Circuit 3: DRC and Rwenzori Super Circuit - 15 Days

KIGALI - GOMA – Mountain GORILLAS

CHIMPANZEES - Kivu Lake - NYIRAGONGO Volcano

BENI – RWENZORI - GISENYI

15 days / 14 nights

Discover a land of incredible beauty, as rich in wildlife and flora as it is in the hospitality of its inhabitants and the only place in the world where one can approach gorillas and chimpanzees in their natural environment, admire the lava lake of a volcano in turmoil at an altitude of 3.470m and climb the Rwenzori, one of the 3 highest African peaks which rises to 5,109m. This responsible travel itinerary will make you discover or re-discover beautiful areas while participating in the development and revival of this region. A journey that is secure and organised by specialists of the region!

Day 1 : Kigali - Goma

You will be welcomed and greeted at the Kigali airport. Depart to Goma through the beautiful roads of the ‘Mille collines’ (thousand hills). Transfer to the RD Congo where a warm welcome awaits you in Goma. Registration, dinner and accomodation at the Caritas Guest House** or at the Kivu Lake lodge ***, both located along the Kivu Lake.

Day 2 : Goma - Bukima

Visit the Don Bosco Ngangi centre, home to over 3.000 street children, child soldiers, … and which is supported by Kivu Travel. City tour of Goma and visit the Mount Goma. Lunch at the « Petit Bruxelles ».

Travel to the north to the Virunga National Park, towards Rutshuru, along the volcanoes Nyiragongo and Nyiamulagira and through the lava fields resulting from the volcanic erutpion of 2002.

Stop at the vegetable market of Kibumba. Visit the gorilla’s rehabilitation program in Rumangabo. Registration at the new and luxurious Mikeno lodge**** situated in the primary forest of the Virunga National Park, home to baboons, colobuses and other monkeys you will be able to see from your rooms!

Or reach Bukima where you’ll get a full panoramic view of the volcanoes where the mountain gorillas reside. Dinner and overnight stay in tents* (mattresses and sleeping bags).

Day 3 : The Mountain gorillas 

After a 2 to 3h trek through tropical forests, you’ll be treated to an unforgettable sight and

moments spent in the company of the mountain gorillas of Bukima in the Virunga National Park. You’ll most likely be able to approach them and almost touch them!!

Late lunch next to the volcano in Bukima. Dinner and accommodation at Bukima camp* or at the Mikeno Lodge****.

Day 4 : Chimpanzees in Tongo

In the primary forest of Tongo, lying on a 300 years old lava flow of the Nyiaragongo volcano, you will observe a second species of primates living in their natural habitat. There you will be able to observe many chimpanzee families playing and hunting for food in there natural environment of the Tongo Forest.

Lunch at the Mikeno lodge and way back to Goma. Dinner and overnight stay at the Caritas Guest House** or at the Lake Kivu lodge***.

Local traditional dancers will embellish your evening with songs and dances.

Day 5 : Volcan Nyiragongo 

Departure towards Rutshuru, through the lava fields. Climb the active Nyiragongo volcano (3.470m in altitude) for about 5h. 

A picnic is provided along the way! You will be welcomed at the summit by your private chef with a great dinner.

Overnight stay at the summit in little chalets. All the night, you will observe breathtaking and unforgettable views of the boiling lava crater. 

Day 6 : Nyiragongo - Goma

Get an early start to the day and watch the sun rise between the Karisimbi and Visoke volcanoes. After an invigorating breakfast complete with bacon and eggs, climb down the volcano and find yourself amidst magnificent and extremely

diversified volcanic flora. 

Lunch at Caritas Guest House or at Lake Kivu Lodge and visit in the afternoon the projects of Inuka and Kila Siku of the association "En Avant les Enfants", which consists in projects of rehabilitation for young girls and women in distress, and are supported by CTT.

Day 7 : Goma - Beni

Flight to Beni with an awesome overview of the Virunga National Park.

Lunch at “Palma Club”. Registration at the new Rock Hotel**** in Beni or transfer to Mutshora by jeep, city located in the foothills of the Rwenzori. Overnight stay in the ICCN camp* located at 1700m altitude.

