7 Days Virunga & Kahuzi-Biega Gorilla Safari
Overview
This 7 Days Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega Gorilla Safari is DRC’s most complete gorilla itinerary, combining mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park with Eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi-Biega, the only place on earth to see this larger, darker gorilla subspecies.
No other single country lets you track two different gorilla subspecies on one trip, making this itinerary genuinely unique within the region rather than a variation on Rwanda or Uganda’s mountain gorilla-only itineraries.
Safari Highlights
- Mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga
- Eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi-Biega
- Scenic Lake Kivu shoreline drive between parks
- Two distinct gorilla subspecies on one trip
- Additional Kahuzi-Biega forest walk
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Goma
Cross into DRC at Goma from Rwanda or fly directly in, and transfer to your lodge near Virunga National Park.
Accommodation Options
Budget: Goma guesthouse
Mid-range: Lake Kivu lodge (Congo side)
Luxury: Mikeno Lodge
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Virunga
A full day tracking mountain gorillas in Virunga’s Mikeno sector, part of the same Virunga Massif ecosystem shared with Rwanda and Uganda.
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Bukavu
Drive south along Lake Kivu’s western shore to Bukavu, gateway to Kahuzi-Biega National Park.
Accommodation
Bukavu lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Eastern Lowland Gorilla Trekking
A full day tracking Kahuzi-Biega’s habituated Eastern lowland gorilla families, the largest gorilla subspecies and found nowhere else on earth.
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Kahuzi-Biega Forest Walk
An additional guided forest walk in Kahuzi-Biega’s montane sector, spotting the park’s other primates and forest birdlife at a slower pace than the previous day’s trek.
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Lake Kivu and Transfer to Goma
Drive back north along Lake Kivu to Goma, with a relaxed afternoon on the lakeshore before your final night.
Accommodation
Lake Kivu lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Departure
Transfer to Goma for your onward flight or border crossing back into Rwanda.
Meals: Breakfast
Optional Activities
Kahuzi-Biega
- Extended primate and birding walk
Lake Kivu
- Boat trip
Planning Notes
This itinerary is DRC’s most complete gorilla-focused trip, giving both the mountain gorilla and Eastern lowland gorilla subspecies their own dedicated trekking day, a combination not offered by any single park elsewhere in the region.
Health and Travel Documents
DRC requires a yellow fever certificate for entry, and most nationalities require a visa arranged in advance; we assist with the paperwork for every Congo booking. Malaria prevention is worth discussing with a travel health clinic ahead of any Congo trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the two gorilla treks?
Mountain gorillas in Virunga live on steep, cooler volcanic slopes in bamboo and montane forest, while Kahuzi-Biega’s Eastern lowland gorillas are larger, darker, and found on generally flatter terrain in denser lowland forest.
Is the drive between Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega long?
The drive from Goma to Bukavu along Lake Kivu’s shore takes most of a day, which is why this itinerary treats it as its own transfer day rather than combining it with a trekking activity.
Do I need separate permits for each park?
Yes, Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega issue permits separately, and both are arranged on your behalf as part of this itinerary.
Is this itinerary affected by regional security conditions?
We monitor conditions in eastern DRC closely and only operate into currently accessible, cleared sectors of both parks, coordinating directly with each park’s tourism authority before confirming any booking.
Which gorilla trek is more physically demanding?
Virunga’s mountain gorilla trek generally involves steeper terrain given the volcanic slopes, while Kahuzi-Biega’s Eastern lowland gorilla trek covers flatter ground but can involve denser vegetation, making both genuinely challenging in different ways rather than one being clearly easier.
Is Bukavu a comfortable base for the Kahuzi-Biega trek?
Yes, Bukavu is a genuine lakeside city with a range of accommodation options, considerably more developed than the immediate area around Kahuzi-Biega’s trailhead itself, which is why this itinerary bases trekkers there rather than at the park boundary.
Can this itinerary be done in reverse, starting with Kahuzi-Biega?
Yes, the order can be flipped to start in Bukavu and finish in Goma, which some travellers prefer depending on their entry and exit points into the region.
What currency should I bring?
US dollars printed after 2009 are widely accepted for permits, park fees and lodge bills at both parks, and are generally more practical than the Congolese franc for a week-long visit.
What kind of visa do I need for DRC?
Most nationalities require a DRC visa arranged in advance of travel; we assist with the required paperwork and documentation as part of every Congo booking.
How physically demanding is this itinerary overall?
Two separate full-day gorilla treks in one week make this a genuinely active itinerary, though neither trek is more demanding than a standard mountain gorilla trek in Rwanda or Uganda, and the transfer day between parks offers a natural rest point.
Can this itinerary include the Nyiragongo volcano hike as well?
Yes, though adding Nyiragongo typically extends this trip to eight or nine days given the additional overnight ascent and recovery time it requires.
What kind of vehicle is used for this itinerary?
A private 4×4 vehicle is used for the entire trip, including the Lake Kivu shoreline drive between Goma and Bukavu connecting the two parks.
