18 Days Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania
18 Days Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania: Start in Kigali city, Rwanda and end in Nairobi city-Kenya! This 18 Days Safari takes you to top tourism destinations in the East African Region-Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Whether you are watching the majestic silverback mountain gorilla, descending 600 meters to the floor of Ngorongoro Crater, or bargaining with local merchants at a market in Nairobi, this 18 Days Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania Safari offers you numerous opportunities to create travel memories that most people only dream of.
Summary 18 Days Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania Combined Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali-Rwanda
Day 2: Full Day City Tour -Kigali
Day 3: Drive to Gisenyi Town (Lake Kivu)
Day 4: Explore Gisenyi town & Lake Kivu
Day 5: Transfer to Kisoro-Uganda.
Day 6: Bwindi Gorilla Trek
Day 7: Transfer to Ruhengeri-Volcanoes National Park.
Day 8: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
Day 9: Transfer to Kigali & Fly to Nairobi-Kenya
Day 10: Nairobi City Tour.
Day 11: Transfer to Masai Mara National Reserve
Day 12: Full Day Game Drive in Masai Mara
Day 13: Explore Lake Victoria
Day 14: Transfer to Serengeti National Park-Tanzania
Day 15: Game Drive in Serengeti National Park
Day 16: Transfer to Karatu
Day 17: Explore Ngorongoro Crater & Transfer to Arusha
Day 18: Departure.
Detailed Itinerary for 18 Days Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania Combined Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali-Rwanda
Arrival in Kigali: On the 1st day of your 18 Days Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania, welcome to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda since it gained independence in 1962. Most associate Rwanda with the horrific genocide that took place in 1994, but this is a country that has been striving to rebuild its economy for years and offers so much to travelers. And though the past won’t, and shouldn’t, be forgotten, the future of Rwanda’s tourism is looking bright thanks to its welcoming people, an abundance of lakes and the beautiful Virunga Mountains. Dinner and overnight at Yambi Guesthouse/City Blue Kigali/Kigali Marriot Hotel.
Day 2: Full Day City Tour -Kigali
Full Day City Tour: On the 2nd day of your 18 Days Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania, after breakfast you’ll proceed to Ntarama Church which is approximately 30 km outside of Kigali. Today presents some confronting reminders of the country’s past, and this church is now a chilling memorial to the 5000 people slaughtered inside during the 1994 genocide. Inside, shelves of skulls and piles of bone can be seen as well as the clothes of victims hanging from the walls and rafters. Afterwards, you will then travel to the Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centre- a former church where some 50,000 people were murdered. This site pays particular attention to the atrocities suffered by women during the genocide. Take some time out from the devastating history with a local lunch and an afternoon city tour, including a trip to the craft market. Dinner and overnight at your hotel or any resturants in Kigali city.
Day 3: Drive to Gisenyi Town (Lake Kivu)
Drive to Gisenyi: This morning you visit the Genocide Memorial Centre in Kigali which was opened in 2004 to mark the 10th commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi people. It serves as both a museum, detailing the history and consequences of Rwanda’s genocide, and a place for people to grieve for lost friends and family. After lunch, you will then drive to Gisenyi town which is approximately 3½ hours’ drive from Kigali. Gisenyi town in Rwanda is a town on the shore of the beautiful Lake Kivu and has the best beaches in the country. Enjoy a free afternoon at your waterfront hotel with dinner and overnight at Step Town/Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.
Day 4: Explore Gisenyi town & Lake Kivu
Explore Gisenyi town & Lake Kivu: On the 4th day of your 18 Days Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania, enjoy a free day in Gisenyi town. Explore Lake Kivu which is one of Africa’s Great Lakes and Rwanda’s largest. It is also Africa’s sixth-largest lake and is a natural border between Congo and Rwanda. Your guide/driver can help you plan how to spend the day; perhaps take a boat cruise around the lake spotting birdlife and visiting some of the small islands, or maybe take a trip to Napoleon Island to go hiking and encounter birds and its large colony of fruit bats. Alternatively, spend the day getting to know Gisenyi and the colonial-era mansions and bars that sit by the lake. Dinner and overnight same as above.
