This 9 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Classic Safari takes you on the ultimate African Safari journey to Rwanda and Tanzania. During this 9 days Rwanda and Tanzania classic safari, you will travel to Nyungwe Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk; and then transfer to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking and a cultural tour at Ibyi’wacu village. You will then fly to Kilimanjaro international airport in Tanzania where you will be picked up from the airport. Enjoy this opportunity as you explore the vast savannah plains in Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater Area and Serengeti National Park as you view a variety of wildlife during your game drives.
Highlights for 9 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Classic Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy Walk– Overnight in Gisenyi, Lake Kivu
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes NP for Gorilla Trekking and Ibyi’wacu Village Tour and Drive Back to Kigali
Day 4: Fly to Tanzania (Your own Flight Booking)
Day 5: Transfer to Tarangire national park – Karatu
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater and Maasai Bomas cultural tour
Day 7: Drive to Serengeti National Park – Central Serengeti game drive
Day 8: Northern Serengeti Wildebeest Migration
Day 9: Return to Arusha for departures
Detailed Itinerary for 9 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Classic Safari.
Day 1: Transfer to Nyungwe Forest National Park
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. After lunch, you will drive to your hotel and spend the rest of evening relaxing at your hotel. Dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trek and Canopy Walk- Overnight in Gisenyi, Lake Kivu
Enjoy breakfast and go for briefing before entering the forest, searching for the active and playful fellows in Nyungwe forest. The Chimpanzees are the easy to spot, as they jump from one tree to another, chattering and laughing. Chimp tracking usually takes about 3 hours. You will then return to your accommodation for lunch.
After lunch, you will go on a walking trail that will take you to the Canopy Walk at Uwinka; 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. Before night fall, you will drive to Gisenyi (about 4-5 hour’s drive) where you will check into your hotel, have dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Volcanoes NP for Gorilla Trekking and Ibyi’wacu Village Tour and Drive Back to Kigali
Wake up very early in the morning and set of at 5/6am. You will need to be at Volcanoes NP by 7am to register and start your briefing. This experience of gorilla trekking is a once in a life time adventure. The rangers will lead you deep into the forest in search of the Gorillas.
You will move up and down the rugged terrain until you finally meet these harmonious creatures whose company you will cherish for 1 hour. The activity in Rwanda can take 3-5 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas.
In the afternoon you will head out for a cultural tour to Iby’iwacu village for a cultural experience with a resident local guide. Visit the King’s palace and learn more about the Rwandan culture through dance and singing performances from the local intore dance troupe. Return back to Kigali and check into your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Fly to Tanzania (Your own Flight Booking)
Early in the morning after breakfast and drive back to Kigali International Airport for your morning/afternoon flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Recommend flights on RwandAir or Kenya Airways.
Upon your arrival at JRO, our company representative will pick you up and drive you to your hotel in Arusha where you will check in and have dinner.
Day 5: Transfer to Tarangire national Park—Karatu
Depending on your location in Arusha, your safari driver in Tanzania will be available and ready to pick you, brief you and start your safari. Transfer to Tarangire National Park. It’s a 2-3 hours’ drive and upon arrival, depending on time, connect for a game drive in search of animals like the herds of Elephants as well as other wildlife species like zebras, hartebeest, elephants, waterbucks, gazelles, Oryx and others. Transfer to your booked lodge in Karatu for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater and Maasai Bomas cultural tour
After breakfast, descend 600 meters into the crater and enjoy seeing wildlife species such as cheetahs, lions, leopards, elephants, antelopes, giraffes, buffalos, wildebeests and many others. You will also visit Lake Magadi, which is a large but shallow alkaline lake in the south-western corner and is among the main features of the crater. You will see a large number of flamingos, hippos as well as other bird species along the lake-shores. Later afternoon, visit the Maasai Bomas. Dinner and overnight at lodge as above
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Drive to Serengeti National Park – Central Serengeti game drive
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and transfer to Serengeti national park where you will arrive in central Serengeti for a game drive. A game drive animal viewing experience around the central part of Serengeti national park will reward you with stunning views of a variety of wildlife species like lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, impalas, gazelles, kudu, rhinos among others.
Serengeti national park is one of the destinations in Tanzania where one is sure of getting closer to the big 5 game while on a game drive. The park also acts as the breeding grounds for the wildebeests, which are always seen on an annual migration between Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya. This migration always follows the rain patterns, dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: Northern Serengeti Wildebeest Migration
After your delicious breakfast, meet your driver and connect for a full day game drive in Serengeti National Park with your packed picnic lunch. The Northern sector is known for its masculine lions and you will also encounter a great number of the wildebeests crossing the Mara River. Serengeti is one national park that is rich in wildlife so expect to see every kind of animals. Dinner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 9: Return to Arusha for departures
You will enjoy breakfast, check out of the lodge and be drive back to Arusha with en-route lunch. Upon arrival in Arusha, you will be dropped off either at your hotel or at the airport for a flight to the next destination or back home.
End of 9 Days Rwanda and Tanzania Classic Safari
