14 Days Rwanda Congo And Tanzania Tour

Have an early breakfast before heading to the park headquarters for briefing. The ranger will take you through the guidelines and expectations before you enter the forest in search of the chimpanzees.

Nyungwe Forest provides an excellent setting for observing these fascinating primates as they move through the forest canopy and undergrowth. During the experience, you may watch them feeding, communicating, playing and moving between trees while your guide provides information about their behavior and the forest ecosystem.

After the chimpanzee experience, return for lunch and later take part in a colobus monkey tracking experience. The forest is home to several other primate species, giving you opportunities to encounter monkeys such as vervet monkeys and L'Hoest's monkeys among others.

Return to the lodge in the evening for relaxation.

Dinner and overnight at your Nyungwe accommodation.

After breakfast, continue exploring the extraordinary Nyungwe Forest with a canopy walk. Suspended high above the forest floor, the canopy walkway provides a different perspective of the ancient rainforest and offers beautiful views across the forest.

As you move through the forest, look out for some of Nyungwe's remarkable birdlife, including Rwenzori turacos and hornbills, as well as monkeys moving through the trees.

After lunch, enjoy a nature walk around the surrounding environment and explore the area near Kamiranzovu Waterfalls. The forest scenery, vegetation and sounds of wildlife make this a rewarding complement to the previous day's primate experience.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, depart Nyungwe Forest and begin the scenic drive toward Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri.

The journey crosses Rwanda's famous rolling hills and changing landscapes, providing opportunities to appreciate the countryside and local communities along the way. As you approach the northern part of the country, the impressive Virunga volcanic landscape begins to dominate the horizon.

Arrive in the Ruhengeri area and check into your accommodation. The remainder of the day is reserved for relaxation and preparation for the following day's gorilla trekking adventure.

Dinner and overnight at Muhabura Hotel for budget travelers, La Palme Hotel for deluxe travelers or Mountain Gorilla View Lodge for luxury travelers.

After an early breakfast, your tour guide will transfer you to the park headquarters for briefing by the park rangers. You will then begin your gorilla trekking experience in the forests of Volcanoes National Park.

The trek takes you into the Virunga mountains in search of one of the habituated mountain gorilla families. Once the gorillas are located, you will have time to observe their natural behavior as they feed, move through the vegetation and interact with one another.

Mountain gorillas live within the Virunga landscape shared by Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and gorilla trekking provides an opportunity to experience these remarkable animals in their natural habitat.

After the trek, return to the lodge for lunch before transferring toward Gisenyi and Lake Kivu.

From Gisenyi, continue through the Goma border crossing into the Democratic Republic of Congo. Drive toward Mikeno Lodge or Bukima Lodge, where you will spend the night in preparation for the following day's Nyiragongo adventure.

Dinner and overnight at Mikeno Lodge or Bukima Lodge.

After breakfast, transfer to Kibati Patrol Post, the starting point for your Nyiragongo Volcano hike. The drive from the lodge takes approximately one hour before you begin the challenging ascent.

Nyiragongo rises to approximately 3,470 metres and is famous for its volcanic landscape and lava lake. The hike normally takes several hours depending on the pace of the group and conditions on the mountain.

As you ascend, the surrounding landscape changes dramatically, creating opportunities to appreciate the volcanic environment and views across the Virunga region.

Upon reaching the summit, settle into the mountain accommodation and enjoy views of the volcanic crater. As evening approaches, the experience becomes particularly memorable as the glow of the lava lake becomes visible within the crater.

Overnight in the mountain cabins.

After breakfast, begin the descent from Nyiragongo Volcano.

Once back at lower altitude, continue to Goma for a city tour. The city provides an opportunity to learn about the effects of the 2002 Nyiragongo eruption, which dramatically affected parts of Goma and left sections of the city covered by lava.

Later, cross back toward Gisenyi in Rwanda and continue to Lake Kivu.

Depending on your energy levels and time available, you may enjoy a boat cruise toward the coffee island. The experience introduces you to coffee growing and processing while allowing you to appreciate the scenery around Lake Kivu.

