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FROM US$12,620-US$14,390

Gorillas and Serengeti Safari

Combine three iconic experiences – mountain gorillas in Rwanda, and the Serengeti plains and awe-inspiring Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.

Gorillas and Serengeti Safari: Summary

Gorillas & Serengeti in a nutshell

Spend your first night in colourful Kigali to rest and rejuvenate after your journey. Depending on your arrival time it may be possible to visit the Genocide Memorial to learn about Rwanda’s recent history and how it has emerged from its past.

The next morning you’ll travel to Volcanoes National Park with your guide and private 4WD, where you’ll be based at a good-value lodge, well located for the park headquarters and trekking start point. This itinerary includes a gentle trek to see the golden monkeys on the lower mountain slopes and two treks into the higher forests to see the mountain gorillas, a truly remarkable wildlife experience.

After returning to Kigali and overnighting in the city, you’ll catch an early morning flight into the Serengeti, where your experienced private guide will be waiting for you at the airstrip. The adventure continues! Spending three nights at a mobile tented camp will give you a good opportunity to witness the iconic wildebeest migration.

Head south to the incredible Ngorongoro Crater area, staying at a small lodge with beautifully lush gardens around 45 minutes from the crater rim. You’ll rise early and spend the day exploring the crater floor, home to one of the densest concentrations of predators in Africa.

On your final day you may wish to visit Lake Manyara National Park, before heading back to the airport for your onward journey home.

At a glance

Starts: Kigali International Airport
1 night Hotel des Mille Collines - Kigali, Rwanda Bed & Breakfast
4 nights Mountain Gorilla View - Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda Full Board
1 night Hotel des Mille Collines - Kigali, Rwanda Bed & Breakfast
3 nights Nomad Serengeti Camp - Serengeti Migration Area, Tanzania Full Board
2 nights Plantation Lodge - Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania Full Board
Ends: Kilimanjaro International Airport

Hotel des Mille Collines

Day 1

Set in large gardens in the heart of Kigali, the four-star Hotel des Mille Collines features in the film Hotel Rwanda. As in the film, the hotel attracts a largely business clientele, but its location also makes it a good base for exploring the Rwandan capital.

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Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Days 2-6

On the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge has beautiful views of the surrounding volcanoes.

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Hotel des Mille Collines

Day 6

Set in large gardens in the heart of Kigali, the four-star Hotel des Mille Collines features in the film Hotel Rwanda. As in the film, the hotel attracts a largely business clientele, but its location also makes it a good base for exploring the Rwandan capital.

View full itinerary

Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp

Days 7-10

Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp is a classic tented mobile camp for up to 14 guests. The camp changes location several times a year, broadly following the wildebeest migration around Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, when hundreds of thousands of animals move through the ecosystem.

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Plantation Lodge

Days 10-12

The privately run Plantation Lodge, first opened in 1998, lies between Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Lake Manyara National Park, a short distance from the bustling Tanzanian market town of Karatu. Set in three hectares (seven acres) of beautifully maintained gardens, it is staffed entirely by local residents. The lodge is mainly used by visitors travelling with their own guide and vehicle, as a base for visits to the Ngorongoro Crater and sometimes to Lake Manyara National Park.

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Hotel des Mille Collines

Hotel des Mille Collines

Kigali, Rwanda

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Mountain Gorilla View

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Hotel des Mille Collines

Hotel des Mille Collines

Kigali, Rwanda

Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp

Nomad Serengeti Camp

Serengeti Migration Area, Tanzania

Plantation Lodge

Plantation Lodge

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

About image

Highlights

Our thoughts on five of the top experiences of this Gorillas and Serengeti Safari.

  • Meeting mountain gorillas in Volcanoes NP
  • Watch playful golden monkeys in bamboo thickets
  • Explore the Serengeti plains in your private 4WD
  • Seek out the famous wildebeest migration
  • Discover the iconic Ngorongoro Crater, home to the "big 5"

Activities

Some activities which can be included in the Gorillas and Serengeti Safari: talk to us about those which interest you.

  • 4WD Safari

  • Birdwatching

  • Canoeing

  • Cultural excursion

  • Guided walking safari

  • Helicopter

  • Hot air ballooning

  • Mountain biking

  • Primate trekking

About image
MOUNTAIN GORILLA VIEW LODGE in VOLCANOES

Key species to see on the Gorillas and Serengeti Safari

Based on our travellers' observations, we’ve estimated the likelihood of seeing these species during the Gorillas and Serengeti Safari. Click on the animals and our wildlife surveys page for more info.


Mountain Gorilla

100% chance

Buffalo

100% chance

Eland

100% chance

Giraffe

100% chance

Wildebeest

100% chance

Zebra

100% chance

Elephant

96% chance

Lion

95% chance

Hippo

92% chance

Leopard

80% chance

Spotted Hyena

78% chance

Black Rhino

43% chance

Cheetah

41% chance

Oryx

35% chance

Roan antelope

35% chance

Striped Hyena

31% chance

Wild dog

12% chance

Aardvark

12% chance

Pangolin

0% chance

Side-trips whilst on this safari

We may be able to build in some of these optional excursions from the Gorillas and Serengeti Safari. Talk to us: they’re usually best arranged when you book.


Mto Wa Mbu Village Walk

Mto Wa Mbu Village Walk

Two to three hours

Discover the nuances of day-to-day life in the large Tanzanian village of Mto Wa Mbu with a knowledgeable local guide. This is not a village set up for tourists – Mto Wa Mbu is a real community and offers a chance to see a side of Tanzania that many visitors pass by.

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90% (6 reviews)
King’s Palace & Museum Visit

King’s Palace & Museum Visit

Half day

If your trip in Rwanda incorporates travelling south from Kigali, a visit to the King’s Palace and Museum gives an interesting insight into Rwanda’s cultural history and monarchy. It's also ideally placed to break up the long journey to Nyungwe Forest.

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93% (11 reviews)
Balloon Safari over the Serengeti

Balloon Safari over the Serengeti

Three hours - approx. one hour flight

As the sun rises over the Serengeti National Park in Northern Tanzania, climb aboard for an extraordinary adventure. For an hour you’ll float in a hot air balloon over beautiful savannah and woodland and a diversity of plains wildlife.

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100% (17 reviews)
Empakaai Crater Hike

Empakaai Crater Hike

Half day, two - three hour walk

Spend a half day hiking through the Empakaai Crater, in the Highlands area of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), led by an experienced guide and accompanied by a ranger.

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100% (1 reviews)
Olmoti Crater walk

Olmoti Crater walk

Half day - two to three hour walk

Follow an ancient Maasai cattle trail on this private hike up the Olmoti Crater, led by an experienced guide and accompanied by an armed ranger. The crater may not compete in size with the neighbouring Ngorongoro Crater, but the birding is good, the mountain views wonderful, and the array of ferns is a botanist’s dream.

More about Olmoti Crater walk
90% (2 reviews)
Safari in Ngorongoro Crater

Safari in Ngorongoro Crater

Typically a full day

To drive into the Ngorongoro Crater is to immerse yourself in a renowned wildlife park. Prides of lion and clans of hyena patrol amongst herds of zebra, wildebeest and Thomson’s gazelle, whilst flocks of crowned cranes keep out the way of jackals. Come for elephants with big tusks, too. And then there are the rhino…

More about Ngorongoro Crater safari
94% (81 reviews)
Lake Manyara Safari

Lake Manyara Safari

Half-day or full-day

Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara National Park makes a great safari destination. Here, along with elephant herds and plains game, you’ll find jungle-like forests that are home to blue monkeys, a soda lake tinged pink by flamingos and some of Tanzania’s best birding.

More about Lake Manyara Safari
85% (48 reviews)
Crater Rim Walk

Crater Rim Walk

Half day - two hour walk

For some fantastic views, and the chance to see flora and fauna up close, take a walk along the rim of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater. Led by an experienced safari guide and accompanied by an armed ranger, you will be able to take in the scale and beauty of the landscape from a different perspective.

More about Crater Rim Walk
100% (3 reviews)
Canoeing in Rwanda

Canoeing in Rwanda

Half day - approx. 3 hours on the water

This half-day adventure takes place through lush farmland, on the meandering Mukungwa River near Musanze town. Discovering Rwanda’s countryside in a canoe is great fun: the launch spot is just half an hour from Volcanoes National Park and you'll be guided along the shallow waterway by an expert local canoeist. Your driver-guide from Kigali will operate your transfers and introduce you to your canoe group and guide.

More about Canoeing
96% (9 reviews)
Olduvai Gorge visit

Olduvai Gorge visit

One - two hours

See for yourself the renowned archaeological site of Olduvai (or Oldupai) Gorge, which lies en route between the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park. Famed for the discoveries of early hominin remains as well as the Laetoli Footprints, the site offers beautiful views, an engaging museum and potentially the opportunity to visit an active dig.

More about Olduvai Gorge visit
93% (14 reviews)
Lake Manyara Treetop Walkway

Lake Manyara Treetop Walkway

Usually one hour

Experience the forest of Lake Manyara National Park from a whole new perspective – high up in the trees. The first suspended walkway in Tanzania, it stretches underneath the canopy for 370m between the mahogany and fig trees, giving intrepid visitors a unique view of the surrounding flora and fauna.

