8 Days Uganda Congo Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike
8 Days Uganda Congo Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike is a combined gorilla safari and wildlife viewing safari, taking travelers to Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo home to two taxa of gorillas and the world famous Nyiragongo volcano from where tourists get to hike to see the world’s largest boiling lava lake at the summit. This 8 Days Gorillas and Nyiragongo Safari has travelers enjoying gorilla trekking in Uganda and the Congo, as well as hiking Mount Nyiragongo. This 8 Days Gorillas and Nyiragongo Safari starts in Uganda and ends in Kigali Rwanda.
Tour summary of 8 Days Uganda Congo Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike
- Day 1: Arrival in Uganda
- Day 2: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Boat safari
- Day 3: Game drive, Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Day 4: Gorilla Trekking
- Day 5: Transfer to Virunga National Park, leisurely afternoon
- Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park
- Day 7: Nyiragongo Volcano Hike
- Day 8: Descend the Nyiragongo, Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda
Upon your arrival in Uganda, you shall be received by our Uganda safari guide who shall brief you about your 8 Days Uganda Congo Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike. You shall then be transferred to your hotel of stay in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Depending on your time of arrival, you can have a Kampala city tour to see and learn more of Uganda’s history and current way of life. Some of the places you could visit include the Uganda Museum, Idi Amin torture chambers, Namugongo Martyr shrine, Nakasero Market, and the Bahai Temple. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Boat safari
On this 2nd day of your 8 Days Gorillas and Nyiragongo Safari, you shall wake up early, have breakfast at the hotel and then proceed for a transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive is roughly 6 hours, with en-route stops at the Equator for a polar water experiment. You shall arrive in the park just in time for lunch which you shall enjoy at the lodge. After, you shall go for an afternoon boat safari on the Kazinga channel which connects Lake Edward to Lake George. The Kazinga Channel has serried ranges of hippos, crocodiles as well as a number of water birds like Africa skimmers and Great cormorants, and loads of wildlife species at the shores taking a dip or drink of the fresh water. After, you shall return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 3: Game drive, Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Today, you shall enjoy an early breakfast at the lodge and then proceed for an early morning game drive, going as far as the Ishasha sector, famous for the tree climbing lions. Look out for tree climbing lions dangling on trees or devouring their kill, alongside other wildlife species like elephants, buffaloes, elands, impala, oribis, Ugandan kobs, waterbucks among so many other wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You shall have lunch at a selected restaurant in the Ishasha sector, and then proceed for a transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site famous for hosting over half the total world population of mountain gorillas, which travelers can encounter on a gorilla trekking safari. Once in the park, you shall drive straight to your lodge of stay, check in and then relax as you await for your dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking
Today, you shall enjoy gorilla trekking in Bwindi! You shall wake up to a sumptuous breakfast at the lodge and head out with your packed lunch to the starting point of your gorilla trekking adventure. After a brief by the park officials and being allocated a gorilla family to trek, you shall embark on the search of the mountain gorillas in the wild all the while looking out for other wildlife, birds, butterflies and plant life in the park. Once you encounter the mountain gorillas, spend one hour with them taking pictures and observing their behaviors. After, you shall leave, and then enjoy your packed lunch in the jungle. The gorilla trekking adventure can take anything from 2 hours to 8 hours or more depending on the location of the gorillas and the terrain. Return to the lodge thereafter, relax as you await dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Transfer to Virunga National Park, leisurely afternoon
Today, you shall wake up to a sumptuous breakfast at the lodge. After, check out and proceed for a transfer to Virunga National Park in Congo, via Gisenyi in Rwanda. Enjoy great scenic views of the rolling hills of Rwanda, as well as the countryside of Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo. Enjoy lunch en-route at a selected restaurant. Once in Virunga National Park, you shall drive to your lodge of stay, check in and then have a leisurely afternoon relax at the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.
Day 6: Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park
On this 6th day of your 8 Days Gorillas and Nyiragongo Safari, you shall enjoy breakfast at the lodge and then head out for gorilla trekking in Virunga National park. The process is the same as before. After enjoying your gorilla trekking in Virunga adventure, return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Nyiragongo Volcano Hike
You shall wake up to a sumptuous breakfast at the lodge and then be transferred to the starting point for your Nyiragongo Volcano Hike. The Nyiragongo volcano hike offers remarkable views of the surrounding of Virunga massif area and other volcano ranges. The ascent takes about 4-6 hours. Once at the summit, enjoy stunning views of the world’s largest lava lake churning smoke. Spend a night at the summit, in the huts available.
Day 8: Descend the Nyiragongo, Departure
On this last day of your 8 Days Uganda Congo Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike , you shall have breakfast at the summit and then descend the Nyiragongo Volcano and be rewarded with great panoramic views that go as far as Lake Kivu. The descent is about 4 hours. Once at the foothills, your guide will be waiting for you and then proceed for departure with a lunch stop en-route. You shall proceed with your transfer to Kigali from where you shall be dropped off at your hotel of stay or at the airport for an outbound flight.
End of the 8 Days Uganda Congo Gorilla Trekking & Nyiragongo Hike
