RWANDA & KENYA: Gorillas & Wildlife Safari

Length of Tour

13-days/12-nights

Brief Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Nairobi
Day 2 – Morning flight from Nairobi to Kigali. Transfer to Volcanoes NP
Day 3 – Gorilla Trek in Volcanoes NP
Day 4 – Golden Monkey Trek in Volcanoes NP. Transfer to Kivu
Day 5 – Kivu to Nyungwe NP
Day 6 – Chimpanzee Trek in Nyungwe NP. Transfer to Kigali
Day 7 – Morning flight from Kigali to Nairobi. Transfer to Nakuru NP
Day 8 – Full day in Nakuru NP
Day 9 – Morning game drive in Nakuru. Transfer to Maasai Mara NP
Day 10-12 – Three full days in Maasai Mara NP
Day 13 – Maasai Mara to Nairobi; Evening departure from Nairobi

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Nairobi on an evening flight. Transfer to hotel

Day 2 – Fly Nairobi to Kigali / Volcanoes National Park

We’ll depart on an early morning flight from Nairobi to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. We’ll arrive at Kigali International Airport in late morning, where we’ll be met by our driver guide. From there, we drive 2.5 hrs to Ruhengeri and the Volcanoes National Park. We’ll take a mid-afternoon nature walk to explore a section of the forest well known for its species of birds.

Day 3 – Volcanoes National Park – Golden Monkey Trekking

Breakfast will be early, followed by a 6:30 AM departure to Volcanoes National Park Headquarters for park orientation and Golden Monkey tracking. We’ll set out on foot to find endangered Golden Monkeys inhabiting the bamboo forest on lower slopes of the mountains. We return to our lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the twin Lakes Bulera and Ruhondo, surrounded by breath-taking scenery, steep hills and amazing views of the Virunga Volcano peaks.

Day 4 – Volcanoes National Park – Gorilla Trek – Gisenyi (Lake Kivu)

After an early breakfast, we head back to the Volcanoes National Park Headquarters for our Mountain Gorilla trek. At 7:00 AM we join other trekkers for a briefing by our trackers, then drive to the forest trailhead to begin our wonderful Gorilla tracking adventure. Our trek starts in the cultivated foothills of the Virunga mountains, offering stirring views in all directions. Accompanied by local guides, trekkers will ascend on foot through rugged terrain with steep sections and occasional stream crossings (Physical fitness is required to complete this trek). We’ll be immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with the colorful bird calls, and chattering golden monkeys. The earth’s floor is littered with fresh spoor of the mountains’ elusive buffalo and elephant. We glimpse magnificent mountain peaks through gaps in the canopy, while weaving our way past overhanging vines, moss-covered hagenia trees and giant lobelias that thrive in the tropical climate. Our experienced trackers, who have spent their entire lives in or close to this forest, bring us close to one of the Gorilla families for quiet observation and incredible photographic opportunities. We’ll stay with these magnificent primates for one magical hour of their lives, as they feed, play, rest and raise their young. Watching Mountain Gorillas interact is truly one of the greatest wildlife experiences on earth!

After the trek, we’ll return to the lodge for lunch and packing up. We’ll depart mid-afternoon and proceed to Lake Kivu (Gisenyi), arriving in the early evening for dinner and overnight at our lodge.

Day 5 – Gisenyi (on Lake Kivu) – Kibuye (on Lake Kivu) – Nyungwe Forest National Park

After breakfast, we’ll depart for Kibuye arriving in time for lunch. After lunch, we proceed to Nyungwe Forest which is the largest and best preserved block of Afro-montane high altitude forest on the continent. The reserve features an extensive network of trails which we’ll explore on foot in search of Albertine Rift endemics such as Red-collared Babbler, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Kungwe Apalis, Ruwenzori Turaco, Dusky Crimsonwing and other avian specialties. We will drive towards Nyungwe Forest National Park for dinner and overnight at our lodge.

Day 6 – Explore Nyungwe Forest National Park – Chimpanzee Trek / Kigali

This morning we’ll explore more of the Nyungwe Forest, a biodiversity hotspot and a high priority for habitat conservation in Africa. More than a dozen primates roam here, including relatively large numbers of Chimpanzees. We’ll track Chimpanzees in the Cyamudongo Forest, looking and listening for their unmistakable screams, hoots and drum beats. If we’re lucky, we may see a group of them organizing a carnivorous hunt. We’ll look for colobus and other monkeys, as well as birds such as Handsome Francolin, Mountain Sooty Boubou, Rwenzori Batis, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Archer’s Robin-chat, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Red-faced Woodland, Grauer’s Rush, Neumann’s and Grauer’s Warblers, Masked Mountain Apalis, Rwenzori Double-collared, Purple-throated, Blue-headed and Regal Sunbirds, Stripe-breasted Tit and Strange Weaver. A speciality is Red-collared Mountain Babbler, which has its only easily accessible site here. Recent possible sightings of Rockefeller’s Sunbird indicate there is much still to be discovered here! After a rich morning of discovery, we’ll return to the lodge for lunch and packing. This afternoon we depart to Kigali, arriving in the early evening. Dinner and overnight will be at our lodge.

