5 Days Great Ape Package

5 Days Great Ape Package

5 Days Great Ape Package

5 Days Great Ape Package: Take 5 days in Virunga national park visiting the two great apes of the region that is the mountain gorillas and the chimpanzees. This package sets off from Goma on Mondays and Wednesdays at 11:15 am so ensure to align your flights accordingly. Spend a night in the Bukima Tented Camp and 3 nights in the prestigious Mikeno lodge with 2 gorilla treks and one chimpanzee trek.

Trip Highlights of 5 Days Great Ape Package

  • 2 Gorilla treks in Virunga National Park
  • Chimpanzee trek
  • Mikeno lodge
  • Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage
  • Kigali city tour

Trip Description

Day 1: Connect from Kigali to the Goma Grande Barrier

  • Drive from Kigali; Catch an early morning flight into the Rwanda and Kigali International Airport preferably a flight before 8 am and be met by your driver-guide upon arrival to brief you and set out on your journey to Goma border to check in with the Virunga tourism office that is located at the Grande Barrier/ Goma border. The drive is about 4 to 5 hours.
  • Check-in with the office and get your permits for the activities to be done and join the security convoy headed for the Great Ape Package. You will arrive at your hotel in time for a late lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing and anticipating the following days’ events. The first night will be spent at the Mikeno lodge in Rumangabo where the park headquarters are also situated.

Day 2: First Gorilla trek in Virunga National Park

  • Mountain Gorilla trek; Wake up to an early breakfast at the prestigious Mikeno lodge and drive to the Bukima ranger post where the treks of Virunga start from. This is also where you will be briefed by the ranger guides about the gorilla trek in Virunga National Park and also where you may hire the porters and necessities for the trek.
  • Enter the forest searching for the mountain gorillas for about 2 to 3 hours through the thick bushes and once you encounter these amazing creatures, you will spend the accepted 1 hour with them at a 6 meters distance. Enjoy them and after drive to Bukima tented camp for lunch and where you will be spending the second night. If you are interested, you may take on an optional nature walk or take some time to visit the park’s bamboo project. 

Day 3: Second Gorilla trek in Virunga National Park

  • 2nd Gorilla gorilla: This is yet another thrilling day where you get the second chance to spend some more time with the gorillas. Have breakfast at Bukima tented camp and connect back to the briefing point to visit a second family in the park. Have a briefing like the previous day and set out on your trek. Trek for about 2 to 3 hours according to how far the gorilla family you are to visit this day is. After the trek, your driver-guide will be there waiting to transfer you to Mikeno lodge for lunch.
  • Spend the evening enjoying the Mikeno compound where you may visit the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage or the Virunga park headquarters. You can also opt to stay at the terrace enjoying the breeze and the views while reading a book until it is dinner time. Have dinner at Mikeno lodge and spend a second night at the hotel.

Day 4: Chimpanzee family visit

  • Chimpanzee trek: By 6:00 am, you will be headed to the Mahura forest of Virunga national park for a chimpanzee trek. The chimpanzee family you will be visiting in Virunga is still being habituated and you get to be a part of this amazing and unique experience you can’t afford to miss out on. Return to the lodge for a late breakfast and have a leisurely day enjoying the luxurious Mikeno lodge. 
  • You will have dinner and the last night in the park at Mikeno lodge
5 Days Great Ape Package
5 Days Great Ape Package

Day 5: Connect back to Goma and further to Kigali

  • Drive back to Rwanda: The last day of your 5 days Great Ape Experience will be leisurely as you will have breakfast and leave the park headed for Rwanda via Goma with an enroute lunch in Musanze, Rwanda. You will have a Kigali City tour visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial and the Kimironko market and be dropped off in Kigali for your flight out or hotel as you will advise your driver guide.

End of 5 Days Great Ape Package

Inclusive

  • Gorilla trek permits
  • Chimpanzee trek permits
  • DRCongo tourist visa
  • Bed nights at Mikeno lodge and Bukima tented camp as described above
  • Full time English/ French speaking driver guide
  • 4WD fueled safari vehicle for all ground transfers
  • Meals all through the trip
  • Bottled water on trip

Exclusive

  • Money transfer fees
  • Visa fees for Rwanda
  • International flights
  • Optional activities
  • Personal needs such as airtime, tips, laundry etc
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