Tour Overview
This is a rewarding East African safari so adventurous from the first day till the last day of the safari. A traveller gets to experience and uniquely explore nature at its best in numerous tourist destinations. The safari offers magical experiences with innumerable sights of wildlife species, primates, water sources and beautiful landscapes for a breathtaking experience.
Tour Summary
Day 1: from Kigali to Bwindi – cultural encounter
Day 2: Gorilla tracking
Day 3: Transfer to volcanoes national park
Day4: golden monkey tracking
Day 5: transcend to Congo Gisenyi
Day 6: gorilla tracking Virunga
Day 7: Nyiragongo hiking
Day 8: descend from Nyiragongo-head to Tchegera Island
Day 9: Transfer to Gisenyi
Day 10: visit Nyungwe national park
Day 11: chimp tracking
Day 12: travel back to Kigali
Tour Summary
Day 1: from Kigali to Bwindi – Batwa cultural encounter
On the first day of your 12 days Uganda, Rwanda and Congo safari you will be picked up by Go safaris Africa professional driver guide from your designated destination in Kigali very early in the morning and head to Uganda’s gorilla haven in Bwindi impenetrable forest. During the journey, you will encounter numerous attractions along the way such as plantations, farms, rolling hills and mountain valleys that will increase your anxiety to reach the dense forest. Check in at the reserved hotel in the early afternoon for lunch, relax and head for a Batwa cultural encounter and experience the lifestyle of the Batwa in their homestead, listen to folklores, taste their local cuisine as well experience a piece of live traditional music, and dance and drama. You will return to the lodge for dinner and retire for a night.
Accommodation: trackers safari lodge (luxury)/ Rushaga gorilla camp (midrange)/ Nshongi camp (budget)
Day 2: Mountain gorilla tracking
After a meal at dawn, you will head to the park headquarters for a short briefing about the jungle code of conduct from the UWA staff. In a group of 8 members under the guidance of an armed ranger guide, you will head for a gorilla hunt in the famous Rushaga sector. It is a thrilling and tiresome experience but the rangers’ exciting stories about these creatures will keep you going and the activity takes almost 8 hours of search with one-hour interaction upon encounter. Packed lunch will be enjoyed in the jungle to energize before returning back to the headquarters. During tracking, you will encounter numerous wildlife species and other primate species offering an additional experience. Head back to the accommodation for relaxation, dinner and retire for a night.
Accommodation: similar
Day 3: Transfer to volcanoes national park
Appetizing breakfast in the morning, you will drive from Bwindi impenetrable national park crossing the Cyanika border to volcanoes national park in Rwanda. During the journey expect to encounter beautiful sceneries when you make a stop at the twin lakes Burera and Ruhondo. Proceed with the journey and have an en-route lunch. Later check in at the reserved hotel for refreshment, relaxation and a soundless night’s sleep.
Accommodation: Sabinyo silver back lodge (luxury)/ Da Vinci gorilla lodge (midrange)/ Kinigi guest house
Day 4: Golden monkey tracking – cultural encounter
You will wake up very early in the morning for breakfast and wait to be picked and head to the park headquarters for a briefing about this unique monkey species with a cute appearance. With a guidance of a ranger, you will embark on a great search in the dense forest that will last for 3-4 hours. This activity will reward you with additional sights of other species such as black and white monkeys, L’hoest monkeys, gorillas, mammals and bird species. Head back to the lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Later in the evening visit the Iby’ Iwacu homestead for a Rwanda cultural experience involving Rwanda cultural performances by beautiful dancers. Return back to the lodge for relaxation dinner and a night’s sleep.
Accommodation: similar
Day 5: transcend to Congo
Full breakfast in the morning, you will head for the Democratic Republic of Congo to Goma crossing the border by 11:00 am. Upon reaching you will pass by the tourism offices for a permit and Visa check. You will drive direct to Rumangabo town to check in at your reserved hotel for lunch. Then head for a nature walk in Rumangabo with a visit to the Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage centre to encounter the saved gorillas from trafficked poachers. Return later for a delicious dinner and night’s sleep.
