8-Day Rwanda gorilla tracking and Tanzania wildebeest migration safari
8-Day 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 rip in Rwanda and visit the Volcanoes National Park for gorilla tracking experience. Plus the options for a cultural walk ad 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 lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena.
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 Elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and much other wildlife. There’s also an opportunity to visit the Masai villages.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
You will be met on arrival at Kigali by our Oree safaris guide and transfer you to your hotel in Kigali city. Dinner and overnight stay
Day 2: to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast 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 takes about 2-hour drive and goes through the rolling hills towards the Virunga Mountains. Arrive mid-morning at your overnight lodge and relax the rest of thje day. You 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
Day 3: Gorilla tracking
After breakfast, prepare for gorilla tracking. Carry packed lunch, drinking water, and wear for the jungles head to Kinigi for briefing on gorilla rules. Here visitors are divided into groups of 8 people each allocated to a gorilla family. Thereafter, you are led by guides and escorted by armed rangers into the forest ion the search for gorillas. This can take about 1 hour to more than 5 hours depending on the movement of gorillas. Once the gorillas are found, visitors are allowed to spend 1 hour taking photos and observing how these gentle giants feed. Trek back after a memorable gorilla tracking experience.
After gorilla tracking, you can transfer to Kigali for a brief city tour and overnight or the rest of the day is free to relax in volcanoes national park. Dinner and overnight stay
Day 4: Flight to Arusha, Tanzania
Today, 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.
Day 5: Lake Tarangire National Park
Begin your Tanzania trip in Tarangire National Park for full day game viewing. Tarangire Natonal Park is popular for its huge elephant herds and 4 of the big 5 mammals including leopard. Plus there are lions, giraffes, gazelles, warthogs, hippos, zebras other wildlife can be spotted during game drive. The Tarangire River which the park is named after is a great place to experience many of Tarangire’s magnificent creatures. After game drive in the evening you can visit the nearby Maasai villages adjacent to experience one of east Africa’s most notable tribes. The park is named after Tarangire River which crosses through its beautiful landscape with lots of baobab trees, rift valley, hills and escarpments. The advantage of being in Tarangire is that there are no crowds of visitors. So you can enjoy serenity during full day game drives. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6 and 7: Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, transfer to one of Serengeti’s area 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, experience early morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti National Park and enjoy game drive. 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 might 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 internet