5 Days Bwindi Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike

5 days Bwindi Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike is one of the few Uganda Congo safari tour packages that travelers can book and the trip starts in Kigali Rwanda. This is a plan that helps you visit the major attractions of the region at the most affordable rate. This package can be booked at any time of the year. You will visit the Virunga National Park to hike up the world’s largest lava lake for overnight and also get to visit a mountain gorilla family of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Highlights of the 5 Days Bwindi Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike

Day 1: Transfer to Bwindi
Day 2: Gorilla trekking Experience
Day 3: Transfer to Gisenyi
Day 4: Nyiragongo Hike
Day 5: Descend Nyiragongo and Departures

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali and Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Pick up from Kigali: Catch an early morning flight into Rwanda and land at Kigali International airport in time to start your 5-day tour. Your driver-guide will welcome you and give you a brief of what to expect and what is expected of you and then set out to have a city tour of Kigali visiting one of the genocide memorial grounds and a cultural market where you will get to interact with the Rwandan locals.
Transfer to Bwindi: Have lunch then set out to enter Uganda via Katuna border and further to the park to check in to your accommodation for dinner and spend a night in the misty forest. Hotel of choice will be according to the chosen budget that is Buhoma Haven Lodge or Buhoma lodge

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Gorilla trekking Experience: This is an eventful day where you will wake up in anticipation to see the last remaining mountain gorillas in the world in their wild habitat. Have an early breakfast and set out to the park headquarters for the pre-trek briefing by the park rangers and after a few minutes start the journey into the forest in search of the mountain gorillas according to where they were last spotted by the trackers. When you meet them after about 2 to 5 hours of gorilla trekking, you will enjoy 1 hour in their home for the day watching them go about their day and take as many no flash photos you can get. You will be expected to maintain all the guidelines given to you on the brief for your gorilla trek. Make your way back to your accommodation to refresh and have lunch and reminisce on the experience or opt to go for a community/ cultural visit to get to interact with the inhabitants of the region. Get back to your hotel before it gets dark and have a calm dinner and retire from that day at the hotel of the night before.

Day 3: Transfer to Gisenyi

Transfer to Gisenyi: Go for your last breakfast in your lodge in the misty Bwindi forest, check out of your accommodation and drive back to Rwanda crossing via the Cyanika border to connect you to Gisenyi for your Lake Kivu for lunch at the shores. You may take a boat trip on the Lake to enjoy the breeze and views that side of Rwanda has to offer. Later in the afternoon, connect to cross into DRCongo in anticipation for your next day’s hike. Check into your Goma accommodation as preferred for dinner and an overnight stay at Lac Kivu, Hotel Ihusi or Hotel Linda.

Please note that your multiple entry visa for Rwanda and Uganda will expire once you cross into DRCongo so ensure to apply for another visa (Rwanda transit visa) so as to find it ready when you are exiting DRCongo.

Day 4: Nyiragongo Hike

Nyiragongo Hike: This will be the day you hike up mount Nyiragongo. Have an early breakfast and join the assemble at the Grande Barrier border, check-in with the Virunga tourism office and get your permit for the two-day hike. Drive to Bukima ranger post where the hike will start from. Hire your porter if necessary and other necessities for this hike. Ascend for about 6 hours with 2 stopovers to refresh and reach the summit in the evening for the breathtaking views and experience. Your dinner will be prepared from the top as you enjoy Mount Nyiragongo with the active lava boiling and lights from Goma city seen a far on clear nights. Spend the night at the top.

Day 5: Descend Mount Nyiragongo

Descend Mount Nyiragongo: Wake up early to see the break of dawn from the top of the volcano. Have a simple “Congo” breakfast and enjoy the last moments atop the mountain before you start off on your four to 5-hour descent. You will reach back at the trailhead by 12pm and connect with your driver to transfer you back to Goma to check out and get your Rwanda visa and connect further to Kigali to end your trip with either an airport dropoff or drop off at your hotel in Kigali as you will advise.

End of 5 Days Bwindi Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike