11 Days Primates And Big 5 Safari
Primates & Big 5 safari Rwanda Kenya. Take part in two gorilla treks, a unique event, and hear the stories of people who worked with Dian. Discover chimpanzee families in the forests of Nyungwe National Park. Admire the Great Migration and the Big Five from a hot air balloon in the Maasai Mara. There are optional trips to the Karen Blixen Museum, the Giraffe Centre, and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Highlights:
– Double Gorilla Trekking: Encounter majestic mountain gorillas in their natural habitat
– Chimpanzee Tracking: Discover chimpanzee families in Nyungwe National Park’s lush forests
– Hot Air Balloon Safari: Witness the Great Migration and Big Five from above in Maasai Mara
– Exclusive Insights: Hear stories from people who worked with Dian Fossey
– Optional Excursions: Visit the Karen Blixen Museum, Giraffe Centre, and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Detailed Primates And Big 5 Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Volcanoes National Park
After meeting your Africa Reveal Safari guide in Kigali, take a stunning drive through Rwanda’s charming terraced hillsides to Musanze, the starting point for gorilla tracking. If you want to, visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.
After checking in, eat lunch and then use your accommodations for the remainder of the day.
Come learn the history of conservation in Rwanda from its beginnings to the present at an exclusive dinner event hosted by Africa Reveal Safaris guide this evening. After dinner, there will be talks by renowned mountain gorilla conservationist Peter Veit, who lived at the original Karisoke Research Centre and worked with Dian Fossey.
Meals: Lunch and dinner included, breakfast at own arrangement.
Overnight: Virunga Lodge (or similar)
Day 2: Volcanoes National Park
After an early breakfast, the day starts with a transfer to the park’s headquarters. Here, park rangers will inform you about what’s coming up. The rangers who will take you to your designated gorilla family will then meet you. Despite the fact that Volcanoes National Park is home to 12 fully habituated gorilla families, just 96 gorilla permits are issued to visitors each day. It is necessary to make reservations in advance.
For an adult who is normally fit, gorilla tracking does not present a major physical challenge, despite the fact that the terrain and altitude can be difficult at times. Gorilla tracking can take anywhere from two to six hours, with guides stopping frequently to allow visitors to rest.
After the hike, head back to your accommodations for lunch. You have the rest of the day to yourself. The new Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is open for tours.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Virunga Lodge (or similar)
Day 3: Lake Kivu
Take another gorilla tour, try to see the golden monkeys, or hike to the original Karisoke Research Camp, which is located between two volcanoes, Mt. Karisimbi and Mt. Bisoke.
Even though the huts are now in ruins, you may get a good sense of what Dian went through when she set up camp all those years ago to study and protect the endangered mountain gorillas by listening to Peter Veit’s stories.
After lunch, we’ll set out for Lake Kivu. Situated in the Great Rift Valley of Africa, the highland lake is encircled by water and has a lush green colour. It is the largest lake in Rwanda and the sixth largest lake in Africa.
We’ll take a guided tour of Imbabazi, Rosamond Carr’s former flower plantation and cultural hub, while we’re travelling. Once you arrive at your accommodation, the rest of the afternoon will be yours.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Lake Kivu Serena (or similar)
Day 4: Nyungwe National Park
After enjoying a leisurely breakfast in the middle of the morning, set out on a serene journey to Nyungwe National Park. In addition to its abundance of species and stunning scenery, the park holds the distinction of being one of Africa’s oldest rainforests.
Primates Big 5 safari Rwanda Kenya. Nyungwe, which is made up of Afromontane forests, grasslands, bamboo-covered slopes, and marshes, is the source of water for two of the greatest rivers in the world: the Nile and the Congo. A forest ridge forms a watershed that connects the Congo and Nile drainage systems. According to legend, a spring on the slopes of Mount Bigugu is the source of the Nile, the world’s longest river. 70% of Rwanda’s water comes from Nyungwe, which serves as the country’s main catchment area due to its heavy rainfall. Treat yourself to a restful evening at the lodging.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Nyungwe House (or similar)
Day 5: Nyungwe National Park
After an early breakfast, we set out on a journey in search of chimpanzees. Numerous optional hiking opportunities are available, with 15 other paths to select from.
Among the 75 animal species that inhabit Nyungwe National Park, look for the elusive leopard, congo clawless otters, cerval cats, and mongooses.
