Our 11 Days African Eco-safari tours specifically include visit to the Serengeti National Park, and the time you stay in Serengeti you witness the wildebeest migration. You will experience the excitement of game viewing in some of the most spectacular national wildlife game parks in Africa. The Eco tours in Tanzanian safari takes you to the Ngorongoro Crater, featuring one of the highest concentrations of game in Africa. Here you will witness an amazing spectacle of African wildlife and then you will visit the Lake Manyara National Park, one of Tanzania’s most dramatically located wildlife areas, consisting of a shallow but huge soda Lake, at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment!

Day 1: Arrive in Arusha

Upon arrival you will be picked and then taken to the hotel for overnight stay at Arusha Serena Hotel or Arusha Safari Lodge: Meal plan: Bed and Breakfast.

Day 2: Arusha – Lake Manyara National Park

Pick up from Arusha and transfer to Lake Manyara national park. We arrive in time for lunch at the lodge and after lunch, we head into the Lake Manyara National Park for an afternoon game drive. This national park is one of Tanzania’s most dramatically located wildlife areas, consisting of a massive but shallow soda lake (covering two-thirds of the park), located at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment. The park’s varied habitat attracts a wide variety of animals, including one of Africa’s largest concentrations of elephants, Lake Manyara’s unique tree-climbing lions, as well as large flocks of flamingos attracted by the algae in the Lake. Dinner and overnight at Manyara Serena Hotel or Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge: Full board.

Day 3: Lake Manyara – Serengeti Plains National Park

After breakfast we head towards the Serengeti National Park, via the beautiful high lying farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Leaving the highlands behind, we descend into the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti National Park – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see. We head to the central park area, known as the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park, featuring the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. We arrive in time for lunch and enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Serengeti national park. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Serena Hotel or Serengeti Sopa Lodge: Full Board.

Day 4: Serengeti Plains National Park

Have breakfast and be one of only a few fortunate people to glide in a Hot Air Balloon over the Serengeti Plains (available at supplementary cost by pre – arrangement). Floating silently above the awakening bush, while spotting wildlife and enjoying the amazing scenery of Africa, across rivers and over numerous small villages.

We do an after breakfast game viewing drive along the Sogore River Circuit, which loops into the plains south of the Seronera River, and which is good for possible Lion, Thomson gazelle, topi, ostrich and cheetah sightings. The Visitor Centre close to the Serengeti Seronera Lodge and public campsites is well worth a visit after the morning’s game drive. This nicely designed centre offers some interesting wildlife displays as well as a gift shop selling information leaflets and maps of the area. The centre also has a shop where cold drinks and snacks can be purchased, as well as a picnic area and information trail up and around a nearby kopje. We will enjoy a relaxed picnic lunch at the centre in the shade of the giant acacia trees.

In the afternoon we will follow the Kopjes Circuit, which goes anti-clockwise around the Masai Kopjes, which usually attract a number of lion and some formidably large cobras. Kopjes are weathered granite outcrops, scattered around the plains, most of which are miniature ecosystems, providing shade and drinking water in pools left in the rock after the rains. This makes the Kopjes particularly good for spotting wildlife in the dry seasons – including lions, which like to lie in wait for animals coming to drink! Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Serena Hotel or Serengeti Sopa Lodge: Full board.

Day 5: Serengeti Plains National Park – Ngorongoro Crater, Conservation Area

After breakfast at the lodge we depart to Ngorongoro Conservation area. We will stopover at Olduvai Gorge, boasting with a history dating back to the dawn of time. It was here, that the anthropologists Drs. Lois and Mary Leakey discovered the skulls of ‘Nutcracker Man’ and ‘Handy Man’, both very significant links in the chain of human evolution.

We arrive in time for lunch at the lodge and after lunch we will descend over 600 meters into the crater to view wildlife for a half day’s safari tour. Supported by a year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro National Park supports a vast variety of animals, which include herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, and giant African elephants. Another big draw card to this picturesque national park is its dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot. We will visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the south western corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually been seen here. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Hotel or Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge: Full Board.

Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater, Conservation Area – Arusha

Enjoy breakfast, after which transfer back to Arusha. Upon arrival in Arusha will we have lunch and then we will end our African safari adventure. You will be taken to your hotel, for private dinner and overnight at the previous hotel. Dinner and overnight at Arusha Serena Hotel/Arusha Safari Lodge. Meal plan: Half Board. (Breakfast & Lunch)

VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK & NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

Rwanda is a landlocked East African country whose green, mountainous landscape has earned it the nickname “Land of a Thousand Hills.” Its renowned Volcanoes National Park is home to mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Bordering Congo and Uganda, the park encompasses 4,507m-tall Mt. Karisimbi and 4 other forested volcanoes. Kigali, the nation’s sprawling capital, has a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene. Volcanoes National Park (French: Parc National Des Volcano) lies in north western Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The national park is known as a haven for the mountain gorilla. It is home to five of the eight volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo), which are covered in rain forest and bamboo. The park was the base for the zoologist Dian Fossey.

