This 10-day Rwanda Gorillas and Kilimanjaro Safari will take you to the top of the African continent at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and to the home of the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park.
Rwanda Gorillas and Kilimanjaro Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
- Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
- Day 3: Transfer to Kigali and flight to Arusha, Tanzania
- Day 4-9: Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro
- Day 10: Transfer to Arusha – Flight back home
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Kigali and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast at your hotel in Kigali, your safari guide will pick you up and you will start your 10-day safari with a short tour of Kigali city, visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center and other places of interest.
Have lunch at a restaurant in Kigali, then drive to Volcanoes National Park, reaching in the early evening. Settle in for the night and have enough rest for the gorilla trek tomorrow.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Have an early morning light breakfast, then your driver will take you to the park head offices for a briefing about the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking. Drive to the trailhead where an expert park ranger will lead you into the forest to trek the gentle gorillas of the Volcanoes.
You will spend an hour with them once you locate them. Return from the trek and drive back to your lodge for lunch. After some rest, go for a cultural visit to the Gorilla Guardians Village and later return to the lodge for the night.
Day 3: Transfer to Kigali and flight to Arusha, Tanzania
Check out after an early breakfast and drive back to Kigali to catch your international flight to Arusha in Tanzania. On arrival at Arusha Airport, your Tanzania driver guide will be waiting to receive and welcome you. He will drive you to Moshi town where you will spend a restful night at the mountain base of Kilimanjaro.
Day 4-9: Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro
The next 6 days of your 10-day safari will be spent on Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, standing at 5,895 meters above sea level at Uhuru Peak. We recommend taking the Machame or Marangu route to the summit, although there are several routes you can choose from depending on your preferences and fitness level.
You will pass through different montane vegetation zones. Each increase in altitude will show you changes worth noticing as you climb. Accommodation on the mountain is in camping tents, which are set up for you at the campsites by your climbing support crew (cooks and porters). However, on the Marangu route, climbers sleep in permanent huts with bunk beds.
It is a challenging yet very rewarding climb once you reach Uhuru Peak. Enjoy the views from the snowcapped top. That feeling of accomplishment is worth the freezing nights and every step you took to reach the summit.
Your tour driver will be waiting for you at Mweka Gate on day 9. Here you will complete some formalities and then drive to your hotel in Moshi for the night. Enjoy a well-deserved long warm shower and celebrate your summit of Kilimanjaro.
Day 10: Transfer to Arusha – Flight back home
After breakfast, you will be driven to Arusha and dropped at the airport for your flight back home.
