6 Days Rwanda Gorillas, Lake Kivu and Virunga Gorilla trekking safari
Overview.
Best days for best experiences. This 6 Days Rwanda Gorillas, Lake Kivu and Virunga Gorilla trekking safari is meant to introduce one to the gorillas with whom research suggests belongs to the same ancestry as man. The tour takes you to Volcanos national park in the northern part of Rwanda; Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo, and an unforgettable experience on Lake Kivu; the largest freshwater lake in Rwanda.
You will do gorilla trekking guided by expert ranger guides who will explain each character and behavior of these apes. Gorillas are the most powerful primate species in the world. They feed on fruits, vegetables, and more to stay healthy and so strong. Lake Kivu is a relaxation spot, after tiresome trekking experience. Other activities include, site seeing, Musaze cave exploration, photography and city tour. The safari starts and ends at Kigali Rwanda, with nights in comfort of your lodge.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Pickup and transfer to Volcanoes National Park. Afternoon visit to Musanze caves.
Meet and greet our safari guide at the airport. You will be briefed on how the trip will be, and afterword’s a 2-3 hour journey to the habitat of one of the sought-after primates in the world-the mountain Gorillas. While on the Journey, keep the eyes on the lush plantation cover, Beautiful sceneries and the dotted homesteads. You will arrive and proceed to the lodge for refreshment and Lunch.
Next will be a journey to Musanze caves for exploration. Musanze caves are large and dark, with colonies of bats. Through the guidance of a ranger guide, you will have torches and get inside to the different rooms where you will get to know the story and the former inhabitants of the cave. You will have a minute of experiencing total darkness inside the cave, and afterword’s lights are turned on. End and return to the lodge for dinner and a peaceful sleep.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking
After a breakfast meal at the lodge, you will join the team of experts to the jungle on a 1-8 hours’ gorilla trekking experience. It starts with a pre-trekking briefing, where they highlight different park rules and how to behave in the presence of the gorillas. Because of their huge bodies, and strength, some fear tends to creep in visitors which shouldn’t be the case. Gorillas are very shy and friendly. They live in families, led by an alpha male – silverback whose duty is to ensure security and unity in the family. As you walk through the forest in search of your relatives, chances are high that you will identify several bird species, identify the use of different plants, and spot some forest mammals and some primates.
Upon finding the group assigned, you will have an hour for photography, and watching the mothers nurse the infants, the silverback, young stars, and more. Mountain gorillas feed on leaves, fruits, shoots and roots. After spending time in the presence of the gorillas, retreat and have a lunch break, and then return to the lodge for refreshment, a leisurely evening, dinner and night stay.
Day 3: Transfer to Virunga National Park in eastern D.R. Congo
After a tasty cup of coffee at the lodge. Set out for a scenic drive to Virunga national park in the Democratic republic of Congo. Virunga NP is now safe, and habitat to a quarter of the total mountain gorillas in the world. It is the one of the largest national parks in Africa, with the most active volcanic mountain in the world, Nyiragongo. You will have a stopover for lunch, and then clearance at the border post before driving to the headquarters for your gorilla trekking permit. The day ends at the lodge with check-in, refreshment, dinner and a night stay.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking
Day 4: Gorilla trekking
This is another day with your cousins; the mountain gorillas. It is a day you will identify the different behavior of the Gorilla families, and relate with that of humans. But first thing at about 07:00 hours will be a pretrekking briefing, which lasts for about 30 mins. The ranger guides will explain the trekking dos and don’ts, assign a gorilla family to track, and then take you to the jungle for the ultimate experience. The trek is unforgettable, as it demands for sacrifice, and persistence as you walk through the bushes and swamp.
You will first visit the area the Apes where last spotted, then a walk through the fallen branches and leaves. As you follow their rhythm, pay keen attention to the sound and sights in the forest. An hour is the time allocated for the reunion, and photography, after which you will return to the lodge for refreshment and then lunch. In the evening hours, you will check-out of the lodge on a drive to Lake Kivu, the largest water body in Rwanda. There you will have dinner and lodge.
Day 5: Relax at the shores of Lake Kivu
After a relaxed breakfast meal at the Lodge, you will spend the entire day relaxed at the shores of Lake Kivu. In addition to listening to music, eating and drinking, you also spend time soaked in the white sand, swim, and do a canoe ride, photography and more. Lake Kivu boarders the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it is the largest fresh water lake in Rwanda. The lake’s fresh breeze, and calmness is everything you will need for the day. At sunset, you will return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight sleepover.
Day 6: Return to Kigali. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center and departure
After enjoying a mouthwatering breakfast at the lodge, you will check-out of the lodge for a transfer to Kigali city. You will have lunch in Kigali city, and then visit the famous genocide memorial center in the Gisozi suburb. While at Kigali Genocide memorial center, you will be lectured on the effects of genocide activities, and also see the victims of the 1995 Rwanda Hutu and Tutsi conflict.
Later you can go shopping at any of the craft shops around the city and this will mark the end of a pleasant experience in the land of a thousand hills.
