HAKUNA MATATA TOURS
EXPERIENCE THE CONGO DRC IN 18 DAYS WITH US
Congo river Expedition
Nyiragongo Volcano crater lava in Goma
Mount Nyiragongo
18 Days Congo Drc tour
Tour Highlights
Our adventurous and exciting tour highlights many aspects of DR Congo, from nature to cultural experiences. You’ll have the chance to take a boat trip on stunning Lake Kivu, visit the rainforest and see rare and beautiful animals including the endangered and mystical Mountain Gorilla, Lowland Gorilla, Bonobo, Angolan Acrobatic Monkey and Colobus Monkey. You’ll have the opportunity to spend a night in a Bambuti Pygmy village, interact with local people, including children, and learn about life in this beautiful country. At the end of the tour, before you depart from Kigali, there will be a visit to the Genocide Memorial Centre which commemorates the 1994 Rwandan genocide – 1 million people were killed in 100 days.
Day 1: Arrive at Kinshasa airport – Night at Fontana Inn
Kinshasa, the capital of the DR Congo, was known as "Kin La Belle " - meaning "Beautiful Kinshasa". Many years of turmoil have rocked its image but slowly and surely, Kinshasa is regaining its splendor. Some of its sights include the fabulous "Grand Marché", the tomb of former President Laurent Kabila, the highly-acclaimed "Academy des Beaux Arts" (for those who like African art), the rapids of Kinsuka just downstream from the city and the Bonobo Reserve, a sanctuary for orphaned Bonobo Monkeys, one of the five Great Apes. It’s also one of the continent’s top cities for African music.
Day 2: Discovering Kinshasa the capital city of Congo- Bonobos- Night at Fontana Inn
Spend the day exploring Kinshasa, learning about the major historical, cultural and natural highlights the city has to offer including the Bonobo Reserve, a sanctuary for orphaned Bonobo Monkeys.
Day 3: Transfer by Flight to Kisangani - overnight at Palma Beach Hotel in Kisangani
Kisangani was founded by Sir Henry Morton Stanley in January 1877. Memorable sites include the Tshopo River Falls and the Wagenia Fisheries, set up in the midst of the river rapids. Fishing is carried out by means of a complex structure set among the rocks: lianas attached to cross poles act as stretchers for the nets submerged in the foaming water. The fishermen use pirogues (traditional dugout canoes), twisting between rapids and rocks. Their agility and daredevil attitudes are a constant source of amazement.
Day 4: Enjoy a full day cruising on the River Congo in a motorized wooden boat - overnight in Kisangani at Palme Hotel
We’ll wind past pockets of lush green secondary forest, semi-deciduous secondary rainforest, climax forests with Brachystegia laurentii flora and marshland forest, inhabitated by colourful birdlife and animals. You’ll also have the chance to meet indigenous people who live in the area, some of whom are totally at one with nature and have never seen cars in their life. Bring sunscreen or a hat. We’ll head back in the evening and overnight at the Palme Hotel.
Day 5: Transfer to Epulu (9 hours’ drive)
Today we drive to Epulu via the Nia Nia Road, passing several villages occupied, no doubt, by waving local children! Overnight at ICCN lodge.
Epulu is home to many okapis and other animals. Found only in the Congo , the okapi is a shy and reclusive forest dweller and is the only living relative of the giraffe. It has an unusual coloration and distinctive markings, including zebra-style stripes that provide camouflage in the dense rainforest and protect it from its many predators.
Day 6: Okapi and Pygmies
After breakfast we’ll visit Okapi. After a laid-back lunch we’ll begin trekking in the tropical forest and spend the night in tents within a pygmy village.
The Bambuti pygmies live in villages that are known as ‘bands’. Each hut houses a family unit. At the start of the dry season, they leave their villages for the forest, where they set up a series of camps. This allows the Bambuti to utilize more land area for maximum foraging. These villages are solitary and separated from other groups of people. Their houses are small, circular and temporary. The walls of the structures are held in place with poles that are placed in the ground. Vines tie the poles in place at the top. Large leaves are also used in the construction of the huts.
