CH41 – A focus on gorillas in the mist - 4 days.
Day One: Arrival – Kigali, Kanombe airport.
On arrival at the airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your representative from Churchill Safaris who will then transfer you to Novotel or Intercontinental Kigali for the over night. Dinner and over night at either Serena/Novotel/ Intercontinental (high end accommodation) or Okapi hotel (low budget) Kigali.B/B
Day Two: Kigali / Ruhengeri - The Gorilla’s Nest
After breakfast, you will explore Kigali by visiting the Genocide Museum and the dancing pots. After lunch, you will drive to Ruhengeri. The comfortable two-hour drive to Ruhengeri is through the stunning mountains and valleys of lush bush and farm land.
Mountain Gorilla’s Nest is strategically located near the park entrance. It consists of 37 comfortable bungalows with en suite facilities. The lodge is situated on a hillside overlooking a school and farmland. It offers a pleasant restaurant, bar and lounge area and curio shop with a central lawn. The entire property is surrounded by trees with magnificent views of the Virunga Mountains on three sides – an idyllic location to start your gorilla trek. At dinner guests should request a special packed lunch to be ready at the following morning’s breakfast. The lunch and bottled water will be carried on the next day’s activity. Porters are also available to carry backpacks and camera gear.
Dinner and over night at either Gorilla Nest Hotel (high end accommodation) or Kinigi huest house (Low budget). F/B.
Day Three: Volcanoes National Park;
After breakfast it’s just a short 10 minute drive to the park headquarters at Kinigi. Registration is a simple process and it is here where the park staff will determine which group of gorillas you will visit. The park staff will discuss your fitness level and will advise you of the trekking times and conditions to reach the various groups, based upon their location in the park the previous evening. There are a total of 40 gorilla permits available each day with a maximum of eight trekkers visiting any one group.
Once the trekkers are put into groups, each group’s lead guide will advise the group of the trekking procedures as well as the “do’s and don’ts” while in the presence of gorillas. After the briefing, trekkers return to their respective vehicles for the drive up the mountain to the starting point. Once at the starting point all trekkers are offered a porter to carry their
backpack and any other gear. Trekking to the nearest group, Sabinyo, can take up to 2 hours but can also take a little more or less if the gorillas move before the park rangers locate them the next morning. The guides stop frequently to allow trekkers a chance to rest and take photos along the way.
After the trek stop for lunch at The Gorilla’s Nest and head back to Kigali for the over night. . Dinner and over night at either Serena/Novotel/ Intercontinental (high end accommodation) or Okapi hotel (low budget) Kigali.B/B
N.B: Please note that among other activities that clients can do, there is an option of visiting the Diana Fossey’s grave or Chimp tracking in Nyungwe depending on the time available.
Day Four: Kigali /out
Enjoy an early breakfast before being transferred to the airport for your early morning flight back to Nairobi to connect to your international flight.
Important:
Please note the gorilla tracking in this itinerary can be done in Rwanda as well if permits/accommodation can’t be got in Uganda at the time of your booking.
Gorilla tracking is dependant on the permits availability at the time of your booking. Gorilla permits in all park are on a very high demand and we advise that you book them as early as possible.
