How to get to Virunga national park by road

These road distances are from specific towns and international arrival airports

From Goma-base for Congo gorilla safaris

Virunga national park is 358km from Goma via Buhumba-Mukoka-Bikara-Kyondo road (the best route) with a drive time of 10h 49min.

Via Rutshuru-Ishasha-Kasindi road Virunga national park is 313km away with a drive time of about 9h 7min. This route includes boarder crossing and passing via Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National park.

Ntungamo-Katunguru road is 461km lasting a drive time of 9h 40 min. This road includes crossing the Rwanda and Uganda border, be ready to cross by ferry too.

How to get to Virunga national park from Rwanda

It’s a 4 hours’ drive from Kigali to Gasenyi the nearest town to Goma, from here its 1and ½ hours to the park in Bukima sector. For this route you will have to spend a night in one of the hotels in Rwanda.

From Kigali (Rwanda’s capital), Virunga national park is 383km away via Kigali-Gatuna road then Ntungamo-Katunguru road in western Uganda. This road includes crossing a ferry.

How to get to Virunga national park from Uganda

From Entebbe International airport Via Mbarara-Kasese road, Virunga national park is 464km away with a drive time of 9h 9min. This route includes a ferry and Uganda-Congo border crossing at Mpondwe.

From Entebbe International airport, Kampala-Mubende-Fort portal road is 491km for 9h 7min. This route includes a border crossing. This route is favorable for those who are doing a Uganda wildlife safari before they head to Congo. Booking prior accommodation within the towns of western Uganda is necessary.

From Queen Elizabeth National Park, Virunga national park is 97.6km away taking a drive time of 2h 31min. The route includes a border crossing via Fort-portal Mpondwe road.

How to get to Virunga national park by air;

Direct flights to Goma are only possible once a week every Saturday from Ethiopia to Goma. You can fly in to Goma-Congo’s international airport with Ethiopian airlines then transfer by road to the park. Return flights after a gorilla trekking safari in Congo can only be done 7 days from the day you fly in; the most favorable option is going by road to Rwanda then take a flight from Kigali international airport. The fly in safaris are most favorable for tourists who take 7 days Congo gorilla safari and wildlife tour.

Congo gorilla tour trips can be best organized by a good tour operator in the region who can help with all the safari preparations.

Don’t worry on how to get to Virunga national park, just choose the right itinerary that won’t need you to just have a long drive to Congo, contact a tour operator for help.