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HIGHLIGHTS
A quick look about this trip!
DURATION
19 DAYS
COMFORT
LANGUAGE
RATING
  • Dian Fossey's Parc National des Volcans
  • Maasai Mara's endless plains
  • Karen Blixen "Out of Africa" Museum
  • Snows of Kilimanjaro from Kenya's Amboseli Park
  • Ngorongoro Crater: natural wonder
ACTIVITIES ON THIS TRIP
Primary: Wildlife, Urban Exploration, Walking Tour
Other: Safari, Local Culture & Cuisine, Archaeology, sightseeing, national parks, museums
$7990USD
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TRIP MAP
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Kenya & Tanzania Tour

Sign up for this wondrous Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda adventure and be treated to once-in-a-lifetime wildlife viewing opportunities the likes of which can be replicated nowhere else on the planet.
Sign up for this wondrous Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda adventure and be treated to once-in-a-lifetime wildlife viewing opportunities the likes of which can be replicated nowhere else on the planet. In Rwanda's Parc National des Volcans, we follow our expert guide over landscapes of lush jungle, open grasslands and bamboo forests and trail one of five families of the endangered mountain gorilla. With a declining world population of 740 animals, the mountain gorilla is the most at-threat subspecies of gorilla and can be found only in four national parks in the world. We learn about the ongoing conservationist battle against poachers and forest clear-cutting and we get up-close and personal with these magnificent creatures that, though they tolerate a small degree of human presence in small amounts, are still very much wild animals. In Kenya, the country's largest mountain, Mount Kenya, sets itself beautifully against the horizon as we make our way to the Central Highlands to view leopard, buffalo, lions and elephants and our overnight accommodation in a 'tree-style' lodge adds an extra-special authentic twist to our adventure. We visit what is considered the best of Kenya's parks, Maasai Mara National Reserve, and Amboseli National Park, famous for its red dust-covered herds of elephants. Ngorongoro Conservation Area is our first stop when we enter Tanzania and we don't pass up the opportunity to descend into the magical UNESCO-designated Ngorongoro crater for a game drive to see 'The Big Five', wildebeest, gazelle and hippos. No true wildlife tour in Tanzania would be complete without a visit to Serengeti National Park, a destination which alone is synonymous with the word 'safari'. For good measure, we explore the bounties of the man-made world along the way, such as prehistoric archaeological sites, colonial cities and traditional villages.

Note: This tour may require a mandatory single supplement charge of 563 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: Nairobi - Amboseli National Park
Today we travel south from Nairobi to the Amboseli National Park. Just across the border from Tanzania, this park is situated on the African plain at the foot of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, the continent's tallest mountain at 5894 m (19,300 feet). Here the cone-shaped mountain seems to hover majestically over the shimmering African plains.

The Amboseli National Park is also famous for its large herds of elephants. Here they cover themselves in red dust, giving them an even more imposing appearance. On this afternoon's game drive we hope to view animals grazing on the open plain with Mt Kilimanjaro providing the classic backdrop (weather permitting).

Overnight in the Amboseli National Park. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 14: Amboseli, Kenya - Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania
This morning we cross the border into Tanzania and travel to Lake Manyara National Park via the town of Arusha, the starting point for the northern safari routes of Tanzania.

Manyara is the smallest of the northern parks in Tanzania (330 sq km, of which two thirds is the actual lake) hosting a wide variety of vegetation, ranging from savannah to ground water forest to riparian habitats. The park is host to thousands of pelicans, ibis and flamingo that can be heard from afar. Other common visitors to this beautiful lake are hippos and the majestic African fish eagle, which can be seen swooping down from its perch to snatch a fish from the still waters of the lake.

After lunch at our lodge we will have an afternoon game drive in the park, located at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment and comprising of forest, woodland, grasslands, and swamps. Wildlife interest at Lake Manyara is not confined to bird life only; animals such as buffalo, elephant, giraffe, impala, hippo and a great variety of smaller animals also inhabit the park.