Day 7: Hunt with the Pygmies
After an adventurous day learning how to hunt and forage with our expert pygmy teachers we return to the Epulu station late in the afternoon where we spend the night.
The Bambuti pygmies are primarily hunter-gatherers, foraging for food in the forest. They have a vast knowledge of the forest and the foods it yields. The Bambuti use large nets, traps, and bows and arrows to hunt game. Women and children sometimes help out by trying to drive the animals into the nets. Both sexes gather and forage. Each band has its own hunting ground, although deep in the forest boundaries can be hard to establish. We will be permitted to follow such a group into the forest and where, possible, take our tents and set up camp near to their bands. We’ll be invited to spend the night around the camp fire, listening to their endless hunting stories while they smoke their cannabis water pipes under a beautiful blanket of African stars.
Day 8: Transfer to Butembo- overnight at Butembo Hotel (8 hours’ drive)
Butembo is a curious town; marked by riches where there should really be none, a financial center in a place where you wouldn't exactly imagine it. The city was the site of a large gold mine in the 1920s and makes its money from agriculture these days.
Day 9: Transfer to Bunagana- Night at Hakuna Matata guesthouse (9 hours’ drive)
Right on the border with Uganda, Bunagana is a laid-back, dusty little town where you’ll receive a warm welcome. Stay at the Hakuna Matata guesthouse. It's homely, comfortable and charming and you’ll be served a warm, filling dinner and breakfast. Bunagana is the jumping-off point for gorilla trekking in the incredible Virunga NP.
Day 10: Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park- overnight at Hakuna Matata guesthouse
Wake up early, eat breakfast and prepare for this incredible experience. Transfer to the park headquarters for briefing before setting off to the forest in search for mountain Gorillas. The guides will brief you and at 8:00 am the group will set off into the forest. The time you will take searching these mystical apes is unpredictable but expect between 2-5 hours depending on their movements. Nothing beats the feeling of coming face to face with a gorilla family! Dinner and overnight at Hakuna Matata lodge.
Day 11: Bunagana- banana beer production- transfer to Goma- overnight at Karibu Hotel
Visit villages in Bunagana and interact with local people- see banana beer being produced in rural areas around Djomba. Banana Beer is one of the most delicious Congolese alcoholic fruit drinks. You’ll get to see all aspects of the production of this specialty, from the bottling process to enjoying a sample of this tasty beverage. After lunch we’ll travel to Goma, staying overnight at Karibu Hotel (3 hours’ drive).
Day 12: Transfer to Bukavu by boat on Lake Kivu - overnight at Mont Kahuzi hotel (4 hours' drive)
In the morning, transfer to Goma to travel across the glassy waters of Lake Kivu to Bukavu. En route to the south, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and the ragged shore of Africa’s highest lake, an extraordinarily beautiful inland pool of water hugged by steep green terraced hills, lush plantain fields and remaining pockets of misty rainforest. Enjoy sweeping views and spot hundreds of small islands. Arrive in Bukavu in time for lunch and relax at your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Mont Kahuzi Hotel.
Day 13: Lowland Gorilla trekking - Night at Hotel Mont Kahuzi in Bukavu Town
Trekking for two to three hours in mountainous jungle area of Kahuzi Biega National Park, to find the large lowland gorilla family; the principal species here is the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, very different from the more famous Mountain Gorillas found in the Virunga National Park. Unlike lowland gorillas found in Gabon and Congo Brazzaville, which look similar to chimpanzees, Kahuzi Biega gorillas are about the size of a mountain gorilla - so you definitely won’t be disappointed. In the afternoon return to the hotel in Bukavu.
