- Sabi Sands Game Reserve

12-Day Gorillas in the Mist

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Plunge straight into the safari of a lifetime in the most famous wildlife reserve in the world, the Masai Mara, where the landscapes are dreamy and the wildlife is out of this world. Next up are the wide-open spaces and elephants in Amboseli, all with the backdrop of Kilimanjaro. Take a short breather in Kigali, Rwanda, and prepare for your gorilla trek deep in the misty mountains of Volcanoes National Park - perhaps one of the most mind-bogglingly brilliant wildlife adventures to be had.

Tour Summary

You'll go to Kenya & Rwanda

You'll visit Nairobi, Masai Mara NR, Amboseli NP, Kigali & Volcanoes NP

This tour starts in Nairobi & ends in Kigali - Getting there

Tour Features

Luxury tour

This luxury tour uses lodges and hotels.

Private tour

This tour will be run exclusively for you. Transfers and game drives at private camps will be shared.

Can start any day

If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.

Can be customized

You can request changes to this tour.

Suitable for solo travelers

Solo travelers can book this private tour.

Minimum age of 15 years

The minimum age for this tour is 15 years.

Activities & Transportation

Activities: game drives, evening/night game drives, gorilla trekking, walking safaris (with an armed guide) & nature hikes/walks

Game drives: normal 4x4 vehicle

Getting around: normal 4x4 vehicle & air transfer

This operator can help select your international flights, but you'll have to book them yourself help

A transfer from and back to the airport is included

Accommodation & Meals

Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost

Day	Accommodation	Meals
1	Hemingways Nairobi Luxury hotel in or near Nairobi (Kenya)	Breakfast Included
2-4	Angama Mara Luxury tented camp just outside Masai Mara NR (Kenya)	All Meals Included
5-7	Ol Donyo Lodge Luxury+ lodge inside Amboseli NP (Kenya)	All Meals Included
8	Kigali Serena Hotel Luxury hotel in or near Kigali (Rwanda)	Breakfast Included
9-11	Virunga Lodge Luxury lodge outside Volcanoes NP (Rwanda)	All Meals Included
12	End of tour (No accommodation)	Breakfast Included

Next:Day by Day

Arrival

(See Getting there for more details)

You'll be collected from the airport.
Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Day 1 Escape Nairobi's traffic jams in a tranquil, colonial setting

In a world where so many hotels claim "luxury" status, this is one that delivers. The staff are welcoming and keen to oblige (you are even assigned a butler), the suites are colonially magnificent and the setting is so tranquil and lovely it's hard to imagine you're in the middle of a traffic-congested city. There's not a murmur, apart from the birds and the fountains. And there's something other-worldly about the view of Karen Blixen's green hills from your balcony. The food is top-notch too – carnivores come miles for the steak! Hemingways lies in the peaceful Nairobi suburb of Karen. Wander around the city, with its exciting restaurants and historical sights, including the Karen Blixen Museum, the Giraffe Centre and shopping malls. Do laps in the pool and enjoy a treatment at the spa.

Main Destination:	Nairobi (Kenya)
Accommodation:	Hemingways Nairobi Luxury hotel located in or near Nairobi
Meals & Drinks:	Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 2-4 An idyllic safari camp nestled in the Masai Mara

If you’ve seen the film ‘Out of Africa’, a safari to the golden-hued savannah of the Masai Mara is probably near the top of your bucket list. And where better to go than the infamous spot where Meryl Streep gazed longingly at a rugged Robert Redford? This is Angama Mara, Kenya’s hottest new lodge and sited on that very kopje, high in the hills of the Oloololo Escarpment with a view so everlasting it’s startling. Designed by Silvio Rech, a man who just ‘gets it’ when it comes to lodge design and run by Nicky Fitzgerald of &Beyond fame, this is the stuff of your wildest, most romantic and evocatively perfect safari dreams.

Main Destination:	Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)
Best Time to Visit June to October and September to October High Season June to October and December to March Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot) Wildlife in Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya) Elephant Common Giraffe Common Lion Common Cheetah Common Zebra Abundant Wildebeest Abundant Buffalo Common Hippo Common Hyena Common Leopard Occasional Black Rhino Rare Wild Dog Very Rare White Rhino None
Accommodation:	Angama Mara Luxury tented camp located just outside Masai Mara NR
Meals & Drinks:	All meals included All drinks (Premium wines & liquors might be excluded)

Day 5-7 Enjoy iconic African luxury beneath Mount Kilimanjaro

Ol Donyo Lodge lies in an extraordinary setting between two of Kenya's national parks, Tsavo East and Amboseli, in the heart of the Chyulu Hills. Presided over by Mount Kilimanjaro, this is a place of wild beauty and Masai spiritual life, and has inspired artists, photographers and writers. The lodge itself lies on a vast group ranch that is leased from its Masai owners. Set in thick woodland on a hillside with views across the plains, the lodge is so luxurious you'll find it hard to leave, and the wildlife is even better. Take a game drive, go horse- or bike riding, visit the fascinating lava tubes, set off on a walking safari, sleep under the stars and have breakfast and dinner in the bush. Watch the animals from an open-air hide or book a fly-camping adventure. Great Plains works with the local community to protect endangered species and reduce poaching. The lodge may be expensive, but it's good to know that a percentage of each visitor's conservancy fee goes to the community.

