The 7 days triple trekking Uganda, Rwanda and Congo safari takes you through a thrilling mountain gorilla tracking experience. It is an ultimate mountain gorilla trekking adventure leading you to Africa’s best gorilla destinations; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda, Volcanoes National Park Rwanda and the Virunga National Park Congo. This gorilla tour package cover 7 days, 6 nights and it begins and ends from Kigali Rwanda.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Drive from Kigali Airport to Volcanoes National Park
Arrive early at Kigali International Airport and meet your tour leader who then will take you to Volcanoes National Park, Ruhengeri region Northwestern Rwanda. In case of early arrival in Ruhengeri, you will pay a visit to the Twin Lakes (Lake Ruhondo and Burera) or embark on a community walk especially at Iby’Iwacu Cultural village. After, get back to the lodge to enjoy a relaxed evening, dinner and a night stay.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking & connect to Lake Kivu
After a heavy breakfast, ensure you have reported to Kiningi for briefing on gorilla trekking rules and also to be assigned a gorilla family to track. You will be registered by team at Volcanoes National Park who also will allocate to you a park guide.
At 8:00am, the guide takes you on a search for anyone of the 10 gorilla groups assigned to you by park official.
Expect to cover about 2-6 hours navigating through the bamboo forest to search for mountain gorillas and once you have got them, you have 1 hour to have a face to face interaction with them and also to take pictures.
Get back to be awarded a gorilla trekking certificate at briefing point and then connect to the lodge to check out after lunch. Drive to Lake Kivu to have a relaxed evening on its shores.
Day 3: Hike to Nyiragongo Volcano in the Congo Virunga National Park
Have breakfast early in the morning and after, go border crossing to Nyiragongo Volcano in DRC. Get to Kibati early for briefing and then begin your trek at 9:00am to the magnificent Nyiragongo Mountain. This takes 5 to 7 hours but it depends on your speed of hiking.
Day 4: Descending from Nyiragongo Mountain summit
Get up early to have early morning breakfast and later, begin descending from Nyiragongo Mountain. Drive to your lodge to enjoy a relaxed lunch and you may spend your evening exploring the mountain gorilla orphanage centre (Senkwekwe) in Rumangabo.
Day 5: Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park
After a hot cup of tea or coffee, report to Bukima Patrol Post for yet another briefing on rules and regulations for gorilla trekking. Virunga National Park has a composition of 8 habituated gorilla families but you will trek only 1 today in your group of 8 visitors starting at 8:00am.
A gorilla trek mostly covers 2-6 hours inclusive of 1 hour of photography and face to face interaction. Retreat from your adventure and connect to Lake Kivu through Goma Town on a speed boat. Or drive direct to Kisoro via Bunagana border for evening relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at the lodge or hotel.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Southwestern Uganda
After breakfast, you will assemble at Bwindi offices to be briefed on gorilla dos and don’ts for gorilla trekking. This will mark your third gorilla trek and of the 20 habituated gorilla families in Bwindi, you will be assigned to one to track beginning at 8:00am with park guide.
Once you have found mountain gorillas, expect to spend not more than 1 hour with these humble apes, take their pictures. Later, get back to the lodge to relax. You may embark on evening visit to Batwa Community to enjoy the cultural dances, music performances from Batwa pygmies who are well-known as forest dwellers.
Day 7: Drive to Kigali via border between Uganda and Rwanda
After breakfast, leave your lodge for Kigali through Chanika border/Katuna border about 3-4 hours’ drive.
