11-Day Primates and Big Five Safari(Rwanda and Masai Mara)
11-Day Primates & Big Five Safari Itinerary(Rwanda and Masai Mara). Engage in Rwanda Double gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, a unique event, and the experiences of those who worked alongside Dian Fossey. Locate chimpanzee families within the forests of Nyungwe National Park. Experience the Big Five and the Great Migration from a hot air balloon in the Maasai Mara. You can choose to go on trips to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, The Giraffe Center, or the Karen Blixen Museum.
The 11-Day Primates and Big Five Safari in Rwanda & Masai Mara” generally encompasses the tracking of mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe National Parks, alongside game drives in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve to observe the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo.
Detailed 11 Days Rwanda Primates & Primates Big Five Safari
Day 1: Volcanoes National Park
Embark on a stunning journey through Rwanda’s scenic terraced hills to Musanze, the starting point for gorilla tracking, following your reservations with the Aloyo Safaris tour guide in Kigali. Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center if you like.
Enjoy lunch after checking in, and then make the most of your accommodations for the rest of the day. At this evening’s unique dinner event, accompanied by your safari guide, you will hear the history of conservation in Rwanda, covering its beginnings to the present day. Peter Veit, a renowned conservationist of mountain gorillas and a former resident and collaborator at the original Karisoke Research Center alongside Dian Fossey, will deliver lectures following dinner.
Meals: Lunch and dinner provided; breakfast is self-arranged.
Accommodation: Virunga Lodge (or equivalent) for the night
Accommodation alternatives in Kigali prior to the tour: Inquire for further details.
Day 2: Volcanoes National Park
The day begins with an early breakfast, after by a transfer to the park headquarters. Park administration will inform you about the forthcoming activities. Subsequently, you will encounter the rangers who will escort you to your designated gorilla family. Volcanoes National Park issues only 96 gorilla permits daily to tourists, despite hosting 12 fully habituated gorilla families. Reservations are need to be made beforehand.
Despite the challenging terrain and altitude, gorilla tracking does not present a considerable physical impediment to a generally fit adult, irrespective of age. Tracking gorillas may require two to six hours, with guides frequently halting to allow guests to recuperate.
Proceed to your accommodations for lunch after the hike. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at your discretion. You might choose to visit the new Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
Meals: Included are breakfast, lunch, and supper.
Accommodation: Virunga Lodge (or equivalent) for the night
Day 3: Lake Kivu
Take a hike to the original Karisoke Research Camp, which is located between Mt. Karisimbi and Mt. Bisoke; go on another gorilla excursion; or look for the golden monkeys.
Even though the huts are now in ruins, you may get a good impression of what Dian went through all those years ago when she set up camp to study and protect the endangered mountain gorillas by listening to Peter Veit’s stories.
Our expedition to Lake Kivu will commence post-lunch. The lake, situated in Africa’s Great Rift Valley, exhibits a vibrant green color and is encircled by water. It is the sixth largest lake in Africa and the largest lake in Rwanda.
We will have a guided tour of Imbabazi, the former Rosamond Carr flower plantation and cultural hub, while we are traveling. Upon arriving at your accommodation, you will have the remainder of the afternoon to yourselves.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and supper are included.
Overnight accommodation in Lake Kivu Serena (or equivalent).
Day 4: Nyungwe National Park
After enjoying a leisurely breakfast in the middle of the morning, set off on an tranquil ride to Nyungwe National Park. The park features stunning beauty, a diverse array of species, and is recognized as one of Africa’s oldest rainforests.
Nyungwe is home to Afromontane forests, grasslands, hills covered with bamboo, and marshes. It is where water from two of the world’s biggest rivers, the Nile and the Congo, flows. A forest ridge constitutes a watershed linking the Nile and Congo drainage basins. The myth goes that a spring on Mount Bigugu is where the world’s longest river, the Nile, originates.
Nyungwe is Rwanda’s main catchment area and the source of water for 70% of the country due to its heavy rains.
Get some rest and leisure at the accomodation.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and supper are included.
Accommodation for the night: Nyungwe House (or equivalent)
Day 5: Nyungwe National Park
Our expedition to locate chimpanzees begins with an early breakfast, succeeded by a trek. There are 15 other routes available, providing a diverse array of hiking options.
Be vigilant for the elusive leopard, Congo clawless otters, serval cats, and mongooses among the 75 animal species residing in Nyungwe National Park.
