12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

Overview of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

The 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo is a three-country tour. The safari features wildlife and gorilla trekking in Uganda, a hike and descend to Mount Nyiragongo in Congo and golden monkey trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.

You arrive at Entebbe international airport, Uganda, meet a safari driver guide who transfers you to a lodging facility in Kampala. From here, you are driven to Lake Mburo National Park where you undertake a game drive and boat cruise before continuing to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. At Bwindi, you go gorilla trekking then continue to Queen Elizabeth National Park. After a game drive and boat cruise at Queen Elizabeth National Park you then cross over to Congo for a hike and descend on Mount Nyiragongo in Virunga National Park. After hiking in Congo, you are then driven to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park where you go for golden monkey trekking after which you depart via Kigali International Airport in Rwanda.

Highlights of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

Day 1: On arrival at Entebbe international airport, a knowledgeable driver guide transfers you to a lodging facility in Kampala.

Day 2: From Kampala, your driver guide picks you up for a transfer to Lake Mburo National Park with a stop at the equator line then undertake an evening boat cruise.

Day 3: In the morning, you go for an early morning game drive and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Day 4: Before 8:00am, you are driven to a specific gorilla trekking sector of Bwindi for gorilla trekking that lasts about 2-8hours.

Day 5: Early morning, you have breakfast then experience the Batwa culture in Bwindi where after you are driven to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the evening.

Day 6: You undertake a morning game drive then after undertake an evening boat cruise along the Kazinga channel that joins lakes Edward and George.

Day 7: In the morning, you have breakfast then after be transferred to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Day 8: After breakfast, you hike Mount Nyiragongo in Virunga national park and spend the night at the mountain summit.

Day 9: You descend from Mount Nyiragongo and rest for the other whole of the day at your lodging facility.

Day 10: Early morning you have breakfast then be driven to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Day 11: After a relaxed breakfast, you go for golden monkey trekking in Volcanoes National Park then relax at the lodge in the evening.

Day 12: You are transferred to Kigali International Airport for a departure flight.

Day by day detailed itinerary of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

Day 1 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

Arriving at Entebbe International Airport which is Uganda’s international airport, you meet a professional driver guide ready to take you through your trip. After meeting and greeting, you then get into your 4x4 safari vehicle for a drive to a booked hotel/lodge in Kampala-Uganda’s capital where you relax from jet lag and spend the night.

Day 2 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

Boat cruise on Lake Mburo National Park

In the morning after you have had breakfast at your lodging facility, your Uganda safari starts with a pick up by your driver guide for a drive to Lake Mburo National Park. Driving 80km out of the bustling capital of Kampala, you make your first safari stop at the equator line in Kayabwe where you spend about 30 minutes to take photographs at the zero-latitude line and undertake several experiments that prove forces that divide the earth into the northern and southern hemispheres. Continuing with your Uganda wildlife safari drive, you have lunch en route then arrive for an evening boat cruise on Lake Mburo. In the evening, you retire for the night at a booked accommodation in Lake Mburo National Park.

Day 3 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

Rising early morning, you have a hot cup of coffee then go for a morning game drive in this famously known as the whispers of the wild park. Sighting the early risers, you have a chance to sight animals like the Elephants, Kobs, antelopes and many more. After about 2-4hours game drive, you transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with lunch en route. Driving for about 6hours you are welcomed by the beautiful terraced hillslopes of the kigezi highlands. In the evening you spend the night at a lodging facility close to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Day 4 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

At the foothills of the mountain gorilla habitat, after breakfast in your beautiful lodging facility, you will be driven to a specific gorilla trekking sector of Bwindi for your Uganda gorilla trekking safari experience. Park rangers take you through a 30 minutes briefing as you are reminded of the gorilla trekking etiquette and allocated a gorilla family to trek starting at 8:00am. After the briefing, with the park rangers, you go to the jungle for about 2-8hours in search of the mountain gorillas. You will trek alongside 7 other trekkers on gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda. Only 1 hour is spent in the presence of the gentle giants after which you will return to the park headquarters where you receive your gorilla trekking certificate, meet your driver guide who will drive you to your lodging facility for relaxation, dinner and an overnight. Accommodation options: Luxury/up-market: Chameleon hill lodge Mid-range/standard: Gorilla mist camp

