Most companies seem to just have a single driver/guide – I really liked that for this type of longer tour we had a driver and a guide. The driving was very difficult and it was nice that we could ask questions without disturbing our driver, but they also worked as a great team. Really liked that setup.
10-Day Rwanda Golden Monkeys, Congo Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike
Trek Eastern Lowland Gorillas
Climb Mt. Nyiragongo in Congo
Track Golden Monkeys in Rwanda
Trek golden monkeys in Rwanda and eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega in DR Congo
The 10-day Rwanda and Congo safari experience includes golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park, and eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in southern Kivu.
Tour Highlights
Track golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park
Trek gorillas in Virunga National Park
Summit the active Mount Nyiragongo in Congo
Explore Lake Kivu and learn about the fishing community
Track chimpanzees and enjoy the canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park
Visit eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Bukavu province
Click the Tabs to Find out More
Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
Adult (15-80): $3,423 per person
Please inquire for our mid-range accommodation price.
3 persons or more: $3,139 per person
4 persons or more: $3,116 per person
Departure Time
8:00 am
Meeting Point
From your guesthouse in Kigali (pick up from the airport is available on request)
Availability
Monday to Sunday, year-round
Duration
10 days
Difficulty Level
Moderate – uphill trekking
Group size
2 to 4 persons
Included
- Meals, as per itinerary
- One mountain gorilla trekking permit per person
- One eastern lowland gorilla trekking permit per person
- One Nyungwe chimpanzee trekking permit per person
- Nyiragongo volcano hiking permits
- Transport in a comfortable 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation as described in the itinerary
- Park entrance fees
- Drinking water when in the safari vehicle
- Optional activities in Kigali city
Not Included
- Domestic flights in Rwanda and DR Congo
- International flights from home
- Accommodation for days not listed in the itinerary
- Nyiragongo backpack, porter fees & DRC tourist visa.
- Pick up at the airport.
- Soft and alcoholic drinks
- Rwanda visas, travel, and medical insurance
- Gifts, gratuities, and tips
- Other costs of personal nature
What to Bring
- Hiking boots
- Garden gloves
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Long-sleeved shirt/blouse
- Cameras and extra batteries
- Hat/cap and sunglasses
- Pair of binoculars
- Flashlight (torch)
- Mosquito repellent
- Other items to include: zoom lens for wildlife shots and energy bars/bites
Participation Requirements
- Age restriction: 15-80 years old
- A valid passport is required on the day of travel
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible
- We advise against people with heart problems or other serious medical conditions participating on this tour
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
What You’ll Do
We will pick you up in Kigali and drive you to Volcanoes National Park. Depending on the departure time from Kigali, you may be able to enjoy a complimentary Kigali city tour before traveling to northern Rwanda, visiting the Kimihurura market and the Kigali Genocide Museum. After a 2-hour drive from Kigali to Ruhengeri/Musanze, we will visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Experience (also known as Gorilla Guardians Village) in Kinigi. Dinner and overnight at Volcanoes National Park.
We will start the day with a golden monkey trekking adventure in Volcanoes National Park. This primate is native to the high-altitude forests of the park. Once we have seen their playful interactions, we will head out of the park and transfer to the lodge for dinner & overnight.
We will depart Volcanoes National Park and drive to the DR Congo Grande Barriere at Goma. You will clear with both Rwanda and DRC Immigration, after that, check in with the Virunga National Park tourism office. Here you will receive your gorilla and volcano hiking permits. The Bamboo Ecotours vehicle will park at the Grande Barriere and guests will then be driven in the Virunga National Park vehicle. You will stay the first night at Kibumba Tented Camp.
You will start the day with an early morning breakfast at Kibumba Tented Camp. After breakfast, you will join the park rangers for a short briefing. The briefing will be conducted by the national park guide and will cover the basics of what to expect during the trek. It is at this point that you will be told which gorilla family to trek. The gorilla trek can take from 1.2.5 hours each way of the hike depending on the location the gorillas are within the forest. After the gorilla trek, you will walk back to Kibumba Tented Camp for a late lunch. Take the afternoon to relax or read.
You will start the 3rd with breakfast at Kibumba Tented Camp. After breakfast, you will be transported to the Nyiragongo hike trailhead at Kibati ranger post at 8:15am. When you arrive at Kibati, you will get introduced to the rangers and get an opportunity to hire a porter for the hike. The hike to the summit of Nyiragongo volcano will take four to six hours. Stay overnight at the summit of the volcano.
On this day, you will leave the volcano summit and descend back to the Kibati ranger post. The average descend time from the summit to the base of the volcano is 4 hrs. From the base of the volcano, you will be driven back to Goma Grande Barriere where you will meet a Bamboo Ecotours driver. We will immediately clear with both the DRC and Rwanda immigration and drive back to the Lake Kivu area/Kibuye for overnight
We will depart from Lake Kivu in the early morning and drive to Nyungwe National Park. After checking in at the guest house & taking lunch, you will join a canopy walk at Nyungwe forest in the afternoon. After the canopy walk, you will return to the guest house for dinner and overnight.
The day will start with an early morning breakfast at the guest house. We will then drive to the Nyungwe national park office for a short briefing prior to starting the chimpanzee trekking experience. After the briefing, you will commence the chimpanzee trekking adventure at Nyungwe forest. We will drive back to Kahuzi-Beiga National Park immediately after the chimpanzee trekking.
This is the day for trekking endangered eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. You will start the day with an early morning breakfast at the lodge. After breakfast, you will join the park rangers for a short briefing. The briefing will be conducted by the national park guide and will cover the basics of what to expect during the gorilla trek. It is at this point that you will be told which gorilla family to trek. The gorilla trek can take a number of hours depending on the location the gorillas are within the forest. After the gorilla trek, you will walk back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
On day 10, we will drive from Kahuzi-Biega National Park to Kigali, Rwanda via the Rusizi Rwanda-DRC border. The drive to Kigali is estimated to take about 8-10hrs.
Accommodation & Meals
- Days 1-2: Hotel Muhabura(opens in a new tab) or similar budget lodge – All meals included
- Days 3-4: Kibumba Tented Camp(opens in a new tab) – All meals included
- Days 5: Nyiragongo Summit Shelters – All meals included
- Days 6: Guest House at Lake Kivu – All meals included
- Day 7-8: Guest House at Nyungwe National Park (opens in a new tab)– All meals included
- Day 9-10: Guest House at Kahuzi Biega National Park– All meals included
Optional Activities on During the Safari
- Ibyiwacu Cultural Experience in Volcanoes National Park
- Kigali City Tour
- Kigali Genocide Meorial & Musuem
See our Local Experiences page for more information on local activities.
See What Our Previous Guests Have Said...
The lodges were great, gorilla trekking/chimp trekking were more amazing than we could have ever thought. We got up and close to the animals. Most importantly we felt so safe and comfortable with Joseph and Herbert. They were in contact with the manager Edison the whole tour to update him on how things were going and we really loved that. We recommend this tour to all of our friends and family and would love to come back and do another.
Often, tourists from the USA or other parts of the world may feel nervous to visit a place like Uganda because of rumors in the news and hype about concerns. While these issues should be considered for individual needs, we think that tourists who travel with Bamboo EcoTours can confidently feel safe and at ease.
