On arrival in Kigali you are met off your flight by your guide and transferred to the Ubumwe Grande Hotel for your overnight rest. The Ubumwe Grande is a comfortable city hotel with a pool. Should you wish to arrive early, extra nights accommodation can be arranged.
This morning you will be briefed by your guide before we depart for the Uganda border to complete border formalities. A short drive to our first activity, the Batwa Trail, a cultural experience that offers a glimpse of the traditional life of the Batwa (pygmies) who were forest dwellers. The activity introduces travelers to Batwa life comprised of hunting, fruit gathering, collecting honey and performing of rituals in the caves within the forest. The Batwa lived in harmony with forest animals including the mountain gorillas for over 500,000 years. They are the main beneficiaries of the activity. Continue to check in to our lodge in the Bwindi area for check in, dinner and overnight rest
Today you set off on your Uganda gorilla tracking adventure in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – home to half of the world’s total mountain gorilla population. While trekking through the dense forest you’ll have the opportunity to view the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Looking deep into the expressive brown eyes of the Gentle Giants of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park surely is the most exciting and poignant wildlife encounter that Africa has to offer. After this captivating and unforgettable experience you will head back to your lodge for some relaxation.
We depart this morning to return back across the Rwandan border and on to Kigali where a tour will be undertaken the Genocide Memorial site, a grim reminder of a senseless massacre of innocent’s lives in 1994. Learn about Rwanda’s history from pre-colonial times to the 1994 genocide and how Rwanda has dealt with that past. The recovery has been incredible, a testament to humankind’s resilience. After a visit we continue to the airport for your flight to Nairobi. Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to the 5 Star Boma Hotel
Leave the hotel after breakfast and travel north to Nanyuki and check-in to Sweetwaters Tented Camp. A sheltered oasis, clustered around a water hole and set in the pristine calm of the private Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Sweetwaters offers a charming blend of under-canvas ambiance and safari luxury. Located on the plains of Mount Kenya, the camp features thirty-nine luxury tents, each with its own private veranda overlooking the water hole. The central Rhino Restaurant, housed in the former manager’s house of this once colonial farm offers both regional and international cuisine. Also within the house is the Kashoggi Bar and lounge, which centers on a blazing log fire. The Waterhole Bar, built in the style of a game-viewing hide, overlooks the waterhole and offers unrivaled wildlife-watching. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in the conservancy.
Enjoy an entire day exploring the pristine calm of the private Ol Pejeta Conservancy with game drives and a picnic lunch. We also will pay a visit to the Rhino Sanctuary and Chimpanzee sanctuary to see some of the animal welfare work done by the Conservancy.
After breakfast we drive south to Lake Naivasha in time for lunch at the charmingly located Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge. The lodge stands in 120 acres of lakeside land, most of which is covered in green riparian meadows, which sweep down to the shores of the lake, one of the most beautiful in the Great Rift Valley. The grounds are alive with a colourful selection of birds, and the trees with monkeys. This afternoon we will visit Crescent island for a walking safari where you have the opportunity to take a leisurely stroll amongst the animals. There are no predators, however the opportunity to walk amongst animals such as Giraffe is magical. Later we head down to the lodge’s jetty for a boat trip on Lake Naivasha where you can spot plenty of birdlife and visit the resident Hippo pods.
After breakfast depart very early and drive to the Masai Mara National Reserve in time for a late lunch. Settle in to the Il Keliani Camp which is nestled in a river glade in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve for the next three nights. After lunch enjoy your first game drive in the Mara
You have the full day to explore the Mara ecosystem on game drives. The Mara is world renowned for the breathtaking spectacle of the ‘greatest wildlife shows on earth’, the awe inspiring annual migration of the wildebeest which typically takes place between July and October. The Mara consists of rolling grasslands, meandering rivers and towering escarpments offering one of the world’s most rewarding and evocative wildlife arenas.
Spend all day on safari in the reserve with morning and afternoon game drives. When it comes to game viewing there is nowhere in Africa richer in wildlife or more eventful in encounters than the Mara. A pristine wilderness of haunting beauty, it promises its visitors a profusion of wildlife, prolific bird life and the unprecedented opportunity of catching up with all the members of the Big Five’ in one morning. You also have the option of doing a memorable morning Hot Air Balloon Safari at an additional cost
After breakfast transfer to Ol Kiombo airstrip for a short 30 minute morning flight to Migori Airstrip where upon arrival you road transfer across the border for immigration procedures into Tanzania. Continue to Tarime airstrip for a 30 min flight to the Serengeti. Met on arrival by your Tanzanian guide and proceed for check in to Acacia Central Camp for the next three nights. Enjoy lunch followed by your first game drive in the world-renowned Serengeti.
You will enjoy a full day of game drives in the Serengeti today either with morning and afternoon excursions or a full day exploring the reaches of the Seronera area, the most wildlife-rich region of the Serengeti. Whilst the annual migration is the Serengeti’s most famous attraction, the park is also renowned for its wealth of lion, cheetah, zebra, giraffe, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, eland, impala, klipspringer, hippo and warthog.
Spend all day on safari in the reserve with morning and afternoon game drives. The Serengeti is one of the most densely populated wildlife arenas anywhere on earth. You also have the option of doing a memorable morning Hot Air Balloon Safari at an additional cost
After breakfast depart with game drive en route through the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area. We will stop for a visit to the world-famous Olduvai Gorge Palaeolithic site and reputed ‘Cradle of Mankind’. Continue to the Ngorongoro area and check in to the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge which offers the finest location of all the crater rim lodges. This afternoon you will visit a traditional Masai homestead to gain insight into their life and customs.
Rise early with a packed breakfast to descend for half day game drive in the crater. Often referred to as ‘the eighth wonder of the world’ the Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s best-known wildlife arenas. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the largest volcanic craters in the world covering a total area of 264 square kilometres. An utterly unique biosphere, the Crater harbours grasslands, swamps, forests, salt pans, a fresh water lake and a glorious variety of birdlife, all enclosed within its towering walls. It boasts a high concentration of wildlife with exceptionally close range viewing opportunities. Leaving the crater behind, we will continue to the visit our local school project, Simba Milima Primary School where you will have the opportunity to learn about the school and interact with the students. After this experience continue to check in to Manyara Serena Safari Lodge for a late lunch and much needed rest
Depart the camp this morning for a game drive at Lake Manyara. Stretching for 50km along the base of the rusty-gold 600m high Rift Valley Escarpment, Lake Manyara is a scenic gem with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”. Continue to check in for your flight from Manyara airstrip to Zanzibar. On arrival in Zanzibar you will be met and taken to your historic hotel in Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage City
Today you will enjoy a tour of the backstreets of Stone Town, a wonderful introduction of Zanzibar that gives you the feeling of the rich cultural heritage. Magnificent architecture, narrow alleys, sand and stone ancient built houses where some of them are over 200 Years old that have Arab/Indian carved wooden doors. We begin this tour at the main City market which was opened in 1904, where tropical fruits, vegetables, spices and fresh fish from the island are sold. Our next stop will be at the Anglican Church of Christ built by Bishop Steers in 1873 on the site where slaves were being auctioned. Other highlights include the Sultan’s Palace, House of Wonders, The Africa House, Jamituri Gardens and a visit to the Old Fort
After breakfast, depart to Zanzibar airport to connect to your onward flight. Extra nights available upon request.
