East Africa's Gorillas, Safari & Beach

A 3-hour road transfer ferries you from arrival in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, to the edge of Volcanoes National Park. Your home for the next three nights is a Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. Set in the foothills of the majestic Virungas, the lodge has incredible views of the dormant volcanoes and surrounding countryside. Guest suites are spacious, ranch-chic cottages and the main lodge offers a beautiful communal space - Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is an ideal base for exploring this unique and remote African wilderness.

Two gorilla treks are included in your stay. In the company of qualified rangers, you set off on foot from the park’s nearby offices to trek the lush, tropical mountains to see Rwanda’s rare mountain gorillas. Since these highly endangered creatures do not breed in captivity, encountering a silverback gorilla and his family in the wild is one of the most poignant and thrilling wildlife experiences in the world.

You overnight at the popular Serena Hotel in Kigali, which features a mix of modern amenities and traditional Rwandan art and culture. The focus is on relaxation, which means lounging beside the pool, indulging in spa treatments or doing some curio shopping at Caplaki Handicrafts Co-operation.

The next morning fly direct from Kigali to the Serengeti where you are met on arrival and transferred to your home for the next four nights: Serengeti Under Canvas, a luxurious semi-permanent tented camp that follows the Great Migration. By anticipating the movements of the wildebeest – never a certain science – the camp offers guests one of the few opportunities to be in the midst of the massive herds. Rustic but comfortable, Serengeti Under Canvas camps have only nine tents, and feature private butlers, comfortable beds, hot bucket showers and flush toilets. It is an ideal balance between creature comforts and an authentic safari experience.

Activities include morning and afternoon game drives to see the superb resident wildlife and big cat sightings. Depending on the location (which depends on the time of year), game viewing highlights can include the Grumeti or Mara River crossings or the mass calving of wildebeest. Depending on the location of the camp when you travel, pre-book a recommended day tour to either Lake Victoria (if in the Grumeti region) or Olduvai Gorge (if in Ndutu).

You arrive at your tropical retreat of Baraza Resort and Spa, set on Bwejuu Beach in south-east Zanzibar, for five nights of bliss. This is a beach lover’s paradise with superb scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming and kayaking.

Unpretentious but with every comfort provided, this island retreat offers a tranquil finale to your action-packed safari.