Congo Trip
3 days visit Idjwi Island
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Congo Trip Overview
Congo Trip – Are you someone who lives abroad, lives in Goma or Bukavu, or just someone who loves exploring new things and want an amazing cultural experience in Eastern Congo. If so, all you need is a weekend to visit Idjwi Island.
When you go to eastern Congo, it’s a great idea to spend a weekend visiting Idjwi Island. It’s a big island in Lake Kivu, measuring 340 square kilometers. You will have an amazing experience floating on the lake and exploring the island.
Idjwi
Separated from the long-lasting conflicts in Congo and also away from any progress made on the mainland, Idjwi is a great place to get away from the present-day society, appreciate nature, and indulge in the vibrant island culture. You can find places to stay in small guesthouses. The speedboat that goes between Bukavu and Goma will stop at these guesthouses if you ask it to.
The Idjwi islands cannot easily connect with the rest of the country because they are surrounded by land. But, the island has its own unique way of living, with a lot of culture and different people who mainly work in farming and fishing.
Congo Trip Highlights
- All Meals Included
- All Drinking water
- English Speaking Guide
- All Transport Included
Day 1: Transfer to Idjwi - Congo Trip
On Friday, there will be a trip to Idjwi where women will be sailing in boats and sharing stories.
In the afternoon, someone will come to get you from either Ihusi Port in Bukavu or Goma, depending on where you are coming from. The speedboat departs at 3:00 pm and arrives 90 minutes later. When you get here, our team at Bugarula Port will say hello. Just show your passport to the officer in charge of immigration and then you can go to Hope Land Hotel to check in.
After a quick explanation, you will participate in the first activity of the day where women will rock the boat together and sing. After that, you will make clay art with Pygmies. Pygmies are the original people of sub-Saharan Africa.
Cultural Experience
They are a small group of people and they live on the Island. Their main occupation is making art from clay. You will watch how they make pottery from start to finish. This is something that has been done by people on Idjwi island for a long time and it involves the first ways they made money.
When you go back to your hotel in the evening, there will be people who are going to tell stories waiting for you.
In the past, Idjwi island was a society where people lived in clans, but later it became a kingdom around the late 18th century, which is between 1780 and 1840. In 2013, there were about 252,000 people living on the island. Most of them were Havus, but there were also a few Pygmies. The population in 1983 was about 50,000, but it has increased by a lot. You will listen to many interesting stories while sitting around a fire in the evening. The stories will be told by older people and will be about Idjwi
Day 2: Memerable Visit to Idjwi Island - Congo Trip
After you eat breakfast, you will participate in an activity where you make art and pottery with pygmies.
Take a short break and have a delicious breakfast at Hope Land. The food is fresh and prepared by talented chefs. This activity will let you talk and connect with the first people who lived in sub-Saharan Africa before the bantu moved down from the North. The pygmies are a small group of people who live on the island and mostly make clay art to earn a living.
Right after this, go to the King’s palace of Rubenga Chiefdom. You will get to meet the king of Rubenga who will tell you a short story about his leadership. He will also take you to his cultural museum where you can see hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of Rubenga’s cultural tools.
Go back to your hotel for a tasty lunch made with fresh ingredients and prepared by a skilled chef at Hope Land hotel.
Visit Pineapple Farms
Go for a walk in the evening and visit the pineapple farms. Idjwi island makes really good pineapples that are liked all around the world. Trying a piece of it will be one of the things you remember from your time on the Island.
Afterwards, you will finish the day by sailing on beautiful Lake Kivu and admiring the sunset. If you go on a boat ride on this lake, you can learn more about the Island. The ride will take place close to the lake, just a short distance away. It will depend on the time and if you’re fortunate, you may see the full moon hanging low above the trees near Lake Kivu. While on the cruise, you may have the chance to visit the local markets and purchase fresh fruits and food. This will help support the economy of the Village.
Have dinner and stay overnight at the Hope Land Hotel.
Day 3: Banana's beer making journey and coming back to Goma/Bukavu - Congo Trip
After you eat breakfast, try making banana beer to learn how to make local beer using bananas. If you think the activity is fun, you can join the women in getting the juice out of the bananas and drink a glass of juice (if you want to). Find out how much time it takes for juice to become alcohol when you add sorghum flour. Have fun drinking a large glass of our locally made beer.
After you finish the experience, you will be taken to Bugarula Port. From there, a speedboat will pick you up at 12:30 PM to take you to Goma or Bukavu. The journey will take about 90 minutes.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
GORILLA TREKKING IN UGANDA
Why Make a reservation with us
- A Safari can set off at any day of the week
- The tour can be customised
- We have Confortable Cars
- We have Stood a test of timmne
- We have handson experience
