top of page

MOUNTAIN GORILLAS

Mountain Gorilla Safari by TAUCK

TAUCK

13 DAYS from $16,990

Mountain Gorilla Safari: Tanzania, Zanzibar & Rwanda 

Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Oldupai Gorge, Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha, Stone Town

Earth Journeys... Created by Tauck and BBC Earth. "Intimate game drives in wildlife-rich national parks promise up-close animal encounters... a private ocean safari and spice tour in Zanzibar reveal cultural treasures... and a gorilla trek in Rwanda is a true bucket list experience!...

Unique experiences include custom film vignettes created by BBC Earth exclusively for Tauck; all small group departures, limited to just 24 guests for more intimate exploration; a private lecture at Oldupai Gorge where the remains of early man were found; a hot air balloon ride at dawn over the Serengeti followed by breakfast; ocean safari on a private dhow boat with lunch on a secluded beach; and a one-hour interactive visit with a silverback gorilla family in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park accompanied by an expert guide and a personal porter in small groups of just 8 guests. Experience the following... in Tanzania, visits to a Maasai village and primary school, a picnic in a prehistoric crater, and a private lecture in Oldupai Gorge precede four nights in the heart of Serengeti National Park, with a hot air balloon ride and daily game drives... in Zanzibar, two nights at a beachfront hotel with ocean view rooms in Stone Town include a walking spice tour with a coconut harvester, a cruise aboard a traditional dhow with swimming and snorkeling, and free time for exploration; and in Rwanda, enjoy a Kigali tour, coffee experience, visits to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Museum and Kigali Genocide Memorial, and a trek into Volcanoes National Park with expert guides to spend time with a gorilla family in the wild. Accommodations feature Serena Safari Lodges in Ngorongoro, with views of the crater, and in the Serengeti, where a Maasai-village inspired lodge overlooks the vast grasslands; Kirawira Tented Camp, combining colonial elegance with modern-day amenities – ideally located to overlook the great migration in the Western Serengeti; Park Hyatt Zanzibar, a beachfront setting in the heart of historic Stone Town; and three nights in boutique hotels in Rwanda.
" - TAUCK

Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars per person (based on double occupancy) - All rates are subject to change. Does not include international airfare

ITINERARY

DAY 1  

old vintage wood signboard with text _ w

Touch down in Tanzania

Tour begins: Arusha Serena Hotel. A transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha Serena Hotel, is included. Welcome to Tanzania and the start of your African safari; your hotel overlooks Lake Duluti. Although most flights land at Kilimanjaro International Airport after the sun has set, thoughts of Ernest Hemingway’s The Snows of Kilimanjaro will come to mind as you journey the short distance from the airport to your hotel.

-

LODGING:  ARUSHA SERENA HOTEL, RESORT & SPA

DAY 2  

Morning glow against mountains backgroun

Lake Manyara & on to Ngorongoro

Depart your hotel in Arusha and make your way to Lake Manyara Serena Lodge for lunch overlooking Lake Manyara, a bird-lover's paradise. Enjoy your first game viewing opportunity as you continue on this afternoon to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, home to Ngorongoro Crater, a wildlife mecca; your lodge is built on the dormant volcano’s rim, with stunning views of the “lost world” below. Please join us for a welcome reception followed by dinner at the lodge this evening

MEALS: B, L, D

LODGING:  NGORONGORO SERENA SAFARI LODGE

DAY 3  

African sunset over the Ngorongoro Crate

Game drives & a picnic in Ngorongoro Crater

Spend today exploring Ngorongoro Crater, long regarded as Africa’s “Garden of Eden.” Within the crater lie grasslands, forests and a freshwater lake, inspiring a continual migration of animals. Riding in your four-wheel-drive safari vehicle, you’ll have a chance to spot Africa’s celebrated “Big Five” – buffalo, elephant, leopard, the black-maned lion and the rare black rhinoceros. Dig into a hot lunch as you picnic in the heart of the crater, sure to be a highlight of your African safari. Back at the lodge to enjoy dinner and local entertainment this evening, you'll be able to observe Ngorongoro's wildlife-rich caldera below from the comfort of your private terrace.

