4 Days Virunga Gorillas & Lake Kivu Safari

Itinerary Overview.

This 4 Days Virunga Gorillas & Lake Kivu Safari, is an excellent tour to Democratic Republic of Congo’s popular park and one of the oldest parks in Africa, once affected by endless rebel attacks but now very peaceful.

Nothing gets stuck in your minds than the experience of tracking and getting closer to the endangered mountain gorillas in Virunga national park, humans’ closest relatives with 98% DNA, watching them play, grumble and Silverbacks exercising their authority while mothers feed their young ones is so unforgettable, their behaviors seem entirely like humans.

Thereafter, relax at a very interesting destination, with a very calm environment of the glistening Lake Kivu; the safari starts and ends at Kigali – Rwanda.

Detailed tour.

Day 1; Pickup, City tour and Overnight at your lodge.

On arrival at Kigali International Airport, our company representative will welcome you to the land of a thousand Hills ready to drive you to the Virunga national park, he will start the trip with a briefing, explaining to you what is in the itinerary, the accommodation, the route to use, time as well as giving you more details on the destination to be visited.

Thereafter, have lunch then visit the bustling local markets as you buy some of the essentials you might be missing, then proceed to Kigali memorial site, a place where innocent people were killed during the genocide, listen to the stories before driving to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Transfer to Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

After a very tasty breakfast, set off for Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 4-5 hours’ drive through a very scenic route with dazzling plants and fascinating mountain slopes, and lunch en route.

Virunga National Park hosts half of all the biodiversity in sub-Saharan Africa as well as the geologic wonder containing two of the world’s most active volcanoes.

Also, the park is recognized for hosting the majority of the surviving mountain Gorillas in D.R. Congo open for tracking by all guests every day. Cross through the Gisenyi Border as you head to either Bukima or Mikeno sector for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Morning Gorilla Trekking and Transfer to Lake Kivu.

Start your day with a hot cup of coffee, and then pack your hiking shoes, cameras, binoculars, clad on trousers, packed lunch and enough water to help in case of thirst, after, head to the parks headquarters where you will join your colleagues for apretrekking briefing, where the park rangers verify your documents and tell you the dos and don’ts while tracking the gorillas. Some of the gorilla trekking regulations include; observing the 7metre rule, no noise while with the apes, don’t look straight at the apes’ eyes and above all, no use of flashlights while taking the photos / videos.

This trekking exercise can last for up to 2-6 hours depending on how far the mountain gorillas have moved with one hour given to you to watch their unique behaviors. When all is done and dusted, return to the park’s headquarters, enjoy your lunch and relax a bit and thereafter, drive off to the impressive Lake Kivu, have fun till the sun sets, signaling to you that it is time for dinner and overnight.

Days 4: Explore Lake Kivu and Depart to Kigali International Airport.

Enjoy your hefty breakfast at the lodge, then get ready for a speed boat ride as you explore the lake for some approximately an hour, engage in any activity that will be presented then afterward, get back to the lodge, checkout and drive back to Kigali for your flight back home.

End of the safari.

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Some of the continent's most iconic wildlife experiences happen here in Eastern Africa; ranging from the Great Migration on Maasai Mara and Serengeti Plains, incredible herds of elephants in Amboseli and Tarangire national parks, back dropped by the snowy crown of Kilimanjaro. Select a tour package among our safari samplers, or tailor your own with the help of our professional safari experts.

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.