Two Gorilla Subspecies, One Country
Of the four recognised gorilla subspecies, only DRC offers realistic access to two of them on a single itinerary: the mountain gorilla, shared with Rwanda and Uganda across the Virunga Massif, and the Eastern lowland gorilla, found nowhere outside eastern DRC and concentrated most accessibly in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. This itinerary exists specifically to give travellers both encounters without the logistics of assembling a multi-country trip, since both parks sit within a single day’s drive of each other along the shore of Lake Kivu.
The differences between the two treks go well beyond taxonomy. Mountain gorillas live at higher elevation in cooler, bamboo-dominated forest on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes, and Virunga’s habituated families are broadly comparable in trekking difficulty to those in neighbouring Rwanda. Eastern lowland gorillas, by contrast, are the largest of all gorilla subspecies, with mature silverbacks capable of exceeding 200 kilograms, living in generally flatter, denser lowland and montane forest around Kahuzi-Biega’s namesake extinct volcanoes. Guides and trackers in each park are specialists in their respective terrain and gorilla populations, and the contrast between the two encounters is something past travellers on this itinerary consistently describe as the trip’s defining feature.
The drive between the two parks, along Lake Kivu’s western shore from Goma to Bukavu, is also a meaningful part of the itinerary in its own right, passing through terraced hillside farmland and lakeside towns that give a broader sense of eastern DRC’s landscape and daily life beyond its two most famous parks. Rather than treating this transfer as dead time, we’ve built it into the itinerary as a full day, avoiding the temptation to rush between activities.
Why Travel With All in Africa Safaris
We coordinate every Congo itinerary directly with Virunga National Park’s own tourism authority and local partners in Goma and Bukavu, so the routing, permit availability and security guidance on this page reflect current, on-the-ground conditions rather than a generic template. Every detail can be adjusted to your travel dates and interests before you book.
Tour Includes
- Travel in a 4x4 car
- Professional guide
- Park fees
- Accommodation
- Meals as listed
- All Activities In Itinerary
Tour Excludes
- Alcoholic drinks
- Laundry
- Tips
- Shopping
- Insurance
- Anything not included per itinerary
Get Your Tailored Congo Safari
Ready to Plan Your Trip
Every detail on this itinerary, lodge category, exact pacing, and optional activities, can be adjusted to fit your specific travel dates and interests. Our team stays reachable from initial planning through your return flight home, coordinating permits, border logistics and transport as a single, connected itinerary.
Relaxing at Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s Great Lakes straddling the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, offers a genuinely restful counterpoint to the physical demands of gorilla trekking. Unlike many of Africa’s lakes, Kivu is free of both crocodiles and the bilharzia parasite, making it one of the few large lakes on the continent that is safe to swim in. Towns along the Rwandan shoreline, particularly Gisenyi and Kibuye, have developed a relaxed lakeside atmosphere with waterfront lodges, and a boat trip out to one of the lake’s islands or simply an evening watching local fishermen head out in their traditional wooden boats makes for an easy final day before flying home.
Gorilla Trekking in Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest national park, spans the Congolese side of the Virunga Massif and is home to roughly a third of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Trekking conditions here can be more rugged than in neighbouring Rwanda or Uganda, with permits, when available, offering a genuinely off-the-beaten-path experience with far fewer visitors overall. The park’s rangers, many of whom have worked through periods of significant regional instability to protect the gorillas, are central to the park’s ongoing conservation story, and a trek here often carries added weight for travellers aware of that history.
Hiking Mount Nyiragongo’s Lava Lake
Mount Nyiragongo, an active stratovolcano rising above Virunga National Park, holds the largest lava lake on earth within its roughly two-kilometre-wide summit crater. The hike to the crater rim is a demanding but non-technical climb of around six hours, gaining nearly 1,500 metres in elevation through changing vegetation zones before the volcanic terrain of the upper slopes. Most visitors overnight in basic shelter cabins at the summit specifically to see the lava lake glowing after dark, when the molten rock’s churning surface is visible against the night sky, before descending the following morning. It is regarded as one of the most dramatic volcano treks in Africa.
Eastern Lowland Gorillas at Kahuzi-Biega
Kahuzi-Biega National Park, named for the two extinct volcanoes at its centre, protects the last significant population of Grauer’s gorilla, also known as the eastern lowland gorilla, the largest of all gorilla subspecies. Treks here take place across lower-altitude, less physically demanding terrain than mountain gorilla trekking in the Virungas, moving through dense lowland and bamboo forest to reach one of the park’s habituated families. Because Grauer’s gorillas exist only in eastern Congo and their numbers have declined sharply over recent decades due to habitat loss and instability in the region, a successful trek here is a genuinely rare wildlife encounter.
7 Days Virunga & Kahuzi-Biega Gorilla Safari
DRC’s most complete gorilla itinerary, combining mountain and Eastern lowland gorilla trekking in one trip.
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