Day 7 – Fly Kigali to Nairobi / Nakuru National Park

After breakfast, we transfer to Kigali international Airport for our scheduled 8.20 AM flight to Nairobi. This marks the beginning of the second part of our trip, where we’ll experience East Africa’s famed wildlife and wildebeest migration in two of Kenya’s most spectacular parks. From Nairobi, we’ll head to Lake Nakuru National Park passing through the Great Rift Valley escarpment with a stop to admire and photograph this stunning landscape. Upon arrival at Nakuru National Park we embark on an afternoon game drive to preview the amazing wildlife of the park before dinner.

Day 8 – Lake Nakuru National Park

Today we will enjoy a full day of game drives around Lake Nakuru National Park. The rich concentration of wildlife provides plenty to experience, observe and photograph. Changing water levels provide an assortment of wildlife that varies with conditions. Thousands of flamingos congregate in shallow edges of this unique saltwater body. Mammals are abundant, including buffalo, giraffe and several antelope species. We’ll make special effort to look for Leopards lounging on tree limbs. We’ll seek optimal positions to photograph Black and White Rhinos.

Day 9 – Lake Nakuru National Park / Maasai Mara National Reserve

After a last morning game drive in the park, we’ll depart Nakuru and head to the southwest corner of Kenya for the world-renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve. We’ll arrive at the entrance gate by mid-afternoon, with time to experience an afternoon game drive before dinner.

Days 10 – 12 – Maasai Mara National Reserve

Situated at the northern end of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, the Maasai Mara National Reserve encompasses nearly 600 square miles of land, home to an incredible diversity of wildlife. We’ll take multiple game drives throughout our three-day visit, to maximize encounters with big game, birds and reptiles. Many animals will be close to our vehicles, providing excellent photographic opportunities.

These expansive savannah grasslands serve as center stage for the ‘Great Migration’ of wildebeest and zebra. Our visit is timed to witness this spectacular phenomenon in action, when vast herds move steadily into the northern reaches of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. We’ll keep an eye out for predator-prey interactions, when powerful big cats take down a hapless youngster, or a gigantic Nile Crocodile thrashes its victim at a river crossing.

The Mara is among the best places in Africa to see the ‘Big and Small Cats’ with nearly all the members well represented here. We’ll observe prides of lions and focus on finding elusive cheetah, serval and leopard. Herds of elephants lumber through vegetated areas, and schools of Hippopotamus bask in shallow pools along the river banks. Other mammals include Silver-backed Jackal, the delightful Bat-eared Fox, Banded Mongoose, Spotted Hyena, lively warthogs, gazelles, and giraffe. Hundreds of bird species are present, including an assortment of weavers, bee-eaters, rollers, sunbirds, hornbills, go-away-birds, guineafowl, bustards, secretary birds, raptors, and many more. The experiences and photographic opportunities of the Maasai Mara are nearly boundless – there’s always something to see and snap!

Day 13 – Maasai Mara National Reserve / Nairobi

After breakfast, we pack luggage, and savor our last morning game drive in the Maasai Mara. We work our way out of the park and head back to Nairobi. We’ll arrive in late afternoon, and use day rooms to repack and freshen up before dinner, then transfer to Nairobi airport for overnight flight home.

Cost

$7,750 per person, based upon double occupancy, from Nairobi, Kenya (Airport code NBO).
This trip ends in same as arrival city (Airport code ).

Single Supplement and other Cost Additions

If a single room is preferred, or we are unable to find a suitable roommate for you, a single supplement fee of $1,085 will be assessed.

Length of Tour: 13 days / 12 nights

Cost: 2019 – from approx US $7,750.00 per person from Nairobi, based upon double occupancy and minimum of 4 participants.
Note: Cost does not include Rwanda Gorilla Permit (currently $1500 a person, subject to change)

Single supplement: approx. $1085.00. Please note that if you do not request a single room, and we are unable to find you a roommate, you will be charged the single supplement.

