Land at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where your guide will meet you and welcome you warmly. You will then drive to Masai Mara National Reserve, enjoying views of the Kenyan countryside along the way.

After settling into your lodge, head out for your first afternoon game drive. See zebras, wildebeests, and giraffes moving across golden grasslands. Your guide will explain animal habits and point out hidden wildlife. End the day with a delicious dinner as the sun sets over the savannah.

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Masai Mara Sopa Lodge

Wake up early and spend the whole day exploring Masai Mara. Morning drives are the best time to spot lions and cheetahs on the hunt. Your guide will help track the Big Five while keeping a respectful distance from the animals.

The reserve has over 450 bird species, including ostriches and the colorful lilac-breasted roller. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush, then continue your afternoon drive. Return to the lodge at sunset, full of amazing stories from the day.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Masai Mara Sopa Lodge

On this day, you have a choice. Rise before dawn and float above the Mara in a hot air balloon, watching herds graze peacefully below. The views are breathtaking and perfect for photos.

Or, visit a traditional Maasai village. Watch traditional dances, see handmade beadwork, and learn how the Maasai community lives alongside wildlife. After your morning activity, enjoy another game drive and a relaxed afternoon at the lodge.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Masai Mara Sopa Lodge

After breakfast, drive southeast to Amboseli National Park. This park is famous for its large elephant herds and stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the border with Tanzania.

Arrive in the afternoon and go on a game drive through swamps, open plains, and acacia woodlands. Watch elephants, lions, cheetahs, and giraffes against the backdrop of Africa’s tallest mountain. As the sun goes down, capture golden light photos of Kilimanjaro before heading back to the lodge for dinner.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Kibo Safari Camp

After breakfast, drive back to Nairobi. From there, board a flight to Kigali, the clean and friendly capital of Rwanda. If time allows, visit a local craft market or cultural center before heading out of the city.

Transfer to a lodge close to Volcanoes National Park, your base for gorilla trekking. Spend the evening relaxing, enjoying dinner, and soaking in the beauty of Rwanda’s green hills. The shift from Kenya’s open plains to Rwanda’s forested mountains is a dramatic and exciting change of scenery.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Onomo Hotel

This morning, transfer to Volcanoes National Park, surrounded by misty volcanic peaks and thick bamboo forest. Check into your lodge and attend an important briefing from your guides.

You will learn how to behave safely around gorillas, what to expect on the trail, and how to take respectful photos. Optional short nature walks help your body adjust to the higher altitude. Enjoy a quiet dinner and get a good night’s rest before tomorrow’s big adventure.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Davinci Gorilla Lodge

This is the highlight of the entire safari. Start early with a briefing at park headquarters, where rangers assign each group a gorilla family to visit. Then hike into the forest through bamboo groves, misty trails, and thick green vegetation.

When you find the gorilla family, you have one full hour with them. Watch powerful silverbacks, gentle mothers holding their babies, and playful young gorillas. It is a deeply moving experience that stays with you forever. After returning to the lodge for lunch, you can optionally visit the grave of Dian Fossey, the famous gorilla conservationist.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Davinci Gorilla Lodge

On your final morning, choose to track golden monkeys through the bamboo forest. These lively, beautiful primates are found only in this region and are a joy to watch.

Afterward, visit the shores of scenic Lake Kivu for a peaceful moment before heading to Kigali International Airport for your flight home. You leave East Africa with incredible memories of wildlife, warm people, and wild landscapes.

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: None unless requested