Rwanda Gorilla Tours and Tanzania Safari

You will be met at Kigali Airport by our driver/guide and transported to Hotel des Mille Collines. Depending on your arrival time, you may be able to peruse some of Kigali’s craft markets for ceramics, carvings, batik, weaving, sculpture, musical instruments, leather, and fabrics. Prepare to put your bargaining abilities to the test! Today’s activities and purchases are entirely your responsibility. The Hotel des Mille Collines was the UN headquarters during the country’s 1994 crisis, as shown in the sad film “Hotel Rwanda.” It is now a wonderful accommodation, with the ancient building’s restored structure still apparent. The swimming pool and live music in the afternoon make it a great spot to relax before or after a flight. Journey Time: 15 minutes from the airport Accomodation: Hotel des Mille Collines

Following an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the magnificent Volcanoes National Park, which is home to the Mountain Gorilla. You will stay at one of the most magnificent lodges in the area, where you will have lunch, dinner, and accommodation. This lodge is well-known for its service, quiet, and spectacular views. Lakes Burera and Ruhondo can be seen on one side. On the other side, you can see the volcanoes Karisimbi, Mikeno, and Visoke.
Optional activity: Genocide Memorial
Depending on your arrival time on Day 1, you could visit the Genocide Memorial in Kigali in the afternoon or in the morning on Day 2. Walking the streets of Kigali today, it’s difficult to believe the 100 days of madness in which the Interahamwe slaughtered an estimated one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus in one of history’s most heinous genocides. This center, created near the mass graves of 250,000 victims, aims to contextualize the event, from the dividing colonial experience in Rwanda and the heinous crimes committed in 1994 through the aftermath of the genocide and the fight for justice. The trip concludes with a section on other major massacres around the world. This activity is optional and at our own cost.

Journey Time: 2 – 3 hours

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Accomodation: Virunga Lodge

Following an early morning breakfast, you will be driven to the gorilla tracking starting site. You travel about 30 minutes into the park from the resort to the Office Rwandais de Tourisme et Des Parc Nationaux (ORTPN). The ORTPN’s head ranger will divide you into groups based on your interests and fitness. From here, your driver/guide will transport you as near to the starting location of your tracking as feasible. Today you will follow one of the habituated Gorilla groups that can endure the presence of people for a short length of time every day. The time it takes to trace the gorillas might range from 30 minutes to 8 hours! Your path will take you through forested hills, intertwined vines, bushes, and bamboo before arriving at the gorillas’ current location. Your guide will point out gorilla activity remnants such as excrement, nests, and chewed bamboo shoots. Once you’ve found the gorillas, you’ll have a maximum of one hour with them. Meeting a mountain gorilla is an emotional and humbling event. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up up and personal with Rwanda’s own “Gorillas in the Mist.” Note: Sight View Safaris purchases the permits in advance but is unable to reserve a specific gorilla group as it is for the head-ranger to decide this! Journey Time: 15 minutes by car, tracking time varies Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Accomodation: Virunga Lodge

Our guide will transport you to Kigali Airport for your travel to Tanzania. The flight information is as follows: Rwandair: 19:30 p.m. departure, 22:10 p.m. arrival When you arrive in Tanzania, our guide will meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transport you to the Arumeru River Lodge. This exquisite resort is located on an old coffee estate and has beautiful cottages fashioned in a combination of African and European designs. TOURS DEPARTING BETWEEN JANUARY AND MAY OR IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, WILL VISIT LAKE MANYARA N.P. ON DAY 2. Journey Time: 45 minutes Accomodation: Arumeru River Lodge

