The safari will begin and end in Kigali Rwanda with a city tour! Head to Virunga national park in Congo where you will be able to trek gorillas as they feed, mothers breastfeeding young ones, as the silverback which is the male leader of the group exercise its authority.
Thereafter, you will head to Lake Kivu, one of the areas with a calm environment and take a boat cruise. Virunga national park is one of the oldest national parks in Africa and her main inhabitants are the mountain gorillas that are fellow human cousins sharing 98% DNA.
Day 1: Arrival at Kigali airport, City tour and transfer to your hotel
Welcome to the land of a thousand hills! The driver-guide will pick you from Kigali International Airport and brief you about the tour, telling you about the itinerary, destinations, routes to be used and maybe the accommodation facilities. Drive through Kigali city where you will find some of the interesting restaurants and enjoy lunch. Immediately head to visit the local markets where local crafts and souvenirs are sold.
While here you will have a chance to purchase some things you may require while on the safari. As you witness the different hills around the city, head to the Rwanda genocide memorial site where thousands of people perished during the 1994 genocide and listen to the stories of how they were killed. The day will end with delicious dinner at the booked hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Virunga National Park, D.R. Congo
Have a leisurely breakfast and then embark on the drive to Virunga national park which takes about 4-5 hours. Virunga is located in DR Congo and it’s known for its biodiversity including mountain gorillas. The park has other mammals like elephants, hippos, okapis, lions, hippos among others.
The drive to the park is rewarding as you pass through the fascinating rolling hills and plantations while crossing Gisenyi border. You have a 30 minutes check in and in case you miss some travel documents, you can get them from here followed by en-route lunch. Arrive and check – in at the safari lodge for dinner and night stay.
Day 3: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Lake Kivu
Embark on a very impressive and beautiful experience of gorilla trekking after your breakfast, and this will begin with a briefing at the park offices by a park ranger / guide. Thereafter, head to the forest with a snack, water, camera without a flashlight as you keep your voice as low as possible. After locating them, you will have an hour in their midst but standing 7 meters apart while taking memorable photos and videos. While in the forest, you will meet other mammals, bird species among others.
Trekking can take 2 to 6 hours depending on the location of a habituated gorilla family allocated and this depends on where they spent their last night. This means that trekkers need to be physically fit since the trekking experiences involves hiking and walking long distances. After return to the lodge where you will be served with delicious lunch, relax and later embark on a drive to Lake Kivu that will take about 2 hours. Enjoy sunset on the lake as you wait for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Boat cruise on Lake Kivu and departure to Kigali
Have breakfast and enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Kivu where you will visit different islands and the cruise lasts for an hour. Head back to the resort, pack your luggage onto the vehicle and find your way to Kigali crossing the Gisenyi border and then have an en route lunch. The driver-guide will drop you at the airport and this will be the end of your 4 days safari.