Day 5: Transfer to Kisoro-Uganda.
Transfer to Kisoro: Enjoy breakfast by the lake and then transfer across the border to Kisoro in Uganda. Kisoro district is located near the Virunga Mountains, neighboring the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. It is the jumping-off point for several national parks and, of course, those in search of the country’s mountain gorillas. In the afternoon you’ll head to Mikozi Village to become acquainted with the Ugandan countryside. Visit the local markets, speak with a traditional Ugandan healer and enjoy a drink or two at the local bar before returning to Kisoro. Dinner and overnight at Kisoro Tourist Hotel/ Ichumbi Lodge/Gorilla Heights Lodge.
Day 6: Bwindi Gorilla Trek
Bwindi Gorilla Trek: Join a local guide and trackers as you climb through the rugged, mountainous terrain of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in search of mountain gorillas. A quick lock of eyes with these creatures is a truly primal moment and visits are strictly controlled to minimize disturbance. Tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi can take between 6 to 8 hours or even more, depending on their location. It can be wet, muddy, strenuous and uncomfortable, but the indescribable elation at coming across a group of gorillas is worth the effort. Spend a mesmerizing hour with the gorillas as they eat, sleep, groom and play as the male silverback watches over them, then return to the lodge for dinner and to reflect on this incredible experience.
Day 7: Transfer to Ruhengeri-Volcanoes National Park.
Transfer to Ruhengeri: After breakfast, you will drive back to Rwanda and the town of Ruhengeri which is approximately 1½ hours’ drive from Kisoro. Settle into your hotel on arrival then have a free day to take the optional cycling tour to Rwanda’s twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo. This area is characterized by steep green hills and magnificent views of the mountains surrounding the lakes. Here you can pedal through the stunning countryside, stopping in small towns and villages to spend some time interacting with the local community. Dinner and overnight at Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge/ Five Volcanoes Lodge.
Day 8: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
Golden Monkey Trekking: Wake up early in the morning and drive to the park headquarters. Today you will be tracking golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. These monkeys are much quicker than gorillas and you’ll see them swinging from branch to branch and scampering up trees. Later in the evening have dinner and overnight at your lodge.
Day 9: Transfer to Kigali & Fly to Nairobi-Kenya
Transfer to Kigali: Transfer to Kigali for your flight to Nairobi, the world’s only major city containing a game reserve. Find your guide/driver waiting for you upon your arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. After a brief meet and greet session, transfer to your hotel in Nairobi with dinner and overnight at 67 Airport Hotel Nairobi.
Day 10: Nairobi City Tour.
Nairobi City Tour: This morning you’ll take part in a unique experience: a ‘From Farm to Feast’ Urban Adventure. During this tour, which explores the relationship between farming and food, you’ll help deliver a supply of chickens or pigs to a local community and find out how a local non-profit is helping to alleviate poverty and malnutrition in Kenya, one chick or piglet at a time. Be truly welcomed into a local’s home for tea and coffee and learn about life in Kenya and the challenges these communities face. These are some amazingly inspirational women. All of your tour costs will go to supporting nutrition efforts in local communities. In the afternoon, your guide will take you on a brief walking tour of Nairobi and the evening is then free for you to enjoy as you wish. Dinner and overnight same as above.
Day 11: Transfer to Masai Mara National Reserve
Transfer to Masai Mara: Transfer from Nairobi to the famous Masai Mara, a journey of approximately six or seven hours. This is one of the best game reserves in all of Africa and on the way you’ll stop in Loita Hills, a remote region that’s home to the traditional Maasai people. This is one of the key places where the Maasai people still practice their traditional way of life, with little influence from the western world. Make a stop at Tepesua Village, which is known for championing Maasai women’s health and education. You’ll be welcomed by Maasai Warriors by way of traditional song and dance. Meet your Maasai hosts and enjoy a fascinating talk, full of insights into this remarkable and ancient culture. Take a walk to the community village which was founded for widows who had lost their cows due to drought, and can never remarry. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the ‘Tepesua Widows Income Project’. Here the women are engaged in making handicrafts and sewing eco-friendly handbags, washable sanitary pads, and backpacks to sell to visiting travelers and locals. Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home, and their cattle enclosures. Dinner and overnight at Sarova Mara Lodge/ Mara Sopa Lodge/ AA Lodges.
