14-Day Gorillas, Wildlife & Zanzibar Beach Holiday

After an early breakfast, head to Volcano National Park for golden monkey trekking. Report to the park headquarters at 7:00 am for a briefing before the trek. Afterwards, transfer to the Rwanda-Uganda border, cross over and arrive in Kisoro near Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. You have the afternoon free to prepare for gorilla trekking the next day. Kisoro is a small town with a great view of the Virunga peaks and Lake Mutanda. There’s not much more to Kisoro than the main road that bisects its center, but the setting is hard to beat. The lofty Virunga peaks dominate the town’s southern skyline, while the fertile hills that enclose Lake Mutanda roll north towards Bwindi.

After breakfast, you’ll drive to the Ntebeko Visitors Information Center for the briefing about trekking gorillas in the small but rewarding national park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. As its name suggests, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a key stronghold for the mountain gorilla and one of only four places worldwide where this charismatic ape can be observed in the wild. Despite being Uganda’s smallest national park, it has an impressive altitude span, ranging from 2,227m at the entrance gate to 4,127m at the summit of Muhabura.

After the briefing, you will start on the trek to see the greatest apes on this planet — the endangered mountain gorillas! The total trek time may take from 3 hours to a maximum of 8 hours. Even if it gets strenuous to find the gorillas, it is very rewarding. You’ll return to your lodge later in the afternoon to relax and spend the rest of the day writing in your journal about the trip while listening to your music.

Today after breakfast, you will be transferred back to Kigali, Rwanda for your scheduled flight to Nairobi, Kenya. On arrival, you’ll be met by our team and picked up from the airport. Then, you will be transferred to your city hotel (Boma Nairobi or similar). We’ll explain what happens next and answer any questions you might have about your safari which starts the next day.

The arrangements are on a bed-and-breakfast basis. This option is suitable for those arriving in Nairobi in the evening.
If you arrive early, you can decide to relax at the hotel or take up the many city activities, including the Nairobi city tour, Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage, or visit the Karen Blixen before returning to your hotel late evening.

Today after breakfast, you will be collected by our driver-guide from your hotel in Nairobi for a scenic drive to Masai Mara National Reserve. You will have a stopover at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint to stretch your legs and photograph the contrasting landscapes including Mount Longonot. You’ll proceed driving through the Rift Valley floor to the Mara arriving in good time for lunch. After that, you’ll embark on your first game drive this afternoon to return at sunset.

One of our favorite places to look for wildlife in Kenya is the Masai Mara National Reserve, a place of beautiful savannah landscapes. That’s because the wildlife here is incredible, with big cats (lions, leopards, cheetahs) and elephants among the highlights. There’s a very good chance you’ll also see giraffes, buffaloes, wildebeests, zebras, hippos, hyenas, and, of course, impalas. Bring your binoculars, because more than 500 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve.

This is a full day spent wildlife viewing across the rich tree-studded grassland and rolling hills of the famous savannah. The Mara is renowned for its great herds of plains game animals like leopards, cheetahs, lions, and other herbivores. It has virtually every other type of wildlife to be found in Kenya. Your lunch today is picnic lunch boxes in the savannah under a flat-top acacia tree while watching the animals grazing. You will continue with the wildlife viewing en route to your camp, arriving late in the afternoon after thoroughly exploring this massive grassland savannah measuring 1,500 sq.

You have an option of booking a balloon ride today which takes off early in the morning. After landing, the crew helps you out of the basket and escorts you to a lovely setting for a bush breakfast which is a lifetime experience and worth the
price. Later, you’ll join your driver-guide and proceed with your full-day game drive.

Today, prepare for a long but breathtaking drive to the Isebania border post, which separates Kenya and Tanzania. After completing the border immigration process, you will switch vehicles and meet your Tanzanian guide. He will welcome you and take you to the expansive Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, with lunch served en route.

You will arrive at the camp late in the afternoon, so keep an eye out for the millions of animals that inhabit this area during the drive. Tonight, you will enjoy an authentic African safari experience, as the lodge is situated within the national park and in the midst of all the animal activity. Upon arrival, your driver and the camp manager will provide you with a safety briefing.

Please note that the drive from Masai Mara to Serengeti is a true African “massage”, featuring rough roads, and can take up to 8–9 hours, including the border crossing and two pit stops. Alternatively, we can arrange a 4-hour flight transfer from Masai Mara to Serengeti.

