20 Days Virunga & Rwenzori Trekking
20 days Virunga mountains and Rwenzori
This 20 day trip in Virunga mountains and Rwenzori is going to be a great time for you enjoy mountain hikes of two famous mountains: Rwenzori and Nyiragongo while visiting other destinations in the different countries of Uganda and Congo
Activities
- Boat cruise on Lake kivu
- Mountain gorilla trekking
- Chimpanzee habituation
- Mountain Nyiragongo hike
- Ijdwi island
- Mountain Rwenzori hike
- Game drive
- Boat cruise
- Rhino tracking
- Sezibwa falls visit
- Griffin falls camp walk
- Jinja city trip
- Uganda railway museum
- The Nile boat cruise
- Kampala city walk
- Entebbe town tour
Destinations
- Lake kivu
- Virunga national park
- Mountain Nyiragongo
- Ijdwi island
- Mountain Rwenzori
- Male and female hot springs
- Murchison falls national park
- Ziwa rhino sanctuary
- Sezibwa falls
- Griffin falls camp
- Jinja city
- Uganda railway museum
- The Nile
- Kampala city
- Entebbe town
Highlights
Day 1: arrival in Congo, lake kivu transfer to Virunga
Day 2: ascending the mountain
Day 3: descending the mountain
Day 4: mountain gorilla trekking
Day 5: chimpanzee habituation
Day 6: birding
Day 7: lake kivu and idjwi island
Day 8: transfer to Uganda
Day 9: arrival to Rwenzori, and ascend
Day 10: John matte to Elena hut (4563m)
Day 11: Elena to Bujuku camp (3930m) – Hiking to the top
Day 12: Bujuku to Nyabitaba hut (2660m)
Day 13: Nyabitaba back to Nyakalengija
Day 14: transfer to Murchison falls, launch trip
Day 15: game drive and ziwa
Day 16: jinja city trip and griffin falls camp
Day 17: Uganda railway museum, itanda falls, Nile cruise
Day 18: Kampala city tour
Day 19: Entebbe tour
Day 20: departure
Details
Day 1: arrival in Congo, lake kivu transfer to Virunga
Arrival at Goma International Airport the main airport serving Goma, which is a city in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our tour guide will be waiting to pick you up from the airport. He will also brief you about the 20 days trip and get you ready for your next destination, lake kivu. It is 43km away from Goma airport so it will not take you long before you arrive. At the lake, you will choose between kayaking and a boat cruise and also spend the rest of the day enjoying the cool lake breeze.
Lunch will be available at the lake.
Your guide will drive you to Virunga national park in the evening, where you will spend the night.
Accommodation: Mikeno Lodge
Bukima Tented Camp
Kibumba Tented Camp
Day 2: ascending the mountain
On this day you will have breakfast early morning, then your guide will take you for briefing at the hiking departure point at Kibati patrol post. The hiking experience usually starts at 10:00AM and will take approximately 4-6 hours depending on the speed and strength of the participants.
The mountain has 5 climbing sections and after the fourth, any slow climber will be left behind so be sure to be fit and fast enough to reach the summit on time
You will enjoy the views of the summit, different vegetation covers and the glowing lava lake once at the top.
Your chef will prepare dinner for you.
Accommodation and dinner will be at the Summit shelter Camp
Day 3: descending the mountain
In the morning, after you have had your breakfast, you will descend back from the Volcano and this is much easier than ascending. Your guide will be waiting up to transfer you to your lodge where you will spend the night.
Accommodation: Mikeno Lodge
Bukima Tented Camp
Kibumba Tented Camp
The lodge will provide all 3 meals
Day 4: mountain gorilla trekking
Have your early morning breakfast and have your guide lead you to Bukima office for briefing about all the trekking information. After this, you will start your journey to search for the mountain gorillas through different trails with the park guide assigned to you. Once you find the groups, you will be allowed one hour to take pics, videos and observe the gorillas.
Your lodge will provide parked lunch for you to enjoy along your trek
Dinner will be available at the lodge
overnight at Mikeno Lodge (Luxury)
Kibumba Tented Camp (Mid-range)
Day 5: chimpanzee habituation
Wake up early and prepare for your trek. The guide will drive you to the park offices for briefing.
