10 Days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

Overview of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

The 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour is a 10 days big five wildlife safari in Rwanda, gorilla trekking safari in Congo and Mount Nyiragongo hiking tour. This tour features a game drive and boat cruise at Akagera National Park in Rwanda, chimpanzee trekking and a canopy walk at Nyungwe Forest National Park, lowland gorilla trekking at Kahuzi Biega National Park, a hike and descend to mount Nyiragongo.

With arrival at Rwanda’s Kigali international airport the tour starts with a pick up and transfer to a lodging facility close to Akagera national park where you undertake a game drive and boat cruise the next day. From Akagera park, you continue to Nyungwe Forest National Park for a chimpanzee trekking and a canopy walk. The next morning, you are transferred to Bukavu in Congo arriving in the evening then eastern lowland gorilla trekking the next day at kahuzi Biega National Park. Continuing with your safari in Congo, you are driven to Goma town for a hike to mount Nyiragongo. After the hike and descend on mount Nyiragongo you are driven back to Rwanda’s Kigali international airport for a departure flight.

Highlights of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

Day 1: Upon arrival at Kigali international airport, you meet a knowledgeable safari guide for a drive to Akagera National Park.

Day 2: In the morning, you go for a game drive at Akagera National park and then after an evening boat cruise at lake Ihema.

Day 3: This morning, you continue for a drive to Nyungwe forest national park arriving in the evening and spending the night at an accommodation close to the park.

Day 4: After a warm cup of coffee, you go for chimpanzee trekking, have lunch and then have an evening canopy walk.

Day 5: After breakfast, your driver guide picks you up for a transfer to Congo’s capital of Bukavu in Eastern side of the country on a 7-8hours drive.

Day 6: Early morning after breakfast you are driven to Kahuzi Biega National Park for lowland gorilla trekking that takes about 2-6hours.

Day 7: From Bukavu, you are transferred to Goma town close to Virunga National Park.

Day 8: In the morning, you are driven to Kibat station for a hike to Mount Nyiragongo summit spending the night at the summit of the volcano.

Day 9: You descend from Mount Nyiragongo then after be driven to Rwanda’s lake Kivu where you relax for the rest of the day and night.

Day 10: Following breakfast, you can involve in water sport activities then be driven back to Kigali international airport for a departure flight

Day by day detailed itinerary of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

Day 1 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

Arriving at Rwanda’s Kigali International Airport, you are cleared by the airport staff then after you meet your safari guide for a drive to Akagera National Park. Taking about a 2-3hours drive, you go past the homesteads of the people of Rwanda in the land of a thousand hills arriving in the evening. On arrival, you check in, have dinner and spend the night at an accommodation in Akagera National Park.

Day 2 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

This morning, you are driven by your driver guide to Akagera park for a wild game drive that brings you up close to the wild animals. As the early risers try to find prey, you have chance to sight antelopes, giraffes, Elephants, Buffalos, bush bucks among many others. After about 2-4 hours on the drive, you go for lunch then after take an afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema, where you are rewarded with sightings of wildlife like the hippos, crocodiles alongside numerous bird species. After the boat cruise, you are driven back to your lodging facility where you spend the night.

Day 3 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

From your lodging facility close to Akagera National Park, you have hefty breakfast then embark on a drive to Nyungwe Forest National Park. Taking about 6-7 hours, you drive past beautiful landscapes of the land of a thousand hills then arrive in the evening for check in, have dinner and relax through the night at a lodging facility close to Nyungwe forest national park.

Day 4 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

Continuing with your wildlife safari in Rwanda, this morning, you go to Nyungwe forest for chimpanzee trekking. Starting at 8:00am, you spend about 2-4hours trekking the chimpanzees then after return to the park headquarters. In the forest you also come along several bird species (about 300), several flora species and numerous butterflies. You either return to your lodging facility for lunch or have picnic lunch then go for a canopy walk at Nyungwe forest. The walk takes you on a 2km walk 170m above the ground. From here your driver guide transfers you back to your lodging facility where you refresh, have lunch and relax for the rest of the evening.

Day 5 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

In the morning after breakfast at the land of a thousand hills, you are picked up using a 4x4 safari Landcruiser by your guide for a drive to Congo. You are driven southwards to Cyangugu boarder for a crossing to Bukavu in Congo with lunch taken en route. Arriving in the evening you check in, have dinner and spend the night in Bukavu town.

Day 6 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

In the morning, you have a cup of coffee at your lodging facility then after be transferred to Kahuzi Biega National Park for a Congo gorilla trekking safari experience here. On arrival, you get a briefing from the park rangers on the Congo gorilla trekking etiquette then after you get into the jungle for gorilla trekking alongside park rangers as you spend about 2-6hours in search of the lowland gorillas then a single hour in the presence of the gentle giants as you take memorable pictures of these elusive species. After the trek, you return to the park headquarters where you meet your driver guide to transfer you back to your lodging facility where you spend the night.

Day 7 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

From Bukavu at a lodging facility where you spent the night, you are picked up by your Congo tour guide after breakfast for a drive to Goma. You arrive in the evening spending the night at a close accommodation in Virunga National Park’s Bukima sector where you have dinner and prepare for mount Nyiragongo hike the next day.

Day 8 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

After breakfast, your driver guide will transfer you to Kibat station where the hike to the summit of one of the world’s active stratovolcanoes starts. The hike to the summit usually takes about 6 hours depending on your energy levels. Also known as the “braves cake”, the hike is an amazing adventure past beautiful flora and fauna species to the lava lakes. During the hike you will be helped with luggage carrying and cooking at the summit by porters who can be hired at the park headquarters. The night is spent at the summit cabins as you take memorable pictures and watching the beautiful lava lake at sunrise.

Day 9 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

From the summit of Mount Nyiragongo, you will descend back to the park headquarters in Kibat where you meet your driver guide waiting for you at the station for a transfer to Rwanda’s Lake Kivu. Arriving to the largest lake in Rwanda, you relax at the shores of the lake where you spend the night at a close accommodation.

Day 10 of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

In the morning, you opt to relax or undertake water sports that happen at the lake. Here you can opt to swim, bike along the shores of the lake, visit nyamirundi island and many more. You later on have lunch, refresh and check out of your lodging facility as your driver guide transfers you to Kigali international airport for a departure flight.  

End of the 10 days Congo lowland gorilla trekking safari & Rwanda wildlife tour

Only found in 3 countries, adjacent to Virunga National Park, you can also trek mountain gorillas on a Rwanda gorilla safari in Volcanoes National Park and on a Uganda gorilla trekking safari to Mgahinga gorilla national park within the same Virunga massif.