12 Days Gorillas, Ngorongoro & Serengeti
This 12 Days Gorillas, Ngorongoro & the Serengeti allows you to combine gorilla trekking in Rwanda with spotting traditional wildlife watching on game drives and walking safaris in the Serengeti and neighboring Ngorongoro Crater, two of Tanzania’s most famous and awe-inspiringly brilliant national parks.
If you time your safari visit correctly, you might just encounter the famous Great Migration in the Serengeti, making two rather large bucket-list on one epic safari.
Highlights of 12 Days Gorillas, Ngorongoro & Serengeti
Day 1: Arusha
Day 2: Arusha – Ngorongoro Crater
Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
Day 5-7: Serengeti National Park
Day 8: Fly to Kigali
Day 9: Volcanoes National Park
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking Adventure
Day 11: Golden Monkey Trekking
Day 12: Departure
Detailed Itinerary of 12 Days Gorillas, Ngorongoro & Serengeti
Day 1: Arusha
You will be met on arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport by your guide and driven to your lodge in Arusha.
Arusha is the gateway to Tanzania’s safari gems and most itineraries include at least a night in Arusha. You will likely spend most of your time gathering your bearings before your safari adventure begins or taking things easy after an action-packed few days, both accompanied by incredible views of nearby Mount Meru.
There are plenty of activities to choose to venture out including a guided stroll between Maasai Markets for Tinga Tinga Paintings, handmade jewellery and Shuka textiles, peruse the museums, or visit the bright green fields of the coffee farms and sample some of Africa’s finest beans.
Overnight: Arusha Coffeee Lodge   Â
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Arusha – Ngorongoro Crater
You will be collected from your lodge and driven to Arusha Airport for your flight to Lake Manyara Airport. You will be met on arrival at Lake Manyara Airport and driven to your lodge.
Overnight: Plantation Lodge Â
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
Today we explore Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a giant bowl filled to the brim with Africa’s most iconic wildlife, visiting Ngorongoro is a highlight of this safari. Game drives are a given and in most cases, you will rise with the sparrows to ensure you are on the crater floor to catch all the action.
Usually you will return in the mid-morning before heading out again in the afternoon, but some lodges have private picnic spots, allowing you to spend a whole day exploring with time for drinks and snacks. Expect to see the Big Five, including good numbers of black rhinos and plenty of plans game.
Overnight: Plantation Lodge  Â
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
You will be collected from your lodge and drive to Serengeti National Park. Be sure to keep your camera and binoculars handy as you never know what you might see on route. It is a 4 hours’ drive, arrive in time for lunch and with en-route game drive, head to your lodge for check-in, dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight: Nyikani Camp Serengeti Migration – Ndutu Â
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5-7: Serengeti National Park
These three days are dedicated to exploring the endless plains of Serengeti National Park, famous for the mighty Great Migration, wildebeest – watching is high on the list of most travelers visiting the Serengeti. The location of the herds differs by month but as a rough guide, you will catch the famous river crossings in the north from July to October and the calving and birthing season in the south from December to March. Visit at other times and the herds will be in the Western Corridor (April to June) or traveling back through the central areas.
Game drives are available from almost every lodge in the Serengeti offering incredible sightings of four out of the Big Five (sadly rhino sightings are rare), as well as cheetah, zebra, giraffe and all the smaller game, whether you choose a morning or afternoon drive or an all-day expedition with a picnic.
Other activities to do include hot air balloon (usually the North), horseback safaris (west), cultural visits and community projects.
Overnight: Nyikana Camp Serengeti Migration – Ndutu
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Fly to Kigali
You will be collected from your lodge and drive to Serengeti Airstrip for your flight to Rwanda’s Kigali International Airport.
On arrival you will be collected by our Rwanda Driver-Guide and be transferred to your hotel. Later in the day you will go for a short Kigali City Tour exploring Kigali City. Despite its turbulent past, Kigali is safe and incredibly friendly, and makes a wonderful welcome to the magic of Rwanda. History and culture are evident everywhere you look and a city tour should be on top of your list. Among the fascinating sites to visit include the Inema Art Centre, a contemporary gallery showcasing work from East and Central Africa, the museum of natural history, the iconic Milles Collines Hotel, and Kimironko Market, where you can spend your pennies on everything from fruit to fabrics, cookware to clothing.
Overnight: Kigali Serena Hotel
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Volcanoes National Park
After a delicious breakfast, meet your driver-guide and depart for Volcanoes National Park – one of the best places in the world for gorilla trekking. There are several habituated gorilla families in the misty forest so it is easier to gauge gorilla trekking times, but still there is no guarantee how long you may need to walk for.
It is a journey of 3 hours from Kigali City. On arrival you will check in at your lodge and spend the rest of the day at rest.
Overnight: Five Volcanoes Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: Gorilla Trekking Adventure
Wake up early, enjoy breakfast and head to the park for gorilla trekking. Join other trekkers at the Kinigi park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking and the right way to behave while in the presence of the gorillas.
With armed ranger guides, head into the misty forests of Volcanoes National Park looking for mountain gorillas on a trek of about 2 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas and where they spent their previous night. Spend one hour with the gorillas watching them play, feed and groom each other. Take as many photos as possible for memory purposes.
Return to your lodge for lunch and have a short rest. In the afternoon, go for a visit to the Iby’iwacu Village to meet the locals, be entertained by local dances and drama, taste some local dishes among others.
Overnight: Five Volcanoes Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Golden Monkey Trekking
Wake up early, meet your driver guide and head to the park headquarters for a briefing about golden monkey trekking. After the briefing and with your armed ranger guides, enter into the forest looking for the beautiful and playful golden monkeys which are found in the bamboo forest of the Virunga.
Spend one hour watching these playful primates feed, jump from one tree to another as they go on with their life in the forest. Later return to your lodge for lunch, in the afternoon you will either visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Fund or hike around the crater lakes of Mount Bisoke.
Overnight: Five Volcanoes Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Departure
Today is the last day of your adventure, you will be collected from your lodge and drive to Kigali International Airport for your flight back home.
End of 12 Days Gorillas, Ngorongoro & the Serengeti