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HIGHLIGHTS
A quick look about this trip!
DURATION
13 DAYS
COMFORT
LANGUAGE
RATING
  • Dian Fossey's Parc National des Volcans
  • Maasai Mara's endless plains
  • Meeting local tribal groups
  • Karen Blixen "Out of Africa" Museum
ACTIVITIES ON THIS TRIP
Primary: Wildlife, Urban Exploration, Walking Tour
Other: Safari, Local Culture & Cuisine, Volcanoes, sightseeing, Gorillas, national parks, museums
$5180USD
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TRIP MAP
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Kenya & Rwanda Tour

The initial portion of our exciting adventure through two highly rewarding East African destinations finds us roaming through thick, verdant rainforest in Rwanda's Parc National des Volcans, as our expert guide leads us on a tracking expedition to find the elusive mountain gorilla.
The initial portion of our exciting adventure through two highly rewarding East African destinations finds us roaming through thick, verdant rainforest in Rwanda's Parc National des Volcans, as our expert guide leads us on a tracking expedition to find the elusive mountain gorilla. A park of diverse ecosystems, glorious and varied landscapes and rich nature, Parc National des Volcans provides a picture-perfect backdrop for this thrilling journey to witness one of the world's most fascinating species of primate in its natural habitat. Following in the footsteps of zoologist Dian Fossey, we track one of five families of gorillas on the slopes of the stunning Virunga Mountain Range and learn about the plight of these endangered creatures and the ongoing battle conservationists fight with poachers. Before crossing into Kenya, we stop off for a day tour of Kigali, where we explore the Genocide Museum that serves as a monument of remembrance to the tragic events of a decade ago, a period that left an indelible scar on the nation's psyche yet failed to lastingly wound the indomitable spirit of its resilient people. Kenya, an incredible safari destination, is without doubt the perfect African getaway to see zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, 'The Big Five'and hosts of enchanting creatures, big and small. From Maasai Mara National Reserve, to Mount Kenya Conservation Area and Samburu National Reserve, we travel far and wide across the country, enjoying comprehensive insight into this natural wonderland and the traditional cultures of its inhabitants.

Note: This tour may require a mandatory single supplement charge of 340 USD if twin-sharing accommodation is unavailable.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali - Parc National des Volcans
Today we arrive in Kigali, the capital and the largest city of Rwanda, situated in the centre of the nation. It has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. Immediately upon arrival we will transfer to the Parc National des Volcans (+/- 3 hours).

"In the heart of Central Africa, so high up that you shiver more than you sweat," wrote the eminent primatologist Dian Fossey, "are great, old volcanoes towering up almost 15,000 feet, and nearly covered with rich, green rainforest - the Virungas". Situated in the far northwest of Rwanda, the Parc des Volcans protects the steep slopes of this magnificent mountain range--home of the rare mountain gorilla--and the rich mosaic of montane ecosystems, which embrace evergreen and bamboo forest, open grassland, swamp and heath.

PLEASE NOTE: The hotels indicated in this itinerary reflect our preferred properties in each location. We list these hotels primarily to provide a general sense of overall standard; the final hotel list is not 100% confirmed until approximately 30-45 days prior to departure. We reserve the right to make substitutions of a similar standard if necessary.

Overnight at Parc des Volcans. Gorilla's Nest or similar. Meal plan: Dinner, if required.
Lodging Mountain Gorillas Nest
Description The lodge is in a lovely rural setting and ideally situated to the park headquarters for each mornings registration process. There is no electricity in Kinigi, so the lodge operates a generator.
Day 2: Parc National des Volcans
Early this morning we drive to the park headquarters where we are briefed by the guides of the Parc des Volcans before we start our gorilla trek. This 13,000-hectare national park protects the Rwanda sector of the Virunga Mountains, a range of six extinct and three active volcanoes which straddle the border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bamboo forest is interspersed with alpine moorland, grassland and marsh.

Tracking the gorillas through the light mountain forest on the slopes of the Virungas is a magical experience. If you are lucky you will get to the gorillas, spend an hour with them, and be back at the base in time for a late lunch. Some gorilla families however are more elusive, and tracking can take a full day... especially when wet and muddy.

The Mountain Gorillas in the Parc National des Volcans are part of a worldwide population of just 740 individuals. The gorillas we are allowed to track belong to one of five habituated family groups. For up to five years each, these groups have undergone an extremely delicate process that has gradually brought them to tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day and allowed a few privileged visitors to interact with them in the wild.