Accommodation: Mikeno lodge (luxury)/ Bukima tented camp/ (budget)
Day 6: gorilla tracking Virunga –nature walk
Very early in the morning wake up on an appetizing meal, you will be picked up by our driver who will take you to the Bukima camp ranger headquarters for a short briefing about the gorilla tracking code of conduct. Later manoeuvre deep into the jungle for a gorilla fun hunt session which will take 5-6 hours with a one-hour interaction upon the encounter. You will also be rewarded with sights of other jungle creatures and rare tree species. A chance to take photos and record videos will be granted. Later head back to Bukima camp for a lunch break and continue with the second activity of a nature walk with scenic views of magnificent landscapes including mount Mikeno, Nyiragongo Mountains and bird watching. You will return to the lodge for refreshment, and dinner and retire for a night.
Accommodation: similar
Day 7: Nyiragongo hiking
You will wake up and head for a Nyiragongo hike at Mountain Nyiragongo after a morning mouthwatering meal at the lodge. A short briefing will be conducted at Kibati ranger post headquarters before 8:00 am and assigned a ranger guide to take you through the experience. Hikers should get ready for this body fitness experience which takes an ascending experience of 6 hours. It’s a one-day experience where dinner and a night’s sleep will be taken at the top of this volcanic mountain. Carry with your snacks, water bottles and changing clothes.
Accommodation: wooden shelter at the top
Day 8: descend from Nyiragongo-head to Tchegera Island
Meal at dawn, you will descend from the top of the wooden shelter and reach the rangers post at the estimated time of 11:00 am crossing Lake Kivu to Tchegera Island a relaxation platform to get rid of the fatigue obtained at the hike. While on the island you will have clear views of mountain Nyiragongo and mountain Nyiramuragira. Dinner and a night’s sleep will be spent at Tchegera Island which was formed from a broken volcano caldera in the middle of a lake.
Accommodation: at the island
Day 9: Transfer to Gisenyi
Full breakfast in the morning, you will have a boat ride from Tchegera island to Goma and connect to Rwanda. You will have a lunch break and en-route lunch in Kibuye, observe its urban setting, make some shopping and check in at the reserved hotel in Kibuye lodge for relaxation, dinner and a night’s sleep.
Accommodation: Kivu hotels (luxury)/ Rwiza village guest house (midrange)/Rebero Kivu resort (budget)
Day 10: visit Nyungwe national park
After a meal at the lodge, you will leave Kibuye town for Nyungwe national park and it will take a travel time of 2-3hours.check in at the lodge for lunch, and evening relaxation as you wait for dinner time and retire for a night.
Accommodation: Nyungwe forest resort (luxury)/ Nyungwe top view hill (midrange) Gisakura guest house (budget)
Day 11: chimp tracking
You will wake up very early for an early breakfast and get to the park headquarter at 4:30 am. You will spend a few minutes in a briefing session and then be subjected to a group of 6 members and manoeuvre into the jungle for a great search. This chimpanzee tracking activity takes up to 8 hours with one-hour interaction seeing this man’s closest cousin feeding, communicating, playing and making their shelter. Return to the lodge for lunch, and relaxation and retire for a night.
Accommodation: similar
Day 12: travel back to Kigali
This will be the last day of the safari and it involves a flavoursome meal at dawn. You will check out of the lodge and travel to Kigali airport reaching in the afternoon. Visit the Kigali memorial genocide museum to have a taste of Rwanda’s history of the victims of the Rwanda genocide. You will head directly to the airport or opt for accommodation.
End of safari
Safari inclusions
Transportation (fuel, driver, rental car)
Accommodation as indicated
Activities indicated in the itinerary
Park entrance
Enroute meals
English speaking
Safari exclusions
Personal expenses
Personal insurance (travel and medical)
Additional meals
Snacks and drinks
International flight visa and ticket
Tips and gratitude
Activities not included in the itinerary
Accommodation on the last day