The experience starts at 6am with a maximum of 4 members per group per family to be habituated that day. The guides go in first to look for the right spot the chimps are. These are then followed by the guides with the tourists to the identified spot. Once found, you will be given up to four hours to spend with and video or photo the chimps.
The lodge will provide packed breakfast for you to have during or after the trek since the whole experience may take up to half a day.
Your guide will be ready to drop you at your lodge when your done.
Dinner and overnight Mikeno Lodge (Luxury)
Kibumba Tented Camp (Mid-range)
Day 6: birding
Virunga national park is an amazingly undiscovered bird watching destination in Africa with over 706 species can be spotted in the park including a total of 24 endemic species. Your driver hand you over to the birding guide that will show you different species like the Rwenzori Turaco, Francolinus nobilis among others.
All Meals will be served at the lodge.
Accommodation: Mikeno Lodge
Bukima Tented Camp
Kibumba Tented Camp
Day 7: lake kivu and transfer to idwi island
After your breakfast, your guide will be ready to transfer you to the lake. It only takes one hour to reach the island of Idjwi by speedboat that sails between two of the main cities in the DRCs South Kivu region, Goma and Bukavu.
At the island, you will visit the largest pineapple farms, take a village stroll, interact with the locals, fishing and swimming if you wish.
You will spend a night here at one of the local lodges.
Day 8: transfer to Uganda
From the lake, you will be driven back to Goma international airport from which you will have you flights to Rwanda. From Rwanda, it will be easier to access Kasese by road, the district nearest to the mt Rwenzori. No much will be done today, just enough time for you to get in shape for the trek and have a break from the other activities.
Accommodation options: lodge Bella vista
Sandton hotel Kasese
Meals will be ready at the lodge.
Day 9: arrival to Rwenzori, and ascend
Hiking in Nyakalengija at the head office where you will be briefed and then pick your hiking equipment. The guides and porters will be ready and you will start the hike passing through the local settlements, tropical forests, montane forests, bamboo forest and part of the alpine. As you hike, you will have a stopover at Nyabitaba hut for lunch and then proceed through the Kurt Schaffer Bridge, which is at the conference of Mubuku and Bujuku Rivers. You will then reach john matte where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 10: john mate to Elena camp
After breakfast at john matte, you will pass through the rocky and slippery area as you cross-different rivers and stream. Along this route, you will spot where you will be able to spot the Margherita and Alexandra peaks at a distance. You will then proceed with the hike through the lower bigo bog where boards were put to make movement easier, you will spot various plants like giant lobelia, groundsels, and everlasting flowers among others. You will continue to hike through the rocky parts of mount Stanley to Elena hut where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 11: Elena to Bujuku camp (3930m) – Hiking to the top
On this day you will start the hike at around 2am, get ready with your hiking gear and headlamps, you will hike through the rocky area, and you will use the ropes as you hike on some spots to the Stanley glacier. You will need your crampons. After the Stanley glacier, you will remove the crampons and continue with the hike through the rocks to the Margherita glacier. The hike through the Margherita glacier will lead you to Margherita peak, which is the highest point of the Rwenzori.
You will then descend back to Elena hut where you will rest and have lunch. And then continue to descend to Bujuku hut where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 12: Bujuku to Nyabitaba hut (2660m)
After breakfast at Bujuku you will move through the upper bigo bog, continue descending through the lower bigo bog to john matte where you will rest and have lunch. You will then proceed to Nyabitaba hut where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 13: Nyabitaba back to Nyakalengija
After breakfast at Nyabitaba, you will descend back to Nyakalengija through the bamboo forests. The path down can be slippery and muddy with little to hold on to and requires careful balancing over the vertical mud or steep rock. After about 5 hours of trekking you will reach Nyabitaba hut where you will have a stopover for lunch and continue to descend for more 3 hours to Nyakalengija.
Upon arrival at Nyakalengija in the late evening, your driver will be ready to transfer you to your hotel where you will spend the night.
Accommodation: Rwenzori sports resort
Acacia villa
Day 14: transfer to Murchison falls, launch trip
Be ready to have your breakfast at the lodge on time and prepare to check out of the hotel as you wait to be transferred to your next location.
