2 Days Mount Bisoke Hiking Tour

2 Days Mount Bisoke Hiking Tour : Are you looking for a short hiking trip in Rwanda, this 2 days Mount Bisoke hiking tour is an ideal Rwanda hiking package for you.

Mount Bisoke at 3,711 meters is one of the 5 Virunga Volcanoes in Rwanda and is the most popular volcano for hiking in Volcanoes National Park – Rwanda, the ultimate prize after a tough hike of Mount Bisoke is its larger crater lake at the peak.

Mount Bisoke is also situated near the center of the Virunga Volcanoes chain hence offering incredible views of the Virunga Mountains and the adjacent rolling landscape in Rwanda. During the hike, you will encounter and see several wildlife, rare plants, the beautiful golden monkeys and there are high chances of encountering the gorillas along the trail.

The Bisoke Crater Lake hike takes a total of about 6 hours long with 4 hours of climbing up to the peak and 2 hours climbing down, however this depends on your fitness and pace.

Highlights of 2 Days Mount Bisoke Hiking Tour

Day 1: Transfer to Musanze, afternoon Mukungwa canoe trip

Day 2: Mount. Bisoke Crater Lake Hike, transfer back to Kigali

Detailed itinerary of 2 Days Mount Bisoke Hiking Tour

Day 1: Transfer to Musanze, afternoon Mukungwa canoe trip

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport or after breakfast at your hotel in Kigali, you will meet our representative your safari guide and drive north to Musanze/Volcanoes national park on a trip of 2 hours.

Check into your lodge and have lunch.

In the afternoon, you will head to Mukungwa River for a half day canoe trip of about 3 hours and explore the beautiful countryside, enjoy views of the rolling hills and also have an insight into the lives of the local people in the countryside as you will ride past farmlands and locals going about their daily lives.

For the keen birders, the ride offers good birding opportunities as you can see a lot of water birds. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Optional activity

Instead of a canoe trip on Mukungwa, you can visit the Twin Lakes for a tour. You can visit the twin lakes (Burera & Ruhondo) which are situated in the foothills of the Virungas and do a boat ride to explore the amazing landscape and enjoying the incredible views of the Virunga in the backdrop.

Accommodation options

Luxury: Five Volcanoes Lodge

Midrange: Le Bamboo Gorilla Lodge

Budget: La Locanda

Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Mount. Bisoke Crater Lake Hike, transfer back to Kigali

Wake up early, have breakfast at 6 am and transfer to the park’s office in Kinigi at 7 am with your lunch box, meet the park’s guides for briefing about the park rules and then drive near to the base of Mount. Bisoke where you will start hiking.

At the starting point, you shall find the porters you can hire to carry your backpack. A porter is recommended as at some point during the hike the bags will become heavier and heavier for every step you shall take and you might get tired very fast due to the lessening oxygen.

During the hike, you are escorted by armed rangers for protection from wild animals in the park such as the Forest Elephants and Buffaloes, but there are less chances of encountering them.

The starting point is at an elevation of 2700 meters above sea level, you will walk through the local communities and the farmlands at the edge of the park for about 15 minutes before crossing the stone wall into the volcanoes National Park. Take on a hiking trail and trek through the different vegetation zone along the volcano ranging from a little bamboo that ends at 2800 m, through Hagenia Hypericum from 2800 – 3200, to Sub-alpine at the top.

During the earlier ascend you may see the Mountain Gorillas and Golden Monkeys nearby the trail, at least two groups of habituated Mountain Gorillas live in this volcano. However when you find a group, you shall be allowed only a minute to watch them minus taking any pictures.

You shall observe a range of different unique plants as you cross from one vegetation zone to another, the lower zone possess thick vegetation and softer grounds which  pose the bigger challenge due to the mud (that is if it rained).

You start to get above the clouds as you approach the summit and move through fog, finally you get to summit which is flat with a big Crater Lake measuring about 400 meters of diameter and estimate depth of about 100 meters. This is also the largest crater lake in the Virunga and it is fascinating sight to behold.

2 Days Mount Bisoke Hiking Tour
Mount. Bisoke Crater Lake Hike

Though the volcano is shared between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the entire summit lies within Rwanda, due to the large diameter you may not have enough time to walk the entire crater Lake to view the other sides of the Virungas. So you can only see the sharp peak of Mount Mikeno Volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo penetrating through the clouds and Mt. Karisimbi on the Rwanda – DR Congo border.

Normally temperatures can drop to 10 degrees Celsius and below, so you will stay only for a few minutes. Sometimes the weather is bad with a lot of fog and because of it you may not be able to see the Crater Lake clear and you cannot stay long.

Trek back down, a faster one but more slippery in case of rain. The porters will come in handy. The descend takes about 2 hours to touch base, meet your tour driver and transfer back to Kigali. Expect to arrive in the evening and be dropped off either at the hotel or at the airport for your flight back home.

End of the safari.

Trip includes

  • Transport (driver, car, fuel)
  • Accommodation for one night
  • All meals
  • Hiking permit
  • Bottled water

Trip excludes

  • Porter fees
  • Tips
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Luxury drinks eg beers, soda, wines
  • Souvenirs
  • Laundry, phone bill and other personal expenditures

What you need to carry?

  • Hiking boots
  • A rain coat
  • Hiking trousers and long sleeved shirt to protect from the stinging nettles
  • Warm sweater
  • Protective cover for your camera, there are high chances of rain.
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