24 Days Grand East Africa Safari

Visit four East Africa's countries on this 24 Days Grand East Africa Safari, a private journey through Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Wildlife being the major component of this trip from primates which include mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and chimpanzees to the Big Five mammals in the open savannahs of the Maasai Mara and Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and a relaxing time in Zanzibar Island in the Indian Ocean.

Begin in Kigali and explore Volcanoes National Park before crossing into Uganda for Bwindi gorillas, Queen Elizabeth wildlife and Kibale chimpanzees. Overnight in Entebbe before flying to Nairobi. Continue through Lake Nakuru, the Maasai Mara and Serengeti, then visit Ngorongoro and Tarangire before flying to Zanzibar. Flight routes, border arrangements and accommodation will be confirmed in your quotation. Wildlife sightings and migration encounters depend on season and local conditions.

Safari highlights

• Explore four East African countries on one private safari
• Experience Rwanda's Virunga Mountains and golden monkeys
• Trek mountain gorillas in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Travel through Ishasha in search of tree-climbing lions
• Enjoy game drives and a Kazinga Channel boat safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Track chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.
• Discover the wildlife and community conservation experiences of Bigodi wetland
• Fly into Kenya and Explore Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya's Great Rift Valley
• Spend three nights in the Maasai Mara with two full days for wildlife viewing
• Experience the greater Mara Serengeti ecosystem and the seasonal Great Migration
• Spend three nights in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park
• Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for exceptional wildlife viewing
• Search for elephants among Tarangire's ancient baobab trees
• Discover the historic streets of Zanzibar's Stone Town
• Finish with a relaxing Indian Ocean beach experience
• Enjoy private guiding and a carefully coordinated multi-country itinerary.

Itinerary at a glance

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda

Day 2: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park

Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Day 4: Cross into Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

Day 6: Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth Game Drive & Kazinga Channel Boat Safari

Day 8: Queen Elizabeth to Kibale National Park

Day 9: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

Day 10: Kibale to Entebbe

Day 11: Flight from Entebbe to Nairobi, Kenya

Day 12: Nairobi to Lake Nakuru National Park

Day 13: Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara National Reserve

Day 14: Full-Day Maasai Mara Wildlife Safari

Day 15: Maasai Mara Game Drives and Optional Maasai Cultural Experience

Day 16: Maasai Mara Kenya/Tanzania Border Crossing into Serengeti

Day 17: Serengeti National Park Game Drives

Day 18: Full-Day Serengeti Wildlife Safari

Day 19: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Day 20: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive

Day 21: Ngorongoro to Tarangire National Park and Arusha

Day 22: Fly to Zanzibar’s Stone Town Capital City

Day 23: Zanzibar Beach Relaxation

Day 24: Zanzibar International Departure

Detailed day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda

Arrive at Kigali International Airport, where Firante Gorilla Treks representative will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. Depending on your flight schedule, go for an optional city tour or simply relax from your international journey.

Day 2: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park

Embark on a guided Kigali city tour, with the opportunity to visit the Genocide Memorial and learn about Rwanda's history and how it has remarkably recovered from its tragic past. Thereafter, continue north to the Virunga Mountains and stay closer to Kinigi park headquarters for convenient access to the trails.

Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

After an early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing before and golden monkey trekking experience. Golden monkeys dwell in bamboo forests on the high slopes of the volcanoes between 2,000 – 3,000 meters above sea level. The trek to find them can be relatively moderate and you will be able to view them for 1 hour under the guidance of RDB rangers. Return to your lodge and later in the evening, given that you have time, you may visit a local cultural initiative, the Gorilla Guardians Village. The place offers an immersive, hands-on experience into traditional Rwandan culture led by former poachers who have turned to conservation of gorillas.

Day 4: Volcanoes National Park to Bwindi, Uganda

From Rwanda to Uganda, you will go through the immigration formalities at the border town of Cyanika and cross into southwestern. The exact trekking sector and accommodation in Bwindi impenetrable national park will be coordinated once the gorilla permit is confirmed. A UNESCO world heritage site, Bwindi, with almost half of the world’s gorilla population, offers the second and major primate experience of this grand East Africa safari.

