4 Days Virunga Gorillas & Lowland Gorilla Trekking

Overview.

Here comes an exciting safari that will cover two countries; Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo with a double gorilla trekking in two national parks that are all located in D.R. Congo. The national parks are Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega national parks.

They offer different activities such as gorilla trekking, nature walks, hiking, camping safaris, birding among others. This will give you a chance to trek two different types of gorillas; mountain gorillas as well as low land gorillas. The safari will expose you to the extreme beauty of democratic republic of Congo.

Detailed itinerary.

Day 1: Transfer from Kigali to Virunga national park.

You will be welcomed /picked from the hotel room by our driver guide or at the airport for early arrival who will transfer you to Kigali town for a short excursion. While here, you will visit places like the national museum which has the full information about Rwanda as a country, also visit places like the Rwanda genocide memorial center, local markets and much more depending on your arrival time.

Proceed with the journey afterwards crossing the border (Gisenyi) to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), here you may interact with the local people. On the arrival at the hotel/lodge, you will check in and take your dinner.

Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga national park and community walk / visit Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage.

Wake up early for an amazing mountain gorilla trekking activity, it will start with a short briefing about the dos and don’ts while trekking the great apes; such rules include prohibition of using cameras with flash lights to take photos. After, penetrate the jungle escorted by a patrol of armed park rangers and trekking takes between 2-5 hours depending on where you locate the endangered species. Trekking involves walking long distances and hiking. Therefore, it requires someone who is averagely physically fit.

After trekking, return to the lodge for lunch and later you may visit the nearby community or take a visit to Senkwekwe gorilla orphanage in Mikeno sector.

Day 3: Transfer to Kahuzi-Biega national park.

After breakfast, transfer to Kahuzi-Biega national park which is comprised of two volcano mountains i.e. Mount. Kahuzi and Mount. Biega. The park is famously known for habituated low land gorillas which are quite different from mountain gorillas. Very many activities take place in this park such as gorilla trekking, hiking, bird watching, nature walks, camping safaris and community tours. On arrival, if time allows you will take on one of the options among the above activities or choose to take a town tour around Bukavu.

Day 4: Lowland gorilla trekking.

Another great day comes with a gorilla trekking activity after a morning breakfast. You will drive to the headquarters of the park to be briefed and dived into a group of 8 to trek these low land gorillas. Later after like 30 minutes, penetrate the forest to search for these great apes.

This experience requires some average level of physical fitness because it involves walking long distances while searching for these apes as they move long distances roaming the forest in search for their food.

Day 5: Transfer to Kigali international airport.

Transfer to Kigali international airport or city after a delicious breakfast as you take the route with beautiful plantations and stunning views. This will be the end of 5 days Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega gorilla tour.

Top Congo Gorilla Tours & Hiking Packages

The Democratic Republic of Congo is home to some of the most diverse wildlife in the world and is home to both types of eastern gorillas - mountain gorillas in Virunga national park (Africa's oldest national park) and the Grauer's gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in further south west. See some of our gorilla tours and hiking packages below.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.Game drive security is assured.Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.