8 Days Best of DRC

8 Days Best of DRC

8 Days Best of DRC

8 Days Best of DRC safari in the Eastern part of the Democratic republic of Congo visiting the 2 most popular parks that is the Kahuzi Biega national park and the Virunga National park. This package gives you the opportunity to visit the lowland gorillas and have 2 mountain gorilla trek in the Virunga national park, take on a chimpanzee family visit and the Nyiragongo hike is included in the 8 days. 

Trip highlights 8 days Best of DRC

  • Lowland gorilla trek
  • Boat transfer on Lake Kivu
  • Double mountain gorilla trek
  • Chimpanzee family visit
  • 2 day hike up Mount Nyiragongo
  • Kigali city tour

Trip Description

Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Bukavu DRCongo.

  • Drive to Bukavu: In the morning hours, you will be met by your driver-guide at the communicated place of pick up and start on your transfer to cross to the Democratic Republic of Congo. You will have an enroute lunch on this 8-hour drive and reach your hotel in Bukavu in time to check-in and to have dinner. You will spend your first night in Bukavu. Hotel options are Hotel Elizabeth for the budget option, Panorama hotel for midrange option, and the Orchids hotel for the luxury option.

Day 2: Lowland gorilla trek in Kahuzi Biega

  • Lowland gorilla trek: Have a hot cup of coffee at your hotel and connect to meet your drive guide who will drive you to the park headquarters where you receive the briefing before entering the forest in search of the lowland gorillas. The trek lasts about 2 hours before you get to the camp of the gorillas for the day. Spend an hour watching the gorillas go about their day and see the relations of the gorilla family members. Exit the forest to connect back to your hotel for a late lunch and spend the evening relaxing or go for a guided community visit. Ensure to get back to your hotel before the dark for dinner and a second night at your hotel in Bukavu as night before.  

Day 3: Boat transfer to Goma and connect to Rumangabo

  • Speed boat from Bukavu to Goma: After breakfast at the hotel, you will drive to the Bukavu port in time to catch the 3 hour speed boat to Goma on the Lake Kivu. You will enjoy the scenic views of the lake with the islands along the route. Arrive in Goma in time for check in for the Great Ape Package with Nyiragongo hike of Virunga National Park. This package sets off from Goma on Mondays and Wednesdays so ensure to align your flights accordingly. Check-in with the Virunga tourism office at the Grande Barrier border building to get your permits for the activities in the park. Have lunch in Goma and join the team headed to the Mikeno lodge in the Rumangabo sector. Arrive at the lodge in the evening to rest in anticipation for the next days.  

Day 4: Mountain gorilla trek in Virunga National Park

  • Mountain gorilla trek: Have a hot cup of coffee at your hotel and connect to meet your drive guide who will drive you to the Bukima police post where you receive the briefing before entering the forest in search of the mountain gorillas. The trek lasts about 2 to 3 hours before you get to the camp of the gorillas for the day. Spend an hour watching the gorillas go about their day and see the relations of the gorilla family members. Exit the forest to connect back to Bukima for a late lunch at Bukima tented camp where you will spend the evening relaxing or go for a guided community visit. Ensure to get back to your hotel before the dark for dinner and a second night at your hotel in the park as the night before.  

Day 5: Second mountain gorilla trek in Virunga National Park

  • 2nd mountain gorilla trek: This second gorilla trek will start at 8:30 am at the same point as the previous day. Have breakfast and set out to visit a different gorilla family and after return to the Bukima camp for lunch and later drive back with our driver-guide to the Mikeno lodge for a second night to spend the rest of the evening at leisure relaxing on the terrace or take some time to visit the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage center. Dinner and overnight stay will be at the prestigious Mikeno lodge. 

Day 6: Chimpanzee trek in Virunga National park

  • Chimpanzee family visit: Head out to the park to start your chimpanzee trek as early as 6:00 am. There is a chimpanzee family being habituated in Mahura forest that you will take off some time to visit. The chimpanzee family is being habituated by a skilled team of the Virunga national park that you may join for the day. Get back to the hotel for a late breakfast and spend the rest of the day visiting the park headquarters or opt to stay at the lodge’s terrace reading a book or talking to the other visitors. Dinner and overnight will be at Mikeno lodge

Day 7: Hike up the Mount Nyiragongo

  • Ascend up Mount Nyiragongo: Get up energized ready for the day’s challenge. Drive to the hike trailhead for briefing and start to ascend the Mount Nyiragongo to reach the crater rim in 5 hours. You will have 2 stopovers along the hike to rest a bit and continue up. Arrive at the summit shelters in the evening for dinner and night rest.

Day 8: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and transfer back to Kigali via Goma

  • Descend Mount Nyiragongo: Wake up to the views at the top of the volcano. Have breakfast and set back on your descent of Mount Nyiragongo. Arrive back at the starting point by 12pm and drive to Kigali to be dropped off at your advised drop off point.
8 Days Best of DRC
8 Days Best of DRC

Kindly note your Rwanda transit visa expires once you cross into DRCongo so you may apply for a renewal which you will find as you exit the country and back into Rwanda. 

End of 8 Days Best of DRC

Includes:

  • Full time fueled safari vehicle
  • Full-time English speaking guide
  • Accommodation as indicated above
  • Mountain gorilla permit x 2
  • Lowland gorilla permit 
  • Chimpanzee permit
  • DRCongo tourist visa
  • Meals all trip
  • Bottled water

Excludes

  • International flights
  • Visa fees
  • Personal needs such as airtime, tips, laundry, gratuities etc
  • Money transfer fees

 

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