11 Days Rwanda Uganda & Tanzania Safari: Great Migration, Gorillas & Culture

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), our representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for an overnight stay. Your professional safari guide will brief you during dinner on various aspects of your itinerary.

Accommodation

Midrange: African Tulip Hotel

After breakfast, we will depart to Manyara for biking adventure to Lake Manyara. On our way to the soda lake, we can encounter common wildlife like zebras, gazelles and wildebeests. Lake Manyara is also famous for flamingos and different species of water birds.

Later we enjoy our bike ride through Mto Wa Mbu village located 5minutes away from Lake Manyara NP entry gate. Our bike ride will take us to the unique venue where we will enjoy variety of hot local lunch dishes.

After lunch we will proceed to Lake Manyara NP for game viewing. The park is green throughout the year because of its underground water sources. Its verdant color attracts hundreds of spectacular varieties of migratory and wetland birds flying overhead. It also attracts huge populations of flamingos because its shallow alkaline-saline (salt) soda lake creates an ideal environment for microorganisms to grow that flamingos’ feed upon. Manyara’s natural habitat also includes large troops of baboons, velvet monkeys, blue monkeys, and tree climbing lions, hippos, giraffes, zebras, buffalos, elephants, warthogs, impalas, Thomson-gazelles, and Grant gazelles. Leopards, cheetahs, rock/tree hyrax, kudus, elands, bushbucks, waterbucks, and dik-diks also live in this park.

Accommodation

Midrange: Tloma Lodge

After breakfast, we proceed to the Serengeti endless plains by way of the lush Ngorongoro Crater Highlands.

The name “Serengeti” comes from the Maasai word siringitu, means “endless plains”. You will see why once you see its ocean of grassland savannas stretching to the horizon as far as your eye can see. However certain parts also are covered in the Acacia savanna, dense wooded hills or rocky outcrops known as kopjes, as well as pans and lakes. The abundance of African wildlife is of course what makes it such a sought-after safari destination, and includes healthy populations of lion, buffalo, impala, hippo, waterbuck, elephant, cheetah, leopard and a host of other game species – not mention the more than 400 species of birds.

We will arrive in Serengeti for afternoon game drive searching for wildlife. Later in the evening we will drive further to the camp for evening leisure and hot dinner.

Accommodation

Midrange: Kati Kati Tented Camp

After breakfast, depart with picnic lunch for morning game drive on central Plains. Later proceed to Northern Serengeti following the Great Migration along the Mara River.

During the dry season, the herds mass on both banks of the Mara River, frequently crossing – and braving the crocs – in response to local weather patterns that only they seem to understand. The Mara River crossings are not a single event, rather crossings happen throughout the dry season. Groups varying in size from a few hundred to tens of thousands cross the river in both directions between July and October in response to localized weather patterns (following the rain showers and therefore the fresh grazing).

Accommodation

Midrange: Kati Kati Tented Camp

Full day of game drive in the Northern Serengeti focusing on Mara River crossing and Great Migration

Accommodation

Midrange: Kati Kati Tented Camp

After breakfast, depart with picnic lunch for final game drive in Serengeti. After lunch, we will drive in the direction of the Ngorongoro Crater. As soon as you have reached the edge of the crater rim, the crater appears half a mile below you inviting you to gaze at this jaw dropping natural wonder. When you reach its edge and view its 100 square mile expanse, it is a sight to behold. We will arrive at the lodge for evening leisure and hot dinner.

Accommodation

Midrange: Ngorongoro Farm House

After breakfast, we drive to the Ngorongoro Crater and descend into it for a half-day of game viewing.

Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest volcano caldera formed three million years ago and is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world and one of Africa’s most remarkable geological sites.

The Big Five (rhino, elephant, Cape buffalo, lion, leopard) and most of the animal species found in the Serengeti, including zebra, hippos, wildebeest, and cheetahs, can be viewed close up. The Ngorongoro Crater ecosystem maintains the historic balance between people and nature in a way that is not possible in other parks.

Later in the evening ascend and proceed to Maramboi for evening leisure, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation

Midrange: Maramboi Tented Camp

After breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up from your hotel and you will enjoy the 2hrs leisure drive southwestwards to Tarangire NP.

The Tarangire National Park has the highest concentration of elephants in North – Tanzania and you can view these animals all year round where elephant herd populations can reach as many as 3,000. The Tarangire River has water all year around. During the dry season (July-October), many animals from the surrounding areas come to the river to drink. If you visit the park during the dry season, you will witness an unforgettable natural wonder as you observe exotic big mammals such as lions, giraffes, buffaloes, wildebeests, zebras and various types of antelopes such as gazelles. During the dry season, Tarangire is a haven for bird watchers with over 550 different species including the Maasai Ostrich-the world’s largest bird.

Settle for breakfast at your hotel in Kigali after which you embark on the Kigali City tour exploring the beautiful city landscapes including nice buildings some of which are inspired by local architecture, Kigali markets including art stations and eventually the Gisozi genocide memorial to explore into Rwanda’s horrific past accruing from the ethnic conflict that befell this country in 1994.  Settle for lunch after which you embark on the transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda enjoying the views of Rwandan hillsides & Kigezi highlands. You can as well view the Virunga Mountains if you are crossing via Chanica boarder post.

Accommodation:

Midrange: Gorilla Mist Camp

Luxury: Chameleon Hill Lodge

Briefing for Gorilla trekking starts at 8am and thus, you need to enjoy breakfast before at the lodge.   In the company of armed ranger guides, you head to the Impenetrable forest in search of the critically endangered Mountain Gorillas.  You enjoy exciting sights and sounds of the jungle including magical bird songs & lush flora. The lasting moment awaits you as you approach the mighty Mountain Gorillas as they forage, socialise among others. They are beautiful gentle giants with frightening eyes and hairy body while the silverback features a silver patch on its back.      The trek lasts 2 – 8 hours depending on the gorilla movement but the actual viewing is limited to one hour for purposes of conservation. Retreat from the activity and slope down to Lake Bunyonyi amidst the scenic Kigezi Highlands to spend the evening relaxing by the lake.  A motorised canoe ride is organized to enable you explore this beautiful lake dubbed the lake of a thousand Islands because of its count of 29 Islands.

Accommodation

Midrange: Lake Bunyonyi Eco-resort

Luxury: Birdnest @Lake Bunyonyi Resort

After a relaxed breakfast, transfer to Kigali International Airport via Katuna border & depart.