10 Days Uganda Rwanda Congo safari – Nyiragongo Hiking and Gorilla tour

1. Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest national park
2. Kigali city tour – visiting the genocide memorial site, former presidential palace, artisan shops and the main city market
3. Gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes national park
4. Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
5. Launch cruise along the Kazinga channel
6. Visiting Lake Bunyonyi
7. Golden Monkey Tracking
8. Visiting the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo
9. Visiting the Iby’iwacu cultural village
10. Visiting Lake Kivu
11. Hiking Mount Nyiragongo

Day 1: Kigali City Tour –  Transfer from Kigali to Kibale Forest national park

Wake up early and take your breakfast if you are already in Kigali. The company driver will appear to brief you about the tour and what to expect. You will start with an early morning tour of Kigali. The tour will involve visiting the main city market, the genocide memorial, the former presidential palace and artisan shops. After the city tour, you will begin the journey to Kibale National Park in Uganda. This journey to Kibale will be long but the scenery is amazing. If the beautiful volcanoes and hills of Rwanda do not keep your eyes engaged, then the western part of Uganda will.  You will arrive at the lodge in time to rest and prepare for chimpanzee trekking the next day.

Dinner and overnight stay at Kyaninga Lodge (Luxury) and Chimpanzee Guest House (Mid-range and budget rooms).

Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking – Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

After taking your breakfast, you will set off for the park headquarters to attend a briefing by the head park guide. The briefing is all about what to expect and how to conduct yourself while with the chimps. Kibale National Park has over 1500 chimpanzees. The chances of seeing them are over 90%. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park takes between 3 to 5 hours. Chimpanzee trekking is different from gorilla tracking in many ways. The chimps love spending more time on top of trees than gorillas. They are also more mobile and you will need to keep following them even after finding them. Chimpanzees are far more vocal and there is often a lot of tension in the group. The dominant male has to keep his group in check all the time while gorillas follow all instructions from their leader. After seeing the chimpanzees, you will be transferred to Queen Elizabeth national park in the evening. The journey to Queen Elizabeth national park takes only 2 hours.

Dinner and Overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Park View Safari lodge (mid-range) and Simba safari camp (budget).

Day 3: Morning game drive – After boat trip at the Kazinga Channel

On this third day of the tour, you will leave the lodge early with packed breakfast and go for an early morning game drive at the Kasenyi plains. The purpose of the game drive is to catch the early rising mammals/birds, predators coming back from night hunting and other nocturnal animals before they retreat to their hideouts. Expect to spot buffaloes, leopard, lions and various species of antelope. The early morning game drive also offers you a chance to spot a collection of both endemic and migratory birds. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch and rest.

At 2.00 pm, you will transfer to the Kazinga Channel for a boat cruise. The Channel connects lake George at Edward and is like a magnet for all wildlife in the park. It has one of the largest collection of birds in Africa. Prepare to see crocodiles, hippos, elephants, antelopes and some of the predators like hyenas.

Dinner and Overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury), Park View Safari lodge (mid-range) and Simba safari camp (budget).

Day 4: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi – relaxation, bird watching and a boat ride

Wake up to a beautiful breakfast and be ready to transfer to Lake Bunyonyi. This is one of the most beautiful and serene places in Uganda. “Bunyonyi” means place with many birds. Lake Bunyonyi and its 29 islands are breeding grounds for several bird species. If you are a birder, you will be very impressed with what is available while touring the lake. Once you arrive, check in to your hotel, shower and go for a walk along the lake and wait to be taken for the boat ride and visiting some of the islands in the lake. Do not miss out on visiting the punishment island. This is where young girls who got pregnant before marriage were abandoned. Most were secretly rescued by men who couldn’t afford bride price or the culprit.  The office Guide/Driver will arrange for the boat ride and other activities as soon as you arrive.

Dinner and overnight at Bunyonyi overland Resort (budget), Bunyonyi safari camp (Mid-range) and Bunyonyi resort (luxury).

Day 5: Complete activities in Lake Bunyonyi – Transfer to the Volcanoes national park

Wake up to a beautiful breakfast and complete any activities in Lake Bunyonyi. The driver will start the journey to the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda around mid-day or 1PM. Enjoy the beautiful countryside of Rwanda and Uganda as you drive to volcanoes national park.  If you arrive early enough, you can take a walk around your lodge or visit the town of Musanze. Ensure that you rest early so that you are ready for gorilla trekking the next day.

Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and The Garden Place Hotel (Basic).

Day 6: Gorilla tracking in Rwanda – Visit the Iby’iwacu cultural village
Wake up early to go for the briefing about gorilla trekking which takes place at 7:00 am. All trekkers need to attend the briefing to get an overview of what to expect during the tracking. There are  10 habituated gorilla families in Rwanda to choose from while on a gorilla safari in Rwanda. You will be assigned one based on your overall fitness. Gorilla tracking can be a challenge but once you spot the gorilla family, you will realize that it was a worthwhile venture. It is exciting to observe a gorilla group and you could spend hours watching the little ones roll around and play.  Mountain Gorillas are known to be very curious and playful. Always follow instructions from your Guide and stay calm. After spending an hour with the gorillas, return back to the starting point and to the hotel for lunch and rest. In the evening, our Driver will take you out to visit the Gorilla Guardian Village near the Volcanoes National park.

Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and The Garden Place Hotel (Basic).

