13 Days Congo Nyiragongo volcano & Rwenzoris mountains hiking (Lava & Glacier))

Day 1 · Pick up in Kigali

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   Kigali Genocide Memorial

   Passing by

   After breakfast at your hotel, our representative guide will pick and transfer you to Democratic Republic of Congo/Goma town. You will have lunch, Dinner and overnight at the Hotel in Goma. In the afternoon you may go for city tour depending on your arrival time.

Overnight at Ihusi Hotel

Day 2 · Nyiragongo volcano hike

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   Mount Nyiragongo

   20 hours Admission included

   This is a day for hiking to the summit of Mt Nyiragongo an active volcano in the heart of Virunga national park. You will have a morning breakfast and go for briefing at the hiking starting point. Hiking starts at 10:00am taking you roughly 6 hours to reach the summit of the volcano. Dinner and overnight at the tented camp.

   At the peak of Nyiragongo, the lava lake is incredible, you can spend hours watching the waves of lava and listening to its roars. You will sleep in basic huts (make sure to bring warm clothes as it’s quite cold up there) and you will probably wake up above the clouds.

Overnight in wooden shelter at the rim of Mt Nyiragongo

Day 3 · Departure to Tchegera Island

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   Stop 1

   15 hours Admission included

   After the challenging Nyiragongo Volcano hike and before the rough Rwenzori mountains hiking, place to a relax time in Eastern Congo’s iconic island. Tchegera Island is the greatest place to be and escape the hustles of the city more so after hiking Nyiragongo and tracking the gorillas. A picnic will be organized in the island, and for those who wants to do more than put their feet up you can swim in the (croc-free) bay and there are kayaks available for use – the area immediately in front of camp is well protected from the elements and is typically mill-pond calm, while the open lake beyond can get quite sporty. On clear nights, Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira volcanoes add to the drama by turning the night sky red with their glowing lava.

Overnight in Tchegera Islands Tented Camp

Day 4 · Departure to Mutsora via Mavivi Airport (Beni)

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   Goma

   Passing by

   You will take a boat very early in the morning to be brought in Goma City. Upon your arrival in Goma, you will be brought to Goma International Airport. It will take you 45’ to reach Mavivi Airport from Goma. Upon you arrival in Mavivi, our team will whisk away to Mutsora. You will be accompanied by armed rangers and it will take you 1 hour to reach the foothills of Rwenzori Mountains from the airport. , Depending on the time you reach Mutsora, you might enter the bush (40’ walk) to go experience thermal water which is a natural hot water flowing in the rocks at the foothills of Rwenzoris Massifs.

Overnight at Centre d’Accueil Touristique Mutsora which is equipped with mid-range tented camps

Day 5 · Climb up to the First Lodging - Kalonge at 2138 m of altitude

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   Stop 1

   7 hours

   After breakfast, you will depart to Kalevia which is located 4 km away from Mutsora. There you will be briefed after paying porters fees and complying with all hiking formalities. From Mutsora you will head to Kyandolirwe which is the hiking starting point (1700 m of altitude).

   Assigned porters and a guide begin the first day of the climb in the Rwenzori Mountains making final checks. All along the trek, your guide will allow for some stops for resting or photo opportunities.

   It takes 6 hours to reach the first lodging in Kalonge. During the trek, if lucky you will see chimpanzees or hear their sound. You will spot Rwenzori Turaco, Guerrezzas monkey, Cercopithecus (Red tailed monkeyguenon),… You will see a rare tree called ‘’PIJOUM’’ which under threat from locals as its bark is key to curing prostate and many other diseases. You will spot a couple of rivers during this first day trek to Kalonge. Kalonge means Bamboo and comes from the Nande dialect.

Overnight in basic huts in Kalonge

Day 6 · Climb up to the Second Lodging – Mahangu at 3310 m of altitude

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   Stop 1

   5 hours

   On this third day the hike will take you between 6 and 7 hours; you will climb up the Rwenzoris from Kalonge to Mahangu, a total of 1172m of altitude. Mahangu is Nande dialect and means between two hills. As you go up, you will cross Nyamuamba River, your porter will supply water from the river to get you to the summit. During the trek, if lucky you will see chimpanzees or hear their sound. You will spot Rwenzori Turaco, Jackson’s Chameleon which is a three horns chameleon, Cephalof Rubidus (an rare antelopes found only in the Rwenzoris), Green peacock,… The vegetation is pervasively made of purple forest heather and podocarp forests.

