4 Days Congo Eastern Lowland Gorilla trekking and Tshibati Waterfall exploration
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4 Days Congo Eastern Lowland Gorilla trekking and Tshibati Waterfall exploration
By Kwafrika Travel
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About
A safari in Africa to view a group of these unique apes is undeniably one of the most thrilling and most sought-after adventures that you should count a must to include in your next safari holiday.
This 4 days Gorilla safari takes you to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lowland Gorillas are found in Kahuzi Biega national park. Located in South Kivu, Kahuzi Biega is a World Heritage site and one of two homes of the Eastern Lowland Gorillas.
Spending one to four hours on a face to face encounter with these dramatic creatures is such a magical experience that comes once in a lifetime! Visitor encounters with these Great apes entirely involves exploring their general behavior and lifestyles (feeding, mating, nesting, body gestures and others) while they are in their natural habitat
Lowest price guaranteeFree cancellation
Ages 18-70, max of 15 per group
Duration: 4 days
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English, French
More
- All Fees and Taxes
- Lunch
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Breakfast
- Breakfast
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Private transportation
- National museum fees (Rwanda)
- Visa fées (105$)
- Gorilla Tracking Permit
- Fées to enter Lwiro research center
- Visiting Tshibali waterfall
- Professional guide
- Hotel pickups and drop off
- Accommodation 2 nights
- Entry/Admission - The Ethnographic Museum
- Entry/Admission - Kahuzi-Biega National Park
- Entry/Admission - Kahuzi-Biega National Park
What's not included- International flights
- Tipa
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, etc.)
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Start:Traveller pickup offered.
- Kigali International Airport Park, Kigali, RwandaWe pick travellers from the airport
Pickup details- We pick travellers from the airport or the hotel of they have already gotten in Kigali
End:- Kigali International Airport Park, Kigali, Rwanda
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 140082P3- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for travellers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travellers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travellers can participate
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 140082P3
From
₹2,13,719.49
per adult (price varies by group size)
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Paolo D0 contributionsEastern lowland gorilla trekking at DRCOne of the my most memorable trips is my Eastern DRC trip (July 26-29,2024). . I entered DRC through the Rusizi-Bukavu land border and got my visa easily with the help of my guide, Daniel. After entering Congo, I did a Bukavu city tour, eastern lowland Gorilla trekking at Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Goma city tour. Daniel was my guide all throughout my trip in DRC and he did an excellent job. On top of being my guide, he also helped me with immigration. He was physically we with me during my entry and exit at DRC. I felt safe and well taken care of during my trip. I stayed in comfortable hotels and ate delicious international/local foods. The highlight for me is seeing the lowland gorillas at Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Compared to mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda (which I also did), lowland gorilla trekking is easier because the terrain is less steep. Other advantages of going on a tour at KBP is that there are less tourists and the gorilla permit is cheaper. The KBP rangers are very professional and knowledgeable. Although my trip was short (4 days), it was a very full itinerary. I would also like to thank Veridique for helping me plan my itinerary and taking care of the necessary permits. Thank you Kwafrika.Written 29 July 2024
- SafarisInsider120 contributionsAmazing experienceAs a CEO, travelling is a part of my job. While I always travel for work, I do my best to get some additional time to experience the places my work brings me to as I deeply believe that travelling is the best form of education there is. Finding a reliable tour operator in least visited country can be a hassle, but lucky for me, I had been in the Congo before, so I already knew a trusted and reliable tour operator offering inbound tours and activities to the DR Congo. Picked from my hotel by Terrence my English-speaking guide, we departed to Baz Congo Province where the magnificent 65m-high Zongo waterfall is located. It took us 5 hours using a 4X4 Jeep to reach the waterfall through Kisantu. The road is a paved one from Kinshasa