12 days link three countries and three of the continent's defining wildlife experiences into one seamless grand tour of East Africa. It begins in Tanzania on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater and across the endless plains of the northern Serengeti at the height of the Great Migration, crosses into Kenya for the predator-rich Masai Mara and a day in Nairobi, then finishes in Rwanda with mountain gorillas beneath the Virunga volcanoes. The crater, the migration and the gorillas, woven together with private guiding and standout camps.
Welcome to Tanzania, on to the Ngorongoro Highlands
Karibu, and welcome to Tanzania. On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you are met and driven towards the Ngorongoro highlands, pausing at the village of Mto wa Mbu for a guided community walk and a local lunch. You arrive at your lodge on the crater rim with the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 2Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro Crater Floor
A full day is given to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, a self-contained world of grassland, lake and forest holding one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. With a packed lunch you search for lion, elephant, flamingo and the crater's celebrated black rhino, often seeing all of the Big Five in a single drive.
Day 3Serengeti
Fly to the Northern Serengeti
After breakfast you transfer to the airstrip for the flight into the northern Serengeti, landing at Kogatende. An en route game drive brings you to camp, and after a siesta you head out again for a sundowner game drive across the golden plains.
Day 4Serengeti
Serengeti Migration Country
A full day in the northern Serengeti follows the rhythm of the Great Migration and the predators that shadow it. Game drives are timed with your guide to the best of the light and the action, with the chance of a dramatic Mara River crossing. An optional hot air balloon safari at dawn can be arranged.
Day 5Serengeti
More of the Serengeti
Another full day in this superb, uncrowded corner of the Serengeti, where savannah grasslands roll between rocky hills and the Mara River. Lion prides on the kopjes, cheetah on the open plains and the sheer scale of the migration make every drive different.
Day 6Masai Mara
Across to Kenya's Masai Mara
After a final Serengeti morning you fly north and cross into Kenya, arriving in the Masai Mara with an en route game drive to camp. A private sundowner game drive closes the day along the famous river bend.
Day 7Masai Mara
The Masai Mara
A full day in the Mara, one of the finest places for wildlife anywhere in Kenya, where lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena hunt among vast herds of plains game. Morning and sundowner game drives make the most of the predator action and the migration herds gathered along the river.
Day 8Nairobi
Nairobi: Sheldrick Trust and Giraffe Centre
A morning flight brings you to Nairobi. You visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, renowned for raising orphaned elephants, and the Giraffe Centre, home to the endangered Rothschild's giraffe, with a game drive in Nairobi National Park and lunch in the city.
Day 9Volcanoes
Fly to Rwanda's Volcanoes
You fly from Nairobi to Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes National Park, a highland of bamboo, jungle and soaring volcanic peaks. The afternoon brings a visit to the Dian Fossey campus, a window into the long conservation story that brought the mountain gorillas back from the brink.
Day 10Volcanoes
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
After a briefing at the park headquarters you venture into the mist-covered forest in search of a habituated mountain gorilla family, spending a treasured hour in their presence high on the volcanic slopes. For those who wish, golden monkey tracking can be added in the bamboo zone.
Day 11Kigali
Kigali
You drive to Kigali, a clean and welcoming city draped across a thousand hills. A visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial offers a dignified reflection on Rwanda's history, with time to take in the energy of the city before a final night in comfort.
Day 12Departure
Departure
After breakfast you are transferred to Kigali International Airport for your onward flight, closing a journey that has spanned the crater, the migration and the gorillas of East Africa.
What is included
Every Detail, Handled
Mountain gorilla trekking permit
Park entrance and conservation fees
Domestic and regional flights as specified in the itinerary
Ground transportation in safari vehicles
Accommodation and meals as shown
English speaking guides
All game drives and activities mentioned
Airport transfers and meet and greet
Medical Emergency Evacuation Cover
Not included
International airfares
Optional activities such as the hot air balloon unless specified
Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees)
