Countries: Rwanda, and Kenya
Destinations: Kigali, Volcanoes National Park, Nairobi & Masai Mara National Reserve
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali
Day 2: Kigali city tour & transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking at Volcanoes National Park
Day 4: Golden Monkey trek and transfer to Kigali and fly to Nairobi
Day 5: Transfer to Masai Mara Reserve
Day 6: Game drive in Masai Mara
Day 7: Game drive in Masai Mara
Day 8: Game drive in Mara and return to Nairobi for departure (evening flight)
Trip Overview
The 8 days Rwanda gorilla trekking experience, and Kenya Masai Mara wildlife adventure safari takes you to the hearts of Volcanoes National Park, which is known to harbor the famous mountain gorillas. You will land through Kigali – Rwanda, visit Kigali city, with a visit to Kigali genocide memorial before commerce to Volcanoes National Park to trek the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. You have a chance to come face to face with the gorillas. You will as well have a great experience of meeting the gorilla and golden monkeys in their natural habitat, before you fly to Kenya, and, later drive for a wonderful Big Five safari experience in the world’s greatest wildlife safari park, Masai Mara National Reserve, known for its unique bird species and abundant BIG 5 wildlife experiences. The safari starts with arrival through Kigali – Rwanda, to Volcanoes National Park, return to Kigali for a flight to Nairobi – Kenya, drive to Masai Mara and ends with an exit through Nairobi – Kenya. An East African visa upon arrival can be obtained upon arrival in Kigali, for this great massive wildlife experience.
Trip Highlight.
- Endless Game drives at Mara
- Wildlife experience
- Rwanda Gorilla trekking experience
- Golden monkey trekking experience
- Kigali city tour
- Wildebeest migration
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Hotel
Day Itinerary
Welcome to Kigali – Rwanda!
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport and passing through the immigration process, you will be welcomed by our safari driver who will brief you shortly, lead you to your vehicle and transfer you to the booked accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: The Retreat Hotel (Luxury) or Hotel des Mille Collines (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Bed & breakfast
Day 2: Visit Kigali genocide memorial and transfer to Musanze: Travel time +2 hrs
Day Itinerary
Today after taking your relaxed morning breakfast, you will checkout of the lodge, meet your guide, share a short introductory briefing about the trip, get into your safari vehicle and drive to visit the Kigali genocide memorial grounds, which honors the memory of the more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through education and peace-building. You will be able to watch and listen to some video clips from some of the survivors’ of the incident. Later you will proceed for lunch in town before you drive to Musanze which is roughly 2 hours to your booked accommodation, where you will reach in the evening and relax.
Overnight stay at: Virunga Lodge (Luxury) or Ingagi Park View Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to the park headquarters. You will meet with your ranger who will brief you about the code of conduct while with the gorillas. You will then enter the forest in search of the gorillas. The gorilla trekking may take 2 – 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas in the jungle and your group speed as well. Meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour. After a great experience you will walk back to the starting point, meet your guide waiting for you and be transferred to your lodge for lunch, and after lunch, you can decide to relax at your lodge at your leisure or head for a cultural encounter with a walking tour to different site to get an insight of Rwandan culture. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Gorilla Trekking at Volcanoes National Park
Gorilla Trekking in the Volcanoes National Park offers visitors the unique opportunity of discovering the 10 families of gorillas that live within the national park. Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee before the trek starts and will be separated into groups of 8 depending on their physical abilities. Each group is guided by a guide and two scouts who are well trained in emergency situations. The amount of time set aside per trek is different depending on where the gorilla family is situated. Some trips may take as little as half an hour and some take the better part of the day.
Overnight: Virunga Lodge (Luxury) or Ingagi Park View Lodge (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 4: Golden Monkey trekking and transfer to Kigali and fly to Kenya
Day Itinerary
Today after your warm early morning breakfast, we will be transferred back to the park headquarters for briefing and start off your day golden monkey trekking in search of these primates in the jungle. Just like the gorilla trekking experience, the same trekking procedures and guidelines apply to golden monkey trekking though not so hectic like gorilla trekking. You will later return to the lodge for lunch and later transfer to Kigali for your onward flight.
Depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport to catch up with your flight to Nairobi.
Upon arrival in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and getting done with immigration clearance, you will proceed to the waiting area, where you will be met by your Kenyan assigned guide, who will welcome you and transfer you to your booked accommodation.
Overnight stay at: Radisson Blue Arboretum Hotel and Residences (Luxury) or The Sarova Stanley Hotel (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5: Nairobi – Masai Mara. Approx 6 hours’ drive
Day Itinerary
Breakfast at your hotel. Check out by 0730 hrs, board your safari equipped 4x4WD land cruiser and depart to Masai Mara National Reserve. Arrival will be on time for lunch. After settling down, you will enjoy your first Masai Mara game drive from 1600 hrs.
Masai Mara is one of the leading national parks in the world, a natural habitat to over 95 mammal and 450 bird species. All members of the BIG 5; Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Elephant and Rhino can be found here.
Overnight stay at: Ashnil Mara Camp (Luxury) or Mara Base Camp (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 & 7: Full day game drives in Masai Mara Reserve
Day Itinerary
You will spend two full days exploring and discovering the vast Mara reserve, enjoying game drives as you search for the resident Big Cats, herbivores, various antelopes and bird species. (You may also opt for morning and afternoon game drives with mid-morning at leisure). Be on the lookout for Lions, Cheetahs, Buffalos, Zebras, Spotted Hyenas, Masai Giraffes, Elands, Gazelles, Hippos, and Leopard, Black Rhino and several other animals and birds that reside here. The Mara, one of the most famous wildlife reserves in Africa is home to the Big Five as well as other predators, scavengers, plains game and prolific birdlife. This is also the place where the wildlife spectacle referred to as the annual wildebeest migration takes place every year between July and October when over 1.2 million Wildebeest together with Zebras and various Antelope species cross over from Serengeti in search of greener pastures. Your drive will dedicate time to trailing this great spectacle as it unfolds.
Hot Air Balloon Flight: During one of the days, you may book an optional (payable as extra) early morning hot air balloon flight over the vast Masai Mara savannah, enabling you to view wildlife and the landscape from a bird’s eye view. This is an amazing experience which is worth every penny. Dinner and overnight will be served at the lodge.
Overnight stay at: Ashnil Mara Camp (Luxury) or Mara Base Camp (Mid – range)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Masai Mara / Nairobi – Approx 5.5 hrs drive
Day Itinerary
Breakfast will be served at your lodge, check out by 0730 hrs and, enjoy an extra game drive as you drive towards the park exit gate where you begin your journey back to Nairobi. Lunch at the Carnivore Restaurant or at an Indian Restaurant– payable locally.
Depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on time to board your afternoon flight, having had an amazing safari experience with One More Adventure Safaris, the East Africa Safari Experts. End of Service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast only.
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop up roof
- Airport transfer
- Accommodations and meals as per itinerary
- 1 Gorilla permits ($1500), per person
- En-route lunches
- Golden Monkey permit
- Game drive in Masai Mara
- Park entrances
- Kigali city tour
- Visit to Kigali genocide memorial ground
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water during safari
- Other activities as per the itinerary
The Package Excludes:
- Tips & gratitude’s
- Drinks while at the tented camps & lodges
- Laundry at the tented camps & lodges
- International Flights
- East African Visa
- Travel Insurance
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- All items of personal nature
- Covid test fees, where need be
- International health requirements
- Optional activities under the programme
- Photography equipment’s
- Additional sightseeing or deviation from the itinerary
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options, as well as arrange multi – days / destination combined safaris. Write to us with more details about your safari.