Day 1; Arrival in Kigali;
Our expert driver-guide will pick you up from Kigali International Airport upon your arrival. After giving you a briefing on your time in Kigali, the guide will arrange your transfer to Uganda on the next day. You'll spend the night at your hotel in Kigali. However, if time permits, Kigali offers a few afternoon and evening city tour activities for you to enjoy. Nestled at the center of the country's road network, Kigali is a tidy, clean, and rapidly expanding city that sprawls across the steep slopes that have earned Rwanda the moniker Land of 1000 Hills. You can explore the small city center to get a fascinating taste of modern African urban life, or you can go to the lush suburbs that are home to a diverse selection of garden restaurants. Dinner and overnight at Five-five Hotel.
Accommodation: Five to five Hotel-Kigali.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 2; Kigali Genocide Memorial Ground Visit & Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park;
After waking up, you will eat breakfast at your hotel. You'll get a riveting account of the horrific events of 1994 when you visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center. After lunch, you'll route to Uganda. From Kigali, it will take you approximately 4 hours by car to reach your lodging in the UNESCO-listed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Its biodiversity and efforts to protect three of Africa's great apes, the mountain gorilla, the chimpanzee, and the pygmy-like Batwa people have earned it this status. The itinerary includes a stopover in Kigali because, ironically, Bwindi in Uganda is closer to Rwanda's international airport there (about 4 hours by road drive) than Entebbe International Airport in Uganda (about 9 hours). You will settle into your accommodation as soon as you arrive in Bwindi, have dinner, and unwind since you will be trekking early the following day.
Accommodation; Bwindi Forest Lodge.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 3; Mountain Gorilla Trekking - Bwindi Impenetrable National Park;
Enjoy your delicious breakfast while listening to the sounds of birds and crickets as you awaken to the lovely scents of the untouched forest. When you get to the "briefing center," a head ranger will go over the dos and dons of gorilla trekking with you. You'll pack a lunch. After the briefing, enter the gorilla sanctuary with your ranger guide in tow and grab a walking stick. You will appreciate nature if you listen to the ranger's instructions and keep quiet. Even before you get to see the gorillas, there is an abundance of fascinating wildlife to observe. When you see the gorillas, remain composed and enjoy your brief but unforgettable encounter with them by watching them eat, play, swing from branch to branch, and more. There's nothing that can get you ready for the amazing moment when you lay eyes on the mountain gorillas. You will then need to go back to the launch site to pick up your gorilla tracking certificate. It's time to beat your chest! If time allows, you will have a visitation from the Batwa Community. Dinner and the night at the lodge where you spent the previous one.
Accommodation; Bwindi Forest Lodge.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 4; Transfer from Bwindi to Kigali on the route to Nairobi-Kenya;
You will depart Bwindi Impenetrable National Park early on this day and travel to Kigali International Airport, where you will arrive in time for lunch before connecting to your flight to Nairobi. This afternoon, you will travel to Nairobi and settle into your hotel. Our tour guide will be available to drive you to the location of your choice if you decide to explore Nairobi's nightlife. Dinner and a night at Nairobi's Fair View Hotel.
Accommodation: Fair View Hotel-Nairobi.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 5; Nairobi - Masai Mara National Reserve;
You will be picked up early in the morning from your Nairobi hotel to start your Kenya safari adventure to the renowned Masai Mara National Reserve. With a quick stop to take in the breathtaking scenery and perhaps indulge in some curious shopping, you will travel through the gorgeous and picturesque Great Rift Valley. After making one quicker stop in Narok Town for refreshments and restroom breaks, you'll continue on to Masai Mara for a quick game drive and route that ends at the lodge. You'll get to the lodge in time for lunch and check-in. The remainder of the day is yours to relax and take advantage of the lodge's amenities before leaving for an exhilarating first-time game drive in the stunning Masai Mara. You will be excited to go there and witness the great migration if you arrive during migration session, but even if you arrive outside of that window, you will still have an amazing time going on game drives with the Big Five!
Accommodation; Mara Sopa Lodge.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 6; Game Drive in Masai Mara National Reserve to Experience the Great Migration;
The day will start with an early breakfast at the lodge, followed by a packed lunch as you head out for a full day of game viewing across the lush, hilly grasslands dotted with trees. When it's time for lunch, our guide will choose a beautiful (and secure) location where you can eat while taking in the sounds of animals howling, birds chirping, and the mighty Mara River flowing across the savanna. You will then be returned to your lodge via transfer. For an additional fee, a hot-air balloon tour is available. You can add a fascinating experience to your activities by going on a tour of a Masai village, or Boma. An estimated 1.5 million wildebeest, 350,000 Thomson gazelles, 200,000 zebras, thousands of islands, and other ungulates (hoofed animals) participate in "the greatest show on earth," the Great Wildebeest Migration, which takes place every year between late June and October. The animals follow an ancient route that connects Masai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in Tanzania in search of grazing and water. At Mara Sopa Lodge for dinner and overnight as well.
Accommodation; Mara Sopa Lodge.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 7; Masai Mara - Serengeti National Park;
Following a hearty breakfast, you'll depart from your lodge and head to the border of Isebania, where you'll pack a picnic lunchbox and enjoy a last game drive. After completing the border procedures, our Tanzanian team will pick you up and take you to the Serengeti National Park. Tanzania's Serengeti National Park was created in 1952. It is the location of the world's largest wildlife spectacle, the great migration of zebras and wildebeests. Equally remarkable is the resident population of giraffes, elephants, lions, cheetahs, and birds. We will be happy to take you there to witness the great migration if you arrive during that time, but even if you arrive outside of that window, you will still have an amazing time going on game drives with the Big Five. You will later enjoy a delightful dinner, refreshments, and overnight stay after checking into your lodge.
Accommodation; Kubukubu Tented Lodge.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 8; Full Day-Game Drive in Serengeti National Park;
For a sunrise game drive that will never be forgotten, you will rise early. As you search for the big cats, who are out hunting for their morning meal, you will be astounded by how the sun sets fire to the savannah. You will spend the whole day on the Serengeti plains after breakfast, looking for the Big Five among other creatures. Some of the most recognizable wildlife in the world can be seen weaving through Kopje, set against the vast plains and the expansive sky of Tanzania's crown jewel. For an additional fee, it is possible to visit a Maasai village. For an additional fee, you can also choose to go on a hot air balloon safari, which allows you to see wild animals from above. Overnight stay at Kubukubu Tented Lodge, dinner included.
Accommodation; Kubukubu Tented Lodge.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 9; Serengeti National Park - Ngorongoro Crater;
After a leisurely breakfast and check-out, you will drive past the stunning high-lying farms of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. With a picnic lunch packed, you will descend into the crater for a full day of exploration in the amazing Ngorongoro Crater. You will climb 600 meters late in the afternoon and make your way to your Ngorongoro lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Most of the floor of the Ngorongoro caldera is made up of open grassland. Numerous species of animals can be found there, such as Grant's and Thomson's gazelles, buffalo, zebras, warthogs, black rhinoceroses, elephants, and leopards. The world's densest lion population is found in Ngorongoro. Additionally, the Maasai people of the area use the crater for cattle grazing. Famous for being the home of large flocks of pink flamingos, Lake Magadi is a shallow soda lake encircled by dormant volcanoes.
Accommodation; Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge.
Meals Plan; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 10; Ngorongoro Crater - Arusha for Departure;
Following a leisurely breakfast, you will depart the lodge, take one last game drive, and travel to Arusha. For your departure, you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport. If you have more time, don't be afraid to continue traveling to Zanzibar, the paradise island.