Gorilla Trek and Masai Mara Safari in (Rwanda & Kenya)

An Exclusive 9 Days Gorilla Trek and Masai Mara Safari in Rwanda and Kenya. A Customized Safari in Rwanda and Kenya best for Gorilla Trekking and Wildebeest Adventure. Combine two of East Africa’s most iconic wildlife experiences on a trip that includes gorilla trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and three days on safari in the Masai Mara.

The itinerary below is a sample of the experiences available on a tailor-made trip to Rwanda and Kenya. Working with our country specialists, you can tailor your itinerary to fit your schedule, budget, and interests, including accommodations, activities, and destinations.

Explore two very different East African habitats to see some of the world’s most legendary wildlife. Enter Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit among mountain gorillas with an expert and observe their behavior up close. Then, on guided safaris, travel to Kenya’s Greater Masai Mara region and spend three full days spotting lions, elephants, giraffes, and so much more. Along the way, take a tour of Kigali and visit a Maasai village to learn about the local culture.

Itinerary Gallery: Gorilla Trekking and Masai Mara Safari

Viewing leopards on The Masai Mara safari

Highlights: Gorilla Trek and Masai Mara Safari

Mountain gorillas can be seen with expert guides in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
During three full days on safari in a private wildlife reserve in the Greater Masai Mara, look for “the Big Five” away from the crowds.
On a private tour of Kigali, Rwanda’s progressive capital city, hear the country’s story of tragedy and rebirth.
From a cozy thatched chalet overlooking Rwanda’s volcanoes to a luxurious tented camp on the banks of the Mara River, stay at welcoming, eco-friendly properties.

Detailed Itinerary: Gorilla Trekking Rwanda and Masai Mara Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali, Rwanda

When you arrive in Kigali, your private guide will meet you and assist you with your luggage before driving you through the countryside to Ruhengeri (also known as Musanze), the gateway to Volcanoes National Park.

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Meal Plan: B, L, D

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Rwanda Mountain Gorillas

This morning, I left early for a briefing at the Volcanoes National Park headquarters. Then, start your group’s journey through the bamboo zone and up into the jungle-covered slopes. The trek will take between two and five hours, depending on where the park’s gorilla families are located. Once you’ve located them, you’ll have an hour to spend observing these fascinating primates up close. As you watch them interact, the guide will teach you about their behavior.

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Meal Plan: B, L, D

Day 3: Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Return to the park early today with a small group to track endemic golden monkeys. These endangered primates live in groups of around 80 in the bamboo forests at the base of the volcanoes, and getting to them is a shorter journey. Spend some time watching their amusing antics as they leap through the trees around you. Join your private guide on a walk to a nearby village in the afternoon. Meet locals doing their jobs, from weaving mats to brewing banana beer, and take advantage of an invitation to a private home to see how traditional Rwandan dishes are prepared.

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
Meal Plan: B, L

Day 4: Kigali City Tour and Transfer to Nairobi, Kenya

Return to Kigali for a private city tour that includes a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Later, transfer to the airport for your afternoon flight to Nairobi, where you will be met and transferred to your historic hotel in the city center.

Accommodation: Fairmont The Norfolk
Meal Plan: L, D

Day 5: Transfer to Masai Mara National Reserve

Fly from Nairobi’s domestic airport to the Masai Mara on Kenya’s southwestern border by light aircraft. You’ll spend four nights in a luxury tent at Karen Blixen Camp, an eco-friendly safari camp with views of the Mara River and the Olololo escarpment. Set out on a game drive in the vast wilderness of the Mara North Conservancy, a private reserve adjacent to Masai Mara National Park, after lunch and a siesta.

Accommodation: Karen Blixen Camp
Meal Plan: B, L, D

Day 6 – 8: Masai Mara National Reserve

An Arab Family Goes On An African Adventure! (Inside Masai Mara)

Spend three days exploring this primordial landscape on open vehicle game drives in the morning and afternoon, as well as guided bush walks, birding excursions, and night safaris. You’ll have the opportunity to see a wide range of African wildlife, including “the Big Five,” giraffes, hippos, a variety of bird species, and possibly endangered wild dogs. When you’re not on safari, unwinding at the spa or pool, participating in a yoga class, volunteering with a tree-planting program, or visiting a nearby Maasai village to learn about this ancient pastoralist culture—and how it’s adapting to modern life.

Accommodation: Karen Blixen Camp
Meal Plan: B, L, D

Day 9: Departure

Return to Nairobi by light aircraft and transfer to the international airport for your return flight.

End of the 9 Days Gorilla Trek and Masai Mara Safari

Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)