Lake Manyara National Park After an early breakfast, you will depart the park for a game drive to ‘Mto wa Mbu.’ Mto Wa Mbu, a thriving farming hamlet, is home to approximately 18,000 people. On this walk, you’ll see a side of Tanzania that many visitors overlook. Mto Wa Mbu is a cultural melting pot; it is regarded to be one of the few sites in Tanzania where representatives from all 120 tribes coexist together. During your visit, you’ll gain a sense of the village’s social side – the farms and milling machines, the schools, markets, and churches. You will most likely tour the local banana plantation, as well as a youth art project and a wood workshop where talented Makonde tribal members make complex figurines, masks, and household goods. Lake Manyara National Park is one of Tanzania’s lesser-known and underappreciated parks. While it does not have the scale or variety of other northern-circuit stops, its vegetation is diverse and attractive. There are 11 ecosystems in total, ranging from savannah to marshland to Tanzania’s sole evergreen rainforest. Baboons and other interesting animals can be seen in the forest, while flamingos (outside of the wet season), pelicans, and other water birds can be found near the lake. Birders adore Lake Manyara National Park because the large lake affords opportunity to see over 300 migrating birds. Among these are the long-crested eagle, grey-headed kingfisher, and other birds found nowhere else in Tanzania. The park has one of the world’s greatest biomass densities of large mammals. The possibility of seeing elephant families wandering through the forest, as well as Lake Manyara’s well-known population of tree-climbing lions, is reason enough to be enthusiastic. You sleep at the lovely Escarpment Luxury Lodge, which offers an exquisite hideaway on the rim of the Great Rift Valley valley. When you’re sitting in the comfy bar lounge after your safari, enjoying a sundowner or watching the pelicans skim across the skies, you’re still fully immersed in the African bush. The expansive balcony that surrounds the main lodge provides breathtaking views of the gorge, as well as Lake Manyara and the national park that surrounds it. Each cottage has an en-suite bathroom with a bathtub and an outside shower! You will be assigned a personal butler who will be attentive to your every need. Imagine watching the sun set over the hills from the infinity pool overlooking Lake Manyara, while your personal butler attends to your every need while bathing and reclining before diving into a sumptuous dinner in the restaurant. Journey Time: 2 hours to Mto wa Mbu Meal Plan: Breakfast, Local Lunch, Dinner Accomodation: Escarpment Luxury Lodge Tarangire National Park Following an early breakfast, you will leave the park for a game drive to ‘Mto wa Mbu.’ Mto Wa Mbu, a productive farming village, has a population of about 18,000 people. This walk will show you a side of Tanzania that many visitors miss. Mto Wa Mbu is a cultural melting pot; it is one of the few locations in Tanzania where representatives from all 120 tribes live. You’ll get a taste of the village’s social side during your stay, with farms and milling machines, schools, markets, and churches. You will almost certainly visit a local banana farm, as well as a youth art initiative and a wood workshop where talented Makonde tribal people create intricate figurines, masks, and household products. Lake Manyara National Park is a lesser-known and unappreciated park in Tanzania. While it lacks the size and variety of other northern-circuit stops, its vegetation is diversified and appealing. There are a total of 11 ecosystems, ranging from savannah to marshland to Tanzania’s only evergreen rainforest. In the forest, you can observe baboons and other interesting creatures, while near the lake, you can view flamingos (outside of the wet season), pelicans, and other water birds. Birders love Lake Manyara National Park because of the big lake, which allows them to witness over 300 migrating birds. The long-crested eagle, grey-headed kingfisher, and other birds found nowhere else in Tanzania are among them. The park boasts one of the highest biomass densities of large mammals in the world. The prospect of seeing elephant families roaming the jungle, as well as Lake Manyara’s well-known population of tree-climbing lions, is reason enough to be excited. You spend the night in the magnificent Escarpment Luxury Lodge, an ideal refuge on the rim of the Great Rift Valley valley. You’re still fully immersed in the African bush whether you’re lounging in the comfortable bar area after your safari, sipping a sundowner or watching the pelicans glide over the skies. The main lodge’s huge balcony offers stunning views of the gorge, as well as Lake Manyara and the national park that surrounds it. Each cottage has its own bathroom, which includes a bathtub and an outside shower! You will be allocated a personal butler who will attend to all of your needs. Imagine watching the sun set over the hills from the infinity pool overlooking Lake Manyara, while your personal butler attends to your every need while you bathe and recline before delving into a sumptuous supper in the restaurant. Journey Time: 2 hours to the park entrance Meal Plan: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner Accomodation: Eco Science Luxury Lodge

