8-DAYS- TRIP TO EPULU

This is One of the highlights here is our visit to the Pygmy communities who live in the surrounding forests. Expert hunter-gatherers, their knowledge of the environment in which they live is without parallel and each group tends to specialize in its own unique methods of hunting. Living in small family units they forage among the rainforest during the dry season, setting up nets and traps to hunt game and constructing temporary houses of saplings, vine and shingled tree leaves. When they establish a settlement they are careful to leave the   canopy forming trees intact, offering them better protection from the fierce African sun and ensuring that the forest can return to its natural state once they leave. The tour will start in Goma and end in Kigali; please let us know the number of people.

Day 1: Border pick up – GOMA

Rwanda border pick up in afternoon time, cross to DR Congo precisely Goma town, after immigration formalities, drive down town, overnight at your Hotel

Day 2:  GOMA-KISANGANI

After breakfast drive to Goma International Airport, arrival in Kisangani in afternoon time, drive down town and overnight at your Hotel.

Day3:KISANGANI – EPULU

Pick up from your hotel in the morning around 6.30am, after greetings and briefing, with the bus, drive to Ituri Forest precisely Epulu via Bafwasende and Nia Nia, arrive in evening time, overnight at Okapi Reserve Lodge (budget – mid class based on double rooms mixed with single ones, breakfasts, self contained ones with hot shower, no internet included).

Note: During our drive from Kisangani to Epulu, we will pass at Bafwasende and Nia Nia, we will see those areas while passing by but we will not stop and begin visiting, just to let you know.

Day 4:TRADITIONAL PYGMIES IN THE FOREST

One of the highlights here is our visit to the Pygmy communities who live in the surrounding forests. Expert hunter-gatherers, their knowledge of the environment in which they live is without parallel and each group tends to specialize in its own unique methods of hunting. Living in small family units they forage among the rainforest during the dry season, setting up nets and traps to hunt game and constructing temporary houses of saplings, vine and shingled tree leaves. When they establish a settlement they are careful to leave the   canopy forming trees intact, offering them better protection from the fierce African sun and ensuring that the forest can return to its natural state once they leave.

Traditional day to day life sees the women and children foraging while the men concentrate on hunting and collecting honey, one of the forest’s most highly prized resources. Climbing high into the forest canopy they will use smoke to stun the bees, enabling them to break into the hives and collect the honey within trees.

Notice:Trekking distances and timings are very hard to estimate since the Pygmies are nomadic in nature; the walk can involve crossing rivers on trees etc.  Come prepared for adventure!

After early breakfasts, we will prepare all our stuff to enter with in the forest with escort park rangers and porters, have the evening traditional hunting with pygmies, evening time, sit around the fire while listening to endless stories, listening to traditional songs and dances done by these pygmies, overnight at the pygmies   encampment.

Day 5: TREKKING WITH PYGMIES – EPULU

After early morning breakfasts, spend whole day with pygmies while doing the traditional hunting, on lucky day, watch the honey collection activity, after lunch, walk back to Epulu city, overnight at Okapi Reserve lodge.

Day 6: EPULU– KISANGANI

After early morning breakfasts, drive back to Kisangani via Nia Nia and Bafwasende, our drive will take us a full day passing through the jungle with different villages along the road, arrive in Kisangani in evening time, overnight at your Hotel.
 

Day7: KISANGANI – GOMA

After early morning breakfasts, depending on the flight schedule, with our 4X4 Jeep, drive to Bangoka airport and take the shared domestic flight to Goma, arrive in Goma, drive down town, overnight at   your Hotel.

Day 8:DEPARTURE

After Breakfast, drive to the border and enter Rwanda ( Gisenyi), after border formalities, with our jeep , arrive in Kigali afternoon time, transfer to Kigali International Airport to take your flight back home, end of trip.

NOTE :To fly to Goma this day will depend on the flight program, sometimes we may not find this day then we fly the day after because here there is no order about the flight schedule, they change any time, let us hope we will find it and if we do not find, I think you will understand but we cannot spend 2 days there without getting the flight (just to inform you about the Congo flight schedule).Your flight tickets will be paid by yourselves, I will not be a responsible for that, you need to arrange them earlier before you come.

The cost for 1 pax will be $ 4900, including transportation(vehicle, accommodations based on midrange, permit and entry fees in different visit areas, meal in Ituri forest and Yangambi Reserve, drinking water, Ituri Forest(tent, sleeping bag, porters),your domestic flights and an english speaking guide.

Not included your international flights, visas, medical services, individual insurances, tips, the laundry service, meal outside Ituru Forest and Yangambi, other drinksmeal Not included your International flights, visas, tips, individual insurances, medical services, laundry services, meal outside Ituri Forest and Yangambi and everything not listed in the program.