Gorillas and Game Safari of East Africa

Gorillas and Game Safari of East Africa, a 10 Day Safari - From £3,600 Per Person, Excluding International Flights

Day 1
Upon arrival into Kigali (suggested flight: KQ472 12:30/12:55 cost not included), you will be met and transfer in a private vehicle with your private driver/guide to the Parc National des Volcans (PNV) (approx 2½ hrs drive).
Overnight: Virunga Lodge – This is very a comfortable eco-lodge located on a hillside overlooking the Virunga Volcanoes and Lakes Ruhondo and Bulera. With breathtaking views, this is one of the top lodge locations in the area. Eight bandas with private verandas offer views over the lakes and volcanoes; open fire places in the lounge and dining room make for a warm welcome after a day’s tracking the mountain gorillas. The Volcanoes Virunga Lodge is built around eco-friendly concepts with solar lighting, bush showers and self composting toilets and is approximately a 30 to 40 minutes drive from the gorilla park of (D)

Day 2
You will have an early start today as you begin your gorilla safari experience. After being designated your gorilla group, you set off into the foothills to track the endangered mountain gorillas. Trekking through the lush green vegetation, surrounded by spectacular views, is an incredible experience and coming across these amiable primates in their natural surroundings is awe-inspiring. You will be able to spend an hour watching these fascinating animals (which goes much too quickly!). Return to the lodge in the early/late afternoon (depending on how long your gorilla tracking takes, it can take between 4 to 6 hours), to rest and relax back at your lodge. If you return early there is also the option to explore the surrounding villages and lakes region.
Overnight: Virunga Lodge - (B/L/D)

Day 3
Again it’s an early start for your second day of gorilla tracking. These massive primates are extremely rare, with approximately 700 remaining in the wild. You will get within metres of the family and it’s a real privilege to spend time amongst them (this is strictly limited to one hour with the family group). The trekking can be fairly strenuous (it is at relatively high altitude), through lush green vegetation and up steep and sometimes muddy terrain. It is however, the experience of a lifetime. In the afternoon you will transfer back to a central hotel to relax and take in the adventures of the last few days.
Overnight: Serena - The top hotel offering all the facilities and services you would expect. The hotel is set in its own tropical gardens with a swimming pool (B/L/D)

Day 4
After breakfast you may have the option to go on a city tour as well as a visit to the Genocide Memorial Centre at Gizozi. Following your tour you will be transferred to Kigali Airport in time for international flight departure to Kenya (suggested flight KQ473 13:45/16:15). On arrival into Nairobi you will be met and transferred to Nairobi Hotel.
Overnight: Fairview Hotel (B)

Day 5
After breakfast you will be met at your hotel and driven south to Porini Camp in the Selenkay Conservation Area (a four hour journey of 102 miles). On arrival you will have time to relax and enjoy some afternoon tea before heading out on a walk escorted by Masai warriors to a local village where you will be able to get an insight into their fascinating culture and way of life. You will return to the camp in the late afternoon where you will be able to relax.
Overnight: Amboseli Porini Camp - The camp facilities include nine spacious guest tents, comfortably furnished and with en suite bathrooms including shower, wash basin and flush toilet and solar-powered electric lighting. The camp is small and is on the lines of the traditional luxury safari camp, but with more comfortable bathroom arrangements than were available to the big game hunters of earlier years! The camp provides an exclusive experience and all transport on this safari is in a specially designed open-sided 4x4 Land Rover safari vehicles (B/L/D)

Day 6
Awake to the call of the birds and the sounds of the African savannah. After an early breakfast you will be driven through the bush on the camps private track into Amboseli National Park for a full morning of game viewing. Following a picnic lunch in the park, you will set off back to camp. The evening will be spent on a game drive in the Selenkay Conservancy, stopping for a sundowner at a scenic viewpoint, before continuing on by spotlight on you night game drive looking out for the nocturnal animals such as aardvarks, serval cats, caracals, bat-eared foxes, African wild cats, and other species.
Overnight: Amboseli Porini Camp (B/L/D)

Day 7
Once again you will awake to the sounds of the birds. Enjoy your final breakfast surrounded by the African bush before being driven to Wilson Airport, Nairobi, via the Carnivore Restaurant. After lunch you will catch your flight to the Mara, arriving around 15:45hrs, where you will be met and driven to Mara Porini Camp.

Enjoy an afternoon game drive, followed by a sundowner and night game drive on the way back to Camp. The rest of the evening will be spent relaxing by the camp fire, listening the sounds of the African bush.
Overnight: Mara Porini Camp – The camp has recently been set up in the exclusive wildlife conservancy of Ol Kinyei, one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the Serengeti-Mara eco-system. This is pristine wilderness with open savannah plains, riverine forest, springs, streams and rivers, rolling hills and spectacular views across the Mara. Ol Kinyei belongs to a Maasai community who have recently set aside the conservancy as a sanctuary for wildlife. The conservancy is home to a wide variety of the animal species for which the Mara is famous, including a large resident pride of lions. The Porini camp has six guest tents sited in the shade of Yellow-barked Acacia trees along the banks of the Laetoli, a permanent spring within Ol Kinyei. The tents are spacious and each has an en-suite bathroom with flush toilet and safari shower. Food is excellent with home baked bread, fresh salads and high quality meals prepared by the chef (B/L/D)

Day 8
This morning you have opportunity to head out on an optional balloon safari and champagne breakfast. The balloon lifts off at dawn (0615hrs) after coffee and a flight briefing. The one hour flight will give you a bird’s eye view the magnificent Great Rift Valley. The champagne breakfast after you land adds to the buzz you will get from the early morning air and the sights and sounds that only an eagle ever sees. Early morning is the ideal time to see wild animals on the plains and doing this is the Masai Mara Game Reserve is an experience you will never forget. (Balloon flight must be booked in advance and cost not included).

Whether you take part in the fantastic balloon ride or not, your day will be filled with wildlife; enjoy game drives around the Mara in search for the resident plains game.
Overnight: Mara Porini Camp (B/L/D)

Day 9
Spend a day in 4x4 vehicles exploring the game rich Mara ecosystem. As you drive through the Mara’s magical savannah plains you never know what you might spot on the way; plains game abound and the cats are never far away. After a late lunch you can relax in this peaceful spot before heading out for an afternoon/evening game drive and sundowner.
Overnight: Mara Porini Camp (B/L/D)

Day 10
Following an early morning walk in the Conservancy with the Maasai warriors and breakfast, you will be met and transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Wilson, Nairobi. On arrival you will be met and driven to the International Airport for your flight home. (B)