More about Manyara Treetop Walk
75% (4 reviews)
Mount Bisoke Trek

Mount Bisoke Trek

Full day

For something a little different, set out on a one-day hike to the summit of Mt Bisoke in the Volcanoes National Park, home to Rwanda’s famous mountain gorillas. Discover the beautiful scenery of the Virunga Mountains, spot birds and wildlife, and enjoy spectacular views from the crater lake.

More about Mount Bisoke Trek
95% (4 reviews)
Mount Karisimbi Trek - 2 day trek

Mount Karisimbi Trek - 2 day trek

Two days - overnight on Mt Karisimbi

Set out on a two-day hike to the summit of Mount Karisimbi, which at over 4,507m is one of the highest in Africa. This is a challenge for the adventurous! With a local guide, you’ll traverse bamboo forests and rugged terrain, then camp on the slopes of this dormant volcano before enjoying sunrise from the summit.

More about Mount Karisimbi Trek
100% (1 reviews)
Trek to Dian Fossey’s Grave

Trek to Dian Fossey’s Grave

Half day, usually five hours

Dian Fossey is best known for her research and conservation work with the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. She dedicated her life to researching and protecting these ‘gentle giants’ from harm, however she was tragically found murdered at her research camp in 1985. Today visitors can join a local guide to trek through the tropical forest to visit her grave, and learn about the impact of her work.

More about Dian Fossey Trek
100% (1 reviews)

Let us help you customise your trip

All of our holidays on this site are just ideas; none are fixed. All of our trips are tailor-made, so we'll always adapt them to suit you. Talk to an Expert and let us help you to work out your perfect trip.


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Need inspiration?

Let our trip chooser narrow down the options for you

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Other ideas for Rwanda safaris

Look at these ideas in Rwanda: then talk to us. Will will design a trip that's perfect for you.


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Mona Monkey Safari

9 days • 3 locations • 1 country
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This example of a luxury holiday explores the wildlife of Nyungwe Forest, the scenic shores of Lake Kivu and the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park, all accompanied by a private guide and vehicle.

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Gorillas and Maasai Mara Safari

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Silverback Gorilla Safari

4 days • 1 location • 1 country
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Fly into Rwanda and you can be trekking to meet a family of mountain gorillas the next morning. An itinerary like this could easily be combined with a safari in Kenya or Tanzania.

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Golden Monkey Safari

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Gorillas and Migration Safari

9 days • 3 locations • 2 country
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This luxury safari combines two iconic wildlife experiences: trekking to see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, then flying to the northern Serengeti in search of the wildebeest migration and spectacular river crossings.

Visiting Serengeti, Volcanoes and 1 other area

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Mountain Gorilla Safari

5 days • 2 locations • 1 country
KIGALI AIRPORT TO KIGALI AIRPORT

Staying in great-value lodges, with a private driver-guide and 4WD, this adventure includes two treks to get up close with groups of mountain gorillas.

Visiting Volcanoes, Kigali

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L'Hoest's Monkey Safari

7 days • 3 locations • 1 country
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Meet three iconic primates – gorillas, chimps and golden monkeys – and explore Rwanda's fascinating culture on this excellent value privately guided adventure.

Visiting Volcanoes, Lake Kivu and 1 other area

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Mona Monkey Safari

9 days • 3 locations • 1 country
KIGALI AIRPORT TO KIGALI AIRPORT

This example of a luxury holiday explores the wildlife of Nyungwe Forest, the scenic shores of Lake Kivu and the mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park, all accompanied by a private guide and vehicle.

Visiting Volcanoes, Lake Kivu and 1 other area

US$12,160 - US$17,600 per person

Read more about the Mona Monkey Safari

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Gorillas and Maasai Mara Safari

9 days • 3 locations • 2 country
KIGALI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT

This trip combines two of Africa's most unforgettable wildlife experiences – Rwanda's mountain gorillas and Kenya's Maasai Mara.

Visiting Kigali, Volcanoes and 1 other area

US$11,270 - US$14,090 per person

Read more about the Gorillas and Maasai Mara Safari

Map

Silverback Gorilla Safari

4 days • 1 location • 1 country
KIGALI AIRPORT TO KIGALI AIRPORT

Fly into Rwanda and you can be trekking to meet a family of mountain gorillas the next morning. An itinerary like this could easily be combined with a safari in Kenya or Tanzania.

Visiting Volcanoes

US$10,170 - US$13,040 per person

Read more about the Silverback Gorilla Safari

Other safari ideas across Africa

Talk to us: help us to understand what you like and we can create a safari that will really suit you.


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