Day 8: Rwenzori D1

Start the climbing of the Rwenzori. After a 4 hours trek, dinner and overnight stay at the Kalonge shelter located at 2.138m of altitude.

Rwenzori is a mountain range of central Africa, situated on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, rising to 5,109 meters altitude at the pic Marguerite (Mount Stanley), which is actually the third highest peak in Africa after Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. This is one of the few ice-covered mountains in Africa with the two other vertices. Global warming is dramatically melting those glaciers and they will probably disappear in about twenty years.

Day 9: Rwenzori D2

Rwenzori’s flora is highly diversified, ranging from tropical forest to nival stage with glaciers and going through all intermediate stages. Thanks to consistent and significant temperature and rainfall conditions throughout the year, some species have grown exuberantly.

Accompanied by your guide and porters with whom you’ll go through all the climbing, trekking to the Mahangu shelter located at 3.310m above sea level. Dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Rwenzori D3

With a significant endemicism, especially in clouded areas, the air saturated with fog enabled the development of completely unusual species, undergoing impressive gigantism: Lobelias, giant groundsel, heather and bamboo.

Trekking to the Kiondo shelter at 4200m altitude. Small climbing of the Wasameso at 4,462 m from where you will enjoy breathtaking views of the glaciers and the beautiful Black, Green and Grey lakes. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 11: Rwenzori D4

After passing through the rocks, trekking through a fantastic forest of moss, roots and immortal flowers, via the Green lake until reaching the Moraine shelter at 4350 m altitude. Time of enjoyment in idyllic surroundings amidst impressive shouts of the rock hyrax.

For the braver, climb to 4700 m to reach the beginning of the glacier and end up in the snow in the heart of Africa! Descent to the Kiondo shelter. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 11: Rwenzori D5

Descent from Kiondo to Kalonge. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 12: Rwenzori D6

Descent to Kyandolire and way back to Mutwanga for a little drink in this small city that lies at the foot of the Rwenzori.

Transfer to Beni and registration at Hotel Beni** or at the Rock Hotel****.

Day 14: Beni – Gisenyi

CAA flight back to Goma.

Transfer to Rwanda and registration at Palm Beach** or at the hotel Serena**** in Gisenyi where lie the most beautiful white beaches of Rwanda.

Free afternoon to rest or enjoy of some watersports on the Kivu Lake.

Day 15: Gisenyi - Kigali

Depart to Kigali through the beautiful roads of the ‘Mille collines’ (thousand hills), 3h drive, stop to eat a “brochette and a Sambusa” and visit a traditional brick production site and the nice Kiaka art workshop.

In Kigali, visit of the moving 1994 genocide memorial. Transfer to the airport.

Useful tips:

Climbing the volcano and the Rwenzori requires an excellent physical condition as well as visiting the gorillas and the chimpanzees. Also, trekking equipment is required (see “Infos” on our website)

Your own sleeping bag is needed to climb the Rwenzori. The best season for this escalation is from December to February and from June to September, when the rainfalls are at the lowest level.

Our prices include everything mentioned in the program in full board but exclude the visa fees, drinks, tips and any other personal expenses. The visit to the mountain gorillas (400$), to the chimpanzees (100$), the scaling of the volcano (200$) and of the Rwenzori (200$) as well as the flights between Goma and Beni and the airport fees are also included in the prices. They can be changed at any time until receiving a firm booking with advance payment.

Events beyond our control may still lead us to modify our programs even on last minute. Any changes will be made in your best interest and with your prior agreement.

It’s possible to climb the volcano with a volcanologist who will give you very interesting explanations, for a 200$ extra.

To add a special touch to your journey, several extensions can be organized on demand:

in DR Congo, the Kahusi Biega park with its Lowland Gorillas, the Lake Kivu, the Garamba park with its multiple and varied fauna; in Rwanda, the Akagera park with its wonderful birds island, the primary Nyungwe Forest with its colobus and varieties of Monkeys or in Burundi, the lakeside town of Bujumbura and its relaxing white sand beaches along lake Tanganika.

An amount of $10 per travel day will be given by CTT to a development project visited and chosen by each traveller.