Predators and Primates of East Africa: Rwanda and Tanzania

Depart U.S for Kilimanjaro Airport

Arrive into Kilimanjaro Airport where you will be met and transferred to your lodge in Arusha. 

Overnight: The Arusha Hotel

Fly from the busy town of Arusha to the quiet, open plains of the Serengeti. There are often stunning views during the one-hour flight over the farm-dotted highlands and valleys below. Upon landing in the Serengeti, you will be greeted by your guide and begin your safari adventure. The word “Serengeti” derives from the Maasai “Siringet” and has been artistically translated as “the land that flows on forever”. Serengeti National Park covers thousands of miles of pristine land and offers not only expansive vistas but the largest migration of mammals on earth, including 1.5 million wildebeest.

Enjoy the journey to your next Nyumba camp, as there will be plenty to see along the way. Perhaps you will come across a chase between predator and prey; maybe you will spot a wake of vultures; or maybe you will be lucky enough to find a leopard relaxing high in the limbs of an acacia tree.

Spend an afternoon wildlife viewing in the Serengeti. The big cats often spend these hours lying drowsily about the plains and up in the trees while many antelope and other animals continue to graze.

After dinner, head to the campfire to swap the best adventures and photos from your day with your fellow travelers.

Overnight: Central Serengeti Nyumba

Meals: B, L, D

Those with advance reservations will have the opportunity to balloon across the plains during one of your mornings in the Serengeti. A pre-dawn wake-up call leaves you time to drive to the balloon launch site in order to catch the most dramatic light. Then take to the skies just as the sun rises. Glide over the plains and acacia treetops, taking in spectacular views of the Seronera River Valley and the surrounding plains. After your descent, enjoy a magnificent champagne breakfast right in the midst of the Serengeti wilderness.

Go on a late afternoon walk around your camp and enjoy the sunset. You may see signs of wildlife in the area by identifying spoor, searching for broken branches, and finding animal tracks in the sandy soil.

Spend some time at your Nyumba in the Serengeti this evening. Before dinner, enjoy a workout, utilizing the Nyumba’s Keep Fit Kit, or just put your feet up and relax in and around the dining tent, exchanging safari tales with your fellow travelers.

Overnight: Central Serengeti Nyumba

Meals: B, L, D

Embark on a full-day excursion into the Serengeti plains. Your expert guide will seek out the unique and diverse flora and fauna of the Serengeti, including the iconic herds of wildebeest and zebra as they migrate across Tanzania.

Spend more time seeking out wildlife and exploring the Serengeti's rich landscapes. The so called Big Five and the Great Migration are the most well-known of the Serengeti's offerings, but there is much more to see. Thousands of equally fascinating dramas of a smaller scale play themselves out on these endless plains.

Don't forget to look up! You won’t need a telescope to see the bright constellations in Tanzania’s pristine night sky.

Overnight: Central Serengeti Nyumba

Meals: B, L, D

Bid farewell to the flat grass plains of the Serengeti; your next stop is the Ngorongoro Highlands. Known for its red soil and lush landscapes, the Highlands sprawl over hills and valleys. Everywhere you look will unveil a new view, a new beauty, and a new adventure.

Take in your last glimpses of wildlife in the Serengeti on your way to the airstrip for a flight to Manyara.

Savor lunch at Gibb's Farm, where nearly every ingredient comes fresh from the estate's organic farm. With delicacies to suit every palate, this is sure to be a memorable meal.

Take a guided tour of Gibb’s garden, a sloping 10 acres of vegetables and fruit gardens, growing everything from artichoke to zucchini and providing most of the ingredients for the delicious organic meals enjoyed by guests. Learn about other sustainable practices at Gibb’s as your tour passes through a pig and dairy farm where you can even try your hands at milking a cow. You can also walk through the famed coffee bean fields that gave the farm its start over 80 years ago.

Take some time to catch your breath in your private cottage. Unwind with an outdoor shower, listen to the birds from your patio, or enjoy a drink as twilight fades in over the Ngorongoro Highlands.

