Combine gorilla trekking and Mount Nyiragongo hiking in Virunga National Park.

Virunga National Park is one of the most protected and most visited areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was established in 1925. It is a vast area covering over 790,000 hectares and is home to endangered mountain gorilla species and many other wildlife species. Virunga National Park stretches from the Virunga mountains in the south to the Rwenzori Mountains in the north.

This park is celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity and ecological system that includes block mountains, volcanic mountains, the Albertine rift, crater lakes, dense rain forests, open grasslands, woodland, and swamp vegetation that act as hosts to mammals, birds, and reptile species. It is also a prime destination that surrounds two of the volcanic mountains that make up the Virunga Conservation Area, including Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamuragira.

Despite all the natural wonders, Congo has faced a lot of conflicts and challenges in the past years which led to instability, threats like poaching, and habitat destruction of conservation areas. However, with the collective efforts of the Congo government and the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation, the country receives guests to the different conserved and gazetted areas and are provided with the best security.

Gorilla trekking in Virunga

Visiting Virunga National Park for both gorilla trekking and volcano hiking is always an unforgettable adventure as you get closer to the gentle giant apes in their natural habitat and feel the breathtaking atmosphere as you hike through the different vegetation zones to the crater.

Gorilla trekking is only possible in three countries: Uganda, Rwanda and DRC Congo, in the Virunga massif and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Virunga National Park is the only place in Congo where one can see the eastern mountain gorillas.

The trekking experience

Gorilla tracking starts in the early morning hours at the Bukima Patrol Post, the park headquarters in the Bukima sector. Before trekking, visitors receive a briefing from the park rangers about the rules and regulations of the tracking activity. After the briefing, you will be grouped into eight groups based on your level of fitness and preference. Later, you will be led by armed rangers and guides into the forested and steep slopes of the park.

The trekking activity takes two to six hours, depending on the location of the gorilla family. Encountering the wild human cousins is one of the most wonderful moments a person can have in a lifetime. Watch the gorillas play, feed, and care for each other. Don’t forget to take photos to remember your adventure. Visitors are allowed to spend one hour with the gorillas and then return to the park headquarters.

Mount Nyiragongo hiking

Mount Nyiragongo is a stratovolcano in Virunga National Park in DRC, Congo. It is regarded as the most dangerous and volatile active volcanic mountain.

Hiking Mount Nyiragongo is strenuous and tiresome, so one needs to be both mentally and physically fit to reach the summit. Hiking starts at Kitabi station in the morning, so if you are to engage in the excursion, by 8:00 am, you should be at the starting point. The hiking trail rises through different vegetation zones such as the rainforest, dry forest, and volcanic scrub.

The climb has about 5 rest stops where you can relax for about 20 minutes. Summiting this volcano takes 6-7 hours. Hikers are advised to organize a 2-day hike on this amazing natural wonder.

At the summit, which is over 3470 meters above sea level, you enjoy the exceptional beauty of the lava lake. Spending a night at the top gives the most amazing views of the escarpment cliffs and glittering fires from the volcano. You will feel as if you are on a different planet other than Earth. Hikers should not worry about security because hiking is done with the guidance of armed rangers and guides while others are met along the hiking trail.

Combining a gorilla trek and Nyiragongo hike safari in Virunga National Park is a great exposure to the park’s beauty and diversity. It is a trip that an adventure lover should not miss in a lifetime.

What do you need for this combined safari

Body fitness:

Before traveling to Congo, make sure you are physically and mentally fit for the two ventures as they both involve walking for long hours.

Travel documents:

Visit the Congo embassy in your country three weeks before the travel date, for a visa. You must have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate and a passport.

Trekking/hiking gear:

These include quality hiking boots, long-sleeved shirts, trousers, warm stockings, waterproof jackets, rainproof clothing, gloves, sunglasses, hair bands, and a good camera.

Always book your trekking and hiking permits at least three months before the trekking dates. And always book with a travel company with a high reputation like Active Africa Vacations. They will also help you have the best transportation and accommodation facilities.

Travel with a fee outside your budget to hire porters to help you carry your luggage as you trek or hike.

How to get to Virunga National Park

There are alternative routes and means one can use to reach Virunga National Park.

Rwanda to Congo: The time you arrive at Kigali International Airport will determine the time you set off for Congo. If you arrive in the evening hours, you will have to spend a night in Kigali. The next day, travel from Kigali to Gisenyi on a journey which takes about 4 hours. At the border, present your travel documents and yellow fever vaccination certificate to officials on both the Rwanda and Congo sides. From here proceed to Goma town then to the park.

Uganda to Congo. When you land at Entebbe International Airport, it is advisable to spend a night in Kampala or Entebbe and then travel the next day. If you use road transport only, it’s advisable to travel with private transportation provided by a travel company like Active African Vacations to avoid inconveniences.

The next day, you will travel from Kampala to Kisoro, which is about 8 hours’ drive. You will drive to Bunagana border and then cross to Congo.

Alternatively, you can take a flight from Kajjansi airstrip along Entebbe Road to Kisoro airstrip. From there, drive to the Bunagana border in less than an hour, then connect to Goma town, and then drive to Virunga National Park.

Water transport: You can also use water transport along Lake Kivu from Rwanda to Congo. Speed boats are always used to connect from Gisenyi to Goma, then take a boat to Bukavu. It takes roughly 3-4 hours. Travelers are advised to use public boats for security purposes.

Proposed itinerary for this combined safari.

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali – brief Kigali city tour
Day 2: Transfer to Gisenyi and cross to DRC
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park
Day 4 and 5: Hiking Mount Nyiragongo (ascend and descend)
Day 6: Transfer to Kigali and flight back home.