10-Day Affordable Gorilla & Safari Adventure

Itinerary information

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, a private road transfer will take you to a one-night stay at the Retreat, the city's premier boutique hotel. You'll revel in the quiet luxury of a deluxe king room, featuring a patio embraced by trees, creating a private sanctuary with cosy lounge chairs.

You'll have one day here with the option to book a guided walk through the city, which includes either a full-day lunch option or a half-day coffee break, savoring rich Rwandan brews. During this tour, you'll discover the old city, visit nearby markets, and appreciate the local art.

If you'd prefer to unwind after your travels, the hotel invites you to book a soothing massage and revitalising facial. You can also visit the sauna or enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool.

Itinerary information

The next day, a private road transfer will drive you to Musanze, in the northern province of Rwanda, for a two-night stay at Bishop's House. This boutique hotel offers a deluxe room with a regal four-poster bed and a private patio.

On your full day, set out on a gorilla trekking excursion in Volcanoes National Park, just a 25-minute drive from the hotel. After a safety briefing, a 4×4 will take you across rugged terrain to the forest trail where your trek begins. You'll traverse steep slopes at high altitudes, navigating montane and bamboo forests, with a quiet mist cloaking the landscape in secrecy. As the gorillas can be quite active, it may take a few hours before you find them. 

As anticipation builds, you'll arrive at a clearing surrounded by dense forest, where a family of gorillas has congregated. It's a truly awe-inspiring experience, offering you an hour to observe Rwanda's most protected wildlife in their natural habitat.

Afterwards, you'll be chauffeured back to the hotel, where comfort and hospitality await. A luxury spa invites you to indulge in a range of therapeutic treatments inspired by traditional healing techniques. Later in the evening, enjoy elegant indoor dining with a gourmet à la carte menu, complemented by a selection of local beers and house wines.

Itinerary information

In the morning, you'll head back to Kigali International Airport for your flight to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. A private road transfer will then take you to the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, where you'll stay overnight in a deluxe room. 

Here, you're invited to take advantage of the hotel's amenities, including a fully-equipped gym for a heart-pumping workout, followed by relaxation in the rooftop pool with a fruity cocktail in hand. You can also book a spa treatment to soothe your muscles after the previous day's trek.

Book a table at the Tazama Rooftop Restaurant for delicious grills, while savouring sunset views as orange hues melt into deep blues and the city lights begin to twinkle. After a glorious hot shower, slip into a fluffy robe and slippers, as your king-sized bed beckons you to a peaceful night's rest, enveloped in crisp white linens.

Itinerary information

The following day, you'll be taken to Wilson Airport for a light aircraft flight to Kalama Airstrip, where a private road transfer will drive you to Elephant Bedroom Camp. You'll spend two nights in the heart of the Samburu National Reserve, marking the beginning of the wildlife safari portion of your tour.

You'll have a full day to explore the reserve with two shared game drives—one in the early morning and another later in the afternoon—culminating in sundowner drinks at a carefully selected hillside viewpoint. While out on game drives, you'll have the opportunity to tick the ‘Samburu Special Five' off your bucket list, including the Somali ostrich, often seen grazing in the grasslands, and the gerenuk, with its iconic long neck and small face, providing much amusement as it stands on its hind legs to reach the leaves of taller trees. The reserve is also home to leopards and lions, offering you the opportunity to experience Africa's most sought-after predator sightings. 

Between safaris, you'll enjoy delicious lunches at the lodge and ample opportunity to relax on your patio, overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River, while indulging in refreshing dips in your private plunge pool. As an authentic outdoor safari lodge, you'll be closer to nature at every turn, with riverside dining and a tented suite that features roll-up canvas, offering uninterrupted views.

Itinerary information

After breakfast, you'll head back to Kalama Airstrip and fly to Ol Kiombo Airstrip where you'll be transferred to Ilkeliani Camp in Kenya's flagship conservancy, Masai Mara National Reserve. Your three-night stay includes a luxury suite with a tented structure on a raised wooden deck, featuring roll-up canvas sheeting and nestled in a private alcove, offering views over the Talek River. 

Your final destination pulls out all the stops with two full days of game drives, both in the morning and afternoon, followed by sundowners in the wilderness. The reserve is renowned for year-round game viewing, so you can book this tour at any time and have the chance to spot the Big Five across vast savannah vistas. You may also have a chance to witness the Great Migration. A natural phenomenon that occurs every year from July to November, as millions of wildebeest and zebras cross from the Southern Serengeti into the Mara.

You can also enjoy a guided nature walk for a serene exploration of the reserve’s grasslands and riverine forests. You'll slow your pace, soaking in the finer details of the park and stopping to follow hidden animal tracks that the rangers are highly skilled at spotting.

Dinners can be enjoyed in privacy, nestled between trees in a remote clearing a short distance from the camp, or on the lodge's expansive deck, where you can savour the lively ambiance of fellow guests while sipping on house wines and curated spirits.

Itinerary information

After savouring your last breakfast in East Africa, you'll fly from Ol Kiombo Airstrip to Wilson Airport for a connecting flight to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, to continue your journey onward.