nyiragongo Volcano & Transfer to Bukavu

Right after taking a cup of coffee, you will begin your descent very early in the morning from the summit of Nyiragongo to the head trail in the Kibat Patrol Post.

Arrive at the trailhead and transfer back to the lodge short refreshment and early lunch.  After lunch, you will embark on a transfer drive from Goma to Bukavu in eastern DR Congo.

The long drive will take you through a green beautiful landscape dotted with the farmed land, local population as well as rolling hills of DR Congo.

On arrival to Bukavu, the driver guide will drive you directly to your pre-booked lodge for dinner and relaxation.

Accommodation: Orchid safari Lodge. (Luxury/Mid-range), Hotel Horizon (Budget).

Day 5: Early Morning Lowland Gorilla Trekking in Kahuzi Biega – DR Congo &Afternoon Nature Walks

After early morning breakfast, embark on an early morning drive to the park headquarters for a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow when trekking the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National park. After the briefing, you will be led to enter the trekking trails to start searching for the gorillas.

Trekking lowland Gorillas is very amazing, lowland Gorillas differ from mountain gorillas, the lowland gorillas are bigger in size, usually takes 1-4 hours to trek the lowland Gorillas.

The lowland Gorillas stay in bigger families as compared to mountain gorillas; you will not regret the tour effort once you meet the amazing Gorillas.

After one memorable hour of encounter with the lowland gorillas, you will retire back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.

After lunch, embark on an afternoon nature walk in the Kahuzi Biega Park. The nature walks will take you through Tshibati waterfalls, visit Bukavu town, Mbayo tea plantations, the research Centre, and the surrounding traditional homes to explore the lifestyle of the local community. Thereafter, retreat back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Orchid safari Lodge. (Luxury), Hotel Horizon (Budget).

Day 6: Transfer From Bukavu –DR Congo Back to Kigali & Departure

Right after early morning breakfast, depart Bukavu driving back to Kigali. The scenic drive journey will take you through the wonderful landscape in Bukavu in Congo crossing via the Cyangugu border to Rwanda.

You will have an en-route stop in Butare, where you will visit the national museum of Rwanda, the king’s palace in Nyanza, and the Rwanda genocide memorial site.

On arrival in Kigali, you will advance with the drive to Kigali International Air Port for your scheduled flight back home.

End of The 6 Days Congo Classic Gorilla Safari-Kahuzi Biega & Virunga National Park

Getting There

Safari Inclusions

• Chimpanzee Permit (for chimpanzee trekking safaris)
• Gorilla Permit (for gorilla trekking safaris)
• Full Board Accommodation on Safari
• Transportation in either 4X4 Safari Van or 4X4 Safari Land Cruiser all with Pop up roof & AC
• Fuel
• Professional English Speaking driver guide. Any other foreign language speaking guide can be arranged on request.
• Entrance fees to the tourist sites including Protected areas mentioned
• Activity fees of the tourist activities mentioned
• Bottled water while on safari
• Border crossing fees (for cross border safaris)

Safari Exclusions

• General tips for the driver guide, site guides and service staff at the lodges
• Laundry Services
• Other Beverages / drinks of personal nature like Alcohol
• International Flights (Arranged on request)
• Domestic Flights (Arranged on request)
• Visas
• Optional Activity fees
• Other extras not mentioned in the Itinerary
• Airport Transfer (Arranged on request)
• Accommodation in Kampala or Kigali unless it is part of the Itinerary (Arranged on request)