Day 5 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

From your lodging facility in Bwindi, you have breakfast then after go for a Batwa cultural tour among the Batwa in Buhoma. The experience depending on your preference can last from 1-4 hours as the former inhabitants of the Bwindi impenetrable national park demonstrate to you their previous lifestyle. This include, dancing, hunting skills, construction and all other aspects of their daily life within the jungle that they called home. After the experience, you are driven to Queen Elizabeth National Park arriving in the evening for check in, dinner and an overnight stay at an accommodation in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Accommodation options: Luxury/Up-market: Mweya safari lodge/Katara Lodge Mid-range/standard: Enganzi Lodges/Park view safari lodge

Day 6 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

Early morning, you have a cup of coffee then after be driven for a morning game drive at Queen Elizabeth National lasting about 2-4hours as you spot several wildlife species. Here you possibly sight lions, elephants, leopards, kobs and many other wild species including bird species. In the afternoon after lunch, you go for a launch trip/boat cruise on the 45km long channel that joins lakes Edward and George and home to Africa’s largest concentration of hippopotamuses. After a bout 2 hours on the boat, you take a mini en route evening game drive to your lodging facility where you spend the night. Accommodation options: Luxury/Up-market: Mweya safari lodge/Katara Lodge Mid-range/standard: Enganzi Lodges/Park view safari lodge

Day 7 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

This morning, you have a relaxed breakfast (the last in Uganda) then bid farewell to Uganda as you are driven to Virunga national park in Congo. Using a 4x4 safari vehicle, your driver guide will ensure you cross the border and get into Congo. Arriving in the evening, you check in, have dinner and relax at an accommodation in Virunga National Park. Accommodation options: Luxury/Up-market: Orchids' safari club hotel/Mikeno lodge/Lulimbi tented camp Mid-range/standard: Mountain gorilla view lodge

Day 8 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

Early morning after breakfast, your driver guide will transfer you to Kibat station where the hike to the summit of one of the world’s most active stratovolcanoes. 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. Accommodation option: Mount Nyiragongo summit cabins

Day 9 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

You descend from the summit of Mount Nyiragongo early morning after breakfast along with porters helping with the luggage till the park headquarters in Kibat. Your driver guide will be there waiting for you at the station and transfer you back to your lodging facility where you will have a meal, relax and rest for the rest of the day. Accommodation options: Luxury/Up-market: Orchids' safari club hotel/Mikeno lodge/Lulimbi tented camp Mid-range/standard: Mountain gorilla view lodge

Day 10 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

This is your last morning in Congo therefore you bid farewell to Congo and get back to your 4x4 safari vehicle for a drive out of the country to the neighboring Rwanda. The drive takes you to Volcanoes National Park spending a night at an accommodation facility close to the park. Volcanoes National Park is the only Rwanda safari park where you can trek golden monkeys unless if you decide to do so during a Uganda gorilla safari to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Day 11 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

In the morning you have an early cup of coffee then after start the drive to Volcanoes National Park also the Rwanda Gorilla trekking safari destination where you go for golden monkey trekking. You get into the jungle alongside armed rangers in search of the beautiful golden monkeys spending about 2-4hours. After meeting these beautiful species of the wild, you return to your lodging facility where you spend the evening in relaxation.

Day 12 of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo

It’s your last day on this tour so you will wake and have the last breakfast in the land of a thousand hills then embark on the drive to Kigali International Airport for a departure flight. Depending on your departure time, you can take a Kigali city tour to the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Center. You take your departure flight at the Kigali International Airport.  

End of the 12 Days Gorilla Safari Uganda Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Trip Congo