5 Days DR Congo Gorilla & Wildlife Safari – Virunga & Tchegera Island

Arrive in Goma via Goma International Airport or cross the Grande Barrière border post from Rwanda. After visa procedures and check-in at the Virunga tourism office, a park representative will meet you for your transfer to Virunga National Park.

Enjoy a scenic drive toward Bukima or Kibumba, passing through lava fields, rural farmlands, and the foothills of Mount Nyiragongo. After checking into your lodge, relax with views of the forest and a short orientation by park staff. Optional activities include a gentle nature walk or birdwatching around the lodge grounds.

Accommodation: Kibumba Tented Camp or Mikeno Lodge
Meals: Lunch and dinner included
Activities: Border assistance or airport pickup, scenic drive, optional walk

After an early breakfast, head to Bukima Ranger Station, where you’ll meet rangers for a safety briefing before the gorilla trek. Groups are assigned based on hiking fitness, and treks may range from 1 to 4 hours through bamboo and montane forest, depending on gorilla locations.

Upon locating the gorilla family, you will have one hour to observe and photograph the primates in their natural habitat. Witness the dynamics of the group, from silverbacks to playful juveniles and nursing mothers.

Return to the lodge for lunch and rest. Spend the evening sharing stories around the fireplace or reviewing photos with the guide.

Accommodation: Kibumba Tented Camp or Mikeno Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Activities: Gorilla trek, photography, forest exploration

Today you’ll transfer to Rumangabo, Virunga's central headquarters. Enjoy a guided forest walk on the Mahura Forest Trail, offering chances to see colobus monkeys, bushbuck, and a variety of birdlife. Learn about park conservation projects and forest ecology from the ranger team.

In the afternoon, visit the Senkwekwe Center, the world’s only sanctuary for orphaned mountain gorillas. Meet the caretakers and learn about how young gorillas rescued from poaching or conflict are rehabilitated.

Spend the evening relaxing at the lodge or joining an optional conservation talk.

Accommodation: Mikeno Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Activities: Wildlife walk, gorilla orphanage visit, conservation discussion

After breakfast, transfer to Goma and take a boat to Tchegera Island, a peaceful crescent-shaped island in Lake Kivu. The short boat ride (approx. 30–40 minutes) offers beautiful lake views and distant volcano silhouettes.

Check in to your waterfront tented camp and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Optional activities include sea kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, or nature walks around the island. Tchegera is also known for its sunset views and quiet atmosphere, perfect for unwinding after your forest treks.

Accommodation: Tchegera Island Camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Activities: Boat transfer, kayaking or paddleboarding, nature walks

After breakfast on the island, return by boat to Goma. Depending on your travel plans, your guide will transfer you to the airport or border. Optional stops can be made for shopping or lunch in Goma (if time permits).

Meals: Breakfast included
Activities: Island boat return, airport or border transfer

Included highlights:

Gorilla trekking permit and ranger fees

Guided forest walk in Mahura Forest

Visit to Senkwekwe Gorilla Orphanage

Boat excursion to Tchegera Island

Full board accommodation and all transfers