14 Days Rwanda Tanzania Gorilla, Chimpanzee & Great Migration Safari

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. Fly to Kigali Rwanda and transfer to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight

Accommodation

Midrange: Hotel Chezlando – Bungalows

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 Volcanoes National Park 116km about 2 – 3 hours’ drive enjoying the views of undulating hills of Rwanda that have formed the background of its naming as the land of a thousand hills.

Accommodation

Midrange: Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge

The Gorilla trekking in Rwanda starts at Kinigi park station in Volcanoes National Park. You enjoy the traditional Intore performance before the briefing and a hot cup of coffee. Briefing starts at 8am after which you connect to the trail heads to embark on the gorilla trekking encounter. Depending on the gorilla group allocated and how far it has moved that day, the trek lasts 2 – 8 hours and involves one full hour of Gorilla viewing and impressive photoshoots. Retreat from the activity and transfer to Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu for relaxation on the lush sandy beaches.

Accommodation

Midrange: Hotel Paladise Malahide

After breakfast, set off for the transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park 294km about 7 – 8 hours’ drive exploring the impressive views of Lake Kivu. The lunch stop will be made in the resort town of Kibuye before proceeding to arrive Nyungwe in the evening.

Accommodation

Midrange: Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel

Depart the lodge at 5am to transfer to Cyamudongo Forest for Chimp trekking experience. Briefing commences at 8am before setting off to the forest in the company of the park ranger guide in search of Chimpanzees – man’s closest Ape in terms of DNA. The trek offers good views of lush flora, birds and other primate species such as the Black and White Colobus monkeys. The Chimp Trek lasts 2 – 5 hours inclusive of one hour with the chimps. Retreat from the activity, relax at the lodge, enjoy lunch and in the afternoon, connect to the Uwinka visitor center for the adventure canopy walk. This is a lasting adventure experience walking over 60m high off the group amidst the lush canopy of Nyungwe. It’s a long stretch with likely sights of birds, and butterflies and takes about 2 hours to accomplish.

Accommodation

Midrange: Nyungwe Hill Top View Hotel

After breakfast, transfer to Kigali 268km about 6 hours’ drive enjoying the views of Rwandan hillsides. A stop will be made in Butare to visit the Ethnographic Museum – the largest Museum in Rwanda with over 100,000 artifacts detailing Rwanda’s culture & natural heritage. Enjoy lunch and proceed on the drive. Another stop will be made at Nyanza Palace – the home of the last Rwandan Monarch. Proceed to Kigali for overnight

Accommodation

Midrange: Hotel Chezlando – Bungalows

Depending on the flight time, you are dropped off at Kigali International Airport to catch up for the flight back home.