Gorillas & East Africa Safari

Murakaza neza! Welcome to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda since it gained independence in 1962. This is a country that has been striving to rebuild its economy for years and offers so much to the intrepid traveller including its welcoming people, an abundance of picturesque lakes and the wildlife-rich Virunga Mountains. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting with your fellow travellers and local leader at 6 pm.

After breakfast this morning, your trip leader will take you to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, which opened in 2004 to mark the 10th commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi people. It serves as a memorial and a place for people to grieve lost friends and family. This afternoon, you’ll drive to Musanze – the gateway to Volcanoes National Park, home to gorillas and golden monkeys. Later, you'll visit the Gorilla Doctors headquarters – the only organisation in the world dedicated to saving the mountain and eastern lowland (Grauer’s) gorilla species. The organisation monitors the health of gorilla groups to ensure the early detection of disease and injury, and stages medical interventions when gorillas suffer from human-induced or life-threatening trauma or disease.

Today, you’ll visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. This research centre is the world leader in protecting and studying gorillas while helping communities build their conservation capabilities. During your visit, you’ll learn about Dian Fossey’s life and the conservation of endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda. There are plenty of optional activities to do in Musanze, including golden monkey trekking in the Virunga Mountains, the Mt Bisoke trek or a canoe ride on the Mukungwa River. Maybe visit Red Rocks Rwanda, where you can learn about local banana beer production and watch traditional dancing, drumming and basket-weaving demonstrations.

Today, you’ll leave Rwanda and cross the border into Uganda, making your way to Queen Elizabeth National Park. This park is home to 618 bird species, 10 species of primates including chimpanzees and 95 different types of mammals – the route to your accommodation might feel like an unofficial safari! Keep an eye out for African elephants, buffalo, hippos, warthogs, Nile crocodiles, leopards, spotted hyenas, lions and chimpanzees. Tonight, you’ll stay in a simple safari lodge within the park, overlooking the Kazinga Channel.

Embark on a 4WD safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park this morning. Be on the lookout for any wildlife you may not have seen yesterday – if you’re really lucky, you might be able to spot leopards or lions. This afternoon, you can see the park from a different perspective with an optional cruise down the Kazinga Channel, which links Lake Edward to Lake George. You’ll be joined by local guides who will share their expert insight into the landscape and the animals who live within it – be on the lookout for hippos basking on the shore, crocodiles, herds of elephants and abundant birdlife.

This morning, you’ll make your way to Ishasha, the southern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here, you’ll meet some residents to learn more about rural life in Uganda. Visit a local organic farm, medicine garden and homestead and learn how its owner is tackling human-wildlife conflict with his anti-crop raiding techniques. You’ll also meet a local Mukiga woman who will share her story while showing you how to sort, pound and grind millet to make porridge and other Bakiga meals. This part of the park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, so be on the lookout as you drive to your ecolodge in the northern section of the park, which is frequented by herds of elephants, buffalo and antelopes.

Today, leave the Queen Elizabeth National Park, headed for the southwest tip of Uganda. The journey is like a game drive in itself, with the chance to spot zebras, antelopes, baboons and monkeys through the window. When you arrive, you’ll make your way to your base for the next two days in Kisoro, which provides access to seven different gorilla groups located in Mgahinga, Nkuringo, Rushaga and Nshongi.

Join a local guide and trackers as you climb through the rugged, mountainous terrain of Bwindi National Park in search of mountain gorillas. Make no mistake, tracking gorillas is no walk in the park – it's called the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for a reason. It can be wet, muddy, strenuous and uncomfortable, but the incredible feeling of coming across a group of gorillas is worth the effort. Spend an hour with the gorillas as they eat, sleep, groom and play with the male silverback watching over them, then return to the lodge for dinner and reflect on this incredible experience with your fellow travellers.

After breakfast this morning, make the journey back to Kigali. You'll be dropped off at Kigali Airport for your short flight to Nairobi this evening. When you arrive at Nairobi Airport, you'll be met by your new trip leader and transferred to your hotel. Check in, freshen up and get a good night's rest before meeting your new group in the morning.

Transfer from Nairobi to the famous Maasai Mara – one of the best game reserves in Africa. On the way, you'll stop in Loita Hills – a remote region home to the traditional Maasai people. This is one of the key places where the Maasai people still practice their traditional way of life, with little influence from the Western world. Visit the Tepesua Village, known for championing Maasai women’s health and education. Maasai Warriors will welcome you here by way of traditional song and dance. Meet your hosts and attend a talk full of insights into this remarkable and ancient culture. Take a walk to the community village, which was founded for widows who can never remarry and lost their cows due to drought. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the Tepesua Widows Income Project. Here, the women make handicrafts and sew handbags using sustainable materials as well as washable sanitary pads and backpacks to sell to visitors and locals. Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home and its cattle enclosures. Continue to the outskirts of the Maasai Mara, where your permanent tented camp can be found.

