11-Day Gorilla and Great Migration Safari

This is where it all begins, where you join us on the first step of our journey together. Upon your arrival, you will be transferred from Kigali International Airport directly to your first activity. You will meet your friendly expert guide and we’ll get the formalities out of the way quickly so that we can get out there and start enjoying the safari you’ve been dreaming of.

Your first stop is the Ellen DeGeneres Campus. This world-class research and education center opened in 2022 near Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park – home to the majestic mountain gorillas – the realization of a 20-year dream. The visit honors Dian Fossey’s legacy and furthers a mission to save gorillas from extinction.

As you are transferred by road from the campus to Ingagi Park View Lodge, you will approach the majestic Virunga peaks of Volcanoes National Park. If they look familiar, that is because they were once home to primatologist Dian Fossey, and the movie ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ was shot on location there. Mountain gorillas remain the park’s most keenly sought inhabitants, but it also forms an important stronghold for the endangered golden monkey and for 16 bird species native to the Albertine Rift Valley. Guided day hikes onto the richly biodiverse volcanic slopes lead through towering bamboo thickets, dense tropical jungle and otherworldly high-altitude moorland.

Morning: Mountain Gorilla Trekking
This morning, come trekking with us to find mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. It’s an experience you’ll remember your whole life. You are perfectly placed to begin this adventure, as your accommodation, Ingagi Park View Lodge, is located on the foothills of the volcanic mountains, just a short distance from the park’s main entrance where the trekking starts. Ingagi is a Kinyarwanda word meaning “Gorilla,” and the lodge offers spectacular views of a chain of 15,000-foot volcanoes stretching through Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Afternoon: Gorilla Guardian Village
In the afternoon, you will visit the Gorilla Guardian Village, also known as Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village (meaning ‘treasure of our home’). This special location, situated in Kinigi in the Musanze district, shows the real treasure behind the existence of tourism in Rwanda and complements the amazing gorilla trekking experience. The village offers an adventurous stay—or a visit, in your case—to a traditional Rwandan community that has existed for centuries living side-by-side with mountain gorillas in the Parc National des Volcans.

Morning: Golden Monkey Trekking
After breakfast, you will be guided for a Golden Monkey Trekking experience in Volcanoes National Park. These rare and endangered primates are a unique species currently found only in the Virunga Mountains. Easily recognized by the striking yellow patches all over their bodies, they are often called the ‘Old World Monkey.’ A key identifier for the golden monkey is their nose: unlike most other monkeys whose nostrils point to the sides, the golden monkey’s nostrils uniquely face upwards.

Afternoon & Departure: Kigali City Tour
Following your golden monkey trek and check-out from the lodge, you will head for a scenic city tour of Kigali. This neat city, centrally located in the hilly heart of Rwanda, is your lively urban introduction to the Land of 1000 Hills and a key springboard for your adventures. During the tour, you will visit a few local craft shop markets. Depending on your flight schedule, the market visit will conclude your day before we transfer you to Kigali International Airport for your departure.

Today, you arrive in Tanzania! You will be transferred from Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) directly to your hotel for a one-night stay in Arusha. This busy city is an essential part of safari life in northern Tanzania. As you pass through, you will catch a glimpse of streets filled with energy and color, all while the majestic Mount Meru watches over the city, a key landmark alongside the Uhuru Monument. You will be staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Arusha, an accommodation that puts you right in the heart of the city while providing luxurious rooms and tranquil, tree-filled grounds—a perfect oasis for relaxing after your journey.

After breakfast, we depart Arusha for the drive to Tarangire National Park, arriving at your lodge in time for lunch. Your home for the night is Tarangire Sopa Lodge, a complete oasis well-placed in the park’s quiet southern sections, where you might even be able to watch visiting elephants and baboons from your room.

Many travellers rate Tarangire among their favourite national parks anywhere in Tanzania. This afternoon, you get to enjoy a guided game drive through this top wildlife destination. You will quickly come across elephants and baobabs everywhere—two giants of the African bush—and elephant sightings are almost guaranteed. Look for lions, leopards, and cheetahs, but you won’t have to look hard to see baboons, vervet monkeys, wildebeest, giraffes, hippos, buffaloes, and zebras. The rolling savannah scenery, which includes rivers and low hills, is an enjoyable part of your Tarangire experience, and while the park can get busy, crowds of cars will not be a problem here.

