7 Nyiragongo Hiking & Lowland Gorillas -DRC
7 Nyiragongo Hiking & Lowland Gorillas -DRC
Day One:
You will depart Kigali by road then drive to Goma, Overnight at Ihusi hotel, located 100m from Goma/Gisenyi border.
Day Two:
Leave the hotel at 5.30am. Gorilla tracking in Bukima, park National des Virungas, arriving at the park at around 08.45am. After briefing, enter the park by 9:30am. The walking distance is about 6hrs or more depending on where the gorillas will be that day. Once with the gorillas, you will only be allowed to spend one hour with them. You will be back at the hotel by 7:00pm. Overnight at Ihusi hotel, on the shores of Lake Kivu, .located 100m from the Congo/Rwanda border, on the shores of Lake Kivu.
Day Three:
City tour of Goma and surrounding environments in the morning, leave the hotel at 08.00am with packed lunch/dinner/breakfast and plenty of bottled drinking water. You will start by the green lakes in Mugunga about 15km from Goma. Discover how lava covered almost half of the town in 2002. By 9:00 am, you will be driven to the base of Mount Nyiragogo one of the active volcanoes. Once at the base, you will get a briefing and by 10:00am you will start hiking, you can get porters to carry your luggage (at extra cost). Nyiragongo is 3470m and it takes between 5 to 6 hrs to get to the top. Camping at the top, don’t expect to take a shower, though there is a field pit latrine for nature’s call. At night, you will be able to see the boiling magma.
Day Four:
Early morning, you retrace your steps down the volcano. By 10:00am, you will be picked up at the base and transfer to the hotel for lunch. The whole afternoon you will relax at your hotel enjoying the view of Lake Kivu.
Day Five:
Early morning after breakfast, take a boat to Bukavu, transfer to Orchids hotel where you will spend night.
Day Six:
This day, you will leave the hotel at 06.00am, you will get to the park headquarters at 07.30am, after briefing enter the park for Gorilla tracking in Chivanga, Kahuzi Biega National park. The walking distance is up to 6hrs, this depends on where Gorillas will be that day. Once Gorillas are found, you will only be allowed to spend one hour with them. After trekking, transfer to your hotel; spend a second night at Orchids hotel, located on the shores of Lake Kivu.
Day Seven:
Early morning after breakfast, drive to Kigali through the beautiful scenery of Nyungwe National park. Stop in Butare for lunch, if time permits visit the national museum in Butare, Nyanza Palace and then proceed to Kigali. Arrive in the evening and transfer to the airport for your flight.
