12 Days Gorillas, Serengeti & Zanzibar vacation safari

This 12 days safari will take you through the clean, busy though organized streets of Kigali, across the country sides with magnificent views of crowning hills and lush vegetation to Volcanoes National Park, one of the homes of the gentle yet highly endangered mountain gorillas that are under conservation. It will also lead you to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, a UNESCO’s World Heritage site renowned for its abundant wildlife and being home to the annual Great Wildebeest migration then to the island of Zanzibar that will offer an amazing beach experience.

Itinerary overview

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Day 2: Gorilla trekking

Day 3: Golden Monkey trekking and visit to the Ellen De Genres museum of Dian Fossey

Day 4: Ibyi’wacu cultural experience and Transfer to Kigali

Day 5: City tour and Transfer to Arusha

Day 6: Transfer to Serengeti

Day 7: Full day game drive

Day 8: Full day game drive in Central Serengeti

Day 9: Masaai Village visit and transfer to Zanzibar

Day 10: Full day Zanzibar beach experience

Day 11: Dolphin tour and Spice tour

Day 12: Visit to stone town and departure

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will meet our professional English speaking driver guide who will brief you about this safari then you will board your safari vehicle and embark on a scenic drive through the clean streets of Kigali and the magnificent landscape en route to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, home of the mountain gorillas. You will arrive at your lodge in Kiningi just in time for lunch therefore on arrival, check into your lodge and settle down for a hot lunch. After lunch you can spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Da Vinci Lodge

Day 2: Gorilla trekking

The lodge will serve you a nourishing breakfast early in the morning. After breakfast, you will meet your driver guide at 6:15am and set off for the park headquarters. Once at the park headquarters, you will be served a cup of hot local Rwandan coffee and after you will settle down for a briefing on the code of conduct of gorilla trekking. After briefing, you will be divided into groups of 8 individuals and each group assigned a gorilla family to visit. After this, you will meet your driver guide who will take you to the starting point of the trek where you will meet the other members of your group.

In your group of 8 individuals, you will penetrate the forest in search of the gorilla family assigned to you. This search will take you between 1 to 6 hours and once you locate the gorilla family, you will be allowed 1 hour of observing them, then you will return to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide and return to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, you will have the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge. Dinner will be served in the evening before you can take your night’s rest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Da Vinci Lodge

Day 3: Golden Monkey trekking and visit to the Ellen De Genres museum of Dian Fossey

Wake up to a delicious breakfast at the lodge then after your driver guide will pick you up and take you to the park headquarters for a briefing on golden monkey trekking. During the briefing, you will be enlighten on the code of conduct and what to expect when you go golden monkey trekking. After briefing, you will be divided into groups and in your group you will penetrate the forest in search of the golden monkeys. This will take between 1 to 4 hours and once you locate them, you will have 1 hour of observing them after which you will return to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide and return to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, have a short rest then your driver guide will take you for a visit to the Ellen DeGeneres museum of Dian Fossey. In this place you will learn the story of Dian Fossey and the gorillas of her time and her efforts towards gorilla conservation.

Dinner will be served at the lodge in the evening upon your return then you can take your rest for the day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Da Vinci Gorilla lodge

Day 4:  Ibyi’wacu cultural experience and Transfer to Kigali

After breakfast in the morning, your driver guide you will take you to the gorilla guardian village for an experience of the Rwanda culture which you will get from the former gorilla poachers who are now gorilla guardians. After this visit, return to the lodge for lunch then freshen and hit the road for Kigali City.

Upon arrival in Kigali later in the evening, you will check into your hotel, settle down for dinner then after you can retire for the night.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Hotel Mille Collines

Day 5: City tour and Transfer to Arusha

After an early morning breakfast, check out of the hotel and climb aboard your safari vehicle and proceed on a city tour of Kigali during which you will visit a few tourist destinations in this city such as the Kigali Genocide memorial, and Kimironko market where you can pick up a few souvenirs.