Day 14: Return to Goma by boat- Visit Green Lake in Mugunga
After lunch we will follow the road out of the city to Green Lake, a beautiful pocket of water in a volcanic crater. Near the lake are several pits where volcanic ash is being mined and turned into bricks. Back to Goma and overnight at Ihusi Hotel.
Day 15: Climbing Nyiragongo Volcano
Wake up around 7am and prepare to climb the live, still-active Nyiragongo Volcano. It last erupted in 2003 destroying 13% of the centre of Goma, but is currently dormant. At 10am we’ll begin our climb, stopping for photos and reaching the top of the volcano around 4pm, where we’ll pitch our tents before approaching the volcanic crater to admire the bubbling lake of red hot lava. Overnight in tents.
Day 16: Night at Karibu Hotel in Goma town
After breakfast at around 7.00am, we’ll begin the descent, arriving in Kibati village at around 10 or 11.00am. Meet your driver and transfer to your hotel in Goma, with the afternoon for sightseeing in town or visiting the Volcano Information Centre.
Day 17: Transfer to Kigali, Rwanda. Overnight at Gorillas Hotel
After relaxing morning spent besides the clear waters of Lake Kivu, we’ll set out in the car to transfer. There’s a good sealed road to Kinigi, which marks the entrance to the Volcano National Park- Overnight at Gorillas Hotel (4 hours’ drive)
Day 18: Depart
Visit the Genocide Memorial in Kigali and transfer to the airport for departure.
Cost : 4400 USD Per person
The cost includes:
All activities and park entry fees, permits to track gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys. Accommodation in mid-range hotels. Transport by comfortable 4x4 jeeps, driver and English-speaking guide.
Not included in the price: flights, visas, travel insurance, meals and drinks.
Possible Deparure in 2010
22th/ Dec, 7th Jan, 2end/ feb, 5th /March, 1st /april, 10th/may, 1st/ June, 22nd / June, 3rd/Jully, 25th/jully, 6th Aug, 25th/ aug, 10th/ Sept, 13rd: Oct, 15th Nov, 20th, Dec,
For more about this tour Itinerary feel free to contact us
Tour Highlights
Our adventurous and exciting tour highlights many aspects of DR Congo, from nature to cultural experiences. You’ll have the chance to take a boat trip on stunning Lake Kivu, visit the rainforest and see rare and beautiful animals including the endangered and mystical Mountain Gorilla, Lowland Gorilla, Bonobo, Angolan Acrobatic Monkey and Colobus Monkey. You’ll have the opportunity to spend a night in a Bambuti Pygmy village, interact with local people, including children, and learn about life in this beautiful country. At the end of the tour, before you depart from Kigali, there will be a visit to the Genocide Memorial Centre which commemorates the 1994 Rwandan genocide – 1 million people were killed in 100 days.
Day 1: Arrive at Kinshasa airport – Night at Fontana Inn
Kinshasa, the capital of the DR Congo, was known as "Kin La Belle " - meaning "Beautiful Kinshasa". Many years of turmoil have rocked its image but slowly and surely, Kinshasa is regaining its splendor. Some of its sights include the fabulous "Grand Marché", the tomb of former President Laurent Kabila, the highly-acclaimed "Academy des Beaux Arts" (for those who like African art), the rapids of Kinsuka just downstream from the city and the Bonobo Reserve, a sanctuary for orphaned Bonobo Monkeys, one of the five Great Apes. It’s also one of the continent’s top cities for African music.
Day 2: Discovering Kinshasa the capital city of Congo- Bonobos- Night at Fontana Inn
Spend the day exploring Kinshasa, learning about the major historical, cultural and natural highlights the city has to offer including the Bonobo Reserve, a sanctuary for orphaned Bonobo Monkeys.