Day 5: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers will accompany you into the forest in search of a habituated gorilla family. The trek is led by experienced ranger guides. Locating the gorillas can be challenging due to the nature of terrain and take 2 to 6 hours depending on the gorillas' movements. Once located, spend up to one hour observing the family as they feed rest, groom and interact in their natural habitat. Return to the lodge after the trek and enjoy a relaxed afternoon reflecting on this encounter.

Day 6: Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park

Following the route from Bwindi, you will go through the Ishasha wilderness area, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth to the northern Kasenyi Plains. Ishasha is famous for its tree-climbing lions. The cats tend to climb large fig trees resting in branches from where they can clearly watch for prey on ground. Ishasha also has resident animals such as elephants, buffaloes, topi, and bushbucks. Kasenyi plains in the north is a landscape of opens grasslands, wetlands, forests and crater lakes and the Kazinga channel, which connects Lake George and Lake Edward is the park’s lifeline. Arrive at the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth Game Drive and Kazinga Channel Boat Safari

A morning game drive across savannah plains will be complimented by an afternoon boat safari along the channel. Together, these activities can deliver excellent wildlife viewing experience Uganda has to offer. Search for lions, leopards, elephants, Cape buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes and numerous water birds along the shores. Return to your lodge after the cruise for your second night in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kibale

Located 2-hour drive north of Queen Elizabeth NP, Kibale National Park offers the third and most exciting primate experience. Chimpanzee trekking and a nature walk in the nearby Bigodi wetland can reward you with sightings of up to 8 primate species and many birds. The area also contains spectacular volcanic crater fields and tea plantations, making for a must-visit gem for a keen photographer. You may stay at a lodge located on the edge of a crater lake giving you tranquil nights.

Day 9: Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

Kibale offers two unique chimpanzee experiences, which include regular chimp trekking with morning and afternoon sessions that allows 1 hour to spend with a habituated community. Chimp habituation experience offers more time with wild chimps that are undergoing research. Chimps are very active animals and they move long distances on the ground. They also spend more of their time of the day in trees to feed on fruits and leaves, escape predators, and build sleeping nests every single night. As such, the chimp experience that you choose will determine where you might see them. Also not miss when in Kibale is a guided walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, where the forest-edge and wetland habitats provide opportunities to see monkeys, birds and also interact with local community, learning about their ways of living. Bigodi swamp is managed by local organization; you can pass by their offices to support their work either through donation or purchase of handicrafts.

Day 10: Kibale to Entebbe

After breakfast, leave Kibale and travel to Entebbe. This is a road-transfer day, with breaks along the way. Check into your hotel and rest before the following day’s flight to Kenya.

Day 11: Flight from Entebbe to Nairobi, Kenya

Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your flight to Nairobi. Meet your Kenyan safari representative on arrival and transfer to your hotel. Flight schedules, airports and baggage allowances will be confirmed before booking.

Day 12: Nairobi to Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast, leave Nairobi and travel into Kenya's Great Rift Valley visiting Lake Nakuru National Park overnight. This protected area has a rhino sanctuary and provides opportunities to encounter black and white rhinos, Rothschild's giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks and other wildlife. Birdlife varies with lake conditions and season, with July to September and January to February, offering flamingo viewing when lower water levels and concentrated blue-green algae draw large flocks to the shoreline.

Day 13: Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara National Reserve

Maasai Mara is famous for its predators, large herbivores and the annual great wildebeest migration. Getting there from Nakuru is about 4-hour drive and by the time you arrive at your safari camp or lodge, it will be afternoon. Depending on the wildlife you intend to see or activities to do, there’s need to choose between staying in the main reserve or in the adjacent conservancies.

