Itinerary

Day 1: Saturday. Arrival to Nairobi, Kenya
Plan to arrive in Nairobi, Kenya at a convenient time today and you will be met outside baggage claim and transfer immediately to the famed Norfolk Hotel, where Kings and Presidents have previously stayed. Enjoy our Welcome dinner at the Hotel this evening.
Overnight at Norfolk Hotel. (D)

Day 2: Sunday. Nairobi to Masai Mara
After a relaxed breakfast we depart for our 45-minute flight to the Masai Mara. Our destination is the exclusive Little Governor’s Camp in the Masai Mara. The Governors’ Collection of Camps are located in the heart of the best game viewing area of the Masai Mara. We should be at the Camp in time for lunch and once we have settled-in we will have the chance for a “Game Drive” before sunset. We shall enjoy dinner this evening back at the Camp overlooking the Masai Mara plains.
Overnight at Little Governor’s Camp. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Monday. Masai Mara
An early morning game drive in the Park should reward us with the chance to see the wildlife and scenery this reserve is so famous for. We will of course also have great chances to see lions, cheetahs, elephant, giraffe, a variety of birds, hyena, buffalo and crocodiles. We shall plan on a short siesta around midday, and later this afternoon we will enjoy another game drive.
Overnight at Little Governor’s Camp. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Tuesday. Masai Mara
We have another full day to explore the Masai Mara and to ensure we witness the full spectacle of this ecosystem. You could elect to take a sunrise Balloon Safari this morning, (at an extra cost) directly from our camp, with a champagne breakfast on the Mara. If you do not do the balloon safari of course we still plan to have an early morning game drive, a siesta and another game drive in the afternoon.
Overnight at Little Governor’s Camp. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Wednesday. Masai Mara to Nairobi
This morning is our last game drive and after lunch we depart the Masai Mara for our flight back to Nairobi where we will spend another night at the Norfolk Hotel. At this time we will be reunited with any luggage we left behind with the concierge, as we can only carry 15 kilos on our flight in the small plane to/from the Masai Mara.
Overnight at the Norfolk Hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Thursday. Nairobi, Kenya to Virunga Lodge, Rwanda
This morning we transfer early to the Nairobi International Airport for our flight to Kigali, Rwanda. The Kenya Airways flight # 442 is included in your trip cost and departs Nairobi at 10:40am. Upon arrival in Rwanda we make a short visit to the Genocide Memorial before we drive to our base for the next three nights, the beautiful Virunga Lodge. The journey north goes through the beautiful terraced hillsides that characterize much of Rwanda¹s landscape, gradually climbing to the base of the awesome volcanoes, sometimes with as many as five peaks visible. We settle in this evening at our base for the next three nights, the dramatically located Virunga Lodge, overlooking the lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo.
Overnight at Virunga Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Friday. Volcanoes National Park – 1st Gorilla trek
Today we take our first Gorilla trek! We will arise early this morning and drive to the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park where we will meet our trackers and head up the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes. We may visit one of the ten habituated groups. No more than EIGHT people may visit any group on any given day, so we can rely on having an intimate experience with our group, whichever group we visit. Tracking the gorillas through the lush forested slopes of the Virungas is an absolutely magical experience. If you are lucky you can get to the gorillas, spend an hour with them, and be back at the base in time for a late lunch! Some gorilla families however are more elusive, and tracking can take a full day, especially when it is wet and muddy, so you should be able to hike for two to three hours on steep mountain trails.

This evening we meet the Rwanda-based Veterinarians from the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, and hear about their efforts to protect the Mountain Gorillas. They will join us for cocktails and dinner, and they will share with us some of the stories, challenges, and successes of their important work.
Overnight at Virunga Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Saturday. Volcanoes National Park – Optional 2nd Gorilla Trek
Today is a second chance to go trek the Mountain Gorillas (on payment of $750 supplement at time of booking), and we now know what to expect! If you do chose to trek to the Gorillas a second time you should be able to visit a different Gorilla group than your first visit - indeed the more athletic may even try to visit the Susa group which usually requires the longest and most challenging trek. Alternatively trek to the Dian Fossey Grave, or visit the endangered Golden monkeys that call the Volcanoes National park home. After returning today we may have time to visit the local market or Mwiko Elementary School. Farewell Dinner tonight.
Overnight at Virunga Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Sunday. Virunga Lodge to Kigali and flights home.
Breakfast and pack, then transfer to Kigali for our Kenya Airways flight back to Nairobi. The Kenya Airways flight # 442 departs at 1:40pm and arrives in Nairobi at 4:10pm, so please plan your homeward return flights for anytime after 6pm this evening.
(B)

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