The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DROC, the DRC, or simply either Congo or the Congo, and formerly Zaire, is a country in Central Africa. It is, by area, the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa, and the 11th-largest in the world.
Day 01: Arrival to Kigali – Gisenyi
Upon arrival to Kigali International Airport in Rwanda meet and assist at the airport ad transfer to Gisenyi a border town between Rwanda and the DRC beautifully located on the shores of Lake Kivu.
In the afternoon you can relax at the lodge or explore Gisenyi town. The lodge can arrange several optional activities in the area. Activities today are at your own expense.
Overnight in Lodge Paradise Malahide
Day 02: Gisenyi – Kibumba B-L-D
After breakfast today your driver will pick you up at 11 AM and take you to the Grand Barrier border and enter Goma, in the DRC. Your visa will be delivered at the border post and you be assisted with the border crossing procedure to unsure a hassle-free experience for you.
A driver from Virunga National Park will be waiting on the Congo side of the border to take you to your tented camp in Virunga National Park.
Overnight in Kibumba Tented Camp
Day 03: Gorilla Tracking in Virunga National Park B-L-D
Today you will stand eye-to-eye with the endangered Mountain Gorilla.
Virunga National Park is an UNESCO world heritage site and the oldest national park on the continent! This protected area contains very diverse terrain with the peaks of the Rwenzori mountains, erosion valleys, active volcanoes, rainforests and savannah plains.
This national park has been hidden from the public for a long time due to civil war and unrest in Eastern Congo. At this moment it is fully operational and the perfect place to track the mountain gorillas in the wild. Starting at the headquarters in Rumangabo you will go for a challenging hike in search of these gentle giants.
Overrnight Tented Camp
Day 04: Hike Nyiragongo B-L-D
After breakfast today your Virunga National Park driver will transfer you to the foot of the impressive Nyiragongo Volcano to start your hike to the rim. You will be provided with an overnight backpack which includes; a packed lunch, 6 litres of drinking water, a warm jacket (it gets very cold at the top!), a sleeping bag and a rain poncho. A personal cook will come along for the hike to prepare a hot meal at the summit.
You can hire a porter (USD 25 per porter) to help you carry this gear up to the top of the mountain. This is highly recommended, as you will not only be supporting the local economy but it can be quite heavy to carry all the necessary gear up over nearly 2000 meters of elevation gain!
The hike will start around 10 AM in the morning and will take about 4-6 hours to complete depending on your fitness level. The trail will take you through lush rainforests, to bare volcanic rock slopes at higher elevations. The trail can be steep and some parts covered in loose volcanic rocks, sturdy hiking boots will help you here.
There will be several stops along the way to take in the views and catch your breath. You will reach the crater rim sometime in the late afternoon and will have an extraordinary view of the crater and the biggest lava lake in the world within. You will have all evening to watch as the lava lake gets more visible and bright as the light fades with the day.
Staring into the bubbling cauldron of fire at night is one of the most incredible natural phenomenon you will ever witness. Nyiragongo is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It last erupted in 2002 but is routinely monitored and is therefore safe for tourists to climb.
The excellent crew from Virunga National Park will make your stay comfortable. A cook will provide a hot meal in the evening and a nice big breakfast in the morning. You will spend the night in one of the basic huts located right on the crater rim. From your mattress on the floor you will be able to hear the faint roar of the volcano below and on a clear night you might see the red glow from the lava lake through the window of your hut.
Overnight in Basic hut at crater rim
Day 05: Nyiragongo – Kigali B-D
If you get up around 5AM you will have a chance to see the lava lake in complete darkness one last time, and watch as the sun rises over the landscape. Mornings can be a bit clearer so you may even see some of the surrouding volcanoes in the Virunga Range and maybe even the twinkling lights of Goma far below.
After a delicious breakfast made by your expedition cook you will make your way down to the base camp in Kibati around 6:30 AM. A driver from Virunga National Park will be waiting at the bottom to take you back to the border with Rwanda. Here you will be met by your driver from the start of your trip who will take you to Kigali.
Overnight in Kigali.
Day 06: Kigali – Nairobi – Masai Mara B-D
After breakfast transfer to Airport to catch the flight to Nairobi upon arrival meet and assist at the airport and transfer to domestic airport to catch the flight to Masaimara. Upon arrival meet and assist and transfer to tented camp.
Overnight in tented camp.
Day 07: Massai Mara B-L-D
Today you will have a full day of game drives ahead. Before sunrise you will try to spot different predators that might made a kill last night. You will return for breakfast at the camp while the sun rises over the game reserve.
You can decide to take a packed lunch for a full day game drives or come back at the camp for a hot lunch. The secret on sighting a lot of animals is to do different game drives on different time and areas for the highest success rate.
After this exciting day you will come back to the camp where you can relax with a cold drink on your veranda with a view of the Mara river!
Overnight in Tented camp.
Day 08: Depart Nairobi B
After breakfast departure transfer to airport to catch the flight for Onward Journey.
| Place | Night (s) | Hotels |
| Gisenyi | 01 | Lake Kivu Serena Hotel |
| Virunga National Park | 02 | Kibumba Tented Camp |
| Nyiragongo Volcano | 01 | Basic hut at crater rim |
| Kigali | 01 | Kigali Marriott Hotel |
| Masai Mara | 02 | Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara |
- Welcome on arrival with fresh flower garlands.
- Meet to attend airports / hotels by our office representative.
- 07 nights in accommodation as per the program.
- Meals as per Program.
- Safari as per program
- Guide Services ( English language )
- Entrance fees to the monuments.
- All taxes.
• International flights
• Personal Expenses.
• Camera / Video Camera Fees.
• Medical Aid.
• Tipping.
• Travel Insurance.
• Visa If any.
• Accommodation in good hotels.
• Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
• Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost. – Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
• A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
• If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
• Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
• In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
• In Asia, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
• While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
• Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
• In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.
