Serengeti Safari With Rwanda Gorilla Trekking for First Timers

A combination of the Serengeti in Tanzania and gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a popular choice for tourists, but they are separate experiences in different countries, not a single location. Serengeti offers a classic “big game” safari, while Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is home to mountain gorillas for trekking. To combine them, you need to arrange flights between the countries, as seen in multi-day itineraries.

Wildebeest migration forms the topmost spectacular sight of wildlife on the African continent and mountain gorilla trekking is a memorable primate tracking experience. Have an awe-inspiring moment in the African wilderness of Serengeti National Park of Tanzania and trek a family of mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda.

This safari will start in Arusha and end at Kigali International Airport, including a flight from Kilimanjaro Airport to Kigali Airport. Combining Serengeti and gorilla trekking is best suitable for luxury travelers with comfortable luxury or mid-range accommodation.

A Serengeti safari and Rwanda gorilla trekking combination is a popular East African multi-country tour focusing on two iconic wildlife experiences: the mountain gorillas of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the vast plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti for the Big Five. These tours typically range from 7 to 10+ days, involve flying between countries, and are best done during the dry seasons (June-August or January-February) to improve trekking conditions and wildlife viewing.

A Complete Serengeti Safari With Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Itinerary

Day 1: Early morning pick up in Arusha and transfer to Serengeti National Park.

Early morning, your tour guide will pick you up from Arusha either at a hotel or place of residence. Have a briefing about the trip and board your safari vehicle for a transfer to Serengeti National Park. Have a cultural tour before reaching the park then check into the park for an evening game drive. Explore the park trails in search of wildlife and see as much action in the jungle as nature will provide that evening. Some of the animals that can be spotted in the Serengeti plains include the wildebeest, hundreds of zebras, buffalos, and elephants, and great predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and jackals. By sunset, check in at an earlier preferred hotel for dinner and overnight.

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2: Have a morning game drive and return to Arusha by afternoon.

Following breakfast carry a packed breakfast and head out to the park for a morning game drive. Have a chance to see several wildlife species at sunrise as they start their day for several hours. Morning game drives offer higher chances of seeing the big cats and predators including spotted hyenas. After the game drive, take a road drive back to Arusha and spend the night in this safari capital.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Take a flight to Kigali International Airport, pick up and transfer to the hotel

From Kilimanjaro Airport, take a flight to Kigali International Airport. Upon arrival at the airport, you will follow all the protocols then meet your safari guide for a transfer to a hotel where you relax. In case you arrive early, you can then transfer to a hotel at the foothills of the Volcanoes National Park.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Mountain gorilla trekking and return to Kigali International Airport for a departure flight

After a very early morning breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing on the gorilla trekking etiquette. After briefing and allocation of a group to trek, you then head out to the jungle for a gorilla trekking experience. Spend a number of hours searching and watching the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. It’s very interesting to know that these giant primates are not dangerous to humans and behave socially as much as humans. After the trekking experience, you then trek back to the start point for a transfer drive back to Kigali International Airport for a departure flight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch

End of the Serengeti Safari With Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Itinerary