3 Days Congo Gorilla Safari – Starting from Rwanda

3 Days Congo gorilla safari tour to Virunga National Park offers a different experience from Uganda and Rwanda. The increase in the price for gorilla permits in Rwanda has made silverback gorilla tours and safaris to Uganda and DR Congo better and more economically feasible. A gorilla permit in DR Congo costs only $450 whereas in Rwanda gorilla permits cost $1500. This three days Congo gorilla safari to Virunga National Park is designed to give our clients a cheaper but unique opportunity to do gorilla trekking at the great Virunga national park which despite bad press and recent closures has so much to offer.

Virunga National Park is Africa’s oldest national park. The park is special because of its remarkable biodiversity and landscape. All this is because of its location in the middle of the Albertine rift. It consists of savanna grasslands, plains, Afro-montane forests and marshlands. Virunga national park has two of the most active volcanoes in the African continent including Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo. These two volcanoes account for 30 percent of the most recent volcanic eruptions in Africa. They also give the park unique afro-alpine kinds of vegetation. Apart from the Virunga volcanoes, 20 percent of the Rwenzori Mountain are found in the park. Virunga is also home to 218 species of mammals including Thomas cobs, elephants, lions, buffaloes and the rare Okapi. Virunga national park is home to the largest population of hippos in the world. Over 19,000 can be found in the numerous rives within and outside the park.

However, the key attractions in the park are the mountain gorillas and climbing mount Nyiragongo. 20 percent of the remaining population of mountain gorillas are found here. Uganda and Rwanda may have more mountain gorillas but the Virunga National Park has the only mountain gorilla orphanage in the world. After tracking the gorillas, tourists have an opportunity to visit this interesting Centre for free. The Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) is responsible for the overall management of the park but has had to deal with many challenges. A new challenge is the discovery of oil within the park. This could lead to the destruction of key wildlife habitat to build oil wells and encroachment on park land.

The 3 Days Congo gorilla tour starts from Rwanda before crossing to Goma town in Congo via Gisenyi. The gorilla trekking in Congo package includes visiting Lake Kivu and touring Kigali. You may also be interested in our 2 days Congo gorilla tour package.

Tour Highlights

Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park
Visiting Lake Kivu
Touring the city of Kigali

Full Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and pick – Tour of Kigali city – Transfer to Virunga National Park
Our Guide will pick you from the airport or hotel in Kigali. After briefing you about the tour, he/she will take you for a tour of the city of Kigali. You will visit the former presidential palace, the genocide memorial site, the main city market and artisan shops. This is a great opportunity to buy souvenir or gifts for friends and family. After the morning city tour, the driver will start the journey to the Congo border. On reaching the Congo border, you will have lunch, visit the migration office and be handed over to the Virunga National Park Authorities for transfer to your lodge in the park.

Dinner and accommodation will be at Mikeno Lodge (Luxury) or Kibumba Tented Camp (Mid-range).

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Congo – Evening Relaxation or visit the Senkwekwe Centre
You will wake up very early to take breakfast as you wait for the park authorities to pick you up from your hotel. The benefit of staying close to the Virunga national park office is that you will start the briefing for gorilla tracking on time. There are 8 habituated gorilla groups in Congo. You will be allocated a gorilla group based on your level of fitness among other factors. Listen to instructions from the Guides and Rangers while with the gorilla family. Stay calm and don’t make unnecessary noise and movements that might provoke the gorillas. After your one hour with the gorillas, return back to the starting point where you will meet your guide to drive back to the lodge for rest. In the evening, you can take a walk, relax at the hotel or visit the gorilla orphanage at the Senkwekwe Centre if you are staying in Mikeno lodge.

Dinner and accommodation will be at Mikeno Lodge (Luxury) or Kibumba Tented Camp (Mid-range).

Day 3: Transfer back to Kigali for departure

Wake up at your own leisure, take breakfast and prepare to start the journey back to Kigali. The park authorities will drive you up to the border crossing point where you will cross back into Rwanda and meet a driver from Mission Africa Safaris.

End of Tour

Quote Inclusions and Exclusions

The Tour price will include: –

A safari vehicle
The Congo Visa
A Private Driver/Guide
Fuel
Gorilla tracking permits for Congo
Accommodation for 2 nights
Daily drinking water and meals
Tour of Kigali city

The tour price will exclude the cost of flights, visas, personal costs and Personal Insurance.

Practical Guide

Gorilla trekking can be even more amazing if you pack or consider the following: –

Good hiking boots with good traction but comfortable
Thick cotton gloves to protect your hands from scratches
A light raincoat in case the weather is not good
Packed snack and water for drinking
Porters to help with heavy backpack. Reserve between $10 and $15 as tip for the guides and Rangers who ensure that you have a great time your time in Rwanda and Congo. Tip is not compulsory.

Important Notes

This tour doesn’t include dinner and accommodation before the first day of the tour but can always be arranged
You are required to be 15 years or more to do gorilla trekking
You must have a yellow fever card to enter Rwanda and Congo
The Congo Visa is covered in this tour but you need to plan for the Rwanda Visa. Please note that you will be required to get another Visa when entering Rwanda after completing gorilla trekking in Congo.

Accommodation

Mikeno Lodge: Mikeno Lodge is the best luxury lodge within and outside Virunga National Park. It is built very close to the park offices in Rumangabo. Its strategic location means that you can easily connect and do gorilla trekking or hiking mount Nyiragongo. The lodge is built on a hill overlooking the Virunga volcanoes and the wider park. You can spot small primates and a few of the park animals right from your balcony or if you take a walk into the surrounding forest. The 12 rooms are amazing with each built using lava stones, mahogany and thatched roofs. Each room is spacious and has a large bed, flushing toilets, a working table and much more. Meals are excellent, tasty and served either in the room or at the dinning. Other facilities include a bar and evening campfire to mention just a few. One of the great things about choosing Mikeno Lodge is that it is owned by the Virunga Foundation and because of that you get to visit the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage Centre for free.

Kibumba Tented Camp: Kibumba is another accommodation facility run and owned by the Virunga Foundation. The camp is built on a hill close to an area inhabited by two of the habituated gorilla families in Congo. The lodge sits on the foot of the Nyiragongo Volcano and provides 18 spacious self-contained tents. Each tent has a bathroom, a warm shower, clean bed sheets, a working table and much more. There is also a communal lounge with majestic views of the park and the Virunga volcanoes. Guests should expect nutritious meals consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables and international cuisines. If you are looking for a mid-range lodge where you can be completely immersed in nature (lush vegetation, volcanoes and true African wilderness), then Kibumba tented camp will do it for you.

Bukima Tented Camp: Bukima means “place where there are monkeys”. Bukima Tented Camp is a mid-range lodge found outside the park boundaries but close to one of the starting points for gorilla trekking in Virunga. It started as a camp for gorilla researchers but is now hired out to tourists. Bukima is an excellent choice because it is very close to the briefing point for gorilla trekking and offers amazing views of the Virunga volcanoes and especially Mount Mikeno. This means that you don’t have to travel too far to start the hike if you are their guest. Interestingly, even guests at the luxury Mikeno lodge have to pass through Bukima on their way for gorilla trekking. If the trek goes longer than expected, they stop over for lunch before heading back to their lodge. So how are their rooms and food? Food is great here and so are the rooms. The Camp has 6 tents with their own beds, bathrooms, water, flush toilets and hot showers.