14 Days Best of Rwanda and Kenya Safari
The 14 Days Best of Rwanda and Kenya Safari is a cross-border adventure designed to let you experience both Kenya and Rwanda in one unforgettable journey. Beginning in Kenya and concluding in Rwanda, this 14 Days Best of Rwanda and Kenya Safari combines exceptional wildlife encounters with primate tracking experiences.
During the trip, you will embark on a thrilling gorilla trekking adventure in Volcanoes National Park, enjoy chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest National Park, take guided city tours in Rwanda, and relax at Lake Kivu. Before flying to Rwanda for these remarkable primate encounters, you will explore Kenya’s world-renowned wildlife destinations. The itinerary features a classic safari to the famous Masai Mara National Reserve, offering outstanding game viewing and iconic African wildlife experiences. You’ll have an opportunity to witness both the iconic African Big Five Animals (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and elephant) and the wildebeest migration. Explore Rwanda and Kenya on this 2 weeks safari tour with us.
14 Days Best of Rwanda and Kenya Safari Safari Highlight
Day 1: Arrival in Kenya
Day 2: Lake Naivasha
Day 3: Lake Nakuru
Day 4: Guided Nature Walks
Day 5-6: wildlife safari in Masai Mara National Park
Day 7: Nairobi – Kigali
Day 8: Nyungwe chimpanzee tour
Day 9: Primates Viewing in Nyungwe Forest, Day 10: Lake Kivu
Day 11: Visit the Orphanage
Day 12: Drive to Musanze
Day 13: Gorilla tracking in Volcanoes National Park
Day 14: Departure
Detailed 14 Days Best of Rwanda and Kenya Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be warmly received by our representative and transferred to your reserved hotel in Nairobi. The remainder of the day will be at leisure for you to relax and unwind at the hotel. Dinner and an overnight stay will be provided at the hotel.
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Visit Lake Naivasha
After an early breakfast, you will travel by road to Lake Naivasha, a freshwater lake located about two hours from Nairobi. You will spend the afternoon at leisure, taking in the beautiful scenery, before later choosing from optional activities such as a ride through the vast plains of Loldia Ranch or a relaxing boat cruise on Lake Naivasha.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 3: Visit Lake Nakuru National Park
Begin the day with an early morning breakfast, then proceed to Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its flamingos and well-known as a rhino sanctuary. Here, you’ll have the chance to see numerous rhinos and may even encounter leopards. Explore the park on a game drive in your