10 Days Classic East Africa Safari: Ultimate Multi-Country Journey.
The 10 days Classic East Africa Safari Tour is the ideal tour that will give you a chance to explore the best safari game destinations in the East African nations. From the plains of the Serengeti and Maasai Mara, famed for their migratory herds of wildebeest and other grazing animals, you get to experience the volcanic environment of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, which harbours the rare mountain gorillas. The combined tour ends in Rwanda’s rainforests, where you are afforded the opportunity to meet primates.
Highlights of your safari
- Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi, Kenya, and transfer to Maasai Mara National Reserve
- Day 2-3: Game drives in the Maasai Mara
- Day 4: Fly to Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
- Day 5-6: Game drives in the Serengeti
- Day 7: Fly to Kigali, Rwanda and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Day 9: Golden monkey tracking or cultural visit and transfer to Kigali
- Day 10: Departure from Kigali
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi and transfer to the Maasai Mara
Upon your arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, you will be received by your driver/guide and driven to the renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve. This transfer takes about 5-6 hours, as you go through the majestic Great Rift Valley, complete with picturesque sights along the way. In case you opt for faster transfers, you may choose to fly in a private or charter plane, taking only about two hours or less.
Day 2-3: Game drives in the Maasai Mara
Spend two full days in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, which is among Africa’s most famous wildlife sanctuaries, known for the abundance of lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, and the amazing wildebeest migration (seasonal). Go on morning and afternoon Kenyan safari drives through the vast savannah, where you will also have an option to visit a nearby Maasai village and experience their culture. Stay overnight at the camp with meals included.
Day 4: Fly to the Serengeti, Tanzania
Upon breakfast, you will be escorted to the airstrip, from where you will have a fly-by experience while crossing the border to reach Tanzania, where you will land in the Serengeti National Park, considered the most desirable park for going on safari tours worldwide. Once you have arrived in the park, you will spend your afternoon going for a game drive in the expansive savannah that is home to an incredible number of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and much more.
Day 5-6: Game drives in the Serengeti
Spend two days exploring different areas of the Serengeti, where the landscape varies from open grasslands to acacia woodlands and rocky outcrops known as kopjes. Depending on the season, you may witness incredible wildlife spectacles, including river crossings during the Great Migration. Enjoy full-day or half-day game drives with picnic lunches in the bush, returning to your camp for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Fly to Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, transfer to the airstrip and proceed to Kigali, Rwanda, by air with a stop or transit depending on your route. On reaching Kigali, a driver guide will be waiting to escort you to Volcanoes National Park via Rwanda’s famous “land of a thousand hills”, where there is plenty of terraced land and mountains to enjoy. You will arrive at the hotel in the afternoon and have some free time before dinner.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Start by having a quick breakfast, then head out to the park headquarters, where a briefing with the park rangers will take place before going into the mountainous regions in search of a habituated group of mountain gorillas. Your journey will vary in distance according to how far away from the headquarters the mountain gorillas will be, but the walk will pass through bamboo forests and volcanic areas. Once located, you can spend about one hour watching and learning more about these gorillas as they interact with each other. Finally, visit the headquarters and be presented with a gorilla trekking permit.
Day 9: Golden monkey tracking or cultural visit and transfer to Kigali
Engage in an optional activity, like tracking golden monkeys in the bamboo forest of Volcanoes National Park; visit the Iby’iwacu Cultural Village and immerse yourself in traditional dance, music, and storytelling; or even make your way to the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Gorilla Doctors and learn about their efforts in gorilla conservation. In the afternoon, make your way to Kigali, and choose whether to take an optional detour to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial if you are interested in Rwandan history. Accommodation in Kigali. Dinner provided.
Day 10: Departure from Kigali
In the morning after breakfast, you will transfer to the airport in Kigali to catch a flight back home to end your 10 days classic East African safari.
A quotation includes
- Gorilla trekking permit (Rwanda)
- Park entrance fees for all parks visited
- Full-time English-speaking driver guide (Kenya/Tanzania portion)
- Domestic flights between safari destinations (Mara to Serengeti, Serengeti to Kigali)
- Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
- Airport pickup and drop-off
- 4WD safari vehicle and fuel
- >Bottled drinking water
Quotation excludes
- International flight tickets and visas
- Travel and life insurance
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary (e.g., golden monkey tracking, cultural village visits)
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses (souvenirs, laundry, drinks, etc.)
