A 5 days Virunga mountains hike is one of the safaris that one engages in both Congo and Rwanda, and he or she gets the opportunity to carry out a hike to Mount Nyirangongo and a gorilla trek and hike to Mount Bisoke in Volcanoes National Park. All these locations offer exciting experiences to visitors.
Trip highlights of the 5 days Virunga Mountains hike
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali airport and transfer to Gisenyi for an after-boat cruise at Lake Kivu
Day 2: Transfer to Virunga National Park for a hike to Mount Nyirangongo
Day 3: Descending Mount Nyirangongo and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 4: Gorilla trekking
Day 5: Hike to Mount Bisoke and transfer to Kigali airport
Detailed itinerary of the 5 days Virunga Mountains hike
Day 1: Pick up from Kigali airport and transfer to Gisenyi for an after-boat cruise at Lake Kivu
A guide will meet you at Kigali airport on day 1, and you will embark on your journey to Gisenyi after being briefed. When you reach Gisenyi, you will head to a hotel and have lunch. Once you are done with lunch, you will head for a briefing and set off for a boat cruise on Lake Kivu. At Lake Kivu, you will spot a number of islands on this lake and also numerous aquatic life. The guide will tell you more about the various ecosystems at this lake, and you will get a lot of wonderful views and experiences. A guide will then transfer you to the lodge, where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Accommodation options at Gisenyi
- Ubumwe hotel
- Hotel Paradis Malahide
- Gorillas lake kivu hotel
Day 2: Transfer to Virunga National Park for a hike to Mount Nyirangongo
On the 2nd day of the 5 days Virunga mountains hike, you will have breakfast at the hotel in Gisenyi, and a guide will meet you there, and then you will check out of the hotel. A guide will then transfer you to the Virunga National Park headquarters for a briefing before the hike to Nyirangongo starts. You will be briefed and given the guidelines to follow while on the hike to Mount Nyirangongo, plus the dos in don’ts. The hike will start from Kibati, and this hike is most likely to start at 10 am.
You will head to this hike with the company of a ranger guide who will direct you on the route to take. The hike to Nyirangongo will take about 4 to 6 hours, depending on your level of fitness. The hike to this mountain will require you to wear good hiking boots and hiking sticks. At Nyirangongo mountain, you will have a stopover and eat your packed lunch and while at Nyirangongo, you will get the chance to see the lava lake and the spectacular views of the various ecosystems. When you get to the summit, you will camp and spend the night there. You will have dinner and rest as you wait for the following day.
Day 3: Descending Mount Nyirangongo and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
On the 3rd day of the 5 days Virunga mountains hike safari, you will have breakfast at your own leisure at 8 am, and then a guide will brief you shortly. You will then head back to the starting point at the park, and this journey descending Mount Nyirangongo takes about 4 hours. Once you get there, you will have your lunch at a hotel, and then a guide will transfer you to Volcanoes National Park. You w3have your night in day 3 at Volcanoes National Park in a lodge where you will also be served dinner.
Accommodation options at Volcanoes National Park
Luxury: Bisate lodge
Midrange: My hill eco lodge
Budget: Hotel Muhabura
Day 4: Gorilla trekking
On the second last day of the safari, you will have breakfast at the lodge in Volcanoes National Park, and you will set off to the park headquarters for a briefing. You will set off with a ranger guide to the forest to find the gorillas. You will have amazing views of the wildlife in this park as you search for the gorillas. This activity will take you several hours, depending on where the gorillas will be located. You will spend one hour with the gorilla family after locating it, and you will also under strict guidelines to take videos and photos of the gorillas. After gathering all the details of the gorillas, you will head with the guide to the lodge and have your lunch.
After having your lunch meal, you will spend the remaining time of the day interacting with the guides. In the evening, you will have dinner and retire to bed.
Day 5: Hike to Mount Bisoke and transfer to Kigali airport
After having breakfast at the lodge, you will receive the guidelines to follow on the hike to Mount Bisoke from the guides to the park headquarters. You will then set off on the hike to Mount Bisoke. This hike to and from Mount Bisoke takes approximately 6 hours. You will ascend to the summit for about 4 hours, and you will have a glimpse at the other volcanic mountains neighbouring Mount Bisoke. You will also see several wildlife at this Mountain as you hike to its summit. You will, after reaching the summit, head back to the set off point, which will take you another 2 hours as you descend. You will then be transferred to the park headquarters for your lunch meal, and you will then check out of the lodge.
You will head to Kigali airport with the guide to catch your flight.
End of 5 Days Virunga Mountains Hike
5 Days Virunga Mountains Hike inclusions
- Bottled Mineral water
- 4WD safari vehicle
- English-speaking driver guide
- Pick up and drop off
- Meals
- Accommodation
- Park entrance fees
- Gorilla trekking permit
5 Days Virunga Mountains Hike exclusions
- Visa fees
- Air ticket
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Life insurance