MEALS: B, L,D

LODGING:  NGORONGORO SERENA SAFARI LODGE

DAY 4  

Sunset And Acacia Tree In The Serengeti,

Visit Oldupai Gorge en route to the Serengeti

Set off this morning to explore Oldupai Gorge, where archaeologists Louis and Mary Leakey discovered the fossilized remains of some of the earliest known human species, an estimated 1.8 million years old; learn more about the site’s significance on a docent-led tour. Continue wildlife viewing while driving the rough dirt roads across the plains and grasslands of the Serengeti. Arrive at your safari lodge in the Central Serengeti, which was inspired by Maasai tribal dwellings. Have dinner at your leisure at the lodge, and enjoy some local entertainment in the lounge this evening.

MEALS: B,L,D

LODGING:  SERENGETI SERENA SAFARI LODGE

DAY 5 

Africa Sunset Over Acacia Tree And Eleph

Ballooning over the Serengeti & game viewing

Lift off on an exciting hot air balloon flight* as dawn breaks over the vast Serengeti grasslands; from aloft, observe wildlife in the first light of day, an African safari thrill – and enjoy another thrill upon your return where a champagne breakfast in the bush waits for you. An afternoon game drive on the Serengeti plains may yield sightings of wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, rhinoceros, hippos, buffalo, jackals, and gazelles. This is also one of the best places on the African Continent to see prides of lions. Return to the lodge for lunch, then enjoy an afternoon at leisure (or a lecture by an expert), followed by a special sundowner with filmmaking gadgets this evening before dinner at the lodge.

MEALS: B,L,D

LODGING:  SERENGETI SERENA SAFARI LODGE

DAY 6  

Plains zebra (Equus burchelli), Mpala Re

On to the western Serengeti

Spot more wildlife as you travel to the Serengeti’s remote Western Corridor, known for huge masses of migrating game animals thundering across the terrain. Arrive at Kirawira, your luxurious tented camp in the remote Grumeti River region for another unique African safari experience; animals you might see on an afternoon game drive across the treeless plains of the Serengeti include wildebeest, lion, buffalo, cheetah, warthogs, giraffes and zebra.

MEALS: B,L,D

LODGING: KIRAWIRA TENTED CAMP

DAY 7  

African lion resting  in tree in natural

Wildlife wonders on the Serengeti plains

After awakening in the heart of the wilderness in your luxurious tent – surrounded by Edwardian-era accents that evoke the classic safari camps of a century ago – your safari guide shares fascinating insights about the African bush on your early morning game drive, as you observe the struggle of species to survive in the "circle of life" within Serengeti National Park. Later, after lunch and another game drive, relax by the pool at Kirawira as the setting sun streaks the Tanzanian sky – a classic African safari doesn't get any better than this!

MEALS: B,L,D

LODGING: KIRAWIRA TENTED CAMP

DAY 8

Two catamarans on amazing turquoise wate

To Zanzibar & a Stone Town "spice walk"

Rise early for your final Serengeti game drive this morning, then fly midday to intriguing Zanzibar, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean that was once a wealthy trading center for spices. Upon arrival, set off with your local guide on a walking "spice" tour of Stone Town, in the main port of Zanzibar City. Learn where some of your favorite spices come from as our guides reveal aromatic secrets hidden in nuts, roots and bark. Your home for the next two nights is a fabulous hotel created overlooking the turquoise sea and white sand beaches.

MEALS: B, L

LODGING: PARK HYATT ZANZIBAR

DAY 9

Wooden sailboat  (dhow) on the clear tur

Cruise via dhow on an "Indian Ocean safari"

Traditional Arabian sailboats called dhows have plied the Indian Ocean waters of the Swahili Coast for millennia, trading and fishing from one island port to the next. Sail out to sea from Stone Town aboard a traditional dhow for an "Indian Ocean safari" off the coast of Zanzibar this morning, as the captain and crew help you spot dolphins frolicking in the ocean blue; cast anchor on a sandy beach for swimming and perhaps some snorkeling near beautiful coral reefs. After returning to shore, the afternoon is yours to check out more of fascinating Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on your own. Join us this evening for a farewell reception followed by a farewell dinner at your seaside hotel.