to Kisantu (120Km), however, the branch out from Kisantu to the waterfall is unpaved thus bumpy (50 km). Upon arriving at the Selli Safari Resort, I checked-in a Chalet before going to the waterfall which is located within a minute from Selli Safari Resort. The views were amazing. This is an excellent place. Waterfall and climate are superb. You can enjoy with or without family. The following day, we left too early to go back to Kinshasa to experience the Bonobos, our closest human relative. The bonobos are located just before you reach Kinshasa on your way from Bas Congo where they are protected in a special preserve which is surrounded by the rainforest and has a lake inside. The Bonobos are kept in a fence in forest and they are well taken care of. The sanctuary rescues orphaned babies and try to habituate them to the wild. Their public awareness efforts are commendable, and they are worth supporting with a visit or a donation. The visit is done in groups, a complete visit lasts from 90’ to 2 hours. In the afternoon, we went for a crash Kinshasa City tour after tasting local food from Chez Flore Restaurant, which I highly recommended. In the evening, dinner was taken from Majestic River Restaurant an amazing ship restaurant located at the shore of Congo River whith mesmerizing views on Brazzaville, the capital city of neighboring Congo Brazzaville. The following day, we departed to Bandundu Province for a game drive and a boat cruise. As per my guide’s morning briefing, leaving Gombe township where my hotel was located to Nsele, it ordinarily takes 3 to 4 hours, but as a consequence lingering construction works of grade separation started by the recently elected president to ease the traffic in the capital city, we were caught up in a traffic jam for almost 2 hours, before the former president’s procession come to decongest the road. Terrence let me know that the former president is now using his full time to engage in environment conservation and boosting domestic tourism, the parc we were to visit was even one of his actions thereto. Upon reaching, Parc de la Vallée de la N’sele, we went for a game drive in a modified truck adapted for game drive. We even bumped into former president and his wife as they were bringing their visitors through the park. The park is still being populated with animals representing the biodiversity of the Congo, I could spot lions (they have got 9 of them), impalas, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, rhinos, elephants. In addition, there are a lot of activities around the park. Cycling, kayaking, hiking or riding the Zip line. Upon finishing the game drive, we departed to Safaris Beach which is located 20’ from Parc de la Vallée de la Nsele on your way back to Kinshasa. Freddy was the captain with years of experience on the Congo River, he brought me to a captivating cruise with the best sunset I have never seen in my entire life. They cruise was done in a comfortable wooden speedboat and lasted one hour and it was worth it. I spent the night at Selli Safari Resort, the staff was excellent there, so was the food. The following day, I was transferred to N’djili International Airport which is located 30’ away from the resort. Terrence my guide, was phenomenal, being an experienced local he managed to deal with all the unforeseen events with ease and professionalism. I highly recommend Kwafrika Travel for when it promises, it always delivers. I will definitely come back for a multiday tours on Congo River starting from Mbandaka or Kishangani, why not?Written 14 May 2020
- KevinA3630 contributionsAn Awesome AdventureThis was an amazing adventure that fulfilled a life’s worth of curiosity and longing to see the Congo. Yes, it is an expensive expedition, but for the expertise, guidance, safety and knowledge from Kwafrika Travel, it is worth every penny. There was no time whatsoever where I worried about my safety. This expedition is for the adventurous-minded traveler. When they say you need a degree of fitness, this is not an understatement. The hiking required for the gorilla trekking and the volcano hike is strenuous, to say the least. I am a very fit 62-year old. I did it, but it wasn’t easy. The payoff for my efforts were spectacles that have changed my life (seriously). My Kwafrika Travel guides were always attentive to any concerns. The rangers who escorted me on the hikes were not only there to protect and to act as guides, but they were also friendly and helpful in all ways. Because this 9-day excursion is by no means a small undertaking, I will write as detailed a review of my experience as possible. I warn you, my review is long. I’ve been to Africa many times prior to this trip, but never to the Congo nor Rwanda. Every single day was eye-opening and revelatory, at least for me. I’ll summarize as best I can. Traveling to