Ultimate 17 Day Tanzania Uganda and Rwanda Luxury Safari | Gorillas, the Great Migration & the Big Five
Tour Overview
This 17 Day Tanzania Uganda and Rwanda luxury safari vacation takes you on an incredible adventure through the stunning wilderness of Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. The 17 Day Tanzania Uganda and Rwanda Luxury Safari Vacation offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore two of the most exhilarating wildlife encounters on Earth: gorilla trekking and the Big Five animals among the great migration with focus on the Mara River Crossing. Our 17 Day Tanzania Uganda and Rwanda Luxury Safari Vacation promises a transformative experience where the beauty of nature, the thrill of wildlife encounters and the comfort of luxurious accommodations merge to create an unforgettable adventure. Prepare to be mesmerized, inspired and forever changed by the magnificence of Africa’s natural wonders.
You will begin your Gorillas, Great Migration and Big Five animals Adventure Vacation in Arusha from where you will fly into the Kogatende Area in Serengeti to start your exploration of the Tanzania Safari Northern Circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater and Tarangire) and get an opportunity to watch the dramatic great Migration Mara River Crossing.
From Tanzania, you will head to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park to walk with the mountain Gorillas, enjoy the cultural experiences and trek with the Golden Monkeys/ hike mountain Bisoke depending on your choice. From Volcanoes National Park, you will head to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda where you will trek with the Mountain Gorillas twice and at your request you may instead do one normal gorilla trek and a gorilla habituation experience. Your 17 Day Tanzania Uganda and Rwanda Luxury Safari Vacation will end at Kigali International Airport.
17 Day Tanzania Uganda and Rwanda Luxury Safari Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Arusha
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania you will meet and greet with representatives of Engabi Tours and Travel who will transfer you to your place of Accommodation in Arusha where you can relax as you get ready for the upcoming days of the safari.
Accommodation Option: Gran Melia Hotel
Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast
Day 2: Flight from Arusha To Kogatende Airstrip and Afternoon Game Drive
After breakfast, you will transfer to Arusha airstrip for your flight to Kogatende Airstrip in Serengeti North which will depart around 7am and arrive at 10am for a game drive in Northern Serengeti. Serengeti among other incredible wildlife and stunning views is famed for the annual migration of over 1.5 million wildebeest and hundred thousand of zebras, a frenzied bout of territorial conquests and mating happening from July-October. Witness an actual survival of the fittest as these animals plunge through crocodile-infested waters. The wildebeest produces more than 8,000 calves daily before the 1,000 km (600 mile) pilgrimage begins again. Lunch Dinner and Overnight at your lodge.
Accommodation Option: Ole Serai Luxury Camp-Kogatende
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Full Day Game Drive in the Kogatende Area of Serengeti (North)
Today is without question one of the highlights of your safari. After a rich breakfast you will start your adventure a little earlier than usual and head to the Mara River to witness the great migration Mara River Crossing. Today’s full day game drive will help you experience the Serengeti in its full glory! You will be waiting for crossing along the river but you will also do game drive the rest of the Kogatende Area. The Mara River is the last major obstacle standing between the Wildebeest Migration and the relative safety of the Masai Mara. If you’re patient and a little lucky, you will get to witness the death-defying crossing itself where wildebeest and zebras brave the river’s currents and crocodiles in an attempt to reach safety on the opposite bank. After witnessing the crossing, you will continue with the game drive in the rest of the area and retire to your camp for Dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Option: Ole Serai Luxury Camp-Kogatende
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Another Full Day in the Kogatende Area
Stunned by the previous days spotting of the migration, today you get another chance to view the beautiful wildlife spectacle. You may go out for a morning game drive and relax in the afternoon or you may choose to have another full day game drives.
Accommodation Option: Ole Serai Luxury Camp-Kogatende
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Full Day Game Drive in Serengeti National Park in North and Central
After breakfast at the Camp, you will drive to Serengeti central arriving in time for game drive and later check in to your camp for dinner and overnight. Central Serengeti in the Seronera area offers an amazing game-viewing in Africa with great herds of buffalo, predators, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands of elands, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.
Accommodation Option: Ole Serai Luxury Camp-Seronera
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Morning Game Drive in Serengeti and Afternoon to Transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Today after breakfast, you will head out for a morning game drive in the Seronera Area from where you will transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area arriving in time for lunch and later dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Option: Ngorongoro Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Game Drive in the Crater
After a very quick breakfast, you will make an early descent at around 6:30 AM into the crater floor for a game drive. This area is compared to Garden of Eden on earth. The big numbers of wildlife can be spotted in a day including all big five, the elephant, black rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetahs, and lots of hyenas, hippos, zebra and wildebeest being the most abundant. You will take a break for lunch and in the afternoon, you will continue game viewing in the south corner of the park where you visit Lake Magadi a place you can see flamingos, hippos and other water birds. Return for dinner and overnight
Accommodation Option: Ngorongoro Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Transfer to Tarangire National Park and Afternoon Game Drive
Today, you will proceed to Tarangire for an afternoon game drive in the park located slightly off the main safari route. Ranked as the third largest park in Tanzania, the Tarangire is home to a large population of elephant and the ancient giant Baobab trees, also known as the “Tree of Life”,
Accommodation Option: Tarangire Kuro Treetops Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Full Day Game Drive in Tarangire National Park
Today, you will have another opportunity to explore the Tarangire for a full day game drive with a picnic lunch in between the game drives. Dinner and Overnight at the lodge
Accommodation Option: Tarangire Kuro Treetops Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: Flight from Tarangire to Kilimanjaro International Airport for Connecting Flight to Kigali
After Breakfast and depending on the schedule of your flight, you will transfer to Kuro Airstrip to catch your flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport from where you will take your connecting flight to Kigali International Airport in Rwanda. On arrival at Kigali International airport in Kanombe, you will meet and greet with your driver/guide who will transfer you to your hotel in Kigali City for overnight. He/ She will brief you about your upcoming activities.