Migratory avifauna, including the Ross’s turaco, grey-cheeked hornbill, red-breasted sparrow hawk, and royal sunbird, may also be observed. Nyungwe is a great place to watch birds because it is home to over 300 species, and 10% of them are only found in the Albertine Rift area. Moreover, there exists a multitude of butterflies—at least 120 distinct species.
Post-lunch, you may unwind and fully utilize the amenities of your accommodation for the remainder of the day.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and supper are included.
Accommodation: Nyungwe House (or equivalent) for the night
Day 6: Kigali
After breakfast, our guided tour begins along the 16-meter-high, 70-meter-long canopy deck. The canopy walkway, perched above a ravine in the lush highland rainforest, provides exhilarating views of the majestic treetops and fauna.
Alternatively, you may visit Nyungwe National Park to observe the black and white colobus monkeys. These vivacious monkeys are recognized for inhabiting large familial units, making encounters with them in their natural habitat an exhilarating experience.
After going back to Kigali for a quick lunch, You’ll rest up before dinner with Rose-Marie Mukarutabana, a genocide victim, historian, and scholar from the area. We will discuss Rwanda’s history, culture, and customs prior to colonization, which commenced in the 14th century.
There are three meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Accommodation: Mille Collines (or equivalent) for the night
Day 7: Maasai Mara National Reserve
Our expedition to Kenya’s renowned game reserve, the Maasai Mara, commences with an early breakfast prior to our flight from Kigali to Nairobi. Upon your arrival, have a game drive throughout the late afternoon en route to your accommodation.
The Maasai Mara, situated in Kenya among Africa’s Great Plains, is a vibrant ecosystem teeming with diverse species and flora, offering stunning landscapes of grasslands and unparalleled chances for birdwatching and game viewing in Kenya. The annual wildebeest migration, a natural wonder, commences in July and concludes in November in the Mara. More than 1.5 million animals are involved in this event.
Upon arrival, relax and enjoy all the services provided by your hotel. We partake in sundowners followed by supper in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner provided; lunch is self-arranged.
Overnight: Little Governors’ Camp (or equivalent)
Day 8: Maasai Mara National Reserve
Hot air ballooning over the plains of the Maasai Mara National Reserve is a unique, optional experience available today.
Our expedition to the launch site commences at dawn. Following a comprehensive safety briefing, your pilot will instruct you to enter the basket and prepare for takeoff as soon as daylight arrives.
Each journey varies as the flying trajectory is influenced by the wind. The duration of the flight is one hour. Amidst the picturesque Maasai Mara grasslands, following the return of your basket, you will be presented with breakfast accompanied by a glass of sparkling wine.
Following your flight, embark on a morning game drive and another in the afternoon. Following dinner, return to your accommodations for the evening.
Daily meals: breakfast, lunch, and supper are all considered.
Overnight: Little Governors’ Camp (or equivalent)
Day 9: Maasai Mara National Reserve
Following breakfast, we will embark on our final game drives of the day in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
In August, there will probably be spectacular river crossings where crocodiles catch wildebeest. Little Governors’ Camp has been intermittently traversed by wildebeest herds during their crossing of the Mara River. Zebras and wildebeests traverse the meadows, trailing the herds as they advance.
One should be vigilant of elephants accompanied by young calves. Elephants frequently inhabit Little Governor’s Camp, where they feed on Teclea Nobilis trees and have been observed traversing the Mara River, as per eyewitness accounts.
Indulge in an evening of tranquility following your gaming sessions.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and supper are included.
Overnight: Little Governors’ Camp (or equivalent)
Day 10: Nairobi
Our destination after breakfast will be Nairobi, the capital and largest city of Kenya. The Nairobi River, traversing the city center, derives its name from the Maasai term “Enkare Nairobi,” which translates to “cool water” in English.
Upon your arrival, we will escort you to your lodging for lunch. Subsequently, you may relax at your hotel or participate in many optional activities, including a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum, Kazuri Beads, The Giraffe Centre, or the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation facility.
After an exhausting day, return to your accommodation and unwind for the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and supper are included.
Overnight accommodation at Hemingways (or a comparable establishment)
Day 11: Departure
Prior to proceeding to Nairobi International Airport and your subsequent location, partake in breakfast at your hotel. You are at liberty to engage in activities of your choosing today if your flight departs in the afternoon or evening.
Meals: Breakfast provided; lunch and dinner to be arranged independently.
Inquire about post-tour accommodation possibilities in Nairobi.
Extended tours: Inquire for further information
Conclusion of the 11-Day Primates and Big Five Safari schedule