9 days’ Gorillas, Nakuru-Serengeti & Ngorongoro Safari in the most iconic national parks in East Africa is a rewarding experience that any traveler should never miss out. This safari will expose you to the gigantic world heritage sites in one of the most visited National Parks in Africa and that is Volcanoes National Park which is found in Rwanda, visit Lake Nakuru which lies in the great East African Rift Valley, Ngorongoro which is the sanctuary of black rhinoceroses, elephants, buffaloes to mention but a few, and Serengeti game reserve a world heritage for the wildebeests among others. This trip will start from Rwanda and ends in Tanzania with Ngorongoro National Park.
Gorillas, Nakuru-Serengeti & Ngorongoro Safari Highlights
- Day 1. Transfer from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
- Day 2. Gorilla trekking and Iby’iwacu village tour
- Day 3. Transfer from Volcanoes National Park to Kigali Fly to Kenya, Nairobi city.
- Day 4. Drive to Lake Nakuru and Game drive in the afternoon.
- Day 5. Fly from Lake Nakuru to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
- Day 6 & 7: Full day Game drive in Serengeti National Park
- Day 8: Transfer from Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater and game drive
- Day 9: Game drive and departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1. Transfer from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
Our driver guide will pick you from the hotel, brief you about the entire safari and head to Kigali City which is the cleanest city in East Africa. You will visit markets, interact with the locals, buy some souvenirs in case you wish, visit Genocide museum in Kigali and then proceed to the Volcanoes National Park.
Traverse through the villages and hilly area with beautiful views, continue to the park where you will reach in the evening, check-in the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 2. Gorilla trekking and Iby’iwacu village tour
Wake up in the early morning, greet your intestines with a cup of tea/coffee, head to the park headquarters for briefing by the rangers, they will allocate you the gorilla family to trek, trekking normally takes about 2-5 hours depending on where the gorillas spent the previous night.
Spend an hour with these primates, take pictures and videos, later go back to the lodge for lunch and in the evening by 3 pm, you will visit Ibyiwacu. This center combines 3 tribes that is Hutu, Tutsi and Batwa. You will be entertained through songs, dances and ancient stories, go back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 3. Transfer from Volcanoes National Park to Kigali Fly to Kenya, Nairobi city.
You will wake up as early as 6:30 am, get your breakfast packed and set off for Kigali city, this is going to be a long day depending on the time of your flight to Nairobi. the flight lasts for about 2 hours, reach the hotel in Nairobi, relax, take bath and have dinner and overnight.
Day 4. Drive to Lake Nakuru and Game drive in the afternoon.
You will wake up in the early morning, have breakfast and off to Lake Nakuru in west-central Kenya. Immediately upon arrival, you will get lost in the jungles, discover variety of hidden treasures that are enclosed in the Great Rift Valley. Meet the herds of elephants, black rhinos, buffaloes, antelopes, birds especially flamingos that beautify shores of Lake Nakuru. Have lunch picnic overlooking this vast lake as you spot more animals coming to drink water. After lunch, continue with a game drive, retire in the evening at your lodge, relax and have dinner.
Day 5. Fly from Lake Nakuru to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
You will wake up for the delicious breakfast and checkout of the lodge and head to Serengeti in Tanzania, you will fly over the Rift Valley Park with scenic escarpments and the beautiful Mountain Longonot. You will have stop for immigration and boarder clearance at Isebania border and continue with the journey, reach Serengeti in the evening hours. Check-in the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 6 & 7: Full day Game drive in Serengeti National Park
You will wake up in the early morning to catchup with the nocturnal animals like leopards, lions, hyenas when they are ending their night duties and when the temperatures are still low, you will meet the Big 9 of the jungle however most people know Big 5. The Big 9 include; lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, rhinos, giraffes, hippopotamus in River Grumeti, cheetahs and zebras. You will enjoy viewing these animals in the endless plains with open grassland.
Settle for lunch picnic at a nice view point where you will be viewing most of the animals and then continue exploring the park, if you visit the park in the dry season (June to September) you will spot the great migration of the wildebeests, gazelles and zebras. This migration attracts a lot of predators like lions, cheetahs and hyenas. You will later head back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Transfer from Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater and game drive
You will grab your tea/coffee in the morning, get your luggage and set off to Ngorongoro Crater, you will have a fantastic drive through thick forest of Ngorongoro which are always congested with elephants, buffaloes, black rhinos, and zebras alongside bird species since the park is a sanctuary of birds. You will have lunch en-route as the guide will take you to the most viewing points of the park. Proceed to the lodge in the late evening, check-in the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: Game drive and departure
You will wake up before the day brightens and embark on the game drive. Here you will be able to catch up with predators, ending their routine duties, later you will go back to the lodge, pack your luggage and embark on your journey to Arusha for exit flight to your next destination.
You will have lunch en-route and then proceed to the Airport or hotel depending on your schedule.
End of the Safari
