Today, you meet our driver guide and Depart Kigali, Rwanda early in the morning for a scenic
drive (~3–4 hours) to the Goma–Grande Barrière border. Stop for views of Lake Kivu or brief
cultural visits en route (optional). Meet your Virunga tourism liaison at the Grande Barrière
border post. Process your tourist visa (pre-arranged with your permits), then check in at the
Virunga tourism office.
Transfer into Virunga National Park (under armed ranger escort). Settle into your lodge near the
Bukima gorilla trekking base. Time to relax, birdwatch, or enjoy views of the surrounding
volcanoes. End the day with dinner and Overnight.

Early breakfast and drive to Bukima Ranger Post, the starting point for mountain gorilla treks.
Briefing by park rangers on gorilla behavior, safety, and forest etiquette. Begin trekking into the
misty Virunga forest, guided by trackers to one of the habituated mountain gorilla families. The
Trek may take 1 to 4 hours depending on gorilla location. Spend 1 unforgettable hour observing
the family in the wild — silverbacks, playful juveniles, mothers with infants. Return to Bukima
post and transfer to your lodge for lunch and rest. Guided walk, birdwatching, or community
visit near the park boundary. Diner and Overnight marks the end of the Day.

This day is dedicated to the transfer between Virunga (Goma) and Kahuzi-Biega National Park
(near Bukavu). We will use the route through Lake Kivu Boat Transfer and Arrive in Bukavu
and transfer to a lodge near Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Travel south along rough, scenic roads
via Minova and Kalehe. This journey can be long and bumpy but showcases rural Congolese
landscapes. Arrive in Bukavu or directly at a lodge near the park. End this day with dinner and a
nap.

Early breakfast and transfer to Kahuzi-Biega National Park headquarters (~1 hour from Bukavu,
depending on your lodge). Register and attend a briefing session on the Eastern Lowland
Gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) — the largest of the great ape species. Start your lowland
gorilla trek, accompanied by park rangers and guides. Trek through dense primary rainforest —
less steep than mountain gorilla terrain, but still challenging. Once a gorilla group is found, enjoy
1 hour observing their behavior in the wild. Lowland gorillas live in larger groups. They have
Broader chests, longer faces, and more terrestrial movement than mountain gorillas.

In the Afternoon, return to the park HQ and transfer back to your lodge for refreshment and
enjoyment of the lake views in Bukavu. End this day with Dinner and Overnight.

After breakfast, check out and transfer to the Rwanda border at Rusizi/Cyangugu. Cross into
southwestern Rwanda, and begin the drive back to Kigali (~6–7 hours via Nyungwe and Huye).
There will be a stopover at Nyungwe Forest, Huye Museum, or tea plantations (time permitting).
Arrive in Kigali by late afternoon or evening where our driver guide will Drop-off at hotel or
airport for onward departure.