6-day Serengeti and Gorilla Tour
6-day Serengeti and Gorilla Tour
The 6-day Serengeti and Gorilla Tour is an excellent choice for those who desire to see 6 of Africa’s most famous creatures. These are; Mountain gorillas, lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffaloes. By the end of this safari, you will have had a truly remarkable vacation. Only a few people can see both the mountain gorillas and visit the amazing Serengeti National Park in their lifetime. You will have a different story to tell your friends who only think about visiting Paris, Milan or the Northern lights in Scandinavia.
The safari starts in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and ends in the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda. The safari in Tanzania takes you to discover the amazing Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. The name Serengeti came from the Masai word “Siringitu” which means endless plains. This was about the vast Savannah grasslands which are perfect habitats for both predators and herbivore animals. The “Eden of Africa”, the Ngorongoro Crater, is an area with great biodiversity and has become popular as the 8th Natural Wonder of the World. Along with the Serengeti, they are two of the top attractions in Tanzania. There are a lot of things to do in the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. You will take part in game drives, camping, and watching the great wildebeest migration if you come at the right time of the year.
While in Rwanda, you will also take part in golden monkey trekking. However, the experience with the mountain gorillas could well be the highlight of the entire safari. Gorillas resemble and behave like humans. Although chimpanzees are more intelligent and our closest relatives, gorillas are much more organized. As you look into the eyes of a mountain gorilla, watch the family interact. They might remind you of what goes on in your household.
Summary of the 6-day Serengeti and Gorilla Tour
Day 1: Arusha to Serengeti National Park (4 hours of driving)
Day 2: Full day Game drive at the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
On Day 3: Game drive before departure Kigali Rwanda
Day 4: Kigali City Tour – Visit the twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo at the Volcanoes National Park (3 hours of driving)
Day 5: Golden Monkey Tracking – Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
On Day 6: Gorilla Tracking – Transfer to Kigali for departure (3 Hour drive)
Detailed Itinerary of the 6-day Serengeti and Gorilla Tour
Day 1: Pickup from Arusha and transfer to the Serengeti National Park
Our Guide will come to pick you up from your hotel in Arusha after having your breakfast. He will brief you about the tour before starting the 4-hour drive to the Serengeti National Park. The amazing landscape and vast plains dot the road. You will pass close to the Olduvai Gorge where the Leak Family discovered the first remains of the earliest humans. Once you reach the park, you will go to your hotel for refreshments. Then, head for the first game drive at the Seronera Valley of the Serengeti National Park. Look out for Elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeests, and several antelopes. Game drives are the most popular activities in the Serengeti National Park. Expect to find crowds especially if you travel in the peak season.
Dinner and Overnight: Shuhudia Adventure Camp
Day 2: Full day Game drive in Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater
Wake up early and prepare for an amazing day out in Savannah. The game drive starts from the Serengeti plains along the Seronera River Valley. Then, it continues towards the Ngorongoro crater. The Seronera River Valley is popular for having a large collection of hyenas and big cats. Meanwhile, Prepare to encounter lions, cheetahs, zebras, leopards, bushbucks, dik-dik, and other antelopes. Look out for secretary birds, ostriches, Guinea fowls, hornbills and so much more. Before heading for the Ngorongoro crater, you will also visit the Retina hippo pool. The pool is home to about 200 individual hippopotamuses. Lunch will be taken from the Savannah as you drive towards the Ngorongoro crater.
Dinner and Overnight: Shuhudia Adventure Camp
Day 3: Game drive transfer to Kigali Rwanda
Take breakfast and drive down for yet another game drive at the Amazing Ngorongoro crater. Look out for Rhinos, Elephants, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, jackals, wildebeests, reedbucks, and countless other antelopes. The Ngorongoro crater is the largest land crater in the world and has an amazing concentration of wildlife. Hence, the remarkable diversity impresses everyone who goes down the crater. You can find Most of Africa’s famous mammals down the crater except for the Impalas, Masai giraffes, and topis. After exploring the vast crater, you will start the journey back to Arusha to catch your flight to Kigali Rwanda. Our driver/guide will receive you, and then you will go to your hotel for a rest.
Dinner and Overnight: Kigali Serena Hotel/Five to Five Hotel
Day 4: Kigali City Tour – Transfer to Volcanoes National Park – Visit the twin Lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.
Wake up early and have breakfast as you wait for our Guide who’ll take you for a tour of the city of Kigali. Kigali is a small city but one of the cleanest in Africa. Henceforth, you will visit the Kigali genocide memorial center, the city markets, the former presidential palace, and crafts shops. After visiting the city, you will have lunch before starting the 3-hour journey to Volcanoes National Park. Once you reach the park, you will go to your hotel for check-in, refreshments, and a shower if you choose. The Guide will come to pick you up and take you to visit the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo.
Dinner and Overnight: Volcanoes Lodge/Hotel Muhabura
Day 5: Golden Monkey Trekking – Visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
Take breakfast and wait for the driver to take you to the park offices for briefing. You will find many tourists at the office. Some would have come to see the gorillas, hiking one of the volcanoes, or visiting the grave of Dian Fossey. The Rangers will share information about the monkeys as well as the rules you’ll follow while tracking them. Golden monkey trekking in Rwanda can take up to four hours. Henceforth, you will have great views of the volcanoes and sightings of other park creatures.
After sporting the primates, you will drive back to your hotel for lunch and refreshments. Later in the afternoon, the driver will take you to visit the Gorilla Guardians village. This Centre showcases all that is good about the culture of the people of Rwanda. Go and see how the people of Rwanda lived 200 years ago. You will meet the traditional medicine man, buy local souvenirs, and watch cultural presentations.
Dinner and Overnight: Volcanoes Lodge/Hotel Muhabura
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking at the Volcanoes National Park – Transfer to Kigali for departure
Undoubtedly, this will be one of the most memorable days of your safari. Wake up early and wait for the Driver to take you once again to the park headquarters in Kinigi for the morning briefing at 7:30 am. The Rangers will brief you about mountain gorillas, their habitat, and how to act while with them. If you want to hire porters to carry heavy equipment/ bags, you will have an opportunity to do so after the briefing. Rwanda has 10 gorilla groups that are open to tourism. The allocation of gorilla groups depends on physical fitness.
After the allocation of gorilla groups, you will follow the rangers to the forest in search of the primates. Gorilla trekking in the Volcanoes National Park takes between one to six hours depending on the location of the gorilla family that day. After you find them, you will have only one hour with them. Take the time to observe the groups and take photos of individuals grooming, feeding, playing, climbing trees, and relaxing.
After observing the group for one hour, you will head back to the starting point where you will find our Guide waiting for you. The Driver will take you back to the park offices to get your gorilla trekking certificate. Then, you’ll have lunch before starting the journey back to Kigali for departure.
