7 Days Mount Karisimbi hike, Rwanda gorillas & Lake Kivu safari

When planning a safari holiday to Rwanda, some of the highlights include gorilla trekking, volcano hiking, and wildlife safaris, but Hiking mount Karisimbi is one of the toughest challenges opposed to Mount Bisoke, the two-day hike after gorilla trekking is one of the highlights of your safari to Volcanoes national park.

Our 7 Days Mount Karisimbi hike, Rwanda gorillas, and Lake Kivu safari will give you a perfect encounter with the mountain gorillas, hike the volcano before taking a relaxing holiday on the shores of Lake Kivu.

Safari highlights

• Gorilla trekking experience in volcanoes national park
• Mount Karisimbi summit visit
• Sunset boat cruise on Lake Kivu
• Kigali city tour

Safari itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from hotel for a city tour and transfer to Volcanoes national park

After morning breakfast at your lodge you will be picked up by your guide and transfer to Kigali city for a city tour, on the tour you will visit the Kigali genocide memorial, Belgian peace center after you will have lunch and after lunch, you will start your drive to volcanoes national park via Ruhengeri, upon arrival at the lodge you will check in to your lodge for relaxation and overnight

Day 2: Gorilla trekking experience in volcanoes national park

After early morning breakfast you will be picked up by your guide and transfer to Volcanoes national park headquarters for a briefing about the mountain gorilla trek, after the briefing you will then drive to the trailhead where you will meet the armed rangers and the porters, thereafter you will start your trek into the rainforest, depending on the time you take to locate the mountain gorillas you will spend 1 hour with them in their natural habitat after you will return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 3: Hike up to Mount Karisimbi volcano summit

After a wonderful experience with the mountain gorillas, you will dress up in your hiking gear, overnight equipment, enough water, and snacks then your guide will pick you up and transfer you to Volcanoes national park headquarters where you will meet your hiking team of rangers, guides and porters after you will then drive to the starting point for the trek, this two-day trek with take you through incredible forest cover where you may encounter wildlife and birds depending on the pace you may make it in one day to the summit and then overnight on the way down.

Day 4: Decent down and drive to Lake Kivu for relaxation

After great memories from the hike, you will descent down through the incredible forest trails as you look out for birds and wildlife, upon reaching the endpoint your guide will receive you and transfer you to Lake Kivu for relaxation and overnight.

Day 5: Full day relaxation on Lake Kivu and sunset boat cruise in the evening

You will have a lazy morning at the Lodge and later in the evening you will then take a sunset boat cruise on Lake, on the cruise you will expect to encounter local fishermen and beautiful birds, you will also have drinks and snacks on the boat.

Day 6: Lake Kivu coffee experience

After lazily breakfast you will take a boat to Nyamirundi Island, which is one of the top places to get the best Rwandan coffee, upon arrival at the island you will be taken through the whole coffee processing process and you will have a chance to buy the Rwandan coffee and later you will return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 7: Lazily morning and transfer to Kigali for your flight

After lazily breakfast depending on your flight schedule you will start your drive to Kigali city, upon arrival in Kigali you will be transferred to the airport for your flight or you will be transferred to the lodge overnight.

Safari includes

• Accommodation
• Gorilla permits
• Mount Karisimbi hiking fees
• Kigali city tour
• Lake Kivu coffee tour fees
• Sunset boat cruise on Lake Kivu
• Free airport transfers

Safari excludes

• Pre and post-safari accommodation
• International flights
• Rwanda tourist Visa
• Travel insurance
• Tips for guides and hotels
• personal expenses like Alcoholic drinks

When to book safari package

This trip can be booked 6 months to 1 year in advance to allow us to secure your Mountain gorilla permits in good time as the permits are only sold by the government of Rwanda.

Best time for gorilla and volcano hiking in Rwanda

The best time for hiking in Rwanda is during the dry season is from June to October and from January to March.