Day 7: Golden Monkey Tracking – visiting lake Burera and Ruhondo

On this day, take early morning breakfast and set off for volcanoes national park offices for another briefing on golden monkey tracking. After the briefing, you will enter the forest in search of the cute monkeys led by the chief park guide. After a while, you will find the golden monkeys on top of tree branches and on the ground. Golden monkeys are very curious and playful primates. They love flash photography unlike gorillas. Golden monkeys are highly endangered primates. Their main threat comes from humans and eagles. unlike Once you are done with tracking the monkeys, you will be taken back to the lodge for lunch and rest. In the evening, you will be taken for an evening drive to the beautiful twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.

Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge (Mid-range) and The Garden Place Hotel (Basic).

Day 8: Transfer to Lake Kivu in Gisenyi – Swimming, island hopping and relaxation

Start off your day with breakfast and be ready to set off from the Volcanoes National Park to Lake Kivu in Gisenyi. Lake Kivu is the largest fresh water lake in Rwanda. The lake is shared between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. On Arrival, you will go for swimming and visiting the different lakes in the island. After the boat ride, the drive till takes you to a restaurant near the Congo border for lunch and then back for fun activities on the lake.

Dinner and overnight at Lake Kivu Serena hotel (Luxury), Paradise Marahide (Deluxe) and Palm Garden Lodge (Budget).

Day 9: Transfer to Goma Congo – Mount Nyiragongo Hiking

On this day, you will be taken very early to the Congo border for clearance by immigration. After checking your yellow fever cards and stamping your visa, you will go to the Congo side of the border where you will meet the team from Virunga. The Virunga team will drive you to Goma in Congo and then to Kibati village. Kibati is the starting point for the Nyiragongo volcano hike. Hiking will take between 4 to 6 hours before reaching the top of the volcano. You will be moving with porters who will help you prepare dinner and set up the sleeping cabins. Dinner and Overnight will be in cabins built at the summit after enjoying the beautiful views of the lava lake.

Day 10: Descend the Volcano – transfer to Kigali for departure.
After having one of the most amazing experiences of your trip, you will descend the volcano by 8:00am. While descending, take time to admire the amazing Virunga volcanoes and the Virunga National Park. In fact, Mount Nyiragongo also offers great views of the Rwenzori mountains, Lake Kivu and Kahuzi Biega National Park. The best time to observe all this is while descending the volcano. After reaching the starting point, you will be transferred to the border post. Get another Rwanda Visa and cross to find our Guide/Driver waiting for you. The driver will take you through another long journey back to Kigali. If you reach early and your flight is later in the night, our Guide will take you for the Kigali city tour.

End of Safari

The safari quote will includes: –

1. Full time private tour van
2. A Full time English speaking Driver/Guide
3. Fuel for the safari
4. Gorilla Permits for Rwanda
5. Golden monkey permits
6. Chimpanzee Permits
7. Full-board Accommodation for 9 nights
8. Airport pickup and drop-off
9. Cultural and community visit
10. Kigali city Tour

The safari quote will exclude air tickets, visas, tips, wines and personal insurance.

Requirements for gorilla trekking:

1. Good hiking boots
2. Thick cotton gloves
3. A light raincoat
4. Light snacks and water
5. A porter for hire

For the best gorilla tracking adventure

1. Be in good fitness
2. Wear proper footwear
3. Have a plan for rain
4. Carry enough water and light snack
5. Its always great to tip the guides and rangers for the good work they do.

1. Dinner and accommodation on arrival is not included but can be arranged
2. Minimal Age for gorilla trekking  is 15 years
3. No discount on children except if sharing room with their parents
4. Travelers should ensure that they have checked the visa and inoculation requirements. (Please ensure you check all transit points visa information).
5. It is a requirement to have a yellow fever immunization card to enter Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo
6. Online Visa Application is necessary before travel. (This depends on the nationality in respect with the country being visited. Verify the information accordingly)

Kyaninga Lodge: This is one of the best luxury lodges found in Kibale National Park. It is found in the beautiful town of Fort Portal overlooking the Rwenzori mountains, the Great Rift Valley and Lake Kyaninga. Lake Kyaninga is one of the deepest crater lakes in the world. The lodge has cabins/cottages made of hand-crafted timber and with thatched roofs. The log cabins are spacious, self-contained and spaced apart to allow for privacy. Other amenities include a grass tennis court, badminton, a vast swimming pool, a restaurant, free internet, a large garden, a spa, a bar, a lounge area and a central fireplace. Staff are extremely friendly and professional ensuring that you have the best time while at the hotel.

Palm Garden Lodge: Palm Garden Lodge is often classified as a budget lodge but this is only because they charge lower prices and have all categories of rooms. That side, the rooms are of very good quality and compare favorably with the best mid-range lodges in the area. The lodge is built close to Lake Kivu and an area with magical scenery. They have stand-alone apartments, standard twin rooms, standard double rooms and very nice dormitory. The apartment rooms are excellent for honeymooners, groups and families because of the personal service, space and privacy. Palm Garden Lodge is perfect for those who want an affordable but quality lodge while on safari in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge: Le Bambou is built close to the Volcanoes National Park and is one of the best two mid-range lodges in the area. The lodge has 23 self-contained cottages which were built using environmentally friendly material like bamboo. Each room has free internet, toiletries, a private bathroom, a sitting room, sofas, tables and a balcony. Other services and amenities include a business center, housekeeping, a restaurant, a lounge area, airport transfers, an outside terrace, a front desk, laundry services, parking space and free breakfast.