Your 5 days Volcanoes Hiking Rwanda will give you a great experience to explore 2 of the 5 Mountain Volcanoes summits in the Virunga conservation area. Thus, Mount Karisimbi, and Mount Muhabura. Mount karisimbi is known as the highest volcano among the eight most known volcanoes in the Virunga region and perhaps the 5th highest in Africa with an elevation of about 4507m above sea level. The Karisimbi Mountain is situated along the border with the Democratic republic of Congo and Rwanda which is situated on the western part of the east African rift valley like the mount Bisoke. Mount Muhabura which is at 4,127 metres (13,540 ft) bordering Rwanda and Uganda will give you a greater experience to explore the fauna and flora within this region. Both mountains are extinct and have crater lakes on their summits. You may as well have a chance to site the mountain gorillas on a lucky day, as they stay on the ranges of these mountains.
Detailed itinerary for 5 Days Volcanoes Hiking Rwanda
Day 1: Transfer to Musanze
You will be picked upon arrival at the airport or at the hotel in Kigali and transferred to Musanze by your driver guide, the drive can last for 2 to 3 hours. You will have a lot of stopovers along the way as you travel. Morning flight is advised. Dinner and overnight at Five Volcanoes Boutique lodge (High end) or Classic Lodge Musanze. Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Hiking Mount Karisimbi
Today, you will be driven to the park headquarter at Kinigi at 7:00 am upon having your breakfast for briefing and you will later head off for hiking. The hike will typically take a full 2 days and having a night of camping on the summit. Climbing Mt Karisimbi is a strenuous yet very rewarding hike which is normally done as a complement to gorilla trekking, and all done within Volcanoes National Park. The climb starts early in the morning taking 6 – 8 hours and involves navigating through the Bisoke side before reaching the first stopping place at an altitude of 3,700 meters for overnight camping before finishing off the journey the next day.
Day 3: Descend volcano.
Today, you will hike unto the summit rewarding you with great views of the created lake at the top of the volcano and sights of other volcanoes of the Virunga conservation region. Later descent the volcano and find your guide waiting for you drive to your hotel for lunch after which, in the afternoon you will spend the evening at your leisure at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Five Volcanoes Boutique lodge (High end) or Classic Lodge Musanze. Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 4: Hiking Mount Muhabura
Today, you will be driven to the park headquarter at Kinigi at 7:00 am upon having your breakfast for briefing and you will later head off for hiking. The hike will typically take a full day from 6 to 8 hours depending on your hiking experience. You will head off with you packed lunch. You need to be in good shape, however the hiking is not much strenuous as other mountains, though challenging as well. On the summit, you will be able to see the Crater Lake which is on the top of the Muhabura Mountain. You will later descend for an overnight. Dinner and overnight at Five Volcanoes Boutique lodge (High end) or Classic Lodge Musanze. Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 5: Transfer to Kigali
You will have a morning breakfast before transferring back to Kigali, where you will have lunch before visiting the Kigali Memorial ground where over 250000 bodies of victims of genocide of 1994 were buried. You will later be transferred to airport to catch up with your flight.
5 days Volcanoes Hiking Rwanda includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- En-route lunches
- Ranger fees
- Hiking fees
- Camping gears
- Porters
- Park fees
- Services of English-speaking driver/guide
- 1 liter bottle of mineral water per day per person during safari
5 days Volcanoes Hiking Rwanda excludes.
expenses of personal nature like: Air fare, Visa, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, personal shopping bills and cigars.