Gorillas & the Great Migration

Ten days pairing two of Africa's most powerful wildlife encounters: an hour with mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, then four nights in the Maasai Mara during the Great Migration season. Tailored around your dates.

Every journey is customizable. Use our featured journeys as inspiration. We'll tailor the dates, hotels, activities, pace and budget around you.

Highlights

• An hour with mountain gorillas

  Trek with rangers and trackers to a habituated gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park.

• Golden monkeys and the Virungas

  A second trek among playful golden monkeys, or a hike to Dian Fossey's former research site.

• Kigali with context

  A respectful visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial and a look at the city's creative side.

• The Great Migration in the Mara

  Four nights on the plains when the herds are typically present, with the chance of river crossings.

• Forest to savanna

  Two very different ecosystems in one well-paced trip, linked by short regional flights.

Suggested day-by-day

A starting point, not a fixed schedule — we adjust every day to suit you.

1. 1
   Day 1Arrive in KigaliKigali, Rwanda+

   You are met at Kigali International Airport and driven to your hotel. Rest after the flight, or take a gentle evening walk and dinner in one of the quieter residential neighborhoods.

   • Private airport transfer
   • Evening at leisure
   • Briefing on the days ahead

   Boutique hotel or similar · Kigali
2. 2
   Day 2Kigali and on to the VirungasKigali and Musanze+

   Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a moving and essential introduction to Rwanda's recent history, then see the city's creative side at an art center or craft cooperative. In the afternoon, drive about two and a half hours northwest through terraced hills to your lodge near Volcanoes National Park.

   • Kigali Genocide Memorial
   • Art center or craft cooperative visit
   • Scenic drive to the Volcanoes area

   Upscale mountain lodge or similar · Near Volcanoes National ParkBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
3. 3
   Day 3Mountain gorilla trekVolcanoes National Park+

   Report early to park headquarters, where rangers assign trekking groups to gorilla families. Depending on where the gorillas are, the hike through farmland and bamboo forest can take from under an hour to several hours each way. Once you find them, you spend up to an hour in their company.

   • Briefing at park headquarters
   • Guided gorilla trek with rangers and trackers
   • Up to one hour with a habituated gorilla family
   • Afternoon rest at the lodge

   Upscale mountain lodge or similar · Near Volcanoes National ParkBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4. 4
   Day 4Golden monkeys or a Karisoke hikeVolcanoes National Park+

   Trek to see the golden monkeys that live in the bamboo zone, or take a longer hike to Dian Fossey's grave at her former Karisoke research site. Spend the afternoon resting, visiting a community project or simply enjoying the volcano views.

   • Golden monkey trek
   • Optional hike to Dian Fossey's former research site
   • Community visit or free afternoon

   Upscale mountain lodge or similar · Near Volcanoes National ParkBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5. 5
   Day 5Kigali to NairobiKigali and Nairobi+

   Drive back to Kigali and take a regional flight of roughly an hour and a half to Nairobi. Transfer to a garden hotel in Karen, close to Wilson Airport for the next morning's flight to the Mara.

   • Road transfer to Kigali
   • Regional flight to Nairobi
   • Transfer to your hotel

   Boutique garden hotel in Karen, or similar · NairobiBreakfast, Dinner
6. 6
   Day 6Fly to the Maasai MaraMaasai Mara+

   Fly from Wilson Airport by scheduled light aircraft to the Mara. Your guide meets you at the airstrip and you game drive to camp, where the rhythm of safari life takes over.

   • Light-aircraft flight to the Mara
   • Game drive to camp
   • Afternoon game drive

   Upscale tented camp in a conservancy or near the Mara River, or similar · Maasai MaraBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
7. 7–9
   Days 7–9Following the herdsMaasai Mara+

   Three full days following the migration. Your guide reads the conditions to give you the best chance of seeing a Mara River crossing, though crossings are never guaranteed. Between the drama, there are big cats, elephants and vast open plains.

   • Full-day game drives with picnic lunches
   • Waiting at the Mara River for crossings
   • Optional dawn balloon flight (extra cost)
   • Sundowners on the plains

   Upscale tented camp in a conservancy or near the Mara River, or similar · Maasai MaraBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
8. 10
   Day 10Depart via NairobiMaasai Mara and Nairobi+

   Fly back to Wilson Airport after breakfast. Relax in a day room in Nairobi, then transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your international flight.

   • Light-aircraft flight to Nairobi
   • Day room in Nairobi
   • Transfer to the international airport

   Breakfast, Lunch

Make it yours

A few of the ways travelers tailor this journey:

• Add a second gorilla trek

  A second permit gives you another hour with a different gorilla family, subject to availability.

• Include chimpanzees or Akagera

  Add Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzee tracking, or Akagera National Park for a savanna safari in Rwanda.

• Travel early in the year

  From about January to March, swap the Mara for the southern Serengeti, where the herds typically gather to give birth.

• Upgrade your lodges

  Choose a luxury lodge near the park and a smaller, more exclusive camp in the Mara.

• Finish on a beach

  Fly on to Zanzibar or the Kenyan coast for a few days of rest after all that trekking.

Best months

1. Jan
2. Feb
3. Mar
4. Apr
5. May
6. Jun
7. ✓ Jul
8. ✓ Aug
9. ✓ Sep
10. ✓ Oct
11. Nov
12. Dec