Day 3: Transfer by Flight to Kisangani - overnight at Palma Beach Hotel in Kisangani
Kisangani was founded by Sir Henry Morton Stanley in January 1877. Memorable sites include the Tshopo River Falls and the Wagenia Fisheries, set up in the midst of the river rapids. Fishing is carried out by means of a complex structure set among the rocks: lianas attached to cross poles act as stretchers for the nets submerged in the foaming water. The fishermen use pirogues (traditional dugout canoes), twisting between rapids and rocks. Their agility and daredevil attitudes are a constant source of amazement.
Day 4: Enjoy a full day cruising on the River Congo in a motorized wooden boat - overnight in Kisangani at Palme Hotel
We’ll wind past pockets of lush green secondary forest, semi-deciduous secondary rainforest, climax forests with Brachystegia laurentii flora and marshland forest, inhabitated by colourful birdlife and animals. You’ll also have the chance to meet indigenous people who live in the area, some of whom are totally at one with nature and have never seen cars in their life. Bring sunscreen or a hat. We’ll head back in the evening and overnight at the Palme Hotel.
Day 5: Transfer to Epulu (9 hours’ drive)
Today we drive to Epulu via the Nia Nia Road, passing several villages occupied, no doubt, by waving local children! Overnight at ICCN lodge.
Epulu is home to many okapis and other animals. Found only in the Congo , the okapi is a shy and reclusive forest dweller and is the only living relative of the giraffe. It has an unusual coloration and distinctive markings, including zebra-style stripes that provide camouflage in the dense rainforest and protect it from its many predators.
Day 6: Okapi and Pygmies
After breakfast we’ll visit Okapi. After a laid-back lunch we’ll begin trekking in the tropical forest and spend the night in tents within a pygmy village.
The Bambuti pygmies live in villages that are known as ‘bands’. Each hut houses a family unit. At the start of the dry season, they leave their villages for the forest, where they set up a series of camps. This allows the Bambuti to utilize more land area for maximum foraging. These villages are solitary and separated from other groups of people. Their houses are small, circular and temporary. The walls of the structures are held in place with poles that are placed in the ground. Vines tie the poles in place at the top. Large leaves are also used in the construction of the huts.
Day 7: Hunt with the Pygmies
After an adventurous day learning how to hunt and forage with our expert pygmy teachers we return to the Epulu station late in the afternoon where we spend the night.
The Bambuti pygmies are primarily hunter-gatherers, foraging for food in the forest. They have a vast knowledge of the forest and the foods it yields. The Bambuti use large nets, traps, and bows and arrows to hunt game. Women and children sometimes help out by trying to drive the animals into the nets. Both sexes gather and forage. Each band has its own hunting ground, although deep in the forest boundaries can be hard to establish. We will be permitted to follow such a group into the forest and where, possible, take our tents and set up camp near to their bands. We’ll be invited to spend the night around the camp fire, listening to their endless hunting stories while they smoke their cannabis water pipes under a beautiful blanket of African stars.
Day 8: Transfer to Butembo- overnight at Butembo Hotel (8 hours’ drive)
Butembo is a curious town; marked by riches where there should really be none, a financial center in a place where you wouldn't exactly imagine it. The city was the site of a large gold mine in the 1920s and makes its money from agriculture these days.
Day 9: Transfer to Bunagana- Night at Hakuna Matata guesthouse (9 hours’ drive)
Right on the border with Uganda, Bunagana is a laid-back, dusty little town where you’ll receive a warm welcome. Stay at the Hakuna Matata guesthouse. It's homely, comfortable and charming and you’ll be served a warm, filling dinner and breakfast. Bunagana is the jumping-off point for gorilla trekking in the incredible Virunga NP.
Day 10: Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park- overnight at Hakuna Matata guesthouse
Wake up early, eat breakfast and prepare for this incredible experience. Transfer to the park headquarters for briefing before setting off to the forest in search for mountain Gorillas. The guides will brief you and at 8:00 am the group will set off into the forest. The time you will take searching these mystical apes is unpredictable but expect between 2-5 hours depending on their movements. Nothing beats the feeling of coming face to face with a gorilla family! Dinner and overnight at Hakuna Matata lodge.