You will wake up to a glorious day in the Serengeti. You’ll start the day with an early morning game drive to search for animals when they’re at their most active. Then, you’ll return to the lodge for a relaxed breakfast and lunch. You’ll spend the hottest part of the day relaxing in the camp reading your favorite book writing your journal about the safari or just listening to your favorite music while observing the birds. Don’t stress, the animals will be doing the same. You’ll head off again in the afternoon for another drive through the park. You’ll return to the lodge for dinner and another night under the Serengeti’s stars.

Note: There’s also an option of an early hot air balloon ride here. Please ask the tour manager before booking this trip if you’re interested.

You’ll have an early breakfast at 6:00 am then enjoy a final game drive through the Serengeti as you exit the park this morning. Thereafter, you’ll depart for Ngorongoro with picnic lunches. You’ll descend into the crater floor for the half-day crater tour. There are only two roads that connect the crater rim with the crater floor, one for driving down and another one for driving out. The crater is roughly 20 km/12 miles wide and 600 m/2,000 ft deep. Once you’ve reached the top of the caldera it takes about 45 minutes to descend to the crater floor.

The crater floor is home to a rich and highly concentrated wildlife. Some 20,000 mammals of size live there, including about 20 black rhinoceros, making the crater the best place in Tanzania to see the rhino. The animals here are less wary of humans and vehicles, and as a result, it’s easier to watch them up close, where they roam the lakes, rivers, woodlands, and hills. Exit the Crater and drive to your lodge at the rim for dinner and overnight.

You will head to Lake Eyasi, a vast seasonal soda lake that has been home to the Hadzabe people for over 10,000 years, and it is one of the few places in Africa where traditional life is still practiced without modern influence. Today’s visit to the Hadzabe lands will offer you an incredible insight into their ancient culture, and you will have the chance to learn about their way of life. You can meet members of the community and participate in daily activities such as hunting, gathering, and traditional dances, and also learn about their unique ‘click’ language, which is believed to be one of the oldest languages still in use today.

You will then proceed to your lodge in Tarangire National Park, arriving in good time for lunch. After lunch, you will embark on your first game drive to explore this beautiful park, which is considered the second park with the highest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania after Serengeti. You’ll return to the lodge for your dinner and an overnight stay.

After an early breakfast, you will drive to Arusha Airport for your scheduled flight to Zanzibar, known as the Spice Island. This beautiful destination is famous for its idyllic beaches, winding cobblestone alleyways, and vibrant bazaars. Upon your arrival, our company representative will meet you, and you will head to the northern beaches. If you choose, you can make an optional visit to a spice plantation. During this guided tour, you’ll learn about the island’s renowned spice trade and have the chance to touch, smell, and taste a variety of spices, including cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger. You can also sample some tea made with these spices.

After lunch, you will proceed to the northern beaches, where you can enjoy the stunning white sand, sparkling blue sea, and beautiful skies of the Indian Ocean. You will arrive at the beach resort in plenty of time to begin your relaxing beach stay.

Spend a full day exploring some of the best beaches in the world. One major destination is Nungwi Beach, located at the northwestern tip of the island. This stunning beach features powdery white sand, crystal blue waters, and an abundance of exotic flora and fauna. You can choose to relax under a coconut tree while listening to music or reading a book. Alternatively, take advantage of the variety of activities available, including scuba diving, snorkeling, and many other aquatic adventures. We recommend booking these activities through your hotel.

Enjoy another day of free time at the beach in this beautiful archipelago! There are plenty of water activities available, including snorkeling to see exotic fish, scuba diving, or simply relaxing in a hammock beneath a coconut tree with a good book or music. Please remember to book all aquatic activities, such as scuba diving, Mnemba dolphins, and snorkeling, directly through the hotel.

You will check out of your hotel this morning and make your way back to Stone Town arriving around noon. You will be transferred straight to the airport to mark this as the end of your safari.

NB: The easiest option to fly out is Zanzibar Airport. However, if you have arranged to fly out of Dar es Salaam airport, ferries depart Zanzibar at 7:30 am, 9:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. It is important to allow enough time to return to the mainland to catch your flight departing from Dar es Salaam Airport.

It’s a pity that it has to end, but this is where your safari will draw to a close. We’re sure that you will return home with so many exciting and happy memories. We hope that you will join us again on safari sometime in the future.