Additionally visible are migratory species including the red-breasted sparrow hawk, grey-cheeked hornbill, royal sunbird, and ross’ turaco. With over 300 species, 10% of which are unique to the Albertine Rift region, Nyungwe is the perfect place to indulge your inner birdwatcher. It also has a large number of butterflies, at least 120 species.
Following lunch, you can unwind and spend the remainder of the day taking use of the facilities offered by your lodging.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Nyungwe House (or similar)
Day 6: Kigali
After breakfast, we begin our guided trip along the canopy walkway, which is 16 meters high and 70 meters long. The canopy walkway, perched above a ravine in the lush highland rainforest, offers breathtaking views of the animals and ancient treetops.
Or you could visit Nyungwe National Park to observe the white and black colobus monkeys. Seeing these energetic primates in the wild is a thrilling experience because they are known to live in large family groupings.
We then head back to Kigali for a quick lunch in order to get some rest before supper with Rose-Marie Mukarutabana, a local scholar, historian, and genocide survivor. Before colonisation started in the 14th century, we will discuss Rwanda’s history, culture, and customs.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Mille Collines (or similar)
Day 7: Maasai Mara
We start our trip to the Maasai Mara, Kenya’s most well-known game reserve, with an early breakfast before taking a plane from Kigali to Nairobi. Enjoy a late-afternoon game drive on the route to your accommodation when you arrive.
The Maasai Mara, which is situated in Kenya in the centre of Africa’s Great Plains, is a genuine rainbow of plant and animal life. It offers stunning views of the grasslands and the best chances for game and bird watching in Kenya. The annual wildebeest migration in the Mara, which starts in July and concludes in November, is one of the natural wonders of the world. More than 1.5 million animals take part in this show.
Once you arrive, relax and enjoy all the facilities your hotel has to offer. In the evening, we enjoy supper after sundowners.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner included, lunch at own arrangement.
Overnight: Little Governors’ Camp (or similar)
Day 8: Maasai Mara
Primates Big 5 safari Rwanda Kenya. Today, you can choose to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime activity: hot air ballooning above the plains of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
At the break of morning, we set out for the launch site. Following a comprehensive safety briefing, your pilot will instruct you to hop into the basket and prepare for takeoff as soon as daylight permits.
Since the wind determines the flight direction, each trip is unique. The duration of the flight is one hour. Once your basket has returned to the plains, you will be served breakfast and a glass of bubbly in the middle of the stunning Maasai Mara plains.
Take a game drive in the morning and again in the afternoon after your flight. Return to your accommodations for the night after dinner. Primates Big 5 safari Rwanda Kenya
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Little Governors’ Camp (or similar)
Day 9: Maasai Mara
After breakfast, we will embark on our final game drives of the day in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
August is expected to see spectacular river crossings where crocodiles catch wildebeest. Herds of wildebeest have periodically crossed the Mara River to reach Little Governors’ Camp. The herds are followed as they go over the plains by zebras and wildebeests.
It’s important to keep an eye out for elephants that have young calves. Eyewitnesses have reported seeing elephants crossing the Mara River and munching on Teclea Nobilis trees, which are widespread in Little Governor’s Camp.
Enjoy a restful evening following your gaming drives. Primates Big 5 safari Rwanda Kenya
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Little Governors’ Camp (or similar)
Day 10: Nairobi
After breakfast, we’ll travel to Nairobi, the capital and largest city of Kenya. Named after the Maasai word “Enkare Nairobi,” which translates to “cool water” in English, the Nairobi River flows through the centre of the city.
We will take you to your lodging for lunch as you arrive. You can then relax at your accommodation or attend one of the numerous optional activities, such a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum, Kazuri Beads, The Giraffe Centre, or the orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation facility run by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Return to your accommodation and unwind for the night after a tiring day.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Hemingways (or similar)
Day 11: Departure
Eat breakfast at your accommodation before heading to Nairobi International Airport and your next stop.
If your flight departs in the afternoon or evening today, you are free to do as you like.
Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner at own arrangement.
Nairobi post-tour accommodation options: Enquire for details
Extension tours: Enquire for details
End of the Primates And Big 5 Safari
Inclusions:
– Gorilla trekking permits
– Chimpanzee tracking fees
– Hot air balloon safari
– Accommodations and meals
– Transportation and airport transfers
– Expert guides
Exclusions:
– International flights and visas
– Travel insurance
– Personal expenses and tips
– Optional activities