Mountain Gorillas & Big Five Safari

A privately driven vehicle will provide you with a transfer to & from the airport.

Take your flight from Nairobi to Kigali today. The flight duration is approximately 1hr 30mins.

Prepare your senses for an explosion of culture and emotion during today’s excursion through Kigali.  Begin by visiting some of the popular market places to view and purchase if you’d like some of the local products.  Next, you’ll travel to a location stained with heart aching cultural history, The Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.  This tragic memorial was constructed in April 2004 to honour those whom lost their lives during the Rwandan Genocide.  The centre was built on the site where an estimated 250000 victims were buried.  This location serves as a place where individuals can grieve the loss of their loved ones as well as to provide educational information regarding the genocide.  Rwandans believe that although the gruesomeness and painful emotions associated with this tragedy may be construed as negative it is extremely important that the younger generations of Rwandans fully understand the reasons and effects of such an event on a nation.  The Centre features three permanent exhibits which depict the events of 1994, as well as a children’s memorial which exhibits the history of genocidal violence towards children from all over the world. 

Travel today between Kigali and Parc National des Volcans by private car and english speaking driver. 

The Park des Volcanoes is located in the Virunga Mountains, a magnificent chain of dormant volcanoes in the North of the country, and home to the world´s last surviving mountain Gorilla populations, currently a mere 700 individuals. A full day trek with your guide through the park is a reasonably strenuous activity which can last the morning or all day as you seek out the gorilla families. Viewing time is limited to one hour, and only 8 maximum are allowed per group. Visitors are asked to maintain a distance of 7m (about 22 feet) from the gorillas. Kids under age 15, or people sick with a cold, flu or other contagious illness, are not allowed to visit the gorillas.

PERMITS MUST BE PAID IN FULL AT TIME OF CONFIRMATION AND ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

Trekking through the national park to view the rare species of Golden Monkeys. Only open for visitors since June 2003, enjoy a rare treat watching these unique primates play and perform in the forest. (Optional extra day gorilla trekking - $500pp additional cost for day permit)

A private vehicle with English speaking driver will provide a transfer today from Parc National des Volcans to Kigali.  The approximate travel time is 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Relax during this short flight departing Kigali, Rwanda and traveling to the urban hub of Nairobi, Kenya.  The approximate flight time is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Hop aboard a privately driven vehicle with your guide for this transfer from Nairobi to Lake Naivasha.  Admire the scenery as you make your way through rural Kenya onto the Rift Valley, an area boasting quaint little villages which dot the traditional African landscape.  Prepare yourself for you first glimpse of Mount Longonot as you make route through the Hell’s Gate National Park before arriving to Lake Naivasha.  This drive will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete, depending on traffic and weather conditions.

You'll head out early this morning to explore Lake Nakuru National Park. Along with being famous for its flamingos, the park is also home to both Black and White Rhinos.

Prepare for an excitingly unique excursion to the Crescent Island Wildlife Sanctuary whilst in the Lake Naivasha area today.  Admire the scenery as you take a short boat trip from the mainland to this dynamic location where you’ll have the opportunity to get in some wildlife viewing at a very relaxed pace.  As there is little to no threat from some of the “Big 5” predators, the various species of wildlife, birdlife and flora live quite freely here, providing visitors with some great photo opportunities.  Some of the many mammals that can be seen here include zebras, impalas, buffaloes, giraffes, and hippos.  Resident bird species include herons, black cranes, lily trotters, ospreys and fish eagles.

Your guide will drive you from Naivasha to Masai Mara. This drive will take about 5 to 6 hours. Drive times may be longer in the rainy season (April to early May and November). Stop for refreshments and souvenir shopping at roadside stands along the way or head straight to the park. Enjoy game viewing as you enter Masai Mara and drive to your camp.

Head out this afternoon, accompanied by an experience tracker-guide, on an exciting game viewing adventure.  Search some of the area`s wildlife hot-spots determined by your guide, as they`ve learned and now understand the games daily routines through tracking.  Some wildlife is more difficult than others to spot, for instance the Leopard.  These spotted cats blends almost seamlessly into the tall grass and shrubbery, and are even more challenging to spot up in their favorite hangout, the trees.  Your guide will take you to nearby watering holes, where on a hot day, you`ll spot many bird and wildlife species, including the elusive Leopard.

Just like the local wildlife, you`ll head out bright and early this morning, alongside an experienced tracker-guide for the day’s first game drive.  The eco-diversity and sheer size of the Masai Mara Game Reserve provides the necessary requirements to house a wide range of animal species.  The most recognized are known worldwide as the African Big 5 which includes the African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Rhinoceros, Leopard, and the King of the beasts, the Lion.  The term Big 5 was coined by big-game hunters as these species were the most difficult and dangerous to track and hunt.  Subsequently the term was adopted by the tourism industry for marketing purpose, spinning a web of positivity opposed to the negative effect portrait by the original terminology.  Numerous other species of bird and wildlife inhabit this dynamic location including Hyenas, Gazelles, Impalas, Giraffes, Zebras, Vultures, Cranes, Eagles, Falcons, and Ostriches.

On today’s afternoon game drive the choice is up to you: search for the Big 5 or expand your horizons to discover something different. Masai Mara not only has a rich mix of animals – it also has an incredible array of bird life with almost 450 different species.

The famed Masai Mara Game Reserve was named after the indigenous inhabitants of this land, the Maasai, and the provider of life to the area, the Mara River.  Game viewing is almost guaranteed at some point along the Mara River, and your experienced tracker-guide will know all the best spots to go to maximize this chance to see some of the many bird and wildlife species here.  Have your camera handy, as some amazing photo opportunities will present themselves from elephants on the river banks to hippos in shallow water.

Set out this afternoon accompanied by your guide on another exciting game drive through the Masai Mara Game reserve.  The Mara area is one of the few places left in Africa where one can still spot Rhinos in the wild.  Your guide will take you to locations where Rhinos have been recently reported to see if you can snap some photos of these elusive lumbering giants.

Transfer between Mara park and Nairobi by road. Includes stops at souvenir shops and refreshment stands. One hour of road is badly potholed.

Enjoy a box lunch while you travel (included in tour price).

The opportunity to explore the local markets and shops presents itself today as so you can interact with the local vendors in search for the perfect handicraft or souvenir for yourself or your loved ones. 

Included in your stay, stop at the famous Carnivore restaurant. The Carnivore first opened in 1980 and is a meat specialty restaurant. Commonly referred to as the ultimate 'Beast of a Feast' - here you will enjoy a variety of meat roasted over charcoal and carved at your table. Meats commonly include beef, chicken, and options to try game meat such as crocodile or ostrich. Delicious side dishes and an array of sauces complement the meats served. Your meal also includes soup, a selection of desserts and Kenyan coffee. Set in attractive tropical gardens, the restaurant remains a local attraction for international visitors.

Please let us know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions, requirements or food requests.

A privately driven vehicle will provide you with a transfer to & from the airport.