Rwanda was a breeze. Getting in and out of Kigali airport was straightforward and uncomplicated. I had applied for and received my Rwanda tourist visa online. My initial visa application to enter the Congo was handled by Kwafrika prior to my leaving home, so that, as it turns out, was a godsend. Rock, my guide for the eastern Congo leg of my tour, was waiting for me when I arrived at Kigali with Moses, my driver. I stayed at the Radisson Blu hotel, which was kind of spectacular, to be honest. I had booked this hotel myself. The next morning I met Rock and we proceeded on the 4-hour drive through the hills of Rwanda towards Goma and the DRC frontier (or Grande Barriere). As all travelers should be aware, particularly when traveling to Africa, one needs to be flexible. If you expect a rigid adherence to an itinerary, you will be frustrated. If you are patient, flexible, and willing to improvise, then you’ll have a terrific time. Such was the case on my Congo tour. Crossing the border from Rwanda into Goma, everyone is required to get out of their vehicle and pass through a safety and health check where you wash hands with treated water and your body temperature is checked to make sure you’re not feverish or possibly suffering from an ebola affliction. To be sure, Goma was not affected by the latest ebola outbreak, but the country is extremely diligent in keeping the spread of the virus in check. Once through the border, we were too late for the scheduled lunch. We had to meet the Virunga Park rangers at 2pm for their escort into Virunga National Park or wait another day. No matter, a sumptuous lunch was waiting when we arrived at camp anyway. Saying the road to the camp was “bumpy” is an understatement. Fascinating is that it is heavily populated by by motorcycle riders going to and from market with goods to sell and passengers to deliver. After passing several small markets, we made our way up to the Kibumba Tented Camp, which was very elegant and lived up to the photos on the web. The staff of Kibumba could not have been more gracious nor accommodating. It is a top-notch resort with impeccable service and attention to detail. The tented accommodations were very comfortable and the view towards Nyiragongo on a clear night was spectacular. In the morning we began our gorilla trek after a short briefing the night before from Augustino, one of the longest tenured rangers in the camp. I was the only guest trekking, so the pace of the expedition was up to me. I made it a point to keep up the pace of the lead rangers, but it was a significant climb through rainy, dense and narrow jungle with quite a bit of elevation gained. I was soaking wet from rain and sweat, but after an hour and forty-five minutes into the bamboo forest, we arrived at the Baraka gorilla family. I was able to maneuver, guided by the rangers, very deftly near and within the gorilla family. I had several cameras and lenses and managed to get a few shot-of-a-lifetime images, IMO. The rangers made sure I was able to photograph at least one member of each group: silverback, mother, adolescent silverbacks, babies. After my hour was up, we headed back down the mountain in the rain and to the lodge. This was a newly habituated gorilla family, but they accepted our presence with no animosity. The next morning was the hike to the summit of Nyiragongo. I hired two porters at $25 each; one for my camera bag and the other for my duffel bag with warm clothes for once we summited the volcano. You will want to hire a porter. The hike was one of the most challenging accomplishments of my life. I can’t imagine climbing it with a full pack on my back. There were military-trained rangers front and back for myself and my one hiking companion, Beatriz, from Brazil. We were accompanied by porters, cooks, my guide Rock and up to five rangers. It was tougher to the summit than I imagined, and rainy. After getting soaked on the gorilla trek, this time I was prepared, using my rain poncho. We made it to the summit in exactly six hours. My legs hurt, my lungs were screaming “no mas”, but once the mist cleared and the view to the lava lake below opened up, it was all worth it. What a spectacular experience. Rock expertly advised me that even though it would be cold, I should wear shorts and change once I reach the summit. This was excellent advice. Because I was on the Kwafrika Travel tour, my chef Amani traveled up the volcano with an amazing assortment of foods for dinner. He prepared this around a super-warm fire in the cook’s hut, and the same for breakfast in the morning. It was amazing what Amani was able to cook over a fire of hot coals. And the heat from the fire was soothing beyond words. I photographed the lava lake and the volcano in the evening and in the morning. I photographed the sunrise. At 6:30am we began our descent down