Tanzania & Rwanda

• Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Transfer to Arusha
• Overnight at Arusha Coffee Lodge

On arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be met by an Asilia driver and warmly welcomed to Tanzania. The drive to Arusha takes approximately 90 minutes, allowing you the opportunity to chat with your driver about the local surroundings and enjoy sights of the bustling and colourful town of Arusha. Once you arrive, you can relax by the pool with a cold drink and a good book and unwind from your international travel.

• Fly to Lake Manyara Airstrip
• Transfer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• Overnight at The Highlands

After a delicious breakfast to set you on your way, your Asilia driver will collect you for the short transfer to Arusha Airport. Relax in Asilia’s “Pole Pole” airport lounge before your flight to Lake Manyara Airstrip. Upon arrival, a guide from The Highlands will meet you and take you on a 3-hour scenic drive to the heights of Ngorongoro. During the drive, you will pass through the lively market town of Karatu, eventually passing through the gates of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The road then steadily climbs the outer edges of the Ngorongoro Crater through a dense tropical jungle until you reach the crater rim road.

After a quick stop for photographs from the viewpoint, you will continue your journey around the crater rim, into the lush green highlands of Ngorongoro. You will see goat herders and schoolchildren enthusiastically waving at you along the way. You will circumnavigate the base of Olmoti Crater, arriving on its northern slopes and the warmth of The Highlands’ welcome fireplace. After the long drive, settle down for a welcome lunch and the opportunity to relax in the camp and acclimatise to the altitude. Consider an afternoon hike up the slopes of the Olmoti Crater for phenomenal views over the ancient landscape.

You will have an early start to the day to ensure you are one of the first safari vehicles on the Ngorongoro Crater floor. When you leave the camp, it may be cold and dark, but you will be wrapped up in warm jackets and Maasai blankets. The cold will quickly be forgotten as you descend the inner walls of the unbroken caldera, an unforgettable setting for a safari. Once you reach the warmer temperatures of the crater floor, you will have some time to enjoy coffee and breakfast snacks while experiencing the unique game drive. Seek out rhino in the forest, or lion prowling the grasslands, before stopping for a picnic lunch by the hippo pool, where grunting rafts of hippo will accompany you. After lunch, you will start your journey up the caldera’s walls to the rim and return to the camp for a restful afternoon. Perhaps indulge in a spa treatment or sauna, or enjoy an informative cultural visit with the neighbouring Maasai community.

In the evening, you can enjoy your favourite drinks at the bar before being seated for a delicious dinner accompanied by the warm and friendly attention of The Highlands team.

• Flight to the Serengeti National Park
• Overnight at Dunia Camp

After having breakfast in the camp, you will depart from The Highlands and return along the crater rim and down the outer slopes of Ngorongoro until you reach Lake Manyara Airstrip. Say goodbye to your guide from The Highlands and board your flight to the Serengeti. A guide from Dunia Camp will be on hand to meet you and briefly introduce you to the area. You will then embark on a slow game drive towards the campsite, leaving the bustling Seronera region behind as you head to the Moru Kopjes and the sanctuary of the boutique and delightful Dunia Camp. This camp is staffed entirely by women, Africa’s first all-female safari camp, and a source of great pride and passion for the team, who offer a warm welcome to the family for all guests.

After lunch under the umbrella of acacia trees, you’ll have time to relax and enjoy the beautiful views from your private veranda or the elevated lounge. As the temperature cools in the afternoon, join others for coffee, tea or your favourite beverage before setting out for an afternoon game drive across the sweeping Serengeti plains. As the sun starts to set, find a good spot and enjoy a drink while taking in the serene surroundings. Once back in the camp, you’ll have time to freshen up before enjoying drinks by the fire beneath the sparkling canopy of stars, followed by a delicious dinner.

Two full days of exciting game viewing lie before you. Game drives are Dunia’s primary activity, both morning and afternoon. We recommend enjoying a picnic breakfast for the morning adventure to maximise time discovering the wildlife. Dunia Camp’s central location allows access to the herds of the Great Migration many times a year, as well as multiple key game viewing areas through the Moru Kopjes and Seronera regions. For an additional cost, there is the option of enjoying a hot air balloon safari and the opportunity for an entirely different perspective on game viewing.

Whatever your choices, our warm and hospitable team at Dunia Camp will welcome you back for a relaxing and delicious dinner and the promise of a beautiful night’s sleep to the sounds of the Serengeti.

• Flight to Kigali
• Overnight at Kigali Serena Hotel

After a final breakfast in camp, wave goodbye to the ladies of Dunia and transfer to Seronera Airstrip for your flight to Kigali. On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met by an Asilia representative and welcomed to Rwanda. The short transfer to the hotel offers the chance for a view of the local surroundings, before arriving at the Kigali Serena for lunch.

Enjoy the blend of Rwandan heritage, culture, and comfort at the Kigali Serena Hotel. Centrally located and offering a wide variety of facilities, this is the perfect location in which to relax and recover ahead of your gorilla trekking experience.

• Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
• Overnight at Sabyinyo Lodge

Enjoy breakfast in the Kigali Serena before being met by your driver guide for the road transfer into the foothills of the Virunga Massif. The 3-hour drive will take you through the beautiful countryside of Rwanda, with the vegetation and surroundings noticeably changing as you approach the volcanic environment.

Sabyinyo Lodge sits on the outskirts of Volcanoes National Park. A beautiful organic garden surrounds the lodge, which comprises of just 6 stone cottages each with views over the gardens and to the volcanoes beyond. Arriving in time for lunch, settle in to your new surroundings, explore the lodge, and prepare for your gorilla trek the following morning.

Sabyinyo Lodge is located close to the park headquarters from where the trekking begins. Volcanoes National Park is home to both mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, making for an exciting trekking experience that has the potential to encounter far more than only the sought-after gorillas. The movement of the gorilla families makes the trekking length unpredictable, but you should be prepared and capable of handling a 6-hour hike through the forested mountain terrain. On return to the lodge, relax with a therapeutic massage and recline in the comfortable surroundings.

In addition to gorilla trekking, there is phenomenal bird watching to be enjoyed on the lodge property, and a guided nature trail can be explored which skirts the perimeter and reveals some of the interesting facts about the Sabyinyo gardens. An afternoon visit to a neighbouring community offers the chance for an engaging cultural experience and the opportunity to learn more about the different cultures of East Africa.

• Transfer to Kigali
• Onward travel

After breakfast in the lodge, it will be time to bid farewell to the lush landscapes of Sabyinyo, as your driver guide begins the transfer to Kigali International Airport. On arrival at the airport, say your goodbyes and check in for your onward travel.