After the city tour, your driver guide will then drop you off at Kigali International Airport where you will catch your flight to Arusha.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Kibo Palace Hotel

Day 6: Transfer to Serengeti

After an early morning breakfast at the hotel, check out of the hotel and embark on a 4 hours’ drive to Serengeti National Park. Once in Serengeti National Park, continue for a short afternoon game drive to the lodge where you will check in and settle down for lunch. Later in the afternoon, head out for a game viewing session then you will return to the lodge later in the evening for dinner and an overnight rest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Lemala Ewanjan Tented Camp

Day 7: Full day game drive

Early morning, the lodge will serve you a tasty breakfast then you can pick up a packed lunch for the day and meet your driver guide and set out for the wilderness before sunrise for a wildlife viewing experience. During this game drive, you will spot various wildlife such as giraffes, eland, zebra, topi, kongoni, impalas, giant gazelle, elephants, cheetahs, among others.

You will have a stop within the park for a picnic lunch then continue on the game drive until evening and enjoy the beautiful African sunset. You will then return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Lemala Ewanjan Tented Camp

Day 8: Full day game drive in Central Serengeti

Today you will enjoy another full day of more wildlife viewing in the Central Serengeti. Breakfast will be served very early in the morning and with a packed lunch you will set out for Central Serengeti. During this game drive you will spot even more wildlife some of which you would have seen the day before and some different ones. Later in the evening, you will return to your lodge for a dinner and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Lemala Ewanjan Tented Camp

Day 9: Masaai Village visit and transfer to Zanzibar

After breakfast at the lodge, check out and proceed for a Masaai village visit. During this visit you will interact with the famous Masaai warriors and learn about their culture, and tradition as well as take part in their traditional singing and famous jumping dance.

After a lunch in the park, the driver guide will take you to Seronera Airstrip where you will take your domestic transfer flight to Zanzibar.

Once in Zanzibar, you will meet another designated driver guide who will transfer you to your hotel where you will enjoy the rest of the evening relaxing. Dinner will then be served before you can take your night’s rest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: The Resident Zanzibar

Day 10: Full day Zanzibar beach experience

After a proper night’s rest, a tasty breakfast will be served and after you can have the rest of your day relaxing by the beach and enjoying the amenities at the hotel. Dinner will be served in the evening before you take your rest for the day.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: The Resident Zanzibar

Day 11: Dolphin tour and Spice tour

After breakfast at the hotel your driver guide will pick you up and take you to the Kizimkazi fishing village, a home to several schools of bottle-nosed dolphins and the Humpback dolphins which you will spot on a short boat trip from the village. You will spend a few hours in the village then later return to the hotel for a brief rest and lunch.

After lunch, meet your driver guide and proceed for a visit to the spice farms. During this tour you will explore the large spice plantations in Zanzibar. Once on the farms, you will be welcomed by the amazing aroma of various spices such as nutmeg, ginger, among others. During this tour you will also see different spices and have a taste of some of the tropical fruits. Feel free to make purchases of the local products such as medicines, spices, and ornaments. Return to the hotel in the evening for dinner and a night’s rest.

Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: The Resident Zanzibar

Day 12: Visit to stone town and departure

Early morning, have your breakfast at the hotel and then set out for a visit to Stone town where you will take a stroll on its streets while viewing its magnificent buildings. You will also stop by the famous slave market of Zanzibar.

After this visit, you will take a domestic transfer flight to Julius Nyerere International Airport where you will catch your flight to your next destination.

Trip inclusions

-Ground transportation

-Domestic transfer flights

-Gorilla permits

-Golden monkey permits

-Park entrances

-All activities mentioned

-Accommodation

-Meals

-Bottled water

Trip exclusions

-International flights

-Visas

-Laundry

-Extra activities

-tips

-Purchases

-Drinks

-Cigarettes

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