Overnight in basic hut in Mahangu

Day 7 · Climb up to the Third Lodging - Kiondo at 4200 m of altitude

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   Stop 1

   5 hours

   The trek up to Kyondo from Mahangu will take you up to 4h30’. Kiondo is Nande dialect and means the mud. You will spot Rwenzori Turaco, Guerrezzas monkey, Jackson’s Chameleon, sunlight birds, Pied Crow,… The vegetation is made of lobelia flowers, Carex Flowers, Immortelle (Ageless flower)

   As you reach Kiondo, you might go to WASUWAMESO located 262 m up from Kiondo at 4462m of altitude to be precise. Wasuwameso means Pleasure of the eyes. WASUWAMESO is a panoramic area at Pic Maria. From Pic Maria you will see Pic Marguerite (5119m alt) actually called Pic Stanley, Pic Alexandra (5098m alt), Pic Albert (5088m alt), Pic Mobeus and also glacier Stanley. From there, you can spot a gallery of rivers ranging from Semuliki river to Lac Edouard. If the atmosphere is not cloudy, you could even see Nyiragongo Volcano (Boasting the world’s largest lava lake), Beni and Butembo city.

   The fauna is made Cephalos, Pied Crow, Rwenzori Turaco, Sunlight birds, gallery of lakes (Black lake, Green Lake and Gray Lake). It takes 1h30’ to reach WASUWAMESO from KIONDO.

Overnight in basic hut in Kiondo

Day 8 · Climb up to the fourth Lodging - Moraine at 4350 m of altitude

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   Stop 1

   5 hours

   This is the day for a trek up to Moraine; it takes 2 hours to reach the lodging in Moraine where you will spend the rest of day and night unwinding and getting ready for the tough trek up to the summit (Pic Marguerite, Pic Albert). The trek up to Moraine is dangerous as trekkers cross the fault with the risk of falling and dying or being injured. The vegetation here is the same as in Mahangu and Kiondo. Moraine means, a place where there were used to be glacier but it has disappeared.

Overnight in Basic huts in Moraine

Day 9 · Trek up to Pic Margherita - at 5109 m of altitude

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   Stop 1

   5 hours

   On this day, you will go for a 6 hours trek up to reach the highest mountain range in Africa, with its loftiest peaks, Margherita (5,109m) and Alexandra (5083m) on Mount Stanley, both of them are exceeded in altitude elsewhere in Africa only by Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya. On this day, you will climb through narrow ridges. The climb will be a steep one on land of ice. The conditions at this altitude are mostly chilly, with the peaks covered in glaciers on some occasions.

   After surfing and enjoying pic margherita, you will head down to Moraine in a 3 hours descent. The descent will go up to Kiondo (4200m alt) if the group does not bump into so many crevasses in glacier. Most of the time, trekkers will spend the night at Moraine (4350m alt).

Overnight in Basic Huts in Moraine

Day 10 · Going down to the Second Lodging – Mahangu at 3310 m of altitude

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   Stop 1

   5 hours

   On this day, you will start the descent to the foothills of Rwenzori Massifs. Descending will be easier compared to the challenging hike. You will spend the night at the first lodging all the way from the fourth lodging (Moraine).

Overnight at the first lodging in Kalonge

Day 11 · Going down to the station

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   Stop 1

   7 hours Admission included

   You will leave Kalonge in the morning to reach Mutsora, the rwenzoris foothills in few hours.

Overnight at Mutsora Tented Camp

Day 12 · Cultural Visits in Mutwanga

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   Stop 1

   7 hours Admission included

   On this day, you will have the opportunity to interact with the local communities around the park in Mutwanga village and its surroundings, Mutwanga is home to the Nande who live in the foothills of the mountain where you will learn about their daily activities like farming, animal rearing, taste their traditional dishes, visit traditional healers, craft shops and engage in entertainment such as traditional dances, music, dramas which make your visit rewarding.

Overnight at Centre D'accueil Touristique Mutsora

Day 13 · Departure from Mutsora

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   Kasindi

   Passing by

   In the morning, you will be brought to Kasindi Border Post, cross into Uganda. Our driver will be waiting for you in Uganda to drive you to Entebbe International Airport via Kampala for drop-off.