Dinner and overnight at Hotel Paradis Malahide or Lake Kivu Serena Hotel.

After breakfast, leave Lake Kivu and return to Kigali.

Depending on your flight schedule, enjoy the journey back to Kigali International Airport for your flight toward Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed and transferred to your accommodation in Arusha.

Arusha is the gateway to Tanzania's northern safari circuit and provides a convenient base before beginning your wildlife adventure.

Dinner and overnight at The African Tulip.

After breakfast, depart Arusha and travel toward Tarangire National Park.

The park takes its name from the Tarangire River, which becomes an important source of water for wildlife during the dry season. As water becomes scarce elsewhere, large numbers of animals gather around the river and its surrounding habitats.

Enjoy a full day game drive through the park, searching for elephants, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, buffaloes, antelopes and a variety of bird species. Tarangire is particularly well known for its large elephant populations and impressive baobab landscapes.

The afternoon continues with further wildlife viewing before returning to your lodge.

Dinner and overnight at Tarangire Safari Lodge or Maramboi Tented Lodge.

After breakfast, depart Tarangire and continue toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Upon arrival, ascend toward the crater rim where you can enjoy magnificent views over the ancient volcanic caldera. The dramatic landscape provides a wonderful introduction to the Ngorongoro experience.

Ngorongoro supports a remarkable concentration of wildlife throughout the year. Depending on the season and location, you may encounter wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo and elephants.

The area is also known for its predators, including lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and occasionally leopards.

Spend the evening enjoying the scenery around the crater rim.

Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.

After breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full day of wildlife viewing.

The crater floor is surrounded by steep walls and contains grasslands, wetlands, woodland and water sources that support a remarkable variety of wildlife. Early morning is an excellent time to begin exploring as many animals are active before the heat of the day increases.

During the game drive, look out for herds of zebras, buffaloes, antelopes and wildebeest grazing across the crater floor. Lions can often be seen resting in the grasslands, while hippos occupy the crater's wetlands.

The crater also provides an opportunity to search for the endangered black rhinoceros.

After a rewarding day of wildlife viewing, ascend back to the crater rim.

Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.

Start the day early and depart for the world-famous Serengeti National Park.

The journey takes you into one of Africa's most celebrated wildlife ecosystems. As you enter the Serengeti, the landscape opens into vast grasslands dotted with acacia trees and rocky kopjes.

Begin your game drive while looking for the famous African Big Five, including elephants, leopards, buffaloes, rhinoceros and lions.

The Serengeti is also home to an extraordinary variety of smaller and less familiar species. Keep an eye out for colorful lilac-breasted rollers, raptors, antelopes and other wildlife as you explore the plains.

Continue with your game drive before arriving at your lodge.

Dinner and overnight at Four Seasons Serengeti Safari Lodge or a similar luxury property.

Today is dedicated to exploring the Serengeti.

After breakfast, set out with your expert guide for a full day game drive. The Serengeti offers an opportunity to experience Tanzania's wildlife at a relaxed pace while exploring different habitats and searching for animals.

Depending on the season, the location of wildlife and migration movements, you may encounter large herds of wildebeest and Burchell's zebras moving across the plains. Thomson's gazelles, elands and other antelopes may also be seen.

Predator sightings can include lions, cheetahs, hyenas and leopards. Your guide will help you understand the behavior of the animals and the ecological importance of the Serengeti ecosystem.

Enjoy a full day in the wilderness before returning to camp in the evening.

Dinner and overnight at Sayari Camp.

Enjoy an early breakfast before your final game drive in the Serengeti.

Take advantage of the morning hours to search for more wildlife and capture the final views of the Serengeti landscape. Your guide will continue looking for animals along the route as you make your way toward the departure point.

Later, transfer for your flight toward Kilimanjaro Airport for your international departure.

This marks the end of your 14 Days Rwanda Congo And Tanzania Tour, combining Rwanda's primates and mountain gorillas, the volcanic landscapes of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Tanzania's spectacular wildlife destinations.