6 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Serengeti

Meet at Kigali International Airport. Optional 1-hour Kigali Genocide Memorial stop if arriving before 14:00 — a dignified introduction to modern Rwanda. Scenic drive northwest (approx. 2.5 hours) through terraced hills to Kinigi, base for Volcanoes National Park.

Lodge check-in and evening gorilla-trek briefing: porter hire, packing list, RDB headquarters location and photography rules for tomorrow.

07:00 briefing at Kinigi headquarters. Trek bamboo and hagenia forest on the slopes of the Virungas — groups range from 1–4 hours depending on family location. Porters available at the trailhead.

Safari activity | Rwanda mountain gorilla trekking

One hour with your allocated habituated gorilla family on the Virunga slopes — RDB rangers lead the trek and present your certificate on return.

One hour with your gorilla family on contact, then hike out for certificate ceremony and lodge lunch. Afternoon optional twin lakes visit (Burera and Ruhondo) or rest at lodge spa.

Rwanda gorilla permits are currently USD 1,500 per person (RDB). Minimum age 15. Porters strongly recommended on steep, muddy trails at altitude.

Morning drive to Kigali (2.5 hours). Lunch in the city, then Kigali–Kilimanjaro flight on RwandAir or regional carrier (approx. 1 hour 30 minutes). Road transfer from Arusha or Seronera airstrip to central Serengeti camp.

Safari activity | Serengeti afternoon game drive

En-route game drive on the central plains if daylight allows — kopje lion prides, elephant herds and the first taste of Tanzania's endless savannah.

Afternoon game drive en route to camp if daylight allows. Your Tanzania guide briefs you on Serengeti park fees and camp routines.

Dawn and afternoon drives across kopje-studded plains. Central Serengeti holds year-round predator concentrations — lion prides, spotted hyena clans, cheetah on the short-grass plains and leopard in riverine woodland.

Safari activity | Central Serengeti predator safari

Track lion prides on granite kopjes, cheetah scanning from termite mounds, and elephant breeding herds across the Seronera valley.

Picnic breakfast at a scenic viewpoint. Return to camp for lunch. Afternoon drive follows ranger reports on predator and migration concentrations. Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle and topi herds attract cheetah on the short-grass plains.

Full day on the plains following wildlife concentrations. Migration herds (1.5 million wildebeest plus zebra) pass through central and western corridors seasonally — your guide tracks the latest ranger reports.

Safari activity | Serengeti migration tracking

Follow wildebeest and zebra herds across the plains when in season — one of Africa's greatest wildlife spectacles on the Serengeti ecosystem.

Optional balloon safari at dawn (supplement, USD 550+). Evening sundowners at camp overlooking the plains. Hartebeest, eland and giraffe are common on the Seronera grasslands year-round.

Sunrise game drive or camp breakfast depending on flight time. Fly Seronera or Kogatende airstrip to Kilimanjaro International Airport (or Arusha for Zanzibar extension).

Your guide assists with airport check-in and onward connections. Tanzania visa stamps (USD 50 on arrival for most nationalities) and park fee receipts organised in advance. End of services.