Day 14: Full Day Wildlife Safari in the Maasai Mara

Spend the day exploring the Maasai Mara with your experienced safari guide. Search for lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest and other animals across the tracks. Depending on the season and wildlife movements, your guide may explore areas associated with the Great Migration and Mara River crossings.

Day 15: Maasai Mara Game Drives and Optional Maasai Cultural Experience

Enjoy another full day of wildlife viewing in the Maasai Mara. An optional, responsibly arranged Maasai community visit can be requested for an insight into local culture and pastoral traditions. Return to your safari accommodation for your third night in the Mara.

Day 16: Maasai Mara to Serengeti via the Kenya–Tanzania Border

Depart early for a long transfer through the Isebania / Sirari border into Tanzania. Complete immigration formalities and meet your Tanzanian guide and vehicle before continuing to your Serengeti accommodation. No separate cultural visit is scheduled on this transfer day. A coordinated regional air transfer can be quoted as an alternative, subject to availability.

Day 17: Serengeti National Park Wildlife Safari

Wake up in the Serengeti and begin exploring one of Africa's best wildlife ecosystems. The park supports an extraordinary variety of animals, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest. Your guide will plan the day's game drives around the location of your accommodation, wildlife activity and seasonal conditions. An optional hot-air balloon safari may be arranged where available, providing a remarkable aerial perspective of the plains. Serengeti is divided into several sectors including Central, Southern, Northern and Western, each with its own unique wildlife sightings and atmosphere. Depending on season, the southern plains in Jan to March host wildebeest calving. The central valley offers year-round game viewing with resident wildlife and spectacular rock kopjes. The western is relatively secluded and private. The northern is where the Mara river crossings happen between July to October.

Day 18: Serengeti National Park

Spend another day in the park and this time round, the activities can be adapted to the areas most relevant to the Great Migration, or other important sightings.

Day 19: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

After breakfast, enjoy a final wildlife drive as you leave the Serengeti and travel towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way, depending on your selected route, there may be an opportunity to visit Olduvai Gorge or enjoy viewpoints overlooking the valley. Continue to your lodge specifically located on the crater rim, which lets you be among the first vehicles down into the main crater the following morning.

Day 20: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive

Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive through grasslands, wetlands and woodland. Look for lions, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, antelope and birdlife; sightings cannot be guaranteed. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated area and return to your accommodation after the drive.

Day 21: Ngorongoro to Tarangire National Park and Arusha

Travel towards Tarangire National Park for game viewing among baobab trees and the Tarangire River landscape. Look for elephants, giraffes, zebras and other wildlife before continuing to Arusha for the night. Departure time and time available in the park depend on your lodge location and road conditions.

Day 22: Fly to Zanzibar and Explore Stone Town

Transfer from your Arusha hotel to the confirmed departure airport for your flight to Zanzibar. Meet your island representative and transfer to your accommodation. A Stone Town visit can be arranged according to the flight arrival time and your preferred beach or city accommodation.

Day 23: Zanzibar Islands

Spend the day on your chosen beach resort or stay in Stone Town according to the arrangements. Enjoy a relaxing day beside the Indian Ocean after your extensive journey through East Africa. Spend the day at your beach resort, swimming or walking along the beach. Optional experiences include a spice farm visit, snorkeling, a dhow boat cruise or additional exploration of Zanzibar's Stone Town.

Day 24: Zanzibar International Departure

Enjoy breakfast and some final time at leisure, depending on your flight schedule. Our representative will transfer you to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport for your onward international flight. Your 24 Days Grand East Africa Safari through Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, combining mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, the Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Zanzibar comes to an end.

Quotation and booking details

Request a personalised quotation based on your dates, group size and accommodation preference. Your written quotation will confirm the lodges, meal plan, trekking permits, transport, included activities, optional extras and exclusions before booking. No fixed package price is currently advertised.

Trekking duration, wildlife sightings and travel times vary. Final arrangements depend on permit availability, lodge location and local conditions. Where a long transfer or trek falls on your departure day, an additional overnight stay before flying is recommended.

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