5 Days Nyiragongo Hike and Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda

5 Days Gorilla Tour in Rwanda and Nyiragongo Hike

5 Days Rwanda gorilla trekking and Mount Nyiragongo Hiking package is designed for those who are interested in hiking mount Nyiragongo but tracking the primates in Rwanda. During the tour, there will be visits to Lake Kivu and the Iby’iwacu cultural village. There will also be opportunities to spot the beautiful countryside. Silverback gorilla tours are more exciting when combined with other thrilling activities like mountain hiking, cultural tours and game drives. This 5 days Rwanda Congo safari involves visiting two of Africa’s famous national Parks – Virunga National Park and the Volcanoes National Park.

Virunga is the oldest park in Africa. It was established in 1925 and was at one time a much bigger wildlife conservation area that included the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and parts of Mgahinga in Uganda. Virunga National Park is UNESCO World heritage site because of its amazing biodiversity. It is home to mountain gorillas, lions and the elusive okapi among many other wildlife species. The key activities in Virunga National Park are gorilla trekking and hiking the great Nyiragongo Volcano. The Nyiragongo Volcano has the largest lava lake in the world that is open to tourism. The last eruption in 2002 forced over 350,000 people to flee the surrounding areas. Lava flowed at such high speed that within minutes it had reached the showers of Lake Kivu leaving 170 dead. The volcano has been stable and safe for tourists for over two decades now and thousands visit the park to get an opportunity of observing the lava lake.

The Volcanoes National Park on the other hand is the most visited tourism destination in Rwanda. It sits on high altitude and is blessed with 5 different volcanoes. It was the famous primatologist known as Dian Fossey who made the park famous when she established a gorilla research Centre there. The park is home to 35 percent of the remaining population of mountain gorillas and is a more expensive but convenient place to track the primates. Apart from gorillas, the park is home to hyenas, forest elephants and golden monkeys. The main activities at the volcanoes national park are gorilla trekking, visiting the tomb of Dian Fossey, golden monkey tracking, hiking one of the mountains, visiting the Gorilla Guardians Village and exploring the Musanze caves.

Climbing Mount Nyiragongo and tracking gorillas will test your overall stamina. You need to be in good physical condition and mental preparedness. If you are interested in only Nyiragongo, then you should check out our 2 days Mount Nyiragongo Hiking Package. If you want to do both activities in Congo, then check out our 4 days Congo gorilla tour and Nyiragongo Hiking package. We can also organize a 15 days safari in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.

Main Activities

Kigali city tour (Genocide memorial site, main city market, artisan shops and the presidential palace museum)
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
Mount Nyiragongo Hike
Visiting the Gorilla Guardians Village

Full Itinerary

Day 1: City tour of Kigali – Transfer to Congo

The company Guide/Driver will be at your hotel very early in the morning to start the tour. If you are not already in a hotel, then you will be picked up from the airport. You will start with a tour of Kigali city where you will be taken to visit the Gisozi genocide memorial site to learn about what transpired during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. You will also visit other important landmarks, the central market, artisan shops and the former presidential palace. Afterwards, you will start the journey to the Congo border through Lake Kivu and amazing countryside. You should arrive in Gisenyi before 2:00pm and take lunch before going to the immigration office for clearance. Ensure that you have your yellow fever vaccination card and passport ready so that you can be allowed to cross to Congo. The Visa would be in the system by the time you speak to migration office. After clearing with immigration, you will cross and find the team from Virunga waiting for you from the Congo side.

Dinner and overnight at Mikeno Lodge (Luxury) and Kibumba Tented Camp (Mid-range).

Day 2: Mount Nyiragongo Hiking – Viewing the Lava Lake

On day 2, you will have early breakfast and wait for park authorities to pick you up from your hotel. You will be driven towards Goma and branch off to Kibati village which is the starting point for Mount Nyiragongo hiking. The park officials will brief you about the hike and introduce you to the porters who will be carrying supplies up the mountain. One of the porters will be your chef. Everything is kept basic while climbing mount Nyiragongo. Do not expect the luxuries that you had at the lodge. Climbing to the top of the volcano takes between 4 to 6 hours depending on the level of fitness of the group. No one is left behind until you get to the 4^th section. There are 5 sections to be completed before reaching the top. Once you get to the summit, you will find your cabins waiting for you. The best time for viewing the boiling magma is in the night.

Dinner and overnight in cabins as you enjoy the beautiful views of the lava throughout the night.

Day 3: Descend the Volcano – Transfer to the Volcanoes National Park

Wake up from your cabin at 7:00am and take breakfast as you wait for everybody to start descending the volcano at 8:00am. Climbing mount Nyiragongo is not just about viewing the lava lake. It is an opportunity to also admire beautiful views of the other Virunga volcanoes, Lake Kivu, Virunga National Park, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, the Rwenzori Mountains and national parks in Uganda. The best time to get these views is in the morning and also while descending the volcano. On reaching the starting point, the park officials will drive you to Goma and then to the border office were you will clear with the Rwanda immigration. They will charge you another $30 for the Rwanda Visa. Our driver will be waiting for you at the Rwanda side of the border to take you to the Volcanoes national park. The journey from the Congo/Rwanda border to the Volcanoes National Park takes between 2 to 3 hours.

Accommodation and Dinner at 5 Volcanoes Lodge (Luxury), Davinci Lodge (Mid-range) and Hotel Muhabura (Budget).