This morning, explore the Maasai Mara on a 4WD safari in the morning and the afternoon today to give you the best chance to spot iconic African wildlife. This is the quintessential African experience, and with sparse open plains and some of the world's most impressive animals, you won't soon forget this one. Keep your eyes peeled for wildebeest, lions, leopards, antelope and giraffes along the way. You also have the option to take a balloon safari this morning, giving you a rare chance to see the open plains at sunrise, teeming with wildlife. You'll be picked up before dawn and taken to the launch site for a safety briefing with your pilot. Then float through the sky, sometimes at tree level, offering incredible photo opportunities. At other times, you'll soar higher, taking in sweeping views of the vast plains and the early morning movements of the wildlife below. After landing, enjoy a glass of bubbly and bush breakfast before returning to camp to rejoin your group.

Get ready for a long travel day as you journey toward the Kenya-Tanzania border and make your way to the magnificent Lake Victoria. This vast lake is the main source of the Nile, the longest river in the world, and spans the shores of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. On arrival, unwind with a lakeside dinner while you ponder the magnitude of the world’s largest tropical lake.

Enjoy a relaxed morning, taking in the magnificent views of Lake Victoria in the morning light. Travel to Serengeti National Park, renowned for its incredible wildlife and vast, open landscapes. After passing through the park gate, experience the greatest commute possible as we slowly make our way to our permanent tented camp via the 'scenic safari route.' Along the way, stop to take photos of the abundant wildlife and stunning views. Tonight, you'll have a true African safari experience – with your comfortable safari camp set right in the heart of the Serengeti. After dinner, gather around the campfire to share stories, then fall asleep to the sounds of the wild.

Wake to another glorious day in the Serengeti National Park. Start the day with an early morning 4WD safari to spot the wildlife when they're at their most active. Then, return to camp for a relaxed brunch. This afternoon, head off again for another drive through the park. Return to camp for dinner and another night under the Serengeti's stars. You might also opt to take a balloon safari over the park this morning. If you have booked this activity, you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, take off and glide through the dawn sky, sometimes at tree height, getting some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you'll ascend higher, giving you an overview of the vastness of the plains. After landing, celebrate with a glass of champagne before tucking into a special bush breakfast.

Enjoy a final game drive through the Serengeti National Park this morning as you exit your camp inside the park and make your way to the park gate. From here, drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation area, where you'll hop in the park's 4WD jeeps and descend to the crater floor. The jeeps have an open roof, and the animals here are less wary of humans and vehicles, which makes watching them up close easier. Take in the spectacular views from the crater's rim as you make your way to the bottom, where animals roam the lakes, rivers, woodlands and hills. Keep an eye out for wildebeest, lion, zebra, cheetah, buffalo, gazelle, endangered black rhino and the colourfully dressed Maasai people who often water their cattle at the lake here. This afternoon, leave the Ngorongoro Crater and drive to Karatu – a small town on its outskirts and your base for the next two nights.

After breakfast, make your way towards Lake Eyasi, a vast seasonal soda lake, stopping at a scenic viewpoint to take in the magnificent views across its shimmering waters. The area surrounding Lake Eyasi has been home to the Hadzabe people for more than 10,000 years and is one of the few places in Africa where traditional tribal life continues with little modern influence. Today’s visit to the Hadzabe lands offers fascinating insight into this ancient culture and a chance to learn about their way of life. Meet community members and take part in daily activities such as hunting, gathering, and traditional dance, while learning about their unique ‘click’ language — believed to be one of the oldest still spoken today. Return to your lodge in Karatu later in the day to relax and unwind.

Today is a free day to relax or choose from the various optional activities available from your base in Karatu. You might like to head to a local coffee plantation or take a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Maybe opt for a hike through the Ngorongoro Reserve Forest to Elephant Caves accompanied by an expert local guide and armed ranger. This is the perfect way to stretch your legs after a few days of travel. You'll hike through the Ngorongoro rainforest as your local guide explains the ins and outs of the area and points out interesting animal tracks and footprints. Marvel at the wild landscape and spot the varied birdlife as you walk. In the afternoon, you’ll head to Arusha, where you spend your last night.

Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast today. A departure transfer to either Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) can be booked at an additional expense. Alternatively, you can continue with your crew to finish in Nairobi where you'll be dropped at a centrally located hotel, however, no accommodation will be provided tonight. If you want to extend your stay in Arusha or Nairobi, just get in touch with your booking agent to organise additional accommodation.