15 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Wildlife Safari : This 15 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Wildlife Safari is operated by Explore Rwanda Tours. This tour starts in Kigali, Rwanda and ends in Arusha, Tanzania. Main highlights to look forward to on this 15 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Wildlife Safari include; golden monkey and gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park, chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk in Nyungwe forest national park and amazing game drives in Akagera National Park in Rwanda, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater Area in Tanzania.
Highlights for 15 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Wildlife Safari
Day 1: Pickup & Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. (Approximately 6 hours’ drive)
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy Walk.
Day 3: Colobus Monkey Trekking and Transfer to Gisenyi- Evening Boat Cruise on Lake Kivu (Approximately 4 hours’ drive)
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Iby’iwacu Village Tour. (Approximately 1-hour drive)
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking and Optional Visit to Karisoke Center
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trek and Transfer back to Kigali. (About 3 hours’ drive)
Day 7: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Afternoon boat cruise (About 2 hours’ drive)
Day 8: Morning Game Drive and Transfer Back to Kigali. (Approximately 3 hours’ drive)
Day 9: Departure- Fly to Arusha (Your own arrangement)
Day 10: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
Day 11 & 12: Full Day Central Serengeti Game Drive
Day 13: Transfer to Ngorongoro for Crater Drive and Optional Walking Safari
Day 14: Full Day Game Drive in Ngorongoro
Day 15: Transfer to Arusha and Departure.
Detailed Itinerary for 15 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Wildlife Safari
Day 1: Pickup & Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park. (Approximately 6 hours’ drive)
In the morning, you will be picked by the driver from your hotel in Kigali and drive southwards to Nyungwe forest National Park. You will have a stopover in Butare, where you will visit the national museum of Rwanda, the king’s palace in Nyanza with lunch enroute. Dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy Walk.
Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing before entering the forest, searching for the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are easy to spot, as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimp tracking usually takes about 3 hours. You will then have your packed lunch and later return back to base where you will meet up with your driver guide.
After having your packed lunch, you will embark on a guided nature walk along the famous canopy walkway bridge- a swing bridge 50 meters in length that is suspended from large trees. You will be able to see the amazing rainforest with a bird’s eye view, spotting wildlife moving about below you there after connect to your accommodation to spend the evening at leisure. This hike takes only 2 hours. Later transfer back to your lodge/hotel for dinner and overnight same as above.
Day 3: Colobus Monkey Trekking and Transfer to Gisenyi- Evening Boat Cruise on Lake Kivu (Approximately 4 hours’ drive)
Have breakfast early in the morning and meet up with your driver guide. You will then drive to the park headquarters where you will be briefed for your colobus monkey trek. Trekking begins at 8am in the morning and can last between 4-6 hours or more depending on their location. After your colobus monkey trek, you will drive back to your lodge for hot lunch and then checkout. After lunch you will transfer to Gisenyi where you will enjoy an evening boat ride on Lake Kivu. Later check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park and Iby’iwacu Village Tour. (Approximately 1-hour drive)
After having breakfast in the morning, you will meet your guide and drive to Volcanoes national park with a stopover for lunch enroute to the park. Enjoy the beautiful views as you traverse the countryside arriving in Volcanoes NP in the late afternoon. You will embark on a cultural tour to Iby’iwacu village aka ‘The Gorilla Guardians Village’ where you will get to interact with the locals and watch dance and singing performances from the local dance troupe. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking and Optional Visit to Karisoke Center
The fifth day of this 8 Days Rwanda Safari highlights a gorilla trekking activity. Early in the morning after breakfast and a briefing from the RBD officials, set off for the gorilla tracking. This experience of gorilla tracking is a once in a life time adventure. The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search for the Gorillas. You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures that will entertain you with performances for about 1 hour. The activity in Rwanda can take 3-5 hours since the gorillas move up and down.
This is an awesome and exciting moment. En route there are a lot of chimpanzees and other types of the primates such as the monkeys, birds and so more. Return for lunch at the Lodge and in the afternoon, you may embark on an optional visit to the Karisoke research center where you can visit the Dian Fossey Museum and also the graves of the Late Diane Fossey, an American primatologist who was murdered because she was protecting these endangered mountain Gorillas. Return for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Golden Monkey Trek and Transfer back to Kigali. (About 3 hours’ drive)
After breakfast on the sixth day of your 8 Days Rwanda Safari, you will go for golden monkey tracking. This activity also takes like 2-3 hours in the Virunga forest. Later return back to your lodge for early lunch and drive back to Kigali, arriving in the evening in time for dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
Day 7: Transfer to Akagera National Park and Afternoon boat cruise (About 2 hours’ drive)
Have breakfast from your hotel in the morning. You will be met by your driver guide at your agreed location in Kigali to transfer to Akagera national park where you will arrive in time to embark on the late afternoon boat cruise on Lake Ihema where you will see game like hippopotamuses, Crocodiles and many bird species that live around the lake and the surrounding swamps. Dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Morning Game Drive and Transfer Back to Kigali. (Approximately 3 hours’ drive)
After having breakfast at your lodge, check out of your lodge and meet up with your driver guide. You will then embark on a morning game drive where you will explore the northern sector of the national park. You may view a variety of wildlife animals including lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras and antelopes among others. Later meet up with your guide and drive back to Kigali. Upon your arrival in Kigali city, you can choose to have your driver drop you off at your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9: Departure- Fly to Arusha (Your own arrangement)
Have breakfast at your hotel and then check-out of your hotel. You will then be driven to Kigali international airport in time to check-in and board your flight to Arusha.
Day 10: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
You will be picked from the airport and driven to Serengeti which is about 335km from Arusha, stretching north to Kenya and bordering Lake Victoria to the west. You will arrive at the lodge in time for lunch before going for an afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 11 & 12: Full Day Central Serengeti Game Drive
Today, you shall enjoy a game drive in the Serengeti for yet another chance to spot different wild animals including the big 5. You shall have lunch in the park, and mazing game drive in the central Serengeti for a chance to see more of the wild game, around the Seronera River. Return to the camp, relax as you wait for dinner and an overnight stay at your designated lodge.
Meal Plan: Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
Day 13: Transfer to Ngorongoro for Crater Drive and Optional Walking Safari
After breakfast at the lodge, drive to the conservancy and get to descend about 600 meters into the Ngorongoro crater during your game drive. You will look out for wildlife species such as elephants, lions, buffalos, rhinos, cheetahs, hippos, antelopes, kudu, zebras, impalas, gazelles among others on the Ngorongoro crater floor. You will also look out for attractions like Lake Magadi in the crater where you will see flamingos and other bird species on the lake shores.
After your picnic lunch in the wild, head out for an optional walking safari experience in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, for an opportunity to come up-close with nature and wild game including zebras, antelopes, among others as you are guided by a ranger guide. Return to the lodge enjoying yet another wild game viewing opportunity, for dinner and an overnight stay.
Accommodation: As above
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Full Day Game Drive in Ngorongoro
Have your breakfast in the morning and head out for a full day game drive in Ngorongoro. (Endeavor to carry your packed lunch from your lodge). You can use this day to search for wildlife animals that you might have missed sighting during your earlier game drive.
Later have dinner and overnight stay at your lodge same as above.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 15: Transfer to Arusha and Departure.
After breakfast, you will enjoy a morning game drive as you exit the park and head back to Arusha. You will have your lunch enroute to Arusha city and upon your arrival there, your driver guide will drop you off at a hotel of your choice or at Kilimanjaro international Airport in case you have an evening flight to catch. End of Safari!