Day 12: Full Day Game Drive in Masai Mara
Full Day Game Drive in Masai Mara: Explore the Masai Mara in 4WD safari vehicles with game drives in both the morning and the afternoon. This is the quintessential African experience and with sparse open plains, dramatic skies and some of the world’s most impressive animals, one you won’t soon forget. Keep your eyes peeled for wildebeest, lions, leopards, antelope and giraffes, to name but a few. Dinner and overnight at lodge.
Day 13: Explore Lake Victoria
Explore Lake Victoria: Prepare for a long travel day as you head towards the border separating Kenya and Tanzania, then on to the small town of Musoma on the shores of Lake Victoria. Not only is this the largest lake in Africa, it’s also the largest tropical lake in the entire world and shares its shores with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The next three days will be spent in the wilderness, so make the most of your afternoon and evening by stocking up at the local market, grabbing cash from the town’s ATM and kicking back with a beach side cold drink as the sun goes down. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 14: Transfer to Serengeti National Park-Tanzania
Transfer to Serengeti: If you’re up for it, wake early this morning for a guided bike excursion around Musoma. You’ll scoot around town and visit the marketplace, which is a great opportunity to interact with the local community. Drive on from Lake Victoria to Serengeti National Park which takes approximately three hours. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the entrance to the famous expanse. Continue to your campsite on your first Serengeti game drive, keeping an eye out for the hoofed animals and predators that call this place home. Tonight you’ll have a true African safari experience, camping in an unfenced site within the national park, right in the heart of the animal action. Your leader will give you a full safety briefing once you arrive. Dinner and overnight at Four season Lodges/ Serengeti Sopa Lodge.
Day 15: Game Drive in Serengeti National Park
Game Drive in Serengeti: Wake to another glorious day in the Serengeti. Start the day with an early morning game drive to search for animals when they’re at their most active, then return to the campsite for a relaxed brunch. Spend the hottest part of the day relaxing in camp – don’t stress, the animals will be doing the same – then head off again in the afternoon for another drive through the park. Return to the campsite for dinner and another night under the Serengeti’s stars. Note: there’s also an option of an early hot air balloon ride here. Dinner and overnight same as above.
Day 16: Transfer to Karatu
Transfer to Karatu: Enjoy a final game drive through the Serengeti as you exit the park this morning. After lunch, you’ll drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation area en route to Karatu, a small town on its outskirts. Ngorongoro is a World Heritage site, the highlight of which is the Ngorongoro Crater, a gigantic volcanic caldera that you’ll visit tomorrow in search of the Big Five.
Day 17: Explore Ngorongoro Crater & Transfer to Arusha
Explore Ngorongoro Crater: This morning you’ll descend to the Ngorongoro’s crater floor for a 4WD excursion. If all goes to plan, you’ll see some or maybe even all of the Big Five animals that reside here and better yet, the vehicle have an open roof so you can really feel like a part of the action. The animals here are less wary of humans and vehicles and as a result it’s easier to watch them from up close. Take in the spectacular views from the rim of the crater as you make your way to the bottom, where animals roam the lakes, rivers, woodlands and hills. Keep an eye out for wildebeest, lion, zebra, cheetah, buffalo, gazelle and the endangered black rhino, as well as the colorfully dressed Maasai people who often water their cattle at the lake here.
Transfer to Arusha: In the afternoon, you’ll drive to Arusha arriving later in the evening. Check your into your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 18: Departure.
Departure: Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast today. A departure transfer can be booked, at an additional expense, to either Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK). End of Tour.
