Two Great Migrations + Gorillas of Rwanda

On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you’ll be warmly greeted and escorted to Lemala Villas. Situated on a private wildlife estate midway between Kilimanjaro Airport and the town of Arusha, our luxury resort is the perfect place to begin your safari.

After breakfast, we’ll take you overland to Tarangire National Park where you’ll check in to Oliver’s Camp. Tarangire remains off the main safari circuit, making it a premier destination for discriminating travelers in search of a more intimate and authentic safari experience. You’ll arrive in time for lunch and your first afternoon game drive - followed by Sundowner Cocktails and dinner back at camp.  Meals B+L+D

Thrill to morning and afternoon game drives with our expert safari guides here in one of Tanzania’s most visually striking national parks. The Tarangire River is nearby – a magnet for wildlife – and the surrounding scenery encompasses classic African savannah, green hills, woodlands and giant Baobab trees! Tarangire is heralded for abundant wildlife, especially its large herds of elephants that migrate through from July-October. Lions, leopards, cheetahs and other fierce predators are also regularly spotted.  Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, we’ll depart on a morning game drive followed by a picnic lunch in the bush. By midday we’ll be back at camp to relax during the heat of the day. In the afternoon we’ll depart on another game drive followed by a sundowner before we return to camp for dinner. Meals B+L+D

Travel onward to Ngorongoro Crater, the largest intact caldera in the world. This awe-inspiring natural landmark stretches almost 12 miles across, with an encircling volcanic rim that appears in the distance as a chain of mountains soaring 2,000 feet above the crater floor. This afternoon finds you at Neptune Safari Lodge in time for lunch, set amidst 50 acres of virgin Tanzanian bush deep in the wild beauty of the Ngorongoro volcanic landscape. Later, thoughtful engagement with Maasai villagers and a visit to a local school reveal the challenges and rewards of life in East Africa. Meals B+L+D

There is no place like this anywhere else in the world. Ngorongoro truly offers an absolutely unique environment for wildlife viewing. First, you won’t see any giraffe or impala inside the crater; though they would love to graze the abundant vegetation, these delicate-legged animals find it nearly impossible to navigate their way down the steep cliffs. But because it is so enclosed and the crater floor is mainly open grassland, this conservation area is easy for game officials to patrol, and the result is a healthy population of endangered species like the Black rhino and cheetah.

In the company of our expert safari guide, you’ll descend to the Crater floor this morning for unmatched wildlife viewing in this singular environment. We’ve arranged for a packed lunch prepared by the Neptune Lodge’s chefs, so you’ll be able to spend all morning and a good part of the afternoon here on the Crater floor. Take in the views as you relax over your midday meal and enjoy more wildlife thrills before returning to the Lodge where you’ll have time to refresh before dinner.  Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, we’ll be escorted to airstrip for this morning’s included safari transfer flight. Thrill to the expansive game-filled landscapes below as we fly across the northern reaches of Tanzania. On arrival at Serengeti National Park, we’ll continue overland to Lemala Kuria Hills. Situated close to the Mara River within the main corridor of the Great Migration, our luxury camp features just 10 ingeniously designed, glass-fronted tents of unrivaled space and style. Each under-canvas suite offers free WiFi, an indoor + outdoor shower, furnished viewing deck, and private plunge pool. Built from recycled steel and glass, canvas, and sustainable timber - and equipped with solar power - our camp has the lightest footprint of any in the Serengeti.
 
After lunch and time to settle in, we’ll embark on our first afternoon game drive. This evening, gather with fellow guests for a congenial dinner accompanied by complimentary house wines, spirits, beer and a variety of non-alcoholic beverages.  Meals B+L+D

The Maasai call it Siringitu - "the place where the land moves on forever." Indeed, these wide open expanses are awe-inspiring in their natural beauty. But the Serengeti is also renowned for its extraordinary concentration of plains game - including of course the Big Five – so our morning and afternoon safari drives promise to be heart-pounding and inspiring. And in the company of our engaging, impassioned and knowledgeable safari guides, today's activities are sure to also deepen your understanding and appreciation for Africa's abundant natural wealth.
 
In early September, during the Great Migration River Crossings, our luxury Serengeti lodge is perfectly positioned for the unfolding drama as thousands of wildebeest and zebra mass on the banks of the Mara River in preparation to ford its currents.  Meals B+L+D

Featured in numerous nature documentaries, Serengeti National Park is certainly the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world. Established in 1952, the Park covers 5,700 square miles - larger than the state of Connecticut. Its ecosystem is one of the oldest on Earth. Indeed the essential features of climate, vegetation and wildlife that you see today have changed little in the past million years! Unequaled in its abundant natural beauty and high-density of wildlife, the Serengeti boasts an enormous variety of exotic birds, horned bovines, ungulates, wild dogs and big cats. After breakfast and again this evening, you'll set out with our expert safari guide on game drives that promise up-close unobstructed wildlife viewing.
 
If you wish, you can add an early morning Hot Air Balloon Adventure! Take to the skies as the sun casts its first rays over the golden expanse of the Serengeti - and gaze down as the animals greet another day. Then touch down for a Champagne breakfast before joining your fellow travelers for the morning game drive.  Meals B+L+D

After a final morning game drive, we’ll head to the airstrip for another exciting safari transfer flight to Mwanza, situated on the southern shores of Lake Victoria. Our connecting international flight to Rwanda is also included. Upon arrival in Kigali, we’ll be met and escorted to Virunga Lodge. Settle in to your private stone cottage with its terrace overlooking the dramatic mountain landscapes, and then join our expert guide for an afternoon excursion to explore the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo, where the scenic forested shores provide prime habitat for a rich variety of birdlife.  Meals B+L+D

After an early breakfast, we’ll take you to National Park Headquarters where you’ll register for today’s Gorilla Trek. An informative briefing with Park staff follows, during which you’ll learn the important Dos and Don’ts while in the presence of the Gorillas. Today there are about 10 Gorilla families that are habituated to human contact, and their movements along the forested mountain slopes will determine the duration of your trek.
 
Setting out in a small group of no more than 8 visitors, you’ll trek with your guide to catch-up with your designated Gorilla family. A+R guests will also have the additional services of an attentive and experienced porter to carry their daypack and water bottle. After locating your assigned group, you’ll have one amazing hour to watch quietly as these magnificent primates go about their daily routine (Park regulations limit Gorilla / Human contact to 60 minutes each day). Then retracing your steps down the volcano, we’ll take you back to the Virunga Lodge.  Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, we’ll return to Kigali to discover the sights and sounds of the capital. Mingling with residents at a neighborhood market and joining them at a popular café offer an intimate, authentic experience of life in the city. At the Kigali Genocide Memorial, we’ll learn more about the country’s turbulent history and the tragic events of 1994. Then check in to the Kigali Serena Hotel for your final night in Africa. Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, you’ll be escorted to the airport for your onward journey.  Meals B