Due to security issues in Virunga National Park, we are currently unable to offer this itinerary.
Virunga remains deeply committed to the vision of developing a world class tourism destination and we are positive that they will relaunch this extraordinary project again in the future. If you are interested in visiting the park, please contact us and we will update you on developments.
EXPERIENCE: APES TO LAKES
From molten lava lakes and jungle exploration, to fossil hunting in the Turkana Basin. This experience will take you off the beaten track, to explore East Africa in all its glory.
GORILLA TOURS
Gorilla tours are an experience like no other. Beginning in Virunga National Park, situated in the eastern corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Virunga is still a relatively undiscovered gem. The park offers visitors the chance to explore volcanoes, forests, savannahs, lava plains, swamps, erosion valleys and the glaciated peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains. During your stay at Mikeno Lodge and Bukima Tented Camp you will spend your time hiking through dense forests. This is part of your gorilla expedition, where you will go in search of the mountain gorilla before ascending the 3470m active volcano of Mount Nyiragongo. After five nights in Virunga your gorilla trip ends but the journey continues to Solio Lodge in Laikipia. From here, you and your group will travel by helicopter to Lake Turkana to unearth the origins of man with Dr. Louise Leakey. Then on to Sasaab in Samburu. As your Kenya adventures draw to a close the final night is spent at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi.
*Guide price based on a minimum of four people travelling for 10 nights, including a private guide on your journey through the Congo and Kenya. The price is correct to the best of our knowledge, but is intended to be a guide price and is subject to change at the time of confirmation.
AFRICAN SAFARI ADVENTURES
It is hard to say which is the more memorable experience of our African safari adventures. To stand on a volcano’s peak at night and watch a lava lake boiling away in a crater far below like a fiery vision of Hades; or to stand yards from a mountain gorilla in lush forest and sense the almost human intelligence behind its eyes, an unmistakable feeling of distant kinship, as you size each other up.
Many people ask how difficult is gorilla trekking ? Ideally it is well suited for anyone who is physically active and has a desire to meet the congo gorillas or go on a gorilla expedition.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Kigali Serena Hotel, Rwanda
Day 2/3: Kibumba Tented Camp, Virunga National Park, Congo
Day 4: Nyiragongo Summit Huts, Virunga National Park, Congo
Day 5: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, Rwanda & Four Points by Sheraton, Nairobi Airport
Day 6: Solio Lodge, Laikipia, Kenya
Day 7/8: Turkana Basin Institute, Lake Turkana, Kenya
Day 9: Sasaab, Samburu, Kenya
Day 10: Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya
Day 11: Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- Bed and Breakfast accommodation at Kigali Serena Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi
- Day room and Lunch at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
- Scheduled internal flights (throughout Kenya)
- International flight from Rwanda to Kenya
- All transport between destinations and to/from activities incl. 4×4 safari vehicles
- Gorilla safari and volcano trek permits
- Private guide throughout your journey through the Congo
- Activities including gorilla trekking, game drives, sundowners, bush picnics
- Horse riding and mountain biking at Solio Lodge, camel riding and walking at Sasaab
- Tukana Basin Institute donation fee
- Helicopter from Solio Lodge to TBI-Turkwell, during your stay at TBI-Turkwell to visit various sites, and from TBI-Turkwell to Sasaab
RECOMMENDED FOR
- Intrepid adventure seekers
- Gorilla and nature lovers
- Anyone and everyone that is relatively fit
- Trekking and jungle enthusiasts
- Those seeking a once in a lifetime experience
- History fans, historians and archaeologists
- Explorers of remote and unspoilt areas
- Congo gorilla tour enthusiasts
- Those wishing to see the african safari and gorillas
- Worldwide thrill seekers
- Not suitable for young children
HIGHLIGHTS
Established in 1925, the Congo’s Virunga National Park is the oldest national park in Africa. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies in the Albertine Rift, on the western fault of the Great Rift Valley. Bordering Uganda and Rwanda, Virunga has an incredible range of landscapes and habitats. The Rwenzori Mountains can be found in the north, while the dormant Mikeno volcano lies in the south. In the west you can discover the world’s largest lava lake atop the still active Nyiragongo volcano. This is also the continent’s most biologically diverse africa game park and is a well protected area. The park is host to an astonishing array of birds, reptiles and mammals, including the endangered Okapi. This is also the ideal place to go gorilla trekking in Congo, as it is home to a quarter of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas, as well as the eastern lowland Grauer’s gorillas and chimpanzee.
WHEN TO GO
Virunga National Park’s vast topographical range results in marked climatic variations. The region boasts both the highest and lowest rainfalls in the entire country. Rainfall is usually heaviest from March – May and from mid-September to mid-December with drier spells following each. It is possible to visit Virunga all year but visibility is much clearer during the rainy seasons, making for better views of the mountains and volcanoes but for a more taxing hiking experience.
OTHER EXPERIENCES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Some of our other tours and experiences include a gorilla safari, a Cradle of Humankind tour, a kayak safari and a photography safari