The Virunga Expedition package

The Virunga Expedition package gives a traveler the very best feel of Virunga National Park and is features. Guests will spend a night at the beautiful Mikeno Lodge, nestled in the heart of the Mahura Forest at the Park’s headquarter in Rumangabo. They will also spend a night stay in the gorilla sector at Bukima Tented Camp. Here guests will come in contact with the endangered mountain gorillas. The trekkers will then go back to Mikeno Lodge for two additional nights’ before setting off for the savannas of the Ishasha Valley for a three night stay at Lulimbi Tented Camp. The package finishes off with a one night stay on Nyiragongo volcano followed by two nights’ stay on Tchegera Island Retreat.The guests will then end the virunga expedition package with a safari to hike nyiragongo volcano for one night and 2 nights stay at Tchegera Island Retreat.

Day 1: Guests are meant to arrive at Grande Barriere border crossing by 10:30am. They will then ensure check-in with Virunga tourism office by 11:15 am. The tourism office is conveniently located in the Grande Barriere border post building, opposite passport control. The guests will then be provided with gorilla trekking permits by the tourism office. These permits allow them to access the park for trekking. After getting the permits and check in, the guests will be transported to Mikeno Lodge at the Park headquarters in Rumangabo. When the guests reach Mikeno Lodge, they will be served with late lunch and the trekkers will be left to enjoy their evening with leisure activities like exploring Rumangabo’s several nature trails, bird watching or paying a visit to Virunga’s Congo hounds.

Day2: Our guests shall have an early morning breakfast and will later set off for the gorilla trek at Bukima Ranger Post. At Bukima trekkers will meet their Ranger guides and they receive a briefing about the gorilla trek before they start the trek. These gorilla treks usually require about 3 hours of hiking each way. The gorilla treks depend on the location of the gorilla group being trekked and the difficulty of the terrain. When the trekkers meet the gorillas, they will be given 1 hour to spend in the presence of the gorillas so that they learn their behaviours and take photos too. Later the trekkers will return to bukima camp and they will have the rest of the afternoon off to explore Bukima, including bird watching and visiting the Park’s bamboo project.

Day 3: In the morning around 8:30 am, the guests will start their second gorilla trek. When the trekkers return from the trek, they will be served with a quick lunch at Bukima camp. Later on the guests will be transported back to Mikeno Lodge. When the guests reach the lodge, they will have the afternoon at leisure, free to relax on the lodge terrace or visit the gorilla orphans at the Senkwekwe Center.

Day 4: Guests will head out for a chimpanzee trek early in the morning at around 6:00 am. Chimpanzee trekking is a unique experience that allows visitors to join our team as they study and habituate the family of chimpanzees found in the Mahura Forest surrounding Rumangabo. The guests will return and have a late breakfast and will be invited to spend the rest of the day exploring the Park headquarters or just relaxing with a book on the terrace of Mikeno Lodge.

Day 5: Guests will have breakfast and will then be transported to Lulimbi Tented Camp located on the southeastern shores of Lake Edward. Lunch will then be served and then guests are free to go out for an afternoon safari walk across the savanna of the Ishasha Plains. In the evening, guests are invited to relax with a sundowner on the banks of the Ishasha river and experience up close views of Lulimbi’s resident hippos.

Day 6: Guests will have an early breakfast and will be invited on another safari walk to explore some of the megafauna around Lulimbi as well as its abundant bird life. Returning to camp before the heat of the day hits, visitors will enjoy a leisurely lunch while admiring the resident hippos wallowing around in the Ishasha River and perhaps catch a glimpse of savanna elephants coming to drink at the water’s edge. In the evening, guests will take a game drive on the Ishasha Plains.

Day 7: From relaxing, breakfast will be served and guests will be invited to go bird watching along the shores of Lake Edward where a nice BBQ will be served. Later they will head back to the camp where guests will be free to enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 8:In the morning at around 8:35 am guests will be transported to the Kibati Ranger Post which happens to be the departure point for the Nyiragongo volcano trek. When the guests reach Kibati, they will receive a briefing and will be able to hire porters from there who will help them carry their luggage up the mountain. The climb up the volcano will take around four to six hours and trekkers will overnight on the summit.

Day 9: In the morning guests slope down the mountain back to kibati patrol post. The descent time is approximately four hours. When the trekkers reach the bottom of the mountain, the guests will be transported to Kituku port in Goma town in order to catch the boat out to Tchegera Island Retreat. When they reach Tchegera, they are invited to settle in, have a hot shower and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of Tchegera Island.

Day 10: This will be a leisure day where you will be engage in kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling and nature walks are a relaxing way to pass the day.

Day 11: Guests will be transported back to Goma town after breakfast and will be dropped-off at the Grande Barriere border post.

Included in this package:

Three nights accommodation at Mikeno Lodge
Gorilla trek permit
One night accommodation at Bukima Tented Camp
Three night accommodation at Lulimbi Camp
Volcano trek permit
One night stay on Nyiragongo volcano
Two night accommodation at Tchegera Island Retreat
All transport to, from and within Virunga National Park once in country.

Not included in this package:

Drinks
Rental of Nyiragongo backpack
Porter fees
Gratuities and anything of personal nature.

*VIRUNGA EXPEDITION IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR BOOKING AT THIS TIME*