5 Days Primate Safari in Virunga National Park
5 Days Primate Safari in Virunga National Park : This 5 days primate safari in Virunga national park safari will lead you to home to the world’s largest lava lake, Virunga national park which will give you access to a number of habituated gorilla families in Congo which will give you access to the species in the wild and as they carry out their daily activities in the wild. The safari experience starts from Kigali city where you can also participate in the Kigali city tour and you will also get to participate in the two gorilla trekking experience in Congo which will give you two hours with the endangered eastern lowland gorillas in the wild accessing the habituated gorilla families and also get to participate in chimpanzee trekking in Congo and also get to visit the Senkwenkwe gorilla orphanage where you will get to volunteer for a day at the orphanage and get to take care of the species like cleaning their sleeping areas, bottle feed the infants and many other activities that will make your Congo safari memorable
Highlights of your safari
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali and Transfer to Mikeno Lodge
Day 2: First Gorilla Trek
Day 3: Second Gorilla Trek
Day 4: Chimpanzee trek
Day 5: Departure and transfer to Kigali.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali and Transfer to Mikeno Lodge
Arrival at Grande Barriere border crossing by 10:00am and ensure check-in with Virunga tourism office by 11:00am. The tourism office is conveniently located in the Grande Barriere border post building, opposite passport control. Tourism staff will provide guests with gorilla permits at check-in. These permits must be presented before the start of each trek. Guest will then be transported to Mikeno Lodge at the Park headquarters in Rumangabo. On arrival to Mikeno Lodge, a late lunch will be served and the afternoon can be enjoyed at leisure, including exploring Rumangabo’s several nature trails, bird watching or paying a visit to Virunga’s Congohounds.
Day 2: First Gorilla Trek
After an early breakfast at Mikeno Lodge, guests will set off for the gorilla trek at Bukima Ranger Post. On arrival to Bukima, trekkers will meet their Ranger guides and receive a briefing before starting the gorilla trek. Treks usually require 1-2.5 hours of hiking each way, depending on location of the group being trekked and the difficulty of the terrain. After spending the allotted hour with the gorillas, trekkers will return to Bukima campwhere a late lunch will be served. Guests will have the rest of the afternoon off to explore Bukima, including bird watching and visiting the Park’s bamboo project.
Day 3: Second Gorilla Trek
At 8:30am, guest will start their second gorilla trek. Upon return from the trek, a quick lunch will be served at Bukima camp and when all gorilla trekkers have returned, guests will be transported back to Mikeno Lodge. On arrival to Mikeno Lodge, guests have the afternoon at leisure, free to relax on the lodge terrace or visit the gorilla orphans at the Senkwekwe Center.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trek
At 6:00am, guests will head out for a chimpanzee trek. A trek with these animals is a unique experience that allows visitors to join our team as they study and habituate the family of chimpanzees found in the Mahura Forest surrounding Rumangabo. Returning for a late breakfast, guests will be invited to spend the rest of the day exploring the Park headquarters or just relaxing with a book on the terrace of Mikeno Lodge.
Day 5: Depature and transfer to Kigali.
After breakfast, guest will be transported back to the Goma and continue to Kigali with lunch enroute and a brief city tour if possible.
Quotation Includes;
- Gorilla trekking permit
- Pick up and drop off
- Park entrance fees
- Vehicle entrance fees
- all accommodation as per itinerary
- 4X4 safari vehicle & Fuel
- Full-time English/ French speaking driver/ guide
- Bottled mineral water while on safari
Excludes;
- Tips
- Visa fees
- Air tickets
- All items of personal nature like laundry, porterage, phone calls, beer, e.t.c
- Anything else not included in the itinerary