Day7: Tanzania – Arusha – Kigali – Rwanda

Early morning breakfast and then transfer to the Arusha International Airport for your flight to Kigali, Rwanda. Upon arrival in Rwanda your will be welcomed by English speaking guides and after embark the 4×4 safari jeeps and take a short visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial more will be experienced about the massacre occurred in Rwanda. After take the scenic drive through the beautiful rolling Rwanda hills, and then take the beautiful stay at Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel or Lebambou Gorilla Lodge. Meal plan: F/B

Day8: Rwanda Gorilla Trek & IbyI’wacu Cultural Village

Have breakfast, then with your packed lunch move to the park offices for briefing and gorilla tracking escorts and Rangers. You will then start your trek of the Gorillas. Once you come across the bamboo forest logs and also your first perception of the sound the breaking of bamboo indicating that the gorillas are nearer. Prepare yourself for the joyful encounter with the Gorillas and wonderful experience. Stay with the gorillas for 1 hour and then and trek back to your lodge. After returning today we will visit the cultural sites like Iby’wacu Cultural Village for the Rwanda cultural performances and then after return to lodge for dinner and overnight. Meal plan: F/B

Day9: Volcanoes National Park – Nyungwe Forest National Park

Have breakfast and after transfer to the Nyungwe Forest National Park with lunch on the way and after later transfer to the park for your dinner and overnight stay at One and Only Nyungwe House/Nyungwe Hill Top Hotel. Meal plan: F/B

Day10: Chimpanzee Trekking – Canopy Walk

Have breakfast and after take nature walks in the forest looking for primates like L’Hoest’s monkeys, vervet monkeys, and Colobus monkeys. Lunch and after in the evening take the canopy walk with the closer view of the canopies, birds and other primates. Dinner and overnight as above, Meal plan: F/B

Day11: Nyungwe Forest National Park – Kigali

Have breakfast and after embark the safari vehicle and transfer back to Kigali with lunch en-route. If you arrive in time take the Kigali city tour visiting some of the Kigali genocide memorials, local crafts markets like Caplaki Village among others. Then in the evening transfer to the airport for your return flight back home. Meal plan: H/B – Lunch

Note

The parking list for safari include the healthy documents, valid passport and visa, walking shoes, rain gears, sun screen, insect repellent, hut, Yellow Fever Vaccination Card among others.

Note: From November to May you will get Rwanda discounted gorilla permit of $ 1050 USD per person.

Note: Optional extension to the DRC Congo to Hike Active Mount Nyiragongo which is a 2 day experience with one night stay at the summit in the Nyiragongo Shelters.

Safari Include:

Full board accommodation whilst on safari in the above mentioned lodges

Private safari guide

Private 4 x 4 safari jeep with pop up roof for game viewing

Transfers in both directions between the International Airport

Park fees

Crater fees

All meals whist on safari

Airport Arrival/Departure Meet and Greets at the airport

On safari – Vehicles equipped with ice chest with mineral water, wildlife guidebooks.

Government taxes, VAT and service charges relating to accommodation and included meals

01 gorilla Permits in Rwanda $ 1050 USD per person

Nyungwe Chimps $ 90 USD per person

Canopy Walk

Visit Iby’wacu Cultural Village

Safari Exclude:

International and domestic flights

Tanzania Visa: $50 per person on arrival, USA and CANADA passport holders USD.100

Personal Expenses e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, Tipping to porters

Meals not listed above

Optional Tours (balloon rides USD. 500 per person etc)

Tips and any items of personal nature like: Visa, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides while gorilla trekking, telephone, personal insurance and cigarettes.

What to wear/bring

Dress codes are informal. Daytime temperatures are generally warm, so bring lots of light clothing, supplemented by light sweaters for the cool evenings and heavier clothing for the higher altitudes especially Virunga ranges. When tracking gorillas layering your clothing is the best idea and we suggest: long sleeved shirts, cotton or gore tex trousers, strong walking shoes with ankle support, socks that you can tuck your trousers into, light gloves to protect your hands from thorns and nettles, a hat and sunglasses to provide protection against the sun and a waterproof jacket in neutral colors may come in handy in the moist mountains. Travel light and remember that soft-sided luggage is required. One medium sized duffel bag and one small day pack (carry-on) per person should be adequate. Laundry services are available at most accommodations. You should also pack some zip lock bags for spare clothing, cameras, binoculars and film. Please note that you are not allowed to use a flash when photographing Gorillas. It is a good idea to take along several different speeds of film (64 to 1000) as gorillas can be found in open sun or in the dark underbrush of the forest.

Insurance

Nature Adventure Africa Safaris Ltd, managing Eco Tours Rwanda strongly advises Participants to purchase travel protection insurance. Due to unexpected events, illness, and emergencies, Participants risk losing all or part of their travel investment. In the absence of travel protection insurance, Participants are not covered for any losses sustained in addition to tour costs, such as medical expenses, baggage loss, and death benefits. There are a number of policies available, varying in the extent and type of coverage, as well as the cost. Typically, the policies do not cover losses incurred due to civil disturbances, war, terrorism, or insolvency of tour operator. Participants are not required to purchase this or any other travel protection insurance in order to participate in the tour package, but again, such coverage is strongly recommended for the reasons stated above.