These 3 days Gorilla and Karisimbi Hiking safari give you unforgettable memories as you visit Volcanoes national park, Rwanda’s most visited destination, famous for tracking the endangered mountain Gorillas seeking asylum at its lush bushes and forest. You will also hike Mount Karisimbi which is the 5th highest volcanic mountain in Africa, and the tallest inactive volcanic mountain in the Virunga ranges found in Volcanoes National Park that combines 8 mountains sprawling through Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The activities are a bit strenuous and will require some determination, and physical fitness to find the gentle apes as well as reaching the summit, that tends to have snow during the dry season
Detailed safari
Day 1: Early pick up and transfer to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking
Wake up like a giant ready to slay his most annoying enemy and pack your equipment, after which you will take a drive north of Kigali city to Volcanoes national park, where you will join your friends for a pre-trek briefing by knowledgeable park rangers who will tell you how to behave while in the wild with the apes and will be verifying your documents as you sip your energy giving coffee.
Right after the briefing, you will be allocated to a particular gorilla family that will be tracked through the guidance of a knowledgeable park ranger who will head the mission; starting with the place they left mountain gorillas the previous day, following the broken tree branches and sounds of the jungle.
This tracking activity can last for approximately 6hours depending on your fitness and how far the creatures have moved.
However, you will not get bored since there are so many unique bird species and several primates on the way. Upon finding apes, one hour is yours to watch them play, females nurse the young ones, and the entire group pose for your flash less camera. Return to the lodge for lunch and either rest or visit Lake Kivu before having dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Hiking Mount Karisimbi
Start your day with a cup of coffee before going to the starting point of Hiking for a briefing session that commences as early as 8:30 am, with experienced guides who start by telling you the dos and don’ts while hiking, before embarking on a six-hour hike characterized by photography, sights, and sounds of several primates and birds, and the unending beautiful view of scenic mountains and diverse tree species.
If luck is your portion, then don’t be surprised to spot the Mountain Gorillas as you navigate through Mount Bisoke to the summit of Mount Karisimbi. Dinner and overnight will be at the camp pitched on the mountain
Day 3: Ascending to the summit and descending the Mount Karisimbi
After enjoying energy giving breakfast, you will have to continue with your journey to the peak that gives you an opportunity of watching and taking photos of the created Lake, the neighboring mountains and the entire place in a single day.
Thereafter, descend to the foot of the mountain meet the driver guide who will take you for lunch before hitting the road back to Kigali international airport.
End of trip