Day 11: Bunagana- banana beer production- transfer to Goma- overnight at Karibu Hotel
Visit villages in Bunagana and interact with local people- see banana beer being produced in rural areas around Djomba. Banana Beer is one of the most delicious Congolese alcoholic fruit drinks. You’ll get to see all aspects of the production of this specialty, from the bottling process to enjoying a sample of this tasty beverage. After lunch we’ll travel to Goma, staying overnight at Karibu Hotel (3 hours’ drive).
Day 12: Transfer to Bukavu by boat on Lake Kivu - overnight at Mont Kahuzi hotel (4 hours' drive)
In the morning, transfer to Goma to travel across the glassy waters of Lake Kivu to Bukavu. En route to the south, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and the ragged shore of Africa’s highest lake, an extraordinarily beautiful inland pool of water hugged by steep green terraced hills, lush plantain fields and remaining pockets of misty rainforest. Enjoy sweeping views and spot hundreds of small islands. Arrive in Bukavu in time for lunch and relax at your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Mont Kahuzi Hotel.
Day 13: Lowland Gorilla trekking - Night at Hotel Mont Kahuzi in Bukavu Town
Trekking for two to three hours in mountainous jungle area of Kahuzi Biega National Park, to find the large lowland gorilla family; the principal species here is the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, very different from the more famous Mountain Gorillas found in the Virunga National Park. Unlike lowland gorillas found in Gabon and Congo Brazzaville, which look similar to chimpanzees, Kahuzi Biega gorillas are about the size of a mountain gorilla - so you definitely won’t be disappointed. In the afternoon return to the hotel in Bukavu.
Day 14: Return to Goma by boat- Visit Green Lake in Mugunga
After lunch we will follow the road out of the city to Green Lake, a beautiful pocket of water in a volcanic crater. Near the lake are several pits where volcanic ash is being mined and turned into bricks. Back to Goma and overnight at Ihusi Hotel.
Day 15: Climbing Nyiragongo Volcano
Wake up around 7am and prepare to climb the live, still-active Nyiragongo Volcano. It last erupted in 2003 destroying 13% of the centre of Goma, but is currently dormant. At 10am we’ll begin our climb, stopping for photos and reaching the top of the volcano around 4pm, where we’ll pitch our tents before approaching the volcanic crater to admire the bubbling lake of red hot lava. Overnight in tents.
Day 16: Night at Karibu Hotel in Goma town
After breakfast at around 7.00am, we’ll begin the descent, arriving in Kibati village at around 10 or 11.00am. Meet your driver and transfer to your hotel in Goma, with the afternoon for sightseeing in town or visiting the Volcano Information Centre.
Day 17: Transfer to Kigali, Rwanda. Overnight at Gorillas Hotel
After relaxing morning spent besides the clear waters of Lake Kivu, we’ll set out in the car to transfer. There’s a good sealed road to Kinigi, which marks the entrance to the Volcano National Park- Overnight at Gorillas Hotel (4 hours’ drive)
Day 18: Depart
Visit the Genocide Memorial in Kigali and transfer to the airport for departure.
Cost : 4400 USD Per person
The cost includes:
All activities and park entry fees, permits to track gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys. Accommodation in mid-range hotels. Transport by comfortable 4x4 jeeps, driver and English-speaking guide.
Not included in the price: flights, visas, travel insurance, meals and drinks.
Possible Deparure in 2010
22th/ Dec, 7th Jan, 2end/ feb, 5th /March, 1st /april, 10th/may, 1st/ June, 22nd / June, 3rd/Jully, 25th/jully, 6th Aug, 25th/ aug, 10th/ Sept, 13rd: Oct, 15th Nov, 20th, Dec,
For more about this tour Itinerary feel free to contact us
