AVAILABILITY: Yearround

ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotel, lodge or campsite
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HIGHLIGHTS: Gorilla Trekking, Kinigi Volcanoes, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Big Five, Ngorongoro Crater, Maasai Mara, Nairobi

 

Rwanda’s “Land of a Thousand Hills” is a region of volcanoes, rain forests, lakes, tea plantations, and one-third of the remaining mountain gorillas in the world. Trekking up the volcanic slopes may be demanding, especially after rainfall, when the vegetation is thick and wet, and the ground is muddy. The Virunga mountains are steep and some of the groups of gorillas are hard to reach, which is why prior acclimatization is important. The trek will take place at an altitude of 1.5 to 1.9 miles, as to avoid altitude sickness.

 

Kenya and Tanzania hold much of the beauty, adventure and diversity that Africa has to offer. With well-known attractions like Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, Maasai bomas and the oldest hominid fossil sites, The New York Times has rated Tanzania as a top 10 travel destination. Take in East Africa’s big skies and dense game.

 

ITINERARY

• DAY 1: You’ll be met at the Kigali Airport upon your arrival by your private driver and guide. We’ll proceed to the Ruhengeri area and the fourth largest town in Rwanda, with its stunning backdrop of three volcanic mountains, the Virungas. Take a boat ride to Ruhondo beach for lunch, then later to your hotel.

• DAY 2: You’ll wake early for your drive to Kinigi, the home to volcanoes. Once you’ve met your guides and completed park formalities, you’ll be off for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of tracking mountain gorillas. Once you spot them, spend an hour watching these creatures, with fewer than 700 living today, in their daily activities. Hiking this day will be somewhat strenuous, up to six hours or more at a relatively high altitude, so bring good hiking boots, long trousers, gloves, snacks and water. Take your late dinner and overnight in your hotel.

• DAY 3: After breakfast you’ll be transferred back to Kigali for a city tour of one of the friendliest African capitals. Visit the Kigali museum, and on a more somber note, the Gisozi genocide memorial site. Finally you’ll be transported back to the airport for your flight to Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. You’ll be met by your tour representative and driven to your Arusha hotel for dinner and overnight.

• DAY 4: Depart from Arusha at 9 am to Lake Manyara, passing through the market town of Mto Wa Mbu where you can pick up souvenirs. Lake Manyara National Park is known for it’s tree-climbing lions. You’ll also see thousands of flamingos, pelicans, storks, kingfishers and other birds that flock to this saltwater lake. This park also teems with elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes and the largest baboon troops in Africa. The jungle here is where early Tanzanian movies were filmed. Dinner and overnight at your lodge or campsite.

• DAY 5: This morning we will descend into the Ngorongoro crater floor. From the comfort of your open-top vehicle, you will have the opportunity to again see the Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino) on your half-day game drive. This caldera exhibits more than 120 species of mammals, such as lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard. We will also visit saline lakes which host habitat for flamingos and other birds, as well as the secretary bird, white stork, kori bustard, crowned cranes and ostriches. We will also see pools full of hippos, and possibly even the endangered East Africa black rhino. Dinner and overnight at your lodge or campsite.

• DAY 6: After breakfast we’ll be on our way past the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the Serengeti National Park. We’ll first head to the Seronera area, which attracts herds of animals and families of predators because of the Seronera river. We’ll drive along the river in search of gazelles, topis, ostriches, and possibly predators such as lions and cheetahs. We recommend a stop at the Visitor’s Center to pick up leaflets, maps of the areas, or get a snack. We’ll eat our picnic lunches here under the giant acacia trees. Dinner and overnight at your lodge or campsite in the heart of the Serengeti.

• DAY 7: We’ll get up early for a 6 am sunrise game drive to spot hunters waiting to ambush their prey, and the pool of hippos. We’ll return to camp at 9 am to enjoy a late breakfast. We’ll continue our game drive at 10:30 am. Our safari drive will continue according to the date of your travel to follow animals on their trail and possibly be able to witness the annual wildebeest migration. Dinner and overnight at your lodge or campsite.

• DAY 8: After breakfast you will head for the Tanzanian-Kenyan border known as Isebania. After arrival at Maasai Mara National Reserve, you’ll have a picnic lunch. Your evening game drive will give you another opportunity to spot the Big Five. If you’re traveling between July to October, you may also get to see the great wildebeest migration. Dinner and overnight at your lodge or campsite.

• DAY 9: Early morning game drive, followed by breakfast and transport to Nairobi, where you’ll arrive in the afternoon.

 

Program includes: Hotel/lodge/camp accommodations for the duration of the safari, private 4-wheel drive vehicle with a roof hatch. Professional English-speaking safari and tour guide/driver, all park entrance fees, all meals on the safari, water and hot drinks during the safari, camping equipment if applicable (tents, mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows, table and chairs), all game-viewing activities.

 

Program excludes: International flights, airport taxes, entry visas, travel insurance, tips and gratuities, personal costs, medical and personal insurance.