7 Days Lowland Gorilla Tracking in Congo
Congo boasts of both mountain gorillas and lowland mountains.So in this safari,we shall put our much emphasis on tracking the lowland gorillas whose journey will commence from Rwanda and then end in Congo.Below is the proposed itinerary;
Day 1
Pick up from your hotel or from Kanombe international airport in Kigali by the driver and transfer straight away to Gisenyi another town that lies in the western part of Rwanda.Then clear with the border arrangements and cross over to Goma in DR Congo and then go on a city tour then afterwards Check in at hotel ihusi[luxury], lac Kivu lodge[mid range]or VIP palace Goma[budget]. Meals here are on F/B basis.
Day 2:
Wake up very early in the morning before 6am and have breakfast and them drive to Bukima park station in virunga national park for assembly to be briefed about the whole exercise,allocation of gorilla groups and also meet the guides.Then from here embark on the rigorous exercise of tracking down these primates starting from where they were the previous day till when you will come across them.You will find them doing their daily chores of feeding their young ones,climbing trees and others just relaxing.Take your best photographs having switched off your flash.This whole tracking exercise will take you one full hour that you will never forget for the rest of your life.Then from here drive back to the hotel in Goma for dinner and overnight.Meals are on F/B basis.
Day 3
Rise up very early in the morning and have your breakfast and with packed lunch,drive to Nyiragongo volcano trail in virunga national park.The climb up this volcanic hill takes around five hours which is coupled with burning some calories,watching some rare bird species,some small mammals and the view at the top is very stunning.The night will be spent in tents on the rim of the giant crater, high above the active lava lake.
Day 4:
An early breakfast and then begin your journey by 7 or 8 am. Arrive at the trail head before lunch and transfer back to Rwanda border.
Day 5:
Have breakfast and transfer to the shores of Lake Kivu to meet the ferry and travel across the lake to Bukavu.Reach there in the evening and move into mission suedoise[luxury],flat hotel Nike[mid range]or karibu lodge[budget].Meals are on F/B
Day 6:
Rise up very early in the morning and have breakfast and embark on the memorable adventure of tracking the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biege national park.This exercise though tiresome but worthy it due to the amazing attributes of this kind of gorillas.This tracking takes between 1-4 hours and there after enjoy nature walks in the Kahuzi Biege park and also visit Tshibati waterfalls.Then visit Bukavu town,Mbayo tea plantations,the research center and the surrounding traditional homes.Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 7
Wake up not so early in the morning and enjoy leisure.Then in the afternoon after lunch take the ferry boat and return to Goma and then relocate back to Kigali and thus the end of the safari.
The package includes;
- Transportation vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary
- Park entrance fees
- Game drives
- Cultural visits
- Drinking water
Excludes
- Drinks,tips,laundry,telephone,cigarettes.
