6 Days - VIRUNGA ~ 'Le Petit Bukima'

Heaven Restaurant & Boutique Hotel is a 15-room American-owned, private, serene property, located in Kigali's most beautiful neighborhood, Kiyovu. Heaven Hotel is a short walk to the city centre, shopping, banks and entertainment. In addition to Kigali's top-rated restaurant, Heaven hosts the onsite INEMA Arts' Gallery and AZIZI Life fair-trade crafts boutique. Enjoy the gourmet international cuisine, top notch service, and ambiance. Enjoy expansive views of Kigali from our terrace.

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Just outside the Virunga National Park boundary lays the Bukima Tented Camp, which is one of the main starting points to the Virunga mountain gorilla treks. The camp was originally built for researchers, but is now used primarily by trekkers. As the name suggests, overnight guests at Bukima sleep in platform tents, but by camping standards they are quite plush. Each tent is equipped with a nicely appointed bed and dresser for clothes. The views from the tent sites – or anywhere in camp for that matter – are spectacular. To the south, the view is dominated by Mount Mikeno, whose 4,437m summit towers over the gorilla sector. Across the valley is Nyiragongo volcano, whose lava lake colours the night sky with a red glow. Every few years, Nymulagira volcano erupts and steals the nighttime show by spewing hot lava hundreds of feet into the air.

Occasionally, the mountain gorillas themselves wander into Bukima Tented Camp. Although this is highly frowned up by park staff, it never ceases to impress the guests.

The gorilla treks start directly from camp, so no further transfers are needed, making Bukima the perfect spot to be the first in the forest in the morning.

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Bukima Interior Tent Credit: Timo de Nijs

Credit: www.thewanderlusteffect.com

Credit: www.thewanderlusteffect.com

Credit: www.thewanderlusteffect.com

Credit: www.thewanderlusteffect.com

Mountain gorilla trekking

Your Mountain gorilla trek starts straight from Bukima Tented Camp, no transfers needed, you walk out of camp into the forest. The duration of the gorilla trek will depend on the location of the gorilla family and the fitness of your group, and can take anything from 3 to 6 hours, where you will spend 1 hour in the presence of the gorillas. Virunga only allows a maximum of 6 visitors per gorilla family so this is an exlusive experience that will offer you a very personal insight into the family life of a gorilla group. After the visit you will return to Bukima Camp by foot. Porters are available at extra charge, in case needed, please advise Bukima Camp staff the day before trekking.

Mikeno Lodge is the perfect base to start your Virunga adventure from, with mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and volcanoes all within reach. Not only is it a beautiful lodge located in a pristine (and primate filled) forest, it also offers some great activities.

Five minutes walk from the lodge you will find the Senkwekwe centre, is the only facility in the world that cares for mountain gorilla orphans. The Senkwekwe centre and its care takers feature in depth in the much acclaimed 2014 Netflix documentary 'VIRUNGA'.

The lodge is located on the grounds of the headquarters of Virunga National Park, and as such it offers a unique opportunity to get a brief insight into the workings of a National Park. You can get a tour of the grounds and meet some of the rangers and staff responsible for the management and protection of the park. In the evening some of the senior park staff might join you for a drink at the bar.

The forest around the lodge offers spectacular birding with over 100 species to be found, a prized sighting being the great blue turaco. Primates are abundant, with blue monkeys, l'hoest's monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys and olive baboons running amock. The lucky visitor might even spot wild chimpanzees around the lodge.

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Credit: Timo De Nijs

Credit: Timo De Nijs

Credit: Timo de Nijs

Credit: Ethan Kinsey

Credit: Ethan Kinsey

Credit: Timo de Nijs

Credit: Virunga National Park LuAnne Cadd

Credit: Virunga National Park LuAnne Cadd

Credit: Virunga National Park LuAnne Cadd

Credit: Inspired Journeys

There are twelve simple, rustic shelters at the summit of the Nyiragongo. Each of the shelters contain two single mattresses on which visitors can put their sleeping bags on. Although these shelters aren’t plush, they offer a welcome escape from the elements. The cost of staying in a summit shelter is included in the permit fee.

Make sure you bring warm clothes as it gets very chilly at night! Temperatures at the summit are routinely below freezing. Although most people arrive at the summit sweating from the steep climb, this sense of warmth quickly gives way to cold. A complete change of base layers is a must. Failure to bring proper gear will lead to hypothermia. Please do not endanger yourself and others by coming unprepared for these conditions.

From the summit shelters the rim is only a few meters away. The Nyiragongo summit has spectacular views. From the rim, you can peer down into a churning lava lake as well as see and hear hot gases exploding up though a mosaic of molten lava.

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Nyiragongo Shelters Lake Kivu Credit: http://www.thewanderlusteffect.com/

Nyiragongo shelters Credit: http://www.thewanderlusteffect.com/

Toilet with a view Credit: http://www.thewanderlusteffect.com/

Looking out off Nyiragongo over Goma Credit: http://www.thewanderlusteffect.com/

Pathway up to Nyiragongo Shelters Credit: http://www.thewanderlusteffect.com/

Nyiragongo Hike

The hike up Nyiragongo will take between 4 - 6 hours depending on the fitness of the group you are climbing with. The first quarter is a gentle incline up the foot of the mountain and goes through high canopy forest. This is an easy section and good pace can be made if wanted.

The second quarter starts at the old lava flows, the incline increases and climbing gets tougher. You are more exposed to the elements as vegetation is limited in this area. You will be nicely out of breath while making your way up this section.

The third quarter takes you through a beautiful patch of African Alpine Forest, with short lychen bearded trees along the way and a steep ascend through roots and mud, this section can be challenging on tired legs especially when tired.

The last quarter is the toughest, it goes up at an angle of 40 degrees of screed and rock, Lobelias and other high altitude plants make way for bare rock the closer you get to the craters edge. Fortunately at this point you will be able to see the shelters, so the end is in sight and once you make it to the rim, you will be welcomed by the warm glow of lava and the sight of the lava lake will make you forget your tired legs!

Heaven Restaurant & Boutique Hotel is a 15-room American-owned, private, serene property, located in Kigali's most beautiful neighborhood, Kiyovu. Heaven Hotel is a short walk to the city centre, shopping, banks and entertainment. In addition to Kigali's top-rated restaurant, Heaven hosts the onsite INEMA Arts' Gallery and AZIZI Life fair-trade crafts boutique. Enjoy the gourmet international cuisine, top notch service, and ambiance. Enjoy expansive views of Kigali from our terrace.

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