Accommodation at: Heaven Boutique Hotel Kigali
Meal plan: Bed and Breakfast
Day 11: Kigali City tour and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, you will begin your city tour starting with a visit to Gisozi genocide memorial center. Here you will witness the graveyards of the genocide victims laid to rest. You will watch touching videos and pictures and listen to stories that narrate the horrifying genocide. Later you will visit the Caplaki crafts market to buy souvenirs and other local cultural items and from here you will have your lunch and then transfer to Volcanoes National Park arriving in time for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation at: Sambora Kinigi
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 12: Gorilla Trekking and Iby’wachu Cultural Experience
Today after breakfast you will be transferred to the Park headquarters for briefing about the gorilla trekking rules. You will then enter the jungle to start the search for the Mountain Gorillas and on finding them you will Spend1 hour with them which will be a great experience for everyone. In the afternoon you will stay by the lodge relaxing or visit the Iby’wachu village for a cultural experience.
Accommodation at: Sambora Kinigi
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 13: Golden Monkey Tracking/Bisoke Mountain Hike
Today you can choose to either do Golden Monkey Tracking and Visit the Diana Fossey Museum or decide to hike Bisoke Mountain.
If you Choose to Hike Bisoke Mountain, after a very early breakfast you will be transferred to the park headquarters ready with packed lunch and enough drinking water and the hiking gear. On arrival, you will be briefed by the park ranger guide then ascend to the mountain for your hike. The Mountain hike will probably take 6 to 8 hours in total. With this activity you must be fit physically to conquer the beautiful hill as it gets muddy when it rains but very interesting to get to the top where the Crater Lake can be viewed from before descending back to the lodge.
If you choose to do the Golden Monkey tracking, you will head to the park headquarters again very early in the Morning for your golden monkey tracking. These are endangered type of monkey which is only found in this mountain range at high elevation within the Albertine rift region. They can easily be seen in large troop but on close view because of being habituated to human presence. The trekking takes 3 to 4 hours in total and when it’s done you will return to the lodge for lunch and later have a relaxed evening or visit the Diana Fossey Museum.
Accommodation at: Sambora Kinigi
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 14: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Today you will wake up at leisure, enjoy your breakfast and later transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Ruhija Sector arriving in time for check-in, lunch and later dinner and overnight.
Note: Please note that if you intend to do both Normal Gorilla Trekking and Gorilla Habituation, the place of accommodation will change to Rushaga sector where we propose Four Gorillas Lodge
Accommodation at: Kiho Gorilla Lodge
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
Day 15: First Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Experience
Today you will wake up very early and enjoy your breakfast after which you will be transferred to the park headquarters with packed lunch for briefing on the dos and don’ts of Gorilla trekking in Bwindi. You will then enter the jungle to meet the gorilla family that you will watch for a maximum of 1 hour and during this time the rangers will tell you a lot about the group and thereafter you will head back to the park headquarters where you will meet your driver and transfer back to the lodge. In the evening you might go for a community walk with your guide depending on whether you are tired or not.
Accommodation Option: Kiho Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 16: Second Gorilla Trekking
Today you will have another chance to walk with the gorillas and this time you will be allocated a different gorilla family giving you more chance to learn more about the different gorilla families. On finding the gorillas, you will spend a maximum of 1 hr with them and then head back to the starting point where your driver will be waiting for you for a transfer back to the lodge for lunch. Dinner and overnight.
Accommodation Option: Kiho Gorilla Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 17: Transfer by Road to Kigali International Airport
Depending on the schedule of your flight, today you will enjoy your breakfast and then transfer to Kigali City arriving in time for lunch and later transfer to the Airport arriving in time for check in for your flight marking the end of the trip.
Accommodation at: N/A
Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch
End of Safari
CONTACT US for a Quote or Information
The Luxury Tour Quote Is Inclusive of:
Transportation by a 4 x 4 vehicle
Full Board Accommodation in 5 Star Accommodation
Gorilla Permits in Uganda @USD800 Per Person and Rwanda @1,500 Per Person
Park fees
Concession fees
Mount Bisoke Hike/Golden Monkey Tracking
All activities as highlighted in the Itinerary
One Way Flight Ticket from Kilimanjaro to Kogatende Airstrip
One Way Flight Ticket from Kuro Airstrip to Kilimanjaro International Airport
One Way Internal Domestic Flight Ticket from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Kigali International Airport
All Complimentaries as per the Policy of Lodges