6 Days Rwanda & Tanzania Safari

6 Days Rwanda & Tanzania Safari | Gorilla Trekking & the Great Migration

This 6 Days Rwanda & Tanzania Safari connects two countries that, together, cover the full range of what an East Africa safari can offer: Tanzania’s Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area for classic Big Five and Great Migration game viewing, and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park for mountain gorilla trekking in misty highland forest.

The trip starts in Arusha and ends in Kigali, with a short internal flight connecting the two countries partway through. In Tanzania, you spend three days across the Seronera Valley and the floor of Ngorongoro Crater; in Rwanda, the pace shifts entirely, with a gorilla trek, a visit to the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village, and a golden monkey trek through bamboo forest before you fly home from Kigali.

This itinerary is a strong fit for travelers who want one flagship East Africa wildlife experience and one flagship primate experience in the same trip, without the logistics of planning two separate journeys.

Quick Facts

Highlights

• Day 1: Arusha to Serengeti National Park
• Day 2: Full day game drive in the Serengeti and transfer toward Ngorongoro Crater
• Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater tour
• Day 4: Fly to Kigali, transfer to Volcanoes National Park
• Day 5: Gorilla trekking and Iby’iwacu Cultural Village
• Day 6: Golden monkey trekking, transfer to Kigali for departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Serengeti National Park

Your safari opens with a pick-up from your hotel in Arusha after breakfast, or from Kilimanjaro International Airport on arrival. After a briefing, you will set off on the four-hour drive to Serengeti National Park, stopping at the Ngorongoro View Point for a look down into the crater and passing Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakey family uncovered some of the earliest known human remains.

On arrival in the Serengeti, you will head to your lodge with a game drive en route. After lunch and refreshments, continue into the park for an afternoon game drive through the Seronera Valley, watching for elephants, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and several antelope species.

Accommodation: Shuhudia Adventure Camp

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 2: Full Day Game Drive in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater

Wake early for breakfast before a full day game drive through the Seronera Region, known for its hyenas and big cats such as lions and leopards, along with bushbucks, dik-diks, wildebeest, elands, gazelles, and birdlife including secretary birds, ostriches, guinea fowl, and hornbills.

Enjoy lunch at the Hippo Pool, home to an estimated 200 individuals, before continuing on to Ngorongoro Crater. Check in at your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater Tour

After breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, often referred to as the “Eden of Africa” — the world’s largest unbroken caldera and a wildlife destination with an exceptional concentration of animals.

During the game drive, explore different regions of the crater floor for sightings of lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, rhinos, giraffes, gazelles, elands, hartebeests, and wildebeest. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Lodge

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 4: Fly to Kigali, Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

After breakfast, check out and drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight to Kigali International Airport in Rwanda. On arrival, your guide will meet you for the roughly three-hour transfer to Volcanoes National Park, arriving in the late afternoon. Check in at your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Volcanoes Hotel

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking and Iby’iwacu Cultural Village

Wake early for breakfast before heading to the park headquarters in Kinigi for a 7:30 a.m. briefing, where ranger guides will walk you through gorilla trekking etiquette and safety.

In groups of eight, you will be assigned a gorilla family and led into the forest in search of them. The trek takes approximately two to four hours, sometimes longer, depending on where the gorillas settled the previous night. Once located, you will spend one hour watching them play, feed, and groom each other.

Afterward, trek back to the starting point, meet your driver-guide, and return to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village for an encounter with local traditions, including dance and drama performances. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Five Volcanoes Hotel

Meal Plan: Full Board

Day 6: Golden Monkey Trekking, Transfer to Kigali for Departure

After an early breakfast, return to the park headquarters in Kinigi for a briefing before heading into the forest in search of golden monkeys, found in the park’s bamboo zones. Once located, you will spend an hour watching them play, feed, and groom one another.

Afterward, head to the lodge for lunch, check out, and begin the journey back to Kigali, where you will be dropped at the airport for your flight home.

End of Safari

What’s Included

• Park entry fees
• Gorilla permits
• Golden monkey permits
• Game drives in the Serengeti plains and Ngorongoro Crater
• Kigali city tour
• Visit to the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo
• Visit to the Iby’iwacu Cultural Centre
• Transport in a standard tour van
• Full-board accommodation for 5 nights
• All meals and drinks during the tour
• Flights during the tour
• All airport transfers

What’s Not Included

• International flights before and after the trip
• Visas
• Gratuities and tips for guides, rangers, hotel staff, and porters
• Personal expenses such as alcohol and souvenirs
• Medical and travel insurance