Overnight: Gibb's Farm

Meals: B, L, D

Visit the Ngorongoro Crater, where you are likely to find an abundance of wildlife. With luck, you might even see rhinoceros and big cats, such as lion and cheetah. The diversity of species often inspires awe, from baboons and elephants in the Lerai Forest to wildebeest and mountain reedbuck over the crater’s grassy floor.

If you haven't spotted them already, spend the rest of the day trying to check the Big Five off your list! Lion, Cape Buffalo, Black Rhino, Leopard, and Elephant all live in the Crater - so you might see them all before you leave!

This evening, sip complementary sundowners on the poolside terrace and enjoy the night’s entertainment. Choirs, instrumentalists or storytellers may perform, depending on the evening, as the sun sets in picturesque fashion over the coffee farm. With comfortable seating and variety of drinks, it offers a wonderful place for conversation and stargazing.

Overnight: Gibb's Farm

Meals: B, L, D

Breakfast at Gibb's is a great way to start the day. Enjoy local fruits, homemade yogurts and fresh cheeses, and made-to-order breakfast classics like omelettes or pancakes. Everything is made with the freshest ingredients.

Located just outside the village of Mto Wa Mbu, African Galleria is a reputable art gallery and jeweler offering a wide array of fine art, carvings and precious stones. Featuring an on-site lapidary and expert staff, this is one of the best locations in Tanzania for purchasing Tanzanite gems.

Enjoy a delicious lunch and a visit to the adjoining Shanga workshop where physically challenged artisans create remarkable jewelry, learn glass-blowing, and sell their work. This extraordinary project was created in order to mentor and empower those who are often marginalized in Tanzanian society. You will be surprised and inspired by the quality and
beauty of their creations.

RwandAir Flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Kigali. Enjoy a quiet dinner at the lodge this evening.

Overnight: Kigali Serena Hotel - Deluxe Room

Meals: B, D

After breakfast, take a tour of Kigali with your guide. While in the city of Kigali, visit the Rwandan Genocide Memorial, where you can peruse the interior exhibits as well as the beautiful memorial gardens. En route through Kigali, you will stop for lunch in the city.

This afternoon, you will head on a three hour journey across Rwanda's rolling green hills and farmland up to the Virunga Volcanoes where, on clear days, you can see up to five volcanic peaks. Settle into your rooms at the lodge where you can relax for the afternoon.

Overnight: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

Meals: B, L, D

Head into the lush forest with a guide to search out troupes of Golden Monkey and observe them as they leap from branch to branch in the forest canopy. The Golden Monkey, a relative of the much more common Sykes Monkey, is playful and very curious. Two habituated troupes can be seen, numbering between 80 and 100 individuals. Once you find them, your time with the monkeys is limited to one hour of observation as they interact, play, groom and move gracefully through their forested surroundings.

For 55 years, the Fossey Fund has been working to help conserve wild mountain gorilla populations and support the people who share the gorillas’ forest home. Beginning in Diane Fossey's rudimentary tented camp in 1967, the fund shifted from one rented office to another until in 2022, when global icon Ellen DeGeneres funded the creation of a state-of-the-art campus. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the the multi-acre, eco-friendly facility set at the foot of the Virunga Volcanoes.

Overnight: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

Meals: B, L, D

Before you set foot on the trail, your guide will brief you on what to expect and how to behave in the presence of the gorillas. As they are an extremely rare species living in a fragile environment, it is extraordinarily important for you to observe some simple rules. Please note that anyone suffering from cold or flu symptoms, or any other infectious conditions will not be permitted on the trek.

With your guide leading the way, explore the lush, dense forest in search of gorillas. Trekking conditions may be strenuous, so please be prepared with the proper equipment provided in your packing list. Once you find the gorillas, you will spend a maximum of one hour in their presence, during which any thoughts of strenuous hiking will be forgotten!

Overnight: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

Meals: B, L, D

Your guide will drive you back to the city of Kigali at the end of your Rwandan adventure. Enjoy a day room in Kigali, resting up and readying yourself for departure. Transfer to the Kigali Airport for your flight home. 

Day Room: Kigali Serena Hotel - Deluxe Room

Meals: B

Arrive home.