Gorilla trekking and the Great Migration Combo Safari (11 days)

Welcome to Kigali

You'll be met with a smile when you arrive at Kigali International Airport and will be transferred to Kigali Serena Hotel, a charming, five-star hotel. 

Visit the touching Genocide Memorial Museaum during the afternoon. It's an outstanding point of interest for visitors and commemorates the victims of the tragic events of 1994.

Onwards to Volcanoes National Park

You'll be transferred by road to Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge at the edge of Volcanoes National Park where you'll spend the next two nights. Relax at the lodge in the afternoon and get a gorilla trekking briefing to make you ready for your experience tomorrow. Keep warm around the fire and enjoy the beautiful rain forest setting. Sabyinyo is close to the ranger station from where the treks start. Overnight at Sabyinyo, with meals and drinks included.

Gorillas: maximise your time

An early start – a quick breakfast and then you gather your gloves, gaiters, rain jacket and camera equipment, and meet at the ranger station. There you'll be allocated your guide and the gorilla family you'll go to see. Your trek could be as short as an hour, or perhaps three to four hours, depending on where the gorilla family is. Enjoy the hour you spend with these extraordinary animals. When you return your boots will be cleaned for you and you can spend the afternoon relaxing and reflecting on the special experience.

Your second trek is better

Your second gorilla trek is on the morning you leave Volcanoes National Park. You'll experience much more on your second trek – the first one is so quick and magical that you struggle to take it all in. This also gives you the opportunity to see a different gorilla family from the one on your first trek. After lunch you'll be transferred back to Kigali. You have an early morning flight to the Serengeti so have an early night. Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel, with dinner and breakfast included.

Early departure for the Serengeti

A 4:30am start will allow you to board your coastal flight to the Serengeti at 6am and arrive at the Mara River on the Serengeti side at 9:40am. You arrive at Kogatende airstrip, right in the heart of where we expect the migration to be. Settle in at Sayari Camp and enjoy an early lunch and a siesta before going out to see what you can find on a late afternoon game drive. Overnight at Sayari Camp, with your meals and drinks included.

Keep an eye on the Mara River

The Mara River is all about river crossings, cats and the anticipation and build-up of energy that's required for the herds to cross. The higher the river’s water level the more energy is required for the crossing to start; you'd have to wait longer for crossings on a full river. Enjoy your first day on the Mara and then overnight at Sayari, with your meals and drinks included.

Your patience will be rewarded

Combine the Mara River with the plains on the northern side of the river, where there should be lots of interaction between migratory wildebeest and zebra and predators. The plains are great to follow cheetah and lion to see what they're up to. You should have regular cat sightings and your last day in the Serengeti is traditionally marked by lunch on the plains under an elephant pepper tree. Overnight at Sayari, with your meals and drinks included.

Masai Mara side; just to make sure

You'll fly you across the river via Tarime and Migori, where you clear immigration and customs, and land in the heart of the Masai Mara at Ol Kiombo airstrip. You'll be collected and guided to camp in time for lunch. Overnight at Rekero Camp inside the Masai Mara, with meals and drinks included.

Location, location, location

You'll explore the Masai Mara Reserve from the Mara and Talek River confluence – a prime location. It's close to the Mara River so it's ideal for witnessing river crossings, and you might even be lucky to experience crossings of the Talek River right in front of camp. Overnight at Rekero, with your meals and drinks included.

Your last day - plan it well

This is your last day on safari, so the idea will be to try to find what you haven't seen yet. An early start with a packed lunch is ideal, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the Mara and the abundance of wildlife in this extraordinary reserve. End your day with a drink around the camp fire and overnight at Rekero, with your meals and drinks included.

Fly home

Transfer to Ol Kiombo airstrip for your flight back to Wilson airport, from where you'll be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International to catch your connecting flight.