6-Day Rwanda - Congo Lowland & Mountain Gorilla Safari

Welcome to this Rwanda and Congo Trip! You’ll be visiting the following destinations, with a focus solely on primate trekking. Experience the beauty of Nyungwe National Park for chimpanzee trekking and canopy walks, Kahuzi Biega National Park for lowland gorilla trekking, and Volcanoes National Park for golden monkey trekking.

Route Overview

• Start & End
  • Day 1: Kigali
  • Day 1: Nyungwe NP (Chimpanzees)
  • Day 2: Cyangugu (Town)
• Congo (DRC)
  • Day 3: Kahuzi Biega NP (Gorillas)
• Rwanda
  • Day 4-5: Volcanoes NP (Gorillas)
  • Day 6: Kigali

Tour Features

• Budget Tour
  This budget-friendly tour utilizes guest houses and hotels.
• Shared Tour
  Join a group of fellow travelers, with a maximum of 6 participants per group.
• Flexible Start Dates
  If availability permits, this tour can begin on any day.
• Non-customizable
  The accommodations and destinations cannot be altered.
• Single Travelers
  Single travelers are welcome to join this group tour.
• Minimum Age
  The minimum age for this tour is 15 years.

Activities & Transportation

• Activities: Game drives & gorilla trekking
• Transportation: Normal 4×4 vehicle

A transfer from and back to the airport can be arranged for an additional cost.

Day 1: Kigali – Transfer to Nyungwe National Park

After an early morning breakfast at your residence or hotel, your guide will meet and greet you for a briefing on chimpanzee and lowland gorilla trekking. Following the briefing, you will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay your respects to the victims of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide against the Tutsi. This will be followed by a transfer to Nyungwe National Park. Your overnight stay will be at Ken Barham Guesthouse or a similar accommodation.

Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking, Nyungwe National Park

At 4:30 am, enjoy an early breakfast or opt for a packed breakfast. This will be followed by a meeting with the ranger guide at Gisakura. You will then transfer to Cyamudongo or Uwinka Visitors Center to begin chimpanzee trekking. After the trek, you will experience a canopy walk starting from Uwinka Visitors Center, leading to Lake Kivu, Cyangungu. Your overnight stay will be at Peace Guesthouse or a similar accommodation.

Day 3: Kahuzi Biega National Park, Congo 

After an early morning breakfast, be ready with your passport for border crossing at Rusizi (1). Proceed to Kahuzi Biega National Park in Congo (DRC) to participate in lowland gorilla trekking. Upon arrival, you will be accompanied by a ranger guide and a team of trackers as you hike into the forest in search of the gentle giants. Once you find them, you will have the opportunity to spend an hour with them before returning to the starting point. After the experience, transfer back to Bukavu. Your overnight stay will be at Nediva Bed & Breakfast or a similar accommodation.

Day 4: Kahuzi Biega National Park – Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

An early morning breakfast will be followed by a transfer to Ihusi Port, where you will take a ferry north to Goma. Upon arrival, transfer for immigration clearance before proceeding to Rwanda via the Grand Barriere border. After completing immigration formalities, you will transfer to Volcanoes National Park. Your overnight stay will be at Muhabura Hotel or a similar accommodation.

Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Tracking, Volcanoes National Park

Today, for those participating in Rwanda gorilla trekking, a gorilla trekking permit at an additional cost of $1,500 is required, or you may opt for the alternative Bosoke Volcano Hike.

An early morning breakfast will be followed by a transfer to Kinigi Park Headquarters for a trekking briefing. You will then hike into the rainforest to join a troop of magnificent mountain gorillas. Each troop is guarded 24/7, ensuring their location is known. You will typically have an hour with them, offering a unique opportunity to observe them at close range. After the experience, return to the lodge. Your overnight stay will be at Muhabura Hotel or a similar accommodation.

Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking, Volcanoes National Park

 

After an early morning breakfast, you will transfer to Kinigi Park Headquarters for golden monkey tracking. These primates are beautiful, endangered, and more agile than mountain gorillas. They inhabit the bamboo thickets on the lower slopes of the mountains, providing a unique and memorable experience. This trek will help you adjust to the slight altitude, offering your last glimpses of the park’s stunning surroundings. Following the trek, you will transfer back to Kigali, marking the conclusion of your Rwanda & Congo gorilla adventure.