The Virunga Classic Package

Day 1:   Arrival at Grande Barriere border crossing by 11:00am and ensure check-in with Virunga tourism office by 11:30am. The tourism office is conveniently located in the Grande Barriere border post building, opposite passport control. Tourism staff will provide guests with gorilla and volcano trek permits at check-in which must be presented before the start of each trek. Guests will be transported to Mikeno Lodge at the Park headquarters in Rumangabo. On arrival to Mikeno Lodge, a late lunch will be served and the afternoon can be enjoyed at leisure, including exploring Rumangabo’s several nature trails, bird watching or paying a visit to Virunga’s Congohounds.

Day 2:   After an early breakfast, guests will set off to Bukima Ranger Post. On arrival, trekkers will meet their Ranger guides and local pisteurs to receive a briefing before starting the gorilla trek. Treks usually require 1-2.5 hours of hiking each way, depending on location of the group being trekked and the difficulty of the terrain. After spending the allotted hour with the gorillas, trekkers will return to Mikeno Lodge where they will be served a late lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure or enjoying what Rumangabo has to offer.

Day 3:   An early rise to go enjoy a forest walk and see the chimps that reside in and around the Mahura Forest. After a leisurely breakfast, visit Senkwekwe Centre to visit the orphan gorillas, have a nice bird walk, an afternoon at leisure, free to explore the Park HQ.

Day 4:  After an early breakfast, head to Bukima Ranger post for your second gorilla trek.  Following your gorilla trek, travel back to Mikeno Lodge for a late lunch.  The rest of the afternoon can be spent visiting the widow’s workshop or cosy up with a nice book by the fire.

Day 5:  After breakfast at Mikeno Lodge, guests will be transported to the Kibati Ranger Post, departure point for the Nyiragongo volcano trek.  On arrival, climbers will receive a briefing and can hire porters.  The climb up the volcano takes around four to six hours and trekkers will overnight on the summit.

Day 6:  At 6:30, climbers will leave the crater rim and start the descent back to Kibati. Average descent time is four hours. Once at the bottom, guests will be transported back to Goma with drop-off at the Grande Barriere border crossing.

Included in this package:

  • 4 nights full board accommodation at Mikeno Lodge
  • 2 gorilla trek permits
  • 1 night stay on Nyiragongo summit
  • 1 volcano trek permit
  • All transport to, from and within the Park once in country

Virunga Classic brochure

 

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    “Great place to stay if you want to spend few days (or more) in Virunga to go gorilla tracking or Nyiragongo volcano hiking. Rooms located in the middle of forest are a very short walk distance from main building where you can find the bar, restaurant, places to sit and to relax. Staff are very friendly and all services excellent.” (Trip Advisor)

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    “The food was excellent and the rooms with the fire burning at night was so relaxing. This is the place to meet people that are going to climb the Volcano. Even the food that they packed for us to the top was excellent and the cook did a great job.” (Trip Advisor)

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    “We booked the Mikeno Lodge for its location and also for the access to the chimpanzees trekking and the gorilla orphanage. We could not have made a better decision!  The lodges are simply delightful! The staff was very friendly and attentive, and the food, what can I say… delicious!  The chimpanzees trek was an unique experience. We also visited the gorillas orphanage and it was great fun.” (Trip Advisor)