the volcano. Definitely purchase a walking stick at base camp for $5. It will be a wise investment, particularly on the way down on the slippery lava rocks. A sturdy pair of hiking shoes is a must. Lace them up tight. I slid inside my shoes on the descent and my toes paid the price until I tightened up the laces. That afternoon we caught a small boat to Tchegera Island, which is part of the Virunga National Park. It’s a tented camp similar to Kibumba, except the tented lodgings are on the beach on a tranquil and beautiful bay on the small island. Once again, the staff were excellent and friendly. Kwafrika Travel had planned a surprise birthday cake and gathering for me, which was completely unexpected. I had a fabulous time sharing cake and stories with the staff, whom I quickly considered friends. It was a wonderful chance to just chill and recuperate from two days of intensive hiking. I wanted to stay longer, it was so peaceful. The next morning we embarked to Goma for a city tour of a city that was devastated by the Nyiragongo volcano eruption in 2002. My guide Rock was a small boy when the volcano erupted. He told stories of sticking sticks into the slow-moving lava as it approached town. There are establishments in town where the basements are full of hardened lava. Parts of town that used to be farmland are now a bed of lava and rock and small business kiosks now populate what used to be corn fields. Personally, this was a new and unique experience I will never forget. I stayed overnight in the Ihusi Hotel on Lake Kivu, which replaced a hotel stay in Kigali. This was an instance of being flexible that paid off. The view of Lake Kivu from the balcony of my hotel suite was fantastic. This concluded the eastern Congo portion of my tour. The next morning I departed for Kinshasa. For many, Kinshasa may not be a necessary stop on the Congo tour, but for me it was essential. From the time I first read Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” and learned about Stanley’s exposition to navigate the Congo, I had determined to see this great and historic river. Because Kinshasa is Kinshasa, pending a day on the river was not possible as was promised on my itinerary. I was, however, able to spend a couple of hours on a traditional boat taking a brief tour on the river. For a longer excursion, I’ll have to return some other day. Kinshasa is a huge, sprawling, bustling African metropolis. Getting around is a challenge due to traffic and other impossible-to-anticipate delays. As in all big cities, you must always be aware of your surroundings. I had no trouble at all, but I spent many years in New York City, so I was always careful. The Hotel Memling where I stayed was top-shelf. All the accommodations for my tour were top-shelf, by the way. The Bonobos sanctuary was a thrill to visit, although navigating our way through Kinshasa took some time. Terrence, who is from Kinshasa, was more than happy to fill me in on past and present politics of the Congo as we passed presidential palaces and other important landmarks. The Congo is celebrating a newly elected president, Felix Tshisekedi. As we made our way to the sanctuary we listened to his first address to his Parliament. It was in French, but Terrence and my driver, who were having a nice political debate, were happy to translate for me. During my four days in Kinshasa, we visited several museums and lunched at Chez Flore, a restaurant everyone should try when in Kinshasa. I visited the new national museum, which was a green and solar-powered thoroughly modern building. Very impressive. More than anything, I loved learning about the political and colonial history of the Congo from people who actually lived there. Culturally, there was no trading this experience. We visited Laurent Kabila’s grave and I received a greater understanding of the Kabilas and their presidencies. We had a mild debate about Stanley and his contributions, both negative and positive, to the history of the Congo. As a tourist, getting around the Congo can be complicated and daunting. For this alone, it was great that I had Kwafrika Travel on board. Their knowledge of procedures was invaluable, especially entering and leaving the Congo. Could I have done it alone? Maybe. Maybe not. I didn’t want to take the chance, Not part of the tour, but a wonderful surprise, was my visit with the Minister of Tourism of the Congo, Bunkulu Yves. The Minister of Tourism pledged that the new administration was committed to making the Congo a more tourist-friendly place to visit. Maybe by the time I go back, some changes will have occurred. In summary, this was an incredible tour. Not everything worked out according to schedule, but Kwafrika Travel was always able to make adjustments so that tour was always satisfying and living up to its promise. I would recommend this tour. For the adventurous, you will not be disappointed.Written 22 December 2019