The gorillas are by no means tame, and are completely wild animals. However, experienced guides will accompany us on our tracking, many of who have been involved in the habituation process themselves. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas' habits and information from the previous day to locate the group's whereabouts. Because of this, the time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously, from as little as 1 hour to as much as 8 hours before one returns to base. Once the gorillas are located, our group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them.

Please remember that the mountain gorillas are a wild animal and are not enclosed in any form and free to move as hey please. For this reason actual sightings of the gorilla groups cannot be guaranteed. For more information on gorilla tracking in Rwanda, go to www.ortpn.gov.rw.

Overnight near Parc National des Volcans. Mountain Gorilla's Nest. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Lodging Mountain Gorillas Nest
Description The lodge is in a lovely rural setting and ideally situated to the park headquarters for each mornings registration process. There is no electricity in Kinigi, so the lodge operates a generator.
Day 3: Parc National des Volcans
Today is a day of options. You may choose to trek another gorilla family,* trek with Golden Monkeys (optional, US$75 per person) OR take a trek up to the grave of Dian Fossey and the remains of the Old Karisoke Research Station (optional, US$75 per person). It is strongly advised that these options are pre-booked and confirmed at time of purchase of the main tour to ensure availability.

For those who loved the book and/or the movie ''Gorillas In The Mist'' the Dian Fossey trek could be a good option. Over the course of the morning you follow in her footsteps as you trek to Dian Fossey's grave and the many graves belonging to the poached gorillas, including that of Digit. For a more leisurely experience, trekking to the Golden Monkeys is highly recommended. In June 2003 the National Parks department first allowed permits to trek theses rare primates. A short walk to the edge of the forest to see the endangered Golden Monkeys is a rare treat. Watching these unique primates play and perform in the forest is mesmerizing.

* An additional gorilla permit for a second day trekking is an optional expense of approx $500 US per person, payable in advance only and non-refundable if you change your mind after the first day's trek.

Overnight near Parc National des Volcans. Gorilla's Nest. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Lodging Mountain Gorillas Nest
Description The lodge is in a lovely rural setting and ideally situated to the park headquarters for each mornings registration process. There is no electricity in Kinigi, so the lodge operates a generator.
Day 4: Parc National des Volcans - Kigali
Today we drive back to Kigali.

In Kigali we will have a brief look at Kigali and the Genocide Museum, opened in 2004 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. While the genocide occurred as a result of a complex series of factors, it can only be seen as an absolute tragedy to Rwanda and its people. Time spent at the Genocide Museum is moving and important in understanding the sheer courage and resilience of this beautiful, tiny nation.

Overnight in Kigali. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 5: Kigali, Rwanda - Nairobi, Kenya
Today we fly from Kigali to Nairobi.

Part of Maasai land when the British arrived, Kenya's modern capital grew with the development of the railway. Derived from a Maasai word meaning "Cold Water," Nairobi is a pleasant mix of colonial British with modern and traditional African influences.

Overnight in Nairobi. Nairobi Hilton (or similar). Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Lodging Nairobi Hilton
Description Hilton Nairobi hotel is next to the craft market and 25 minutes' drive from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Day 6: Nairobi - Samburu National Reserve
Today we travel from Nairobi, through the "White Highlands," so called because of the large number of Europeans who settled here, northwards to the Samburu National Reserve arriving in the mid-afternoon. En route we stop for lunch on the lower slopes of Mt Kenya where we may catch a glimpse of the glaciers coating the summit of Africa's second highest mountain.

The Samburu Reserve is mainly semi-desert savannah plain with the seasonal Ewaso Nyiro River supporting a wide variety of game such as elephant, buffalo, cheetah, leopard and lion as well as dik-dik (a tiny antelope), and warthog. On our afternoon game drive you can almost certainly be guaranteed close-up sightings of elephant, giraffe and gazelle.

Overnight in the Samburu National Reserve. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 7: Samburu National Reserve
Today we have a full day of game viewing in Samburu National Reserve where we have a good chance of seeing the so-called "Northerns" -- the Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe and the blue-legged Somali ostrich -- species of animals found only in this dry area of Kenya. In addition, crocodiles can often be seen along the river bank.

This afternoon we may have an opportunity to pay a visit to a nearby Samburu village (optional cost). The Samburu are semi-nomadic pastoralists well-known for their proud adherence to traditional tribal customs and elaborate personal adornment.