A Tanzania journey would be incomplete without a safari in the world’s most famous safari park, Serengeti National Park. This park features the most diverse collection of wild species on the planet, as well as a complex and unspoilt ecology. Serengeti means “endless plains” in Maasai, and the Serengeti certainly lives up to that definition. Even the (long) drive to your lodging is a safari in and of itself! The park is typically separated into three regions: the Serengeti plains, the Western corridor, and the Northern Serengeti. The latter is where we may see millions of wildebeest and zebra migrate throughout the Great Migration, following the historic rhythm of Africa’s seasons. This is one of the most spectacular natural events on the planet. Nobody forgets their first contact with the Serengeti, no matter where region of the park or season they visit! Following your wonderful Serengeti impressions, you drive to your accommodation for a delicious dinner and a nice night’s sleep. Enjoy two nights in a luxurious resort amidst the awe-inspiring natural splendor of Serengeti National Park. The 16 custom-made canvas tents at Mbuzi Mawe Serena Camp provide roomy and home-like luxury. They are scattered across the camp’s rocky glades. Each tent is reached by meandering stone paths and stands on a stone platform with its own thatched cover. Your tent has two queen beds, free Wi-Fi, and a private tented bathroom with flushing toilets and hot water. A private terrace outside each tent allows you to enjoy the magnificent beauty of the surrounds, and room service is offered.

You leave your lodging early in the morning for a full-day safari! This is when Africa can show its cold side, so dress warmly at the start of your day. Your guide will bring you as near to the wildlife as possible. Because few predators hunt during the day, early dawn is the greatest time to witness the thrill of the chase. It’s also a lovely moment, with soft light dappling the landscape, birds rising, and the beginnings of a grand adventure unfolding. Seronera Valley, the Serengeti’s heart, is visited. This valley is frequently referred to as the “traditional” Serengeti, with short grass plains and a variety of wild creatures ranging from the majestic lion to the mischievous mongoose. These full-day safaris are the greatest way to experience everything this gorgeous park has to offer. We will find you a lovely picnic area to enjoy your packed lunch before continuing your safari back to Mbuzi Mawe tented camp for an excellent dinner and some downtime. Then return to the lodge with vivid recollections of the Serengeti Plains. Journey Time: 2 hours to the park entrance Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accomodation: Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp

Today you take a game drive on your way out of the magnificent Serengeti and on to the Ngorongoro Crater. You will go on a wildlife drive in the Ngorongoro Crater in the afternoon! This UNESCO World Heritage Site features a one-of-a-kind environment that has remained practically untouched since the beginning of time. There are very few areas in the world that have such a diverse wildlife population all year. You have a decent possibility of seeing ‘The Big 5′: lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard deep within the crater, which is surrounded by towering walls. Other wildlife includes the serval cat, cheetah, jackal, Grant’s and Thompson’s gazelle, flamingo and bat-eared foxes, and over 400 different bird species. After this incredible experience, you will proceed to your overnight lodging. A tiny and unique lodge facing the Oldeani Volcano, barely 5 kilometers from the Ngorongoro Lolduare gate, was established to provide our clients with an authentic experience evocative of bygone eras. Offering 52 room cottages, 49 standard rooms, and 3 suite rooms, all with plenty of space inside, created in the manner of an old colonial farm and rustically adorned with local materials and full of tasteful touches, with the goal of transporting our clients to a bygone era. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accomodation: Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp

After an early breakfast, you will be taken to Kilimanjaro Airport. If you’re not ready to leave, extend your vacation in one of our other African destinations. Journey Time: 5 – 6 hours Meal Plan: Breakfast