Detailed 12 Days Kenya Rwanda Birding Safari

Day 01: Visit Lake Nakuru

You will meet your Kenya safari guide for transfer from the hotel to Lake Nakuru National Park, home to huge concentration of flamingos. At Lake Nakuru, you may embark on an afternoon game drive or remain at the lodge for relaxation. Meals and overnight stay at Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge/Lake Nakuru Lodge/Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge.

Day 02 of 12 Days Kenya Rwanda Birding Safari: Birding & game drive, transfer to Maasai Mara

After breakfast, leave the lodge for half day game viewing combined with birding expedition in Lake Nakuru National Park. Over 500 bird species have been recorded in this park alone, and you will be spotting a variety of them today including flamingoes, long-tailed widowbird, great white pelicans, hottentot teal, bateleurs, greater spotted eagles, crab-plover, lappet-faced vulture, eastern imperial eagle, brimstone canary, black-tailed godwit, and others.

You will also be spotting some wildlife such as rhinos, waterbucks, impalas, spotted hyenas, gazelles, lions, leopards, zebras and buffaloes. Drive back to the lodge for relaxation, early lunch and check out ready to connect to Maasai Mara Reserve- night stay at Little Governors/Kichwa Tembo/Bateleurs Camp/Mara Plains Camp.

Day 03: Maasai Mara migration

Depart for early morning game drive through the plains of Maasai Mara National Reserve. The full day game viewing will get you exposed to a variety of wildlife such as buffaloes, lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, zebras, spotted hyenas, cheetahs, topis, impalas, gazelles, wildebeest and more. The Mara migration crossing will be perfectly observed at the Mara River and after the long day tour, return to have leisure time, meals and night stay at Little Governors/Kichwa Tembo/Bateleurs Camp/Mara Plains Camp.

Day 04 of 12 Days Kenya Rwanda Birding Safari: Birding & game viewing –Maasai Mara

Have breakfast and you will set off for another day of game viewing and also bird watching in Maasai Mara. A variety of savanna wildlife will be spotted, especially the big game, predators and early risers. You will also come across different birds and this reserve is blessed with over 470 species of birds including pygmy falcons, martial eagle, African wood owl, ayre’s hawk eagle, cinnamon breasted bunting,

Abdim’s stork, ostriches, Ross’s turacos, rufous-bellied heron, grey-crested helmet shrike, Denham’s bustards, rufous throated wryneck and more. Leisure time, meals and night stay at Little Governors/Kichwa Tembo/Bateleurs Camp/Mara Plains Camp.

Day 05: Transfer to Kigali

Drive back to Nairobi where you will set off to Kigali Airport. Meet the Rwanda driver guide for pick up and transfer to the hotel for relaxation and night stay at Kigali Serena Hotel/The Retreat/Kigali Marriott Hotel.

Day 06 of 12 Days Kenya Rwanda Birding Safari: Nyungwe N/Park for primate encounter

Head off to Nyungwe Forest National Park in the Southern Province of Rwanda, 6 hours’ drive. This is the 2^nd largest park in Rwanda spanning over 970sq.km and holds over 13 primate species. En route, you will make a stopover at Nyanza to tour the King’s palace museum and continue to Huye to visit ethnographic museum. Have lunch afterwards, relax and proceed to Nyungwe Forest Park for leisure time, dinner and a night stay at One & Only Nyungwe House/Nyungwe Forest Lodge.

Day 07: Chimpanzee tracking plus a canopy walk –Nyungwe

Enjoy an early morning breakfast and after, proceed to park offices for briefing about chimpanzee tracking guidelines. This primate adventure will run for 2-4 hours, inclusive of one hour for up close with chimpanzees. Nyungwe is a rich primate destination and this means you will also come across other interesting primates like red tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and others.

Canopy walk will be your next tour highlight and this will be enjoyed in the afternoon starting from Uwinka through Igishigishigi trail. The canopy walk comes with spectacular view of Nyungwe Forest, bird and primate sightings. Settle for dinner and a night stay at One & Only Nyungwe House/Nyungwe Forest Lodge.

Day 08 of 12 Days Kenya Rwanda Birding Safari: Track colobus monkeys

After the morning breakfast, depart the lodge for a guided colobus monkey tracking experience. Over 400 colobus monkeys live in this park and a good number of them have been habituated for tourism. You will learn how they behave and take photos as many as you can, then walk back to relax at One & Only Nyungwe House/Nyungwe Forest Lodge.

Day 09: Travel to Volcanoes Park

Leave Nyungwe for Musanze region to visit Volcanoes National Park. As you head off to the Northwest, don’t miss out the spectacular view of Lake Kivu and countryside natural beauty. Arrive early at Volcanoes NP and check in at the lodge or first pay a visit at the Gorilla museum/Ellen Campus. Meals & overnight stay at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Five Volcanoes Hotel/Le Bambou/La Palm (Midrange) & Kinigi Guesthouse (Basic).

Day 10 of 12 Days Kenya Rwanda Birding Safari: Gorilla encounter & cultural walk

Today is dedicated for you to immerse yourself into the wild to search for mountain gorillas. This will begin with briefing about gorilla trekking rules and actual trek starts at 8:00 am taking you for 2-6 hours, inclusive of one hour of a close encounter. The park guide will be assigned to you and he or she will be leading your to and from the forest.

Get back and enjoy a special meal, relax then you will be led to the Iby’Iwacu cultural village. The cultural village tour allows you to explore unique traditions, cultures of Rwandese and comes with entertainment from locals. Your meals & overnight stay at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge/Bisate Lodge/Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Luxury), Five Volcanoes Hotel/Le Bambou/La Palm (Midrange) & Kinigi Guesthouse (Basic).

Day 11: Golden monkey tracking

After breakfast, you will be accompanied by an experienced park guide to search for golden monkeys. This will go for 2-4 hours, starting at Kinigi and guarantees one hour of magical encounter upon finding a troop of these primates. Return to the lodge for lunch, drive back to Kigali/remain at the park’s lodge for relaxation.

Day 12 of 12 Days Kenya Rwanda Birding Safari: City tour & departure

Leave the hotel for city tour in Kigali and the main focus will be touring the Kigali memorial center, Kimironko and other historical sites. After the short city tour, drive to the airport for departure.

End of 12 Days Kenya Rwanda Birding Safari