Day 4: Gorilla Tracking in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda – Gorilla Guardians village tour

Briefing for gorilla trekking takes place before 8:00 am at the park headquarters in Kinigi. All trackers must be at the park office in time for the briefing which is led by the park Guide. Gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park involves choosing among 10 habituated gorilla groups. You will be assigned one based on your overall fitness. Tracking can take between 2 to 6 hours depending on which family you are assigned. The activity can be challenging especially if you are not in good shape or mentally prepared to complete it. However, the one hour spent with the gorilla family is a lifetime experience which you will never forget. Watching a group of gorillas in the wild is an uncomfortable reminder of just how much we have in common with them. You could spend hours just watching the little ones roll around and play. Mountain Gorillas can be very playful and curious especially if they see something unfamiliar. While with the gorilla family, it’s important to listen to instructions from your guide. Always remain calm and never make sudden movements.

After your one hour with the gorilla group, return back to the starting point where you will meet our guide to drive you back to your hotel for lunch and rest. Late in the afternoon, you will head out for a visit to the Iby’iwacu cultural village in Musanze. Now known as the Gorilla Guardians Village, the Centre started as a place where former poachers would showcase their products. The government of Rwanda revamped the place and rebuilt it to become a modern cultural Centre that competes with the best in East Africa. You will find all the tribes in Rwanda including the Batwa performing cultural dances and songs. You can also participate by putting on local robes, entering some of the traditional huts and dancing with the troupe.

Accommodation and Dinner at 5 Volcanoes Lodge (Luxury), Davinci Lodge (Mid-range) and Hotel Muhabura (Budget).

Day 5: Transfer back to Kigali – Departure

Wake at your own time and take breakfast as you prepare for the trip back to Kigali. The journey from the Volcanoes National Park to Kigali takes about 3 hours. If for some reason you missed the Kigali city tour on day 1, you will have it on this day before separating with our Guide.

End of Tour

Quote Inclusions and Exclusions

The Safari Includes: –

A standard safari vehicle
An English speaking driver/Guide who will be with you for most of the 5 days
Fuel for the 5 days
Gorilla tracking Permits
Nyiragongo Hiking Permits
The Congo Visa
Lunch and bottled drinking water
Full Board accommodation for 4 nights
Airport Pickup and drop-off
Visiting the Gorilla Guardians Village
Kigali city Tour

The 5 days Congo and Rwanda safari cost will exclude international/local flights, the Rwanda visa, personal expenses and personal Insurance.

Practical Guide

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda can be made more comfortable if you have good hiking boots, thick cotton gloves, a raincoat, bottled water and packed snacks. The hiking boots should be one with good traction. Remember that being in great shape is not a requirement if you have read our article about gorilla trekking for older people. However, being fit will make your experiences more comfortable. It’s great to give tip to the Guides and Rangers as a kind gesture. They work hard to ensure that you have a great time with the primates and during your safari. Some may not be receiving good pay for their services. The recommended tip is $10 or an equivalent in the local currency.

Important Notes

You cannot be allowed to track gorillas unless you are 15 years old.
The 5 day program doesn’t cater for accommodation or meals a day before or after the trip. We can arrange it if you make a request.
A yellow fever vaccination card is often a requirement when visiting most African countries. Rwanda and Uganda shouldn’t be an exception
The Rwanda visa can be acquired from the border crossings, airport or online. The Congo visa is more difficult to acquire and we will help your process it.

Accommodation

Hotel Muhabura: Hotel Muhabura is one of the best budget lodges close to the Volcanoes National Park. The hotel has 30 self-contained rooms that are priced reasonably and built a great environment where you can relax after tracking the gorillas or completing the other park activities. Hotel Muhabura was Dian Fossey’s base whenever she had a meeting or was away from her research station. There are three categories of rooms – twin, double and single. Each rooms have hot showers, working table, large beds, modern bathrooms and a private balcony overlooking the beautiful Virunga volcanoes. Other amenities include a front desk, a restaurant with excellent food, a bar with all kinds of drinks, a beautiful garden, a kids’ playground, conference facilities, a gift shop and enough parking space.

Mikeno Lodge: Mikeno is the best luxury lodge in Virunga National Park and the only one found next to the park offices. The rooms are built on a heavily forest hill overlooking the park. Built with volcanic rocks and thatched, Mikeno is a great demonstration of what a luxury lodge should be without necessarily using expensive material. The rooms are very spacious and self-contained with everything that one would need for a luxury experience. Each cottage has a private balcony where clients can marvel at the beautiful Virunga volcanoes or watch monkeys and birds. One of the great advantages of booking with Mikeno is the opportunity to meet most of the senior park officials and wildlife conservationists visiting the park. The second benefit is the opportunity to visit the Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage Centre and also learn about projects like the Congo hounds.

Nyiragongo Cabins: The Nyiragongo Cabins are simple structures that were built on the summit to be used by tourists after viewing the amazing lava lake. The opportunity to sleep at the very rim of the volcano and gaze down at the boiling molten lava is something that everyone should experience in their lifetime. The cabins offer basic facilities. In fact, you need to come with your own sleeping bag or use the one offered by the park authorities. Each cabin has two very simple beds with a form mattress. The shared lavatory can only be reached using a safety rope and is in itself quite an experience. Do not forget to go with warm clothes and remember that there is no electricity or running water. Meals are prepared by a chef which is to be enjoyed with others at the campfire.