This gorilla migration safari will take you to the best national parks in Rwanda and Tanzania in Volcanoes National Park and Serengeti national park respectively. This safari will involve using domestic flights to the national parks then there after meet the guide to transfer you to the lodges of your choice or use the lodge cars to take you through the safari.
This safari will start from Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park for the gorilla safari then after fly to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park for the wildebeest migration. This starts with an international flight from your country to Kigali International Airport where you will be met by the guide then transfer you to your hotel for dinner and overnight depending on your time of arrival.
Akagera civil aviation has made it easy for the fly in gorilla tour in Volcanoes National Park. The distance between Kigali International Airport and the nearest airstrip to Volcanoes National in Ruhengeri is significantly shorter. The flight usually takes around 30-40 minutes, providing a quick and convenient way to reach your destination. From the airstrip, you can arrange for ground transportation to take you to the park entrance or your accommodation, which is just a short distance away.
The journey to one of the best places to see gorillas in Africa promises to be an unforgettable adventure filled with stunning views, wildlife encounters, and the chance to witness the majestic mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
You will wake up early and start with breakfast then head to the park headquarters for briefing giving all the dos and don’ts during gorilla trekking as well as presenting all the necessary documents including the gorilla permit of $1500. After all, you will head to the starting point escorted by game rangers fully armed for security purposes just in case wild animals make an attack.
You will be grouped into groups of eight people to head to one gorilla family and according to your physical fitness. It will take from 30mins to 5hrs to reach the gorilla family and once you are with them, you will spend one hour in contact enjoying and learning their behaviours. Watch them play, feed, breast feed and so many other activities.
You can take as many days in the park as possible since there are many other activities including golden monkey trekking, hike to the Dian Fossey tomb, nature walks, IbyI’wacu village tour and many more to catch up with while in Volcanoes National Park.
Luxury lodges in Volcanoes National Park provide a high-end experience with spacious rooms, gourmet dining, and top-notch amenities. These lodges often offer stunning views of the surrounding landscapes and provide a luxurious retreat after a day of trekking. You can relax in elegant surroundings, enjoy personalized service, and serve delicious meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Some lodges also offer spa facilities, wellness treatments, and cultural experiences to enhance the overall stay. These include Bisate, One & Only Resorts, Singita, Sabyinyo to mention but a few.
Once you are done with Volcanoes National Park, you will take a domestic flight back to Kigali where you will connect from Kigali International Airport for your flight to Arusha in Tanzania. From here it will take approximately 1 hour to fly to one of seven airstrips within the Serengeti National Park and here our affordable ecotours in Tanzania begins in style. All flights are operated by local airlines such as Grumeti Air or Coastal Aviation. Once landed at the airstrip, the lodge staff will pick you up and transfer you to your final destination where a cold drink will be ready and waiting, allow another 45 minutes for road transfer depending on the chosen lodge.
This will help save time especially useful for shorter safaris such as an overnight or two-night trip, since it is a one-hour flight versus a 5-to-6-hour road trip, though you need to cater for a 45-minute reporting time and the time taken to get you to Arusha airport (20- 30 mins), so the difference in time is really more like 3 hours. Secondly, with the road to Serengeti being bumpy and dusty in places, passengers with a medical or back conditions that can become worse with road travel should only consider flying.
With the great migration, it starts in July towards September. After bearing their young beginning December to March, around April the wildebeest herds begin to drift northwest toward the fresher grass of the central Serengeti, drawing with them thousands of zebra and smaller groups of antelope. The herds move through the Ndoha and Dutwa plains, adjacent to the Mbalagweti River. Herds may begin to pile up near the Mbalagweti and Gumeti River, awaiting the crossing, a dangerous obstacle for the animals.
The mating season usually starts in June, and you can expect to see fierce fighting between competitive males as they fight for the attention of females. By July, the herds head north towards the fresh grass of the Masai Mara. To get there they must face one of the greatest obstacles of their journey crossing the Grumeti River. The dramatic river crossings, one of the most exciting events of the Great Migration, usually start in July, but the precise timing depends on the rains.
The wildebeest and zebra grow into a ‘mega-herd’ before attempting to cross the Grumeti River to continue their journey north. With treacherous water currents and Nile crocodiles targeting in the muddy waters and lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas waiting on the river banks, only the strongest survive.
You flight will be determined depending on which Serengeti side you are going to. More of the migration is evidenced during the Mara crossing and this is in the northern part of Serengeti. Here you will witness the crocodiles in the muddy waters waiting eagerly to catch its next meal as well as the predators around the river banks waiting for the same meal. You will spend good time in the park that will allow you take game drives in the entire park. You will use open cars provided by the lodge and these will give you the opportunity to associate freely with the wild game.
After all is done, you will be transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Arusha for your final flight back home.