The Cost Includes: All ground transport, game drives and park entrance fees; professional driver guide; meals from breakfast on day 2 to dinner on day 13; 12 nights accommodation; Flying Doctors Temporary Medical Travel Insurance; mineral water on game drives.
Note: There may be an additional surcharge should Park and or Conservation fees increase, which often happens with very little notice.

Cost Excludes: 
Airfares to Kenya, and Kenya-Rwanda-Kenya flight (approx. $330); Visa fees; Rwanda Gorilla Permit (currently $1500); beverages.; any items of personal nature (laundry, telephone calls and so forth); any services not mentioned or indicated as optional; gratuities to drivers / guides / porters / waiters.
Optional Hot Air Balloon ride in Maasai Mara $450 per person.

Minimum Number

If fewer than the minimum number of participants are registered the trip can still run with a small-group supplement fee per person determined by the number of participants.

Deposit Requirements

A $1,000 deposit per person is required to hold each space on this tour. Deposit may be made online by clicking the "Book Your Trip Now" button and using any credit card. If you prefer, you may call us at 888-875-9453 to pay by phone. You may also mail us a check, however, remember that all space is held on a first come-first served basis as deposits are received.

How to Book

In order to hold your space, click the "Book Your Trip Now" button above and complete the deposit process, including payment of the deposit through our Paypal portal using ANY CREDIT CARD. Upon completion of deposit, please visit our secure, online CLIENT INFORMATION FORM to complete your registration.

Final Payment

For all land-based tours: full payment by check is due 120 days prior to the departure date.

For all boat-based adventure cruises of 7-days or longer: full payment by check is required 180 days prior to departure.

NOTE: If you prefer to use credit card for final payment, a 3% fee may be added to cover the credit card merchant fees we incur.

All the accommodations on this tour have clean comfortable rooms with en suite showers/baths and toilets and an the whole are very good, with excellent service.

Activity Level Rating: 4 (Note: 1 is easy and 5 is difficult)

Recommended Field Guide:

Birds of East Africa (Princeton Field Guides, 2002) by Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe

This trip is for non-smokers only. Smoking is not permitted at any time during our safari.

Trip Insurance is required for all safaris

You will need to get a Visa to enter Kenya and Rwanda. The current cost is $50 and $30 and this can be applied for / purchased upon arrival at the airport in Nairobi, Kenya and Kigali, Rwanda

This is a safari and as such we will concentrate on all the wildlife, as one would expect, the birds and mammals giving everyone time to view, experience and photograph them. Easy wildlife viewing from the confines of our open top safari vehicle in some outstanding parks; though we expect to see many bird species we will spend considerable time with the incredible mammals that make this part of the world unique and hope to come across about 50 species including the “Big 5” – elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard.

We will certainly be hiking for the primates, more like bush-wacking, for our Gorilla trek. This can be strenuous as we are in the mountains at elevation and on uneven vegetated terrain! There will be little walking on the Kenya part of this tour as will will be within the parks; midday breaks, when in the parks; a mostly pleasant and dry climate, breathtaking scenery and many excellent photographic opportunities.

We will be using the typical safari ‘combo’ vehicles such as a 4X4 Safari Mini Bus or Land Cruise. There is a pop-up roof that enables one to stand up to view and photograph wildlife. We will have a maximum of six participants per vehicle as this will guarantee everyone a window seat.

Purchasing Flights

Do not purchase your flights until the trip has been confirmed to go.

Detailed Trip Information

Upon notification that final payment is due (120 days prior to departure for land based tours / 180 days for boat based tours), you will receive a trip package of detailed information for your tour.

Any additional information about the trip, including lodgings, contacts, participants, meeting locations, etc., will sent about 2 weeks prior to the trip departure, or after final payment is received for late registrants.

Travel Insurance

As with all tours, we recommend purchasing Travel Insurance to help cover your investment, for covered reasons. Please see our section on Travel Insurance.

Passport & Visa

US Citizens may require a visa to enter certain foreign countries. See above for any required visa information.

Participants arriving to the USA from a foreign country may need to get a travel visa to enter the United States. Be sure to check the requirements for your country of origin.

Itinerary Changes

The trip itinerary is developed many months ahead of time. Occasionally, despite our best planning, changes may occur during the trip, or we may be forced to alter our plans. Changes may occur because of weather, road conditions, safety concerns or other circumstances. In these situations, it is the leader(s) responsibility to carefully consider and implement appropriate alternatives. Any additional costs incurred because of changes will be the responsibility of each individual participant. Refunds will not be issued as a result of itinerary changes.