Overnight in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 15: Lake Manyara - Serengeti National Park
This morning we enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a beautiful rolling landscape with periodic views over the Ngorongoro Crater. Before descending onto the Serengeti Plain, we'll stop at a viewpoint overlooking the crater. The name "Serengeti" derives from a Maasai word meaning "Land-without-end." This is a land of superlatives, both in the vast landscape that surrounds you and the incredible biodiversity it supports. It is here that you have a chance to witness one of the most compelling natural dramas on earth -- the annual migration, a sight unparalleled anywhere in the natural world. Our afternoon game drive provides an excellent introduction to this fantastic landscape and the biodiversity it supports.

Overnight in the Serengeti National Park. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 16: Serengeti National Park
Today we have a full day of game viewing on the Serengeti. We will visit the "kopjes," a series of low, incongruous hills dotting the open landscape that often provide a vantage point for hungry predators contemplating the endless stream of hoofed animals parading past them. Depending on the season and the timing of the rains, up to 1.5 million wildebeest and a half a million zebra embark on a single-minded and perilous quest for water and grazing land. Following this spectacle, of course, are the meat-eating opportunists, hoping to capitalize on the physical toll this journey exacts on the desperate grazers. Even outside of "migration" time, large herds are still seen as they bear their young and feed, gaining strength for their annual return to the park's northern reaches. Resident species that do not migrate make for rewarding animal viewing in any season.

Overnight in the Serengeti National Park. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 17: Serengeti - Olduvai Gorge - Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Travelling back to Ngorongoro today we make a stop at Olduvai Gorge, site of the Leakey excavations in the 1960s and 70s that established this region as the prehistoric habitat of some of the earliest species of hominids with some finds dating back 1.8 million years. Experts in the life sciences have argued that the Olduvai contribution to the story of human origins remains unsurpassed by any other prehistoric site in the world. A small museum on site outlines the unique geological and human history of the area.

Called the 'eighth wonder of the world' and stretching across some 8300 sq km, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area boasts a blend of landscapes, wildlife, people and archaeology that is unsurpassed in Africa. The volcanoes, grasslands, waterfalls and mountain forests are home to an abundance of animals and to the Maasai. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the world's greatest natural spectacles and its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthrall visitors.

Balance of the day at leisure to enjoy our lodge overlooking the crater.

Overnight in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 18: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Today we enjoy a half-day tour in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.* After an early breakfast we descend into the crater far below for a game drive in this incredible setting, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We explore the Ngorongoro Crater, 20 km (13 miles) wide and 700 m (2,300 feet) high where we may see the "Big Five" as well as many herbivores like wildebeest, gazelle, zebra and hippopotamus, as well as thousands of flamingos on Lake Magadi.

* In order to reduce congestion and stress on wildlife, the Tanzanian government limits visitors to half-day visits of the crater. Depending on what time "window" we are assigned, our excursion may take place first thing in the morning, or later in the afternoon (both of which are equally advantageous for game viewing, given the relatively mild climate at this altitude).

Overnight in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 19: Ngorongoro - Arusha - Depart
This morning we descend the Ngorongoro Highlands, retracing our steps back to Arusha via a lunch stop at Gibb's Farm. Founded during German colonial times and still privately owned, Gibb's Farm is now a small hotel perched on the outer slopes of the Ngorongoro Highlands, surrounded by coffee plantations with long views over lush and beautiful agricultural country.

We pass again through the town of Mto Wa Mbu ('Mosquito Creek'), famous for its lively cosmopolitan atmosphere and red bananas, which taste the same as regular bananas but their skins are a startling bright red. We continue to Arusha to connect with homeward evening flights.

LAND ONLY PASSENGERS need to take into account our morning activities when booking their flights out of Arusha (JRO). Your departure should occur no earlier than 6:00 pm.

SAFARI NJEMA! Meal plan: Breakfast and lunch.
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 and for early arriving / late departing land & air customers who book their extra hotel nights through us.
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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