Main Destination:	Amboseli National Park (Kenya)
Best Time to Visit June to September and January to February High Season December to March and July to October (Busy) Best Weather Jul to Sep and Jan to Feb (Little rainfall) Wildlife in Amboseli National Park (Kenya) Elephant Abundant Giraffe Common Buffalo Abundant Zebra Abundant Wildebeest Abundant Hippo Common Hyena Common Lion Occasional Leopard Rare Cheetah Rare White Rhino None Black Rhino None Wild Dog Rare to none
Accommodation:	Ol Donyo Lodge Luxury+ lodge located inside Amboseli NP
Meals & Drinks:	All meals included All drinks (Premium wines & liquors might be excluded)

Day 8 Indulge in some five-star pampering in Kigali

This large, modern hotel in central Kigali lies just 10 kilometres from Kigali International Airport, so it's the perfect stopover before returning home. It's a large hotel, popular for weddings and conferences (held fortunately in a large stand-alone conference and events centre). The rooms are quiet though, so take some down time, enjoy the variety. If you're simply overnighting, you'll probably only have time to enjoy the food, the pool and maybe a treatment at the spa. For families with young children, there's also a baby pool. Staying a little longer? Explore Kigali (ask for advice at reception), visit the sobering Kigali Genocide Memorial and admire the bright artworks at the Inema Gallery. Enjoy the cuisine at restaurants, wander around the lush gardens and laze around the pool. And do visit the blissful spa.

Main Destination:	Kigali (Rwanda)
Accommodation:	Kigali Serena Hotel Luxury hotel located in or near Kigali
Meals & Drinks:	Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 9-11 Encounter gorillas face to face in Volcanoes National Park

As wildlife encounters go, there’s not many more exhilarating, more spelling binding and more utterly mesmerising than coming face to face with a mighty mountain gorilla. And what better place to do it than in Rwanda’s gorilla hotspot, Volcanoes National Park, and from undoubtedly the hottest lodge in the area, Virunga. The location is, to put it bluntly, phenomenal, with the 10 bandas, orbited by panoramic vistas of shimmering lakes Ruhondo and Burera and the spiky crests of the Virunga volcanoes. With the ever-present layer of iridescent, swirling mist, the lodge is every bit as magical as the wildlife. The focus at the lodge is to see the mountain  gorillas, which adds a sense of shared purpose to dinner at the candle-lit, communal table. You are typically woken at 5am; breakfast is served at 5.30; by 7am you will leave the lodge  for the Volcanoes National Park headquarters at the base of the Virunga mountains, where everyone with a gorilla-tracking permit gathers for a briefing.

Main Destination:	Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda)
Best Time to Visit Jun to Sep (It is drier and trails are easier to hike) High Season Jun to Sep (Permits are scarce) Best Weather June to October (Sunny, but not too hot) Wildlife in Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda) Common None Elephant Rare Buffalo Rare White Rhino None Black Rhino None Giraffe None Lion None Leopard None Cheetah None Zebra None Wildebeest None Hippo None
Accommodation:	Virunga Lodge Luxury lodge located outside Volcanoes NP
Meals & Drinks:	All meals included All drinks (Premium wines & liquors might be excluded)

Day 12 Finish in Kigali

You will be chartered from Virunga Lodge to the airport for your onward journey.

Main Destination:	Kigali International Airport (Rwanda)
Accommodation:	No accommodation
Meals & Drinks:	Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinks not included

End of tour

(See Getting there for more details)

You'll be collected from the airport.
Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Next: Rates

Important to Know

Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour must be paid in US dollars (USD). The ZAR rates shown are converted for information purposes only. Disclaimer
This tour accepts children who are 15 years and older.
Rates include a fixed budget for flights during this tour. Flights may cost more, depending on travel dates. If so, your quote will reflect this.

Rates Per Person

Inclusions

Rates Per Person

AUD

USD

ZAR

EUR

GBP

Start dates	Solo 1 room	2+ people Sharing rooms

Feb 21, 2020 - Mar 28, 2020	$14722	$12525
Mar 29, 2020 - May 31, 2020	$14415	$12141
Jun 1, 2020 - Jul 4, 2020	$16567	$14830

Jul 5, 2020 - Sep 29, 2020	$16643	$14907
Sep 30, 2020 - Oct 27, 2020	$15414	$13370
Oct 28, 2020 - Nov 24, 2020	$14415	$12141

Nov 25, 2020 - Dec 18, 2020	$15337	$13293
Dec 19, 2020 - Dec 31, 2020	$17711	$16136