11 Days Virunga Expedition

11 Days Virunga Expedition: This is an 11 Day safari in the Virunga national park touching all the corners of the park with all activities offered by the park. Get a chance to explore the whole of Virunga national park on one visit. This package sets off from Goma on Wednesdays and Mondays thus the need to book flights aligning with this Virunga setting.

Trip Highlights of the 11 Days Virunga Expedition

Double gorilla treks
Chimpanzee trek
Mikeno lodge stay
Mount Nyiragongo hike
Game drives
Safari walks
Birding
Island activities

Trip Description

Day 1: Drive from Kigali to Mikeno lodge

Drive from Kigali to Mikeno lodge: On the first day of this safari package, you will be met by your driver-guide at the communicated pick up point in Kigali by 8 am so as to drive to Goma and check in with the Virunga tourism office in time for check-in. After all, the protocol has been followed, you will join the Virunga security team headed to Mikeno lodge.
Arrive in time for lunch and spend the evening at leisure. You may opt to visit the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage or the Virunga park headquarters as you wait for the sundown. Return to your hotel a luxury dinner and spend your first night in the park.

Day 2: First gorilla trek

First gorilla trek: A highlight of the safari as it is you first time to visit the mountain gorillas (Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park). Get up early enough to grab some breakfast before you set out to the park headquarters for a briefing. Listen to the 30 minutes brief, hire your porters if necessary and follow the park rangers into the forest.
Trek for about 2 hours until you meet a gorilla family according to how far into the forest they are. Spend an hour enjoying the mountain gorillas and take as many photos then exit the forest. Drive to Bukima for lunch and this will be your home for that night.
Dinner and overnight for your second night will be at Bukima tented camp.

Day 3: Second gorilla trek

Second gorilla trek: Wake up still anticipating the turn out of your second visit to the mountain gorillas of Virunga national park. Drive from the hotel back to the park headquarters for the second gorilla trek. Arrive in time for the brief and after set back into the forest for the magical one hour when you encounter the mountain gorillas. You may visit the same gorilla family or opt for a different family for a change
You will be driven back to Mikeno lodge for lunch and where you will get to spend the third night. You will connect to the dining area for the luxury dinner prepared by the skilled Congolese chefs and return to your rooms for the rest of the night.

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga National park

Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga: Chimpanzees are early risers so you will get up as early as 5 am to be in the park to join the team habituating this chimpanzee family by 6 am. You will spend about 4 hours in the forest and later exit the forest to get back to your hotel for a late breakfast and relax.
Nature walk or visit the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage: Later in the evening, you may take on a nature walk or visit the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage if you had not gotten the opportunity to. Dinner will be served and you will spend another night at the prestigious Mikeno lodge.

Day 5: Connect to the Lulimbi sector

Connect to the Lulimbi sector: You will get packed up to leave Mikeno lodge to connect to the Lulimbi wildlife sector of Virunga. Your driver-guide will be waiting to transfer you from Mikeno lodge to Lulimbi Tented camp that will be your home the next few days. You will arrive at the lodge in the mid-morning hours which you will spend settling in as you cool down and wait for lunch.
Lunch will be served and after you may take on a guided safari walk in the afternoon exploring the savannah ground of the Ishasha plains which dominate most of the region. Connect back to your hotel to catch the sunset as you await your dinner. You may be able to see the Lulimbi hippos wallowing and enjoying the Ishasha river banks at a close range.

Day 6: Day safari walk

Day safari walk : You will wake up in the Lulimbi sector for a second chance to meet the fauna of the sector. Grab some breakfast and set out for the second safari walk in the park. This is an great chance for the birders as well as there will be quite a number for you to see. As it gets hotter, you will get back to your hotel to cool off, refresh and have lunch. The dinning looks over the Ishasha river that gives you the opportunity to enjoy your lunch as you view the hippos wallow at the banks and see some elephants coming for a drink at the river on a lucky day.
Game drive: Later in the evening, you will take on your first game drive around the Ishasha plains to reach further places. Return to the camp for dinner and another night.

Day 7: Bird watching on Lake Edward

Bird watching on Lake Edward: This will be a leisurely day as you will wake up to a hot cup of coffee and set out to do some birding at the shores of Lake Edward. You will be served with a BBQ lunch in the wilderness shortly before heading back to your hotel and you will spend the rest of the day at leisure as you may wish. You will have dinner and spend another night at the Lulimbi tented camp.

Day 8: Connect to hike up Mount Nyiragongo

Connect to hike up Mount Nyiragongo: The hike up to Mount Nyiragongo summit is one of the most sought after activities at the Virunga national park. Mount Nyiragongo is one of the remaining active volcanic mountains in the world and has the world’s largest Crater Lake at the top. You will meet at the Kibati ranger post that is the starting point of the hike uphill also where you will be briefed and get to hire a porter. This is a 6 hour hike up hill with a stopover to catch a breath and refreshments.
Upon reaching at the summit, you will offload and enjoy the breathtaking scenery from the top with the view of the boiling hot magma in the lava lake. Dinner will be served and you will retire back into the Nyiragongo summit shelters. Ensure to pack enough warm clothes as it can get as cold as 0 degrees at the top in the night.

Day 9: Descend back to the trailhead of Mount Nyiragongo

Descend back to the trailhead of Mount Nyiragongo: You will wake up early to catch the sun rise which you will be blown away by on a clear day. Have a simple Congolese breakfast prepared for you and start the descent to the hike’s trailhead where your driver guide will be ready to transfer you to Kituku port where you will board the boat to take you to the resort.

Arrive in time for lunch and relax and enjoy the cool breeze at the island. Dinner and night stay will be at the Tchegera island retreat

Day 10: Full day at Tchegera Island

Full day at Tchegera Island: The Tchegera Island is a perfect destination to cool off from a long and eventful safari. This day, you will take up most of the time to yourself replenishing. After breakfast at the luxury retreat, you may opt to stay back and enjoy the retreat or opt to take on an optional activity at the Island like kayaking, paddling, snorkeling or take a guided nature walk on this virgin island.
Be back at your hotel before night fall for dinner and second night.

Day 11: Drop off in Kigali

Drop off in Kigali: The last day of the safari hits different. You will wake up early to catch the sun rise which you will be blown away by on a clear day. Have a simple Congolese breakfast prepared for you and meet your driver guide who will be ready to transfer you to Kigali Rwanda for your drop off. You will advise if you would like to have a Kigali city tour or be dropped off immediately after the tour.

End of the 11 Days Virunga Expedition

Trip includes

Full time English/ French speaking guide
Fully fueled 4WD safari vehicle
Accommodation as in the itinerary
Double gorilla trek
Chimpanzee trek
Mount Nyiragongo hike
Tchegera island visit
Pick up and drop off in Kigali
DRCongo tourist visa
Mount Nyiragongo backpack

Trip excludes

International flight fares
Rwanda visa fees
Optional activities
Personal expenses like gratuities, tips, laundry, and airtime.