8-Days Rwanda Gorilla and Tanzania Wildebeest Migration Safari

8-Days Rwanda gorilla tracking and Tanzania wildebeest migration safari

Overview

On this safari, you will combine Rwanda and Tanzania where you’ll enjoy two of Africa’s greatest wildlife spectacles; mountain gorilla tracking and the wildebeest migration experiences that are on every traveler’s bucket list. You will start your trip in Rwanda and visit the Volcanoes National Park for a gorilla-tracking experience. Plus the options for a cultural walk and a Kigali city tour.

Thereafter fly to Kilimanjaro/ Arusha Tanzania and visit Tarangire National Park and the famous Serengeti National Park and. In Serengeti National Park, you will be able to witness the wildebeest migration in the central Seronera Valley. Over 1.5 million wildebeest move along with 700,000 Thompson gazelles, 200,000 zebras, and an entourage of predators including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas.

Serengeti National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best African safari parks to see the big 5 mammals. During morning and afternoon game drives, you might spot black rhinos, African Elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, and much other wildlife. There’s also an opportunity to visit the Masai villages.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival At Kigali International Airport

You will be met on arrival at Kigali by our Oree safari guide and transfer to your hotel in Kigali city. Dinner and overnight stay: Kigali Serena Hotel/ Des Milles Collines Hotel

Day 2: Travel to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, you will transfer to Ruhengeri in Volcanoes National Park northern Rwanda.

This park is associated with the famous story of “Gorillas in the Mist” by Dian Fossey one of the renowned primatologists who dedicated her life to saving gorillas from extinction.

The journey will take about a 2-hour drive and go through the rolling hills towards the Virunga Mountains.

You will reach mid-morning at your overnight lodge and relax for the rest of the day.

You will have the option to visit the Iby’iwacu cultural village outside the park.

IBY’IWACU cultural village offers an opportunity to learn the local traditional Rwandan culture. Dinner and overnight stay: Da Vinci Lodge/ Muhabura Hotel/Bisate Lodge/Singita

Day 3: Volcanoes Gorilla Tracking Rwanda

After breakfast, you will prepare for gorilla tracking, carry packed lunch, drinking water, and wear for the jungles, and head to Kinigi for a briefing on gorilla rules. Here, you will be allocated to a group of 8 gorilla trackers (visitors) to trek a certain gorilla family.

Thereafter, you will be led by guides and escorted by armed rangers into the forest in search of gorillas. This will take about 1 hour to more than 5 hours depending on the movement of gorillas.

Once the gorillas are found, you will spend 1-hour taking photos and observing how these gentle giants feed. you will then trek back after a memorable gorilla tracking experience.

After gorilla tracking, you will transfer to Kigali for a brief city tour and get to your lodge in Kigali for dinner and overnight stay: Kigali Serena Hotel/ Des Milles Collines Hotel

Day 4: Flight From Kigali to Arusha, Tanzania

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Kigali airport and take your scheduled flight to Kilimanjaro airport, Tanzania to begin the second leg of your Rwanda –Tanzania tour.

Upon arrival, you’ll be transferred by road to your overnight lodge located in Arusha or in Tarangire National Park. Relax and recuperate in a serene setting.

Dinner and overnight stay: Whistling Thorn Tented Camp, Kirurumu Tarangire Lodge, Maramboi Tented Camp, Tarangire Safari Lodge

Day 5: Lake Tarangire National Park

Plus there are lions, giraffes, gazelles, warthogs, hippos, zebras other wildlife that will be spotted during game drives.

The Tarangire River which the park is named after is a great place to experience many of Tarangire’s magnificent creatures. After the game drive in the evening, you will visit the nearby Maasai villages to experience one of East Africa’s most notable tribes.

The park is named after the Tarangire River which crosses through its beautiful landscape with lots of baobab trees, rift valleys, hills, and escarpments. The advantage of being in Tarangire is that there are no crowds of visitors. So you will enjoy serenity during full-day game drives.

Dinner and overnight stay: Whistling Thorn Tented Camp, Kirurumu Tarangire Lodge, Maramboi Tented Camp, Tarangire Safari Lodge

Day 6 and 7: Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, you will transfer to one of Serengeti’s areas best for viewing the wildebeest migration. Areas in Serengeti recommended for wildebeest migration viewing are Seronera Valley in the central Serengeti.

For the next two days, you will experience early morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti National Park You will witness the exhilarating Great Migration as millions of wildebeest and zebras move across the plains in search of green pastures. The best months to be in central; Serengeti are November and December.

Besides the great wildebeest migration, you will have a chance to spot the big 5 African mammals as well as zebra, giraffe, cheetah, hyena, hippo, crocodile, and lots of savannah bird species including the ostrich, the largest bird in the world.

Day 8: Departure

You’ll be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport from where you can connect with your flight back home. End of service.

END OF TOUR

This safari includes

Ground transportation throughout the trip in 4WD vehicle
Meals
Activities as stipulated in this itinerary
Services of English speaking driver guide
Bottled drinking mineral water

Safari excludes

International/ domestic flight fares
Personal travel insurance
Alcoholic drinks and other beverages not served for breakfast
Airtime to make personal calls and data to access the internet