After breakfast, you will be transferred by road from Tarangire Sopa Lodge to Tukaone Serengeti Camps in the heart of the Central Serengeti National Park. This is the place most people dream of when they imagine the Serengeti; it is filled with acacia trees and those endless Serengeti horizons. This central area is the perfect place to see all the park has to offer, as wildlife is present here in the biggest numbers.

Upon arrival and after settling in, there’s a good chance your afternoon guided game drive will reveal big cats and elephants. Relax, sit back, and enjoy the ride across the sprawling plains. Your camp is solar-powered and offers a truly immersive experience, as the famous savannah plains are visible everywhere from camp. The tents have plenty of character, featuring safari-themed décor and private amenities, allowing you to relax in the dining tent or around the campfire and listen for the night sounds of the Serengeti.

Day 7: Transfer and Great Migration Preview
After breakfast, your safari journey continues as you are transferred by road from Tukaone Serengeti Camps to the unique landscape of the Northern Serengeti National Park. This area is arguably the most special of all the Serengeti regions, offering fantastic wildlife—especially big cats and elephants—and much quieter safari trails. The landscape here is dramatic, featuring rolling grasslands, hills, and the iconic Mara River.

Your home for the next two nights is Malaika Mara River Luxury Camps. Here, you are perfectly placed to enjoy the best of the region, offering an exquisite blend of luxury and a deep connection with the natural world. This afternoon, you’ll enjoy a guided game drive as an introduction to this beautiful area, setting the stage for tomorrow’s full-day mission to witness the Great Migration.

Day 8: Full Day Amidst the Herds
Today is dedicated to an all-day guided game drive through the Northern Serengeti. There is nothing that can compare to seeking out wildlife amidst these beautiful landscapes. Your guide will focus on positioning you to witness the Great Migration of herds near the Mara River (seasonal), a dramatic, thrilling spectacle that forms the wild pulse of the Serengeti.

Morning: Transfer to the Crater Rim
Following breakfast, we embark on a scenic road transfer from Malaika Mara River Luxury Camps to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Your destination is the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, a stone-built classic perched on the crater rim that offers unparalleled views of the caldera, where you will stay for the night.

Afternoon: Crater Descent and Wildlife Spectacle
Your day in and around the Ngorongoro Crater could just be one of the most memorable of your whole safari. You’ll explore the crater rim and then drive down onto the crater floor, a hidden world surrounded by steep, deep-green walls, a salt lake, forests, and hippo-filled waterways. The critically endangered black rhinos are the stars of this astonishing wildlife show. You’ll almost certainly see large-tusked elephants, at least one of Ngorongoro’s four lion prides, and wandering clans of spotted hyenas.

Optional Activity: Olduvai Gorge & Museum
In the afternoon, you have the optional opportunity to visit the Olduvai Gorge & Museum. This site, located near the Laetoli Footprints, is home to one of Africa’s biggest onsite museums and showcases the earliest evidence of human ancestors found in the area, as well as other significant findings from elsewhere in Africa.

Morning: Early Game Drive in Ngorongoro
Before departing, you’ll put on some warm clothes and enjoy an early morning game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater. This is the perfect time for both photography and active wildlife viewing, as the light is soft and warm, and most animals are out and about. Your expert guide will help you explore the beautiful crater floor, where you might see lions, black rhinos, spotted hyenas, and the other animals for which Ngorongoro is famous. If you’re not typically an early riser, you’ll definitely want to make an exception here.

Afternoon: Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Escarpment
Following the game drive, we will transfer by road to Lake Manyara View Luxury Tented Camp, which will be your base for exploring the park. You’re going to love Lake Manyara National Park because it promises experiences you just can’t get elsewhere. This is one of the most compact parks in northern Tanzania, consisting of a narrow strip of forest shadowed by the vast lake on one side and the impressive cliffs of the Rift Valley escarpment on the other.

The park is known for its large elephant and baboon populations, and part of the excitement of visiting here is never quite knowing when you’re going to come face-to-face with an elephant. The park is most famous for its tree-climbing lions—one of very few places in Africa where these large cats routinely spend much of their time resting up in the trees.

All good things must come to an end, and your time with us on safari in Tanzania will now draw to a close. Before your flight, you will go on one last early morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. This is the favorite activity of the day for many safari-goers before they leave the country, offering one final opportunity to spot unique wildlife in the dramatic light of the Rift Valley.

After breakfast and the game drive, we will transfer you to the airport, carrying incredible memories of the gorillas of Rwanda and the vast plains of Tanzania. We are sure that you have had a wonderful time!