10 Day Congo River and Virunga Tour

Overview

This is your way to the authentic experience, the tour starts from Kinshasa and ends at the Rwanda borders (Goma). The experience is full of historical, ritual, cultural, and wildlife experiences. You will experience the majestic Congo River and the famous Virunga National Park. You will Visit the rare Mountain Gorilla.

 

Day 1: Arrival in Kinshasa

• Assistance at the airport by our guide, then transfer to your hotel. Generally, the hotel 'invest. Depending on the time of arrival, a short city tour is optional. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 2: Visit the city of Kinshasa

• 08:00 after breakfast, transfer south of the city to visit the Lola ya Bonobo shrine. After the visit of the bonobos, we will visit the small waterfalls of Lukaya located next to the sanctuary. Right after we continue the visit to the National Museum of Congo, the rapids of the Congo River, and visit the mausoleum of the late President Kabila, Academy of Fine Arts Around 16:30, return to the hotel for a break. And around 19:00, dine at the restaurant '' Super Aubaine '' (buffet at will with Congolese cuisine) the evening is animated by Congolese musicians at Rumba (melody typically Congolese). Night at the hotel

Day 3: Congo River Expedition

• After breakfast, 7.30 am: Pick up at the hotel and transfer to Kinkole (about 40 minutes drive).
• Quartier Kinkole is a fishing village located in the city of N'séle. It is a historic city where President Mobutu delivered his speech on 24 November, considered at the time as "national fish day" at the time when the DRC was called "Zaire". Today, its port has developed and supplies Kinshasa with fluvial and agricultural products.
• Arrival in Kinkole, visit of the port, and boarding for Lukunga
• Lukunga is a small village on an island in the middle of the river. Its population lives almost exclusively from agriculture and fishing.
• In Lukunga, visit the village and exchange with the population. We will visit here the small primary school destroyed during the floods and the buildings on stilts that shelter the inhabitants during the floods. The village also offers you a panoramic view of Kinshasa.
• Then we continue the navigation for the village Maï-Ndombe Bac with stops in the fishing camps during navigation (about 5:30 navigation). Arrived at the village Maï- Ndombe bac, Installation at the campsite. that option, swim in the river.
• Evening
• Option 1: Spend a moment of exchange around the fire with the villagers. Gladly, they will tell you about their way of life in the village.
• Option 2: Enjoy an intimate moment under the natural melody of animal cries and waves of the river.

 

Day 4: Visit villages and fishing*

 

• After breakfast around 8:00 am: visit the village Mai-Ndombe, the village Engana, the village Ngabibwa all the small villages of hundreds of people located on the river 109 km from Kinshasa, separated by a few hundred meters. 3 hours are enough to visit: the health center, the primary school, the small market of the village, the distillation of the local alcohol, the big baobab, ...). Follow-up of the courtesy visit to the village chief. After this courtesy visit, we return to the camp to rest and have lunch at noon. Around 13:00, boarding for fishing and hiking on the river .around 17:30, return to camp and free evening.

Day 5: Return to Kinshasa and Departure with a stopover at the village of Mangengenge.

• Around 8:30, after breakfast, return to Kinshasa with a stopover at the village of Mangengenge. Lunch will be served on the boat.
• The village of Mangengenge is a traditional village where a hundred people live. Located in a valley bordering a so-called magic mountain, towards which hundreds of pilgrims of all religions and convictions are heading. The villagers will tell you the story of the sirens...
• After the visit to the village of Mangengenge, return to Kinshasa to arrive at Kinkole around 15h. Transfer to the N'djili International airport for the departure to Goma, the Eastern Congo tourist city.
• Stay at Lake Kivu Lodge.

Day 6: Goma City Tour and Tchegera Island

• After breakfast, starts a half-day city tour and visit the famous Tchukudu roundabout, the local market, the local whisky factory and afternoon transfer to Tchegera Island and spend your night in the tented camp with a Scenic Nyiragongo View.

Day 7: Virunga National Park

• After breakfast, make a short tour of the Island and get on the speed boat to Goma, and immediately start driving to Virunga National Park where you will spend three nights. Two nights in Kibumba Tented Camp with a gorilla trek and one night stay on Nyiragongo volcano’s top. 
• Later afternoon, retire in Kibumba and get prepared for Mountain Gorillas trekking in the Volcano Mikeno Mist.

Day 8: Mountain Gorillas Trekking

 

• After an early breakfast at Kibumba Tented Camp, you will head 
• down the hill to meet gorillas Ranger guides and have a briefing before the trek. It usually requires 1-2.5 hours of hiking each way, depending on the location and difficulty of the terrain. After spending the allotted hour with the gorilla family group, you will make your way back to the camp, enjoy a late lunch, and have the rest of the day at leisure, including time for nature walks and bird watching.

 

Day 9: Nyiragongo Hiking Up

• After breakfast in Kibumba, you will be transported to the Kibati Ranger 
• Post at 8:15 am, the departure point for the Nyiragongo volcano Hiking. On arrival to 
• Kibati, you will receive a briefing and will have the opportunity to hire porters. 
• The climb up the volcano will take around four to six hours and you will overnight on the summit.

 

 

Day 10: Nyiragongo descent and transfer to Rwanda Border.

• In the early morning, you will leave the crater rim and start the descent back to Kibati. The average descent time is four hours. Once at the bottom, you will be transported back to Goma with a drop-off at the Grande Barriere.
• Cross directly to Rwanda and have a pleasant stay at Lake Kivu Beach. 

 

Objects to bring:

 

- Comfortable with sports and Hiking.

- Lightweight clothing with short and long sleeves

- fishing hat or hat

- Raincoat

- lotions of sunscreen. (The Congo is a tropical country)

- A flashlight preferably frontal

- Polarized sunglasses

- repellent for the mosquito.

- Soap, toothpaste, toothbrush and bath towels, bed sheet

- Cigarettes (we do not have a ban)

- All medications are usually needed.

- Some pens, pencils,... To give to the students of the village (optional)

Boat and camping

- Individual life jacket

 

Useful info:

 

- Boats are equipped with powerful engines

- Route covered by the phone cellulars network (Vodacom)

- Night in a spacious tent and an inflatable mattress (Quechua brand)