- Explore263440778720 contributionsOnce in a life timeAmazing... visiting the lava lake was the best thing ever! Would recommend if you are an adventurer brave enough to go to DRC! Armed guards the whole hike so it is safe enough and worth the amazing sight. Solo traveller and never felt worried and met a few people on tour as well. Was surprised that there was at least 5-10 people going up and coming down when we i was there.Written 30 June 2019
- SafarisInsider120 contributionsHad a once in a life time experience in Eastern CongoAfter a short stay in Kigali to attend to the Africa CEO forum where I met Veridique, the CEO of Kwafrika Travel, he convinced me to embark on a 4 days Congo Nyiragongo Volcano Hike and Mountain Gorilla Tracking. I was skeptical given the news I have always heard coming from the Eastern part of Congo but the young CEO was very persuasive. I left Kigali early in the morning to reach Goma 4 hours later, right after we proceeded to Virunga National Park accompanied with rangers (who were armed). My local guide was as said above from Kwafrika Travel, he looked knowledgeable and professional as he was putting on branded clothes and he carried a couple of books. We had the overnight in Kibumba Tented Camp, the tent is furnished and filled with all necessities making it no different from a luxurious suite: good food, a bar, private shower, comfortable bed etc. There are two mess tents where dinner and other meals are served. There is also a lounge for relaxing and sharing experiences of the adventures you are yet to take and have already taken. The following day, we started walking along a forest path and walked for quite some times, being a runner, I really enjoyed the motion. The path was at times almost carpeted with butterflies. Our guide, Rocklee (with 5+ years of experience in Virunga) usually heard the gorillas before he saw them, then pointed them out to us. He was knowledgeable, nonintrusive but totally available, and a pleasure to go with. The rangers looked solemn until we talked with them and they seemed to be passionate about their jobs, conservation of the park home to the endangered mountain gorillas, one of them told me that the future generation needs to see these gorillas reason why we need to keep the park safe. Arriving in Kibati for Mount Nyiragongo Hike, Rocklee introduced us to our porters, the guys who would bring our stuffs to the peak of Nyiragongo, then we went for a briefing before embarking on a 4 hours Nyiragongo hike, one of the most challenging things I have had to do. Nyiragongo’s summit rim is largely devoid of vegetation and that day was dusted with snow. From the rim, I could peer down into a churning lava lake (the world's largest lava lake), see and hear hot gases exploding up through a mosaic of molten lava. Eastern Congo is your destination of choice for value for money and diversity of experiences, tracking the gorillas for example, you will have to pay 3 to 5 times more in Uganda, Rwanda compared to the DR Congo plus you have the Nyiragongo Volcano which is absent in those areas. Kwafrika Travel is your best choice when it comes not only to visit Congo but also to arrange safaris in East Africa where they operate too. With their first-hand ground knowledge and experience, their tailor-made itineraries are flawless (I will definitely be back in Africa next year for the 21 days Congo-Rwanda-Kenya and Zanzibar safaris)! They know they way around, are in daily contact with the National Park authorities and work at the best possible prices. Their management team have also personally experienced all the trips, accommodation and activities, I can tell as I could hear the CEO of Kwafrika when in Kigali vouching for all details of the experience. If you're not either adventurous and enthusiastic or in reasonably good shape, or both, this safaris would be uncomfortably difficult but it's definitely a once in a lifetime experience.Written 30 April 2019
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Erik O
Mbabane, Eswatini (Swaziland)1 contribution
We had an amazing visit to see the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Kwafrika organized our trip and it went smoothly. A few hiccups were expected and Kwafrika quickly sorted them out. Daniel was a fantastic guide. We found the gorillas within an hour of hiking and got to stay and observe them for one hour. It was unbelievable. The guide/ranger was very knowledgeable.
Written 21 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for having visited Kahuzi Biega National Park with us.
We wish you a happy new year 2025 and hope to see back in the future.
Written 23 January 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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