5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Volcanoes Golden Monkey Trekking

5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Volcanoes Golden Monkey Trekking5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Volcanoes Golden Monkey Trekking

5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Volcanoes Golden Monkey Trekking is a short Congo Safari & Rwanda Safari tour that gives traveller to do gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park and also travel to Rwanda for Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park.

Highlights of the 5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Volcanoes Golden Monkey Trekking

Day 1: Meet in Kigali by 8 am to connect to Congo
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park
Day 3: Exit DRCongo back into Rwanda.
Day 4: Golden Monkey trek in Volcanoes National Park
Day 5: Drive back to Kigali

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Meet in Kigali by 8 am to connect to Congo

Transfer to Congo: Depending on which pick up point you have provided, your driver-guide will be there to pick you up for your journey to cross into Congo from the Grande barrier border. You will drive for about 5 hours from Kigali until you reach the Goma border in time for check-in for your Virunga gorilla tour package. Check-in with the office and get your gorilla permits for the next day hike and join the convoy going to Kibumba Tented camp or Bukima Tented camp or Mikeno lodge according to your choice of accommodation. You may have a late lunch from the lodge or have lunch in Goma. Spend the evening relaxing and planning for the next eventful day. Dinner and overnight will be at accommodation chosen.

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park

Gorilla Trekking Experience: Wake up to a hot but simple breakfast served at your lodge and meet your driver and guide to transfer you to Bukima police post where all the treks of the park start from. Here you will meet up with the ranger guides who will give you a briefing and small insight on what to expect and how to behave once in the forest during the Gorilla Trekking activity. In Virunga, the gorilla treks are a bit shorter as you will hike for about 2 and a half hours until you meet your habituated gorilla family but this still doesn’t determine the time spent on the trek as sometimes, the gorillas move much further into the forest. Once you reach their home for the day, you are allowed 1 hour to enjoy the gorillas, study them and take photos with a 6-meter distance and no flash photography respectively.
Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage Tour: You will after make your way out of the forest and connect to your accommodation for lunch and spend the evening relaxing. If you want a more engaging evening, you can opt for a community visit or visit the Senkwekwe gorilla orphans for those staying in the Mikeno lodge. Get back to your camp before it gets dark for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Exit DRCongo back into Rwanda.

Return to Rwanda: After having breakfast at your camp, meet your driver-guide and join the security convoy to transfer from Virunga National Park to the Grande Barrier border, check out and renew your Rwanda VISA as once you cross into the DRCongo, the other becomes invalid. Connect with the Rwanda driver-guide for a brief stopover at Lake Kivu for lunch and later connect to Ruhengeri-Volcanoes national park to check into your accommodation according to your preferred budget. Dinner and overnight will be at Muhabura hotel for budget or Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge for midrange or 5 Volcanoes Gorilla Lodge for luxury. Please note you can change and select a hotel as you prefer.

Day 4: Golden Monkey trek in Volcanoes National Park

Golden Monkey Trekking: Have an early breakfast and drive to the Volcanoes National park for your briefing before the golden monkey hike. Set out into the forest in search for these incredible primates. This hike is a bit more strenuous than gorilla trekking and you can take up to 7 hours in the forest so make sure you have your packed lunch for in case you get hungry. After seeing the golden monkeys, you will set out to exit the forest and make your way back to your hotel to cool off from the golden monkey trek. Dinner and overnight at your accommodation as the night before.

Day 5: Drive back to Kigali

Transfer to Kigali and Departure: Wake up to a leisurely breakfast, check out of your accommodation and meet your driver-guide and start on your 4-hour drive from Ruhengeri to Kigali. You may take some time to visit the Dian Fossey Museum in Ruhengeri if time allows and continue to Kigali with a brief city tour of the city if interested. You will be dropped off at your location in Kigali that you will advise.

End of the 5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Volcanoes Golden Monkey Trekking