MEALS: B,L,D

LODGING: PARK HYATT ZANZIBAR

DAY 10

The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei b

Fly to Kigali, Rwanda

Fly this morning to Kigali airport in Rwanda, home to Volcanoes National Park and the forested habitat of endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. A late afternoon arrival at your Serena Hotel is followed by dinner at leisure.

MEALS: B,L,D

LODGING: KIGALI SERENA LODGE

DAY 11

Uganda Gorillas

Kigali Coffee & Volcanoes National Park

Wake up and smell the coffee at a local cooperative that empowers Rwandan women to become coffee growers. Learn all about making coffee, from planting and harvesting to roasting and brewing with an opportunity to have a cup or two. Continue on a drive through the countryside to the city of Ruhengeri at the base of Volcanoes National Park, where eight ancient volcanoes watch over the wildlife that thrives here. Check into your grass-thatched traditional Rwandan lodge, nestled under the eucalyptus trees at the foothills of the Virunga Volcano range and have lunch before visiting the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Museum. There are only several hundred mountain gorillas remaining on Earth, and about half live in the forests of the Virunga mountains in Rwanda. Learn insights and observations about gorilla behavior in preparation for tomorrow’s exciting trek, as well as hear the fascinating story of Dian Fossey’s unforgettable quest to save the Mountain Gorilla

MEALS: B,L,D

LODGING: ONE&ONLY GORILLA'S NEST

DAY 12

Big Mountain Gorilla Family.jpg

Gorilla Trek in Volcanoes National Park

Rise early for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you’ll not soon forget. Drive to the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park where a briefing by your expert mountain guides answers any questions you may have about your trek into the wilderness and a dance performance as you eat your boxed breakfast whets your appetite for today’s gorilla adventure. Climb aboard a safari vehicle as you make your way to the trailhead where your gorilla trek begins. You will be assigned a porter who will help carry your provisions and cameras and lead you to the gorilla family you are here to meet. Once the gorillas are located, you will have the rare opportunity to watch them interact with each other, and you if they choose! When your hour-long visit is up, head back to the lodge for lunch and an afternoon at leisure. A local expert presents an informative lecture this afternoon about the endangered mountain gorillas you were privileged to see. Join us tonight for a farewell reception and dinner at the lodge.

MEALS: B,L,D

LODGING: ONE&ONLY GORILLA'S NEST

DAY 13

A silverback mountain gorilla in a rainf

Journey home

Tour ends: Kigali. Depart your hotel after breakfast for your journey back to Kigali, stopping en route to visit the Genocide Memorial Museum. Pay tribute to the 800,000 Rwandans who lost their lives during the atrocities of 1994 and discover how Rwanda was able to come together, heal and move forward into the future with hope and resilience. Continue to the Kigali Serena Hotel where Tauck has reserved day rooms for you until your flight home this evening. Airport transfers are included from Kigali Serena Hotel to Kigali International Airport. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check in at the airport.

MEALS: B,L

-

Call 877-838-2929

TRAVELLING WELL INCLUDES:

EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK
 

TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – On-tour film vignettes custom-made for Tauck by BBC Earth natural history experts & other select BBC Earth touches

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES


On-Tour Air (3 flights)

 

Group size limited to no more than 24 guests

 

A hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti plains at dawn, followed by a champagne breakfast

 

Four nights in Serengeti National Park – two in a Maasai “Rondavel” - styled lodge and two in a luxury tented camp; an authentic “sundowner” cocktail party

 

Two nights in Zanzibar include a “spice” walking tour and dhow sailboat cruise on the Indian Ocean

 

Picnic lunch in the heart of ancient Ngorongoro Crater

 

A private lecture at Oldupai Gorge and a museum visit

 

Three nights in Rwanda featuring a private trek in Volcanoes National Park to interact with endangered mountain gorillas

 

Visits to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Museum, and Kigali's Genocide Memorial Museum

 

Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted

 

34 meals; gratuities to local guides, service charges, taxes and porterage

Tanzania, Zanzibar & Rwanda by Tauck.jpg
bottom of page