Overnight in the Samburu National Reserve. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 8: Samburu - Mt Kenya Conservation Area
This morning we will depart for the lower slopes of Mt Kenya, rising to 5199 m (16,728 feet), Africa's second highest peak. Our drive will take us into the Central Highlands, the heartland of the Kikuyu people. This is a very fertile region, well-watered, intensively cultivated, and thickly forested. The land was coveted by the Europeans who began arriving in ever-increasing numbers once the railway through the area was completed. The settlers established coffee and tea plantations on the eastern slopes of Mt Kenya and cultivated wheat on the western slopes. The higher regions of the slopes are left to the leopard, buffalo, lion and elephant.

Tonight we overnight at a "Tree-Style" lodge, uniquely designed and situated to provide one with a close-up view of a wide variety of wild animals as they come to drink and cavort. We highly recommend an optional guided nature walk (approx USD 30, payable locally) offered by the lodge. All rooms have a waterhole view and en suite facilities.

Overnight in Mt Kenya Conservation area. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 9: Mt Kenya Conservation Area - Great Rift Valley - Lake Nakuru National Park
This morning we travel to Lake Nakuru, a shallow soda lake in the Rift Valley. The Rift Valley was created millions of years ago under the strain of enormous volcanic eruptions which resulted in a giant split in the earth's surface from Syria to Mozambique. Lava flowed into the valley, forming escarpments on either side of the gigantic trough which can be up to 80 km (50 miles) wide, big enough to be visible from space. At the lake, depending on the water levels, we may have the opportunity to see up to two million flamingos, in addition to the over 340 species of birds that have been recorded in the Rift Valley!

Lake Nakuru is very shallow and can fluctuate up to five metres (12 feet) each day. When the water is low, you can see a white band of crystallized soda along the shoreline. This is also one of the best places in Kenya to view the rare White Rhino as we explore the park on our afternoon game drive.

Overnight in Lake Nakuru National Park. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 10: Lake Nakuru - Maasai Mara National Reserve
Early this morning we depart from Lake Nakuru National Park and continue our journey through the Rift Valley, passing by Lake Naivasha and nearby Mount Longonot, a relatively young volcanic reminder of the Rift's violent past. We arrive at our lodge (via bad road) in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in time for lunch.

The Maasai Mara is a natural extension of the Serengeti eco-system and has an amazing concentration of wildlife. The largest population of lions in Kenya is found here, along with large herds of plains game. The Maasai Mara may also be the best place in Kenya to view cheetah. Later this afternoon we enjoy another game drive.

Overnight in the Maasai Mara. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 11: Maasai Mara National Reserve
The Maasai Mara National Reserve consists of rolling grassland and is located at the northern end of the Serengeti Plain. Considered the best of Kenya's parks, it is on the pathway of the yearly wildebeest migration, which comes north from Tanzania about the end of June and returns to Tanzania around the end of September. "The Mara" sustains all of the "Big Five" -- lion, elephant, leopard, rhinoceros and buffalo -- as well as an astonishing wealth of herding animals and other wildlife. You can see the stately Maasai men and youth along the road tending their cattle and goats.

In the Mara you will have an optional opportunity to ascend over the northern Serengeti at daybreak in a hot air balloon (optional expense). From over 300 m (984 feet) above, you will be able to view the vast land and the myriad animals that inhabit the Maasai Mara. During our stay in the Mara we enjoy a full day game drive in Africa's most famous game park.

Overnight in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 12: Maasai Mara - Nairobi
After breakfast we depart for Nairobi. En route, just outside the capital, we visit the Karen Blixen Museum. Baroness Karen Blixen-Finecke emigrated from Denmark to Kenya in 1918 and, in 1937, wrote under the pseudonym, Isaac Dineson, "Out of Africa." The novel tells the tale of the Baroness's experiences on a Kenyan farm. Her home is now a museum, restored to the style in which she maintained it.

Overnight in Nairobi. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 13: Departure
Departure from Nairobi.

SAFIRI SALAAMA! Meal plan: Breakfast.
TRIP INCLUDES
  • Most meals included (local restaurants and hotels).
  • All accommodation, transport, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary, including 2 gorilla permits.
  • Gratuities for driver-guides, restaurant staff, porters.
  • Airport transfers for land & air customers arriving / departing on tour dates.
TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE
  • Tour Leader gratuities, one lunch, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), international (if applicable) and domestic air taxes, visa fees, and any excursions referenced as 'optional'.
  • Airport transfers for Land Only customers.
  • Optional trip cancellation insurance.
  • Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on shopping, visas, and locally payable departure taxes.
CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

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