6 Day virunga classic package
6 Days Virunga classic package is an excellent safari package offering an opportunity for you to visit the critically endangered and amazing Congo mountain gorillas, sightseeing and hiking the magnificent Nyiragongo volcano.
Highlights of the safari
- day 1 – arrival at Grande Barriere
- day 2 – mountain gorilla trekking experience
- day 3 – second mountain gorilla trekking experience
- day 4 – relaxation day and sightseeing at mikeno lodge
- day 5- transfer to kibati ranger post and Nyiragongo volcano hike
- day 6 – descend back to kibati
Detailed itinerary for the safari
Day 1: arrival at Grande Barriere
The first day of your safari is a transfer day to Grande Barriere and to your lodge, on this first day of your safari you will be picked from Kigali by our company is representative your driver for the safari who will brief you about the safari and then transfer to Grande Barriere of democratic republic of Congo. Grande Barriere is where the tourism offices are found in the Grande post building adjust to passport control, at the office is where the tourists get volcano hiking and mountain gorilla trekking permits as they check-in. after finishing the process of checking in you will be driven to Mikeno lodge which is situated at in Rumangabo at the park’s headquarters. You are expected to reach the lodge in the afternoon a perfect time for lunch, after lunch you can chose to rest or explore Rumangabo using numerous nature trails. In the evening you will have dinner and stay overnight
Accommodation is got from Mikeno lodge
Day 2: mountain gorilla trekking experience
The second day of the safari is an adventurous day of mountain gorilla trekking experience and optional activity in the evening, on the second day of the safari you will wake up early for morning breakfast and then transfer to Bukima ranger post. In Bukima you will meet your ranger guides and local pisteursto who will brief you about the whole activity, from the post you descend into the forests of Virunga national park in search for mountain gorillas an activity which takes apparently 1-3 hours depending on where the gorillas spent the night. After locating the gorillas you are allowed to spend only one hour with the gorillas and after one hour you return back to Bukima camp for lunch. In the afternoon after lunch you will go for an afternoon bird watching experience where you will see many colorful bird species in the forests such as Double-toothed Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet, Madagascar Bee-eater, Narrow-tailed Starling and many more. In the same afternoon you can also visit the bamboo project of the park.
Accommodation is got from Mikeno lodge
Day 3: second gorilla trekking experience
The third of the safari is another mountain gorilla trekking experience, on this day you will wake up early in the morning for breakfast and transfer to bukima ranger post. You go through the same process like the previous yesterday mountain gorilla trekking experience, after briefing you descend in to the forests of Virunga national park and look for mountain gorillas. looking for mountain gorillas is a bit tiresome and rewarding experience, after locating mountain gorillas you only stay an hour with them and then transfer back to bukima ranger post. In the afternoon you will have lunch, after lunch you can chose to either chill at your lodge or explore the headquarters of the park.
Day 4: relaxation day at your lodge and sightseeing
The fourth day of the safari is a relaxation day meaning you are doing no safari in the park, on this day you are allowed to wake up at any time for breakfast. You can either do sightseeing and relaxation at the lodge.
Day 5: transfer to kibati ranger post and Nyiragongo volcano hiking
The 5th day of the safari is a for an adventurous volcano hiking experience, on this day of the safari you wake up early in the morning for morning breakfast and transfer to kibati ranger post to start your hiking expedition. At the ranger post you are briefed about the safari and you can hire porters from here then you start climbing to the summit of Nyiragongo volcano, climbing to the summit takes approximately 4- 6 hours and you are to spend the night at Nyiragongo summit shelter.
Day 6: descend back to bukima post
The 6th and last day of the safari is a day of descending the volcano and transferring back to Goma, on this day you wake up early in the morning for breakfast and begin descending down to the volcano’s slopes. When you at the bottom of the volcano you get out of the park and transfer back to Goma town then to Grande Barriere for border crossing, from the border you will drive to kigali where you will dropped off to get an airport marking the end of your safari.
Safari package inclusions
- 4 nights’ accommodation at Mikeno lodge
- 1 night accommodation at Nyiragongo summit shelter
- 3 gorilla trekking permit
- 1 volcano trekking permit
- transport and transfers to Virunga national park
Safari package exclusions
- personal expenses
- drinks
- backpack
- porters fees
