5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Akagera Wildlife Tour

5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Akagera Wildlife Tour is a short safari that gives you a tour of 2 different countries as you explore the Gorillas in Congo in Virunga National Park (Gorilla Trekking) and also take a Wildlife experience in the Savannah Grasslands of Rwanda in Akagera National Park.

Highlights of the 5 Days Virunga Gorilla & Akagera Wildlife Tour

Day 1: Meet in Kigali by 8 am to connect to Congo
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park
Return to Rwanda
Day 4: Transfer to Akagera National Park
Day 5: Game drive and back to Kigali

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Meet in Kigali by 8am 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: Return to 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 drive further to Kigali for dinner and overnight at Step Town for budget or Des Milles Colline for midrange or Kigali Serena lodge for luxury. Please note you can change and select a hotel as you prefer.

Day 4: Transfer to Akagera National Park

Game Drive: After breakfast, connect with the driver-guide to take on your 2-hour drive to Akagera National park. Akagera is the only wildlife park in Rwanda where you get to see lions, rhinos elephants giraffes and the smaller animals like the bushbucks. Reach in time for lunch at your accommodation.
Boat Cruise: In the afternoon, go for the Ihema boat trip on Lake Ihema and get to see the water animals of the park like the hippos. This is also a great birding spot for those interested in birding in Akagera. Dinner and overnight at Akagera Tented Camp for both budget and midrange or Ruzizi tented Camp for luxury.

Day 5: Game drive and back to Kigali

Game Drive: Wake up to an early breakfast connect to the park gate to meet your guide on your game drive in Akagera. Get to see the wildlife in Akagera for about 4 hours. Check out of your accommodation and meet your driver-guide and start on your 2-hour drive from Ruhengeri to Kigali. You may take some time for 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 & Akagera Wildlife Tour