Overview
The 3 Days Lowland Gorilla Trek in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) takes you on a captivating Eastern Lowland gorilla encounter. This short Congo gorilla tour takes you to Kahuzi-Biega National Park to engage in a thrilling Eastern Lowland gorilla trekking adventure. Your Eastern Lowland gorilla trekking tour involves exploring more about the endangered Eastern Lowland gorillas (Grauer’s gorilla).
During the lowland gorilla trek, expect to immerse yourself in the tropical forest as you search for the habituated family of the Eastern lowland gorillas. About five Eastern lowland gorilla groups are available for trekking in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park Congo. They include the Bonanni, Nganwa, Mpungwe gorilla group, Mugahuka, and Chimanuka gorilla families. As per this short gorilla safari, expect to begin and end your holiday in Kigali city in Rwanda.
Safari in Detail
Day 1: Pick up and drive to Bukavu DRC
Enjoy your superb breakfast at leisure at the hotel in Kigali Capital City in Rwanda. After the breakfast, meet with your professional driver guide who also doubles as our company representative. Get a warm greeting from your guide and later, he will take you through your travel itinerary, what you should expect, and other insights about the day.
After the briefing, expect to exit Kigali Capital for Bukavu by driving via the Cyangugu border. It will be an extensive road trip but enriching, especially with the breathtaking landscapes in Rwanda characterized by rolling hills and lush forests. Drive past Nyungwe National Park then cross the border to Bukavu, a town adjacent to Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Check in your respective accommodation choices that were pre-booked by our expert.
Day 2: Engage in an active Lowland Gorilla Trek in Kahuzi-Biega
Begin your early morning with a delicious cup of tea/coffee and after, head off to the park offices to get registered and briefing about the Eastern lowland gorilla trek guidelines. The briefing is expected to take about 30 minutes and the session will also involve allocation of the Eastern lowland gorilla families and park ranger guides. At around 8:00 am, you will be led through the Kahuzi-Biega Forest to search for the group of eastern lowland gorillas assigned to you by the park official.
Today’s primate trek to see the eastern lowland gorillas will take about 2-5 hours depending on the location of the family, visitor hiking/walking speed, and nature of the habitat. When you come across a family of the Grauer’s gorillas in the wild, expect to enjoy an hour face-to-face with these apes, take pictures, and observe how they behave.
Once you have completed the one-hour session, you will get back to the park offices to meet the driver guide. From the park offices, you will be driven back to the hotel to have lunch and relaxation.
You may end the day with a community visit or nature walk to explore the Kibati waterfalls. Alternatively, you may remain at the lodge to relax and reflect on your exhilarating Eastern lowland gorilla trek and the moments you had in the jungle.
Day 3: Drive back to Kigali.
Have a hefty breakfast at leisure in a hotel in Bukavu and after, you will meet your driver guide. Today, you will be departing from Bukavu back to Kigali Capital. Enjoy en route views of the beautiful countryside from Congo and Rwanda. Arrive early at Kigali to be dropped off at the hotel or airport for departure.