When you are ready, you will meet up with your guide and start the 308 km journey to Murchison falls national park.
You will have lunch in masindi before you proceed to the park.
Upon arrival at the park, you will be briefed about your next activity and driven to the Nile for your launch trip. Here, you will have an up close encounter with hippos, buffaloes, birds and Nile crocodiles.
Your guide will drive you to the lodge in the evening
Accommodation options: chobe safari lodge
Pakuba safari lodge
Red chili rest camp
The lodge will provide all 3 daily meals
Day 15: game drive and ziwa
After your breakfast and checking out of the hotel you will meet up with your guide and he will lead you through to the game drive. During your drive, you will see different animals and birds like the zebras, lions, elephants and variety of flora and other flora.
Afterwards, you will head out straight out to ziwa rhino sanctuary a private, animal sanctuary in Uganda established in 2005 to re-introduce Southern White Rhinos in the wild. This is one of the places in uganda one gets to see rhinos besides the zoo. You will a good number of rhinos as you walk through the park and you are allowed to take them photos and videos.
You will have your lunch here at the sanctuary.
Accommodation and dinner will be at the accommodation facility you choose.
Options: amuka lodge
Mama washindi lodge
Day 16: Sezibwa falls, griffin falls camp and jinja city trip
Wake up early, have your breakfast and get ready to set off for 212.5 km to jinja via Kampala – gulu highway / Kampala – masindi.
You will first visit Sezibwa falls along the main road between Kampala and Jinja in the District of Mukono. The falls are a result of water squeezing through narrow opening of rocks and dropping at great speed (17 meters) into a large pool that is about 14 meters deep.
At the falls, the guide will take you around for a walk around and up to the top of the falls for a clear view.
From Sezibwa, you will continue to griffin falls camp in mabira forest reserve. At the camp, you can participate in archery, zip lining and nature walk to see the falls.
Lunch will be provided here
Later in the evening, you will be driven to jinja district. On your way, you will see the source of river Nile, the new and old bridge as you make your way into the district. Your guide will drive you around the city and later to your hotel where you will have dinner.
Accommodation: the Nile hotel jinja
2 friends jinja hotel
Wild waters lodge
Day 17: uganda railway museum, Nile cruise
Your today’s trip will start in the mid morning with a drive to the uganda railway museum along jinja- iganga road. At the museum, you will learn about the history of railways in uganda.
Afterwards, your driver will drive you back to the source of the Nile. Activities like boat cruises and lunch will be catered for here. There is also a number of craft villages so be sure to carry money with you.
You will spend the rest of the day here.
Accommodation: the Nile hotel jinja
2 friends jinja hotel
Wild waters lodge
Day 18: Kampala city tour
Once you arrive in Kampala, you will have your lunch and get ready for the city walk.
It will start off from the Hindu temple, Nakasero market, old taxi park, owino market, kisenyi, lubiri and end at kabakas lake.
From here, your driver will drive you to Entebbe where you will spend the night.
Accommodation options: protea hotel
Lake Victoria hotel
Hotel horizon
Day 19: Entebbe tour
While in Entebbe, you will visit different places like the Kasenyi landing site, Entebbe golf course, see nakiwogo landing site, the zoo, Entebbe botanical gardens, the state house, old planes, craft villages, markets, different hotels and beaches. You can choose to spend the evening after the tour at any of the beaches.
Accommodation options: protea hotel
Lake Victoria hotel
Hotel horizon
Day 20: departure
Have your breakfast and prepare for your flight. The guide will drive you to the airport.
Trip includes
- Mt gorilla treking
- Nyiragongo hike
- Chimpanzee habituation
- Birding
- Lake kivu
- Rwenzori hike
- Male and female hot springs
- Murchison falls activities
- Jinja trip
- Entebbe town tour
- Kampala city walk
- Car
- Guides
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Water
Trip excludes
- Tips
- Porters
- Extra snacks
- Other activities not on itinerary
- Visa fees
What to carry
- Good bush shoes
- Insect repellents
- Sleeping
- Extra snacks
- Cameras
- Binoculars
- Rain coats
- Plastic Shoe covers
