5 Days Congo Primates Safari

5 Days Congo Primates Safari
5 Days Congo Primates Safari: Take on a 5 day Congo Great Ape package visiting the mountain gorillas of Virunga national park, add on a visit to the Chimpanzee family of Mahura forest. You will conclude this safari with a tour of Kigali city. Spend some nights in the luxurious Mikeno lodge.
This safari package is available for booking throughout the year on Mondays and Wednesdays so ensure to align your travel dates accordingly.
Trip highlights of the 5 Days Congo Primates Safari
- Day 1: Leave Kigali for Virunga national park
- Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park
- Day 3: Second mountain gorilla trekking
- Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park
- Day 5: Connect back to Kigali Rwanda
Trip description
Day 1: Leave Kigali for Virunga national park
Once you get your Covid-19 test results back or you are ready to set out on your safari, your driver guide will be waiting to transfer you to cross to Democratic republic of Congo. You will use the Grande barrier border where the tourism office of Virunga is strategically located in the building opposite the immigrations office. After clearance to enter the country, you will check in with the Virunga office, receive your permits for the next day’s activities and head out to join the security convoy headed to Virunga national park.
You will arrive at your hotel in the afternoon hours for a late lunch. Settle in and spend the evening at leisure. Have dinner later and spend your first night in Virunga national park.
Hotel options for the great ape package
- Bukima tented camp for midrange
- Mikeno lodge for luxury
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in DRCongo
As early as 7 am, be done with breakfast and drive with your driver guide to the briefing point of your activity of the day. Gorilla trekking briefing in Virunga national park is held at the Bukima ranger post. Get to connect with your driver guide and head out into the forest. You will trek for about 1 to 2 hours until you reach the mountain gorillas depending on how far into the forest the gorillas are that day. After your gorilla trek, you will drive back to your hotel for lunch and spend the rest of the day relaxing on the terrace. Dinner will be served and you will spend the second night in the park at the hotel as the night before.
Day 3: Second mountain gorilla trekking
Get a second chance with the mountain gorillas of Virunga. You will head back to the briefing point of mountain gorilla trek as the day before. Receive a briefing again before entering the forest and go on the search of these gentle giants. After you encounter them, spend the magical hour with them at a 6 meter distance and head back to the hotel for lunch.
Spend the evening reminiscing and cooling off from the engaging past two days. Dinner will be served and spend another night in the park.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Virunga national park
Chimpanzees are early raisers so you will be expected to be at the briefing point by 6 am. There is a chimpanzee family in Mahura forest that is being habituated and you will join the team headed for day’s habituation. You will spend about 4 hours in the forest and after experiencing these playful creatures, you will connect back to your hotel for a late breakfast.
The rest of the day may be spent at the Mikeno lodge visiting the Virunga tourism headquarters or the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage, the world’s only gorilla orphanage. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Connect back to Kigali Rwanda
Wake up at leisure and head out for breakfast at the hotel. Later, pack your bags and meet your driver guide to connect towards Goma Grande barrier border to exit DRCongo. You will drive further to Kigali and be dropped off at your communicated drop off point.
You may take on a brief Kigali city tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds and the Kimironko market if you have time before your drop off.
End of the 5 Days Congo Primates Safari
Trip quote to include
- Full time fueled safari vehicle
- English speaking Driver guide
- Accommodation
- Mountain gorilla trek permit x2
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Meals
- DRCongo tourist visa
- Bottled drinking water
Trip quote to exclude:
- PCR Covid-19 test
- Flight fares
- Rwanda visa
- Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary
