Your 6-Day Rwanda Gorillas & Masai Mara Adventure is a short but rich East Africa safari that combines big game viewing in Kenya with mountain gorilla trekking in Rwanda. This safari is designed for travelers who want to see the famous wildebeest migration, the Big Five animals, and enjoy a close encounter with endangered mountain gorillas in their natural forest home.
You will begin your journey in Kenya at Nairobi, explore Masai Mara National Reserve, then fly to Rwanda to trek gorillas in Volcanoes National Park. The safari ends in Kigali.
Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve
Your safari starts with a pick up from your hotel in Nairobi. You will meet your Kenya safari guide, who will brief you about the 6 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Masai Mara Adventure. After the briefing, begin the road transfer to Masai Mara National Reserve.
The drive takes about six to seven hours, passing through the Great Rift Valley, local towns, and open countryside. Masai Mara is one of Africa’s most visited wildlife areas and covers about 1,500 square kilometers. It is home to large numbers of wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, elands, and the Big Five animals which include lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos.
On arrival, check in at your lodge, enjoy dinner, and spend the night near the reserve.
Day 2: Full Day Game Viewing in Masai Mara
After an early breakfast, set out for a full day game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve. Carry packed lunch and enough drinking water. This day gives you the best chance to see the wildebeest migration if you are traveling between July and October.
During the game drive, you may see lions hunting, elephants moving in family groups, cheetahs resting in the grass, and large herds of zebras and wildebeests. Many bird species can also be seen throughout the reserve.
Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park, then continue with afternoon wildlife viewing. In the evening, you may choose to visit a nearby Maasai community or return to the lodge to relax, have dinner, and rest.
Day 3: Masai Mara to Kigali Rwanda
After breakfast, check out of your lodge and drive back to Nairobi. From Nairobi, take a connecting flight to Kigali International Airport.
On arrival in Kigali, meet your Rwanda driver guide. Depending on your arrival time, you may take a short city drive or go directly to your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in Kigali.
Day 4: Kigali City Tour and Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, start the day with a Kigali city tour. Visit important places such as the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, which explains Rwanda’s history, and Kimironko Market, where locals sell food and crafts. You may also visit the Presidential Palace Museum.
After lunch, drive north to Volcanoes National Park in Musanze. The drive takes about two to three hours through villages and farmland. In the evening, visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village to learn about local traditions through dance, music, and storytelling. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park
Wake up early for breakfast, then transfer to the park headquarters at Kinigi for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules. Volcanoes National Park covers about 160 square kilometers and has twelve habituated gorilla families.
You will be assigned to one gorilla family and guided into the forest by experienced rangers. Gorilla trekking can take between two and six hours, depending on the location of the gorillas. When you find them, you are allowed to spend one hour watching them feed, rest, and interact.
After the trek, return to the lodge for rest, dinner, and overnight stay.
Day 6: Departure from Rwanda
After breakfast, check out of the lodge and drive back to Kigali. You will be dropped at your hotel, another destination, or Kigali International Airport for your departure flight.
This marks the end of your 6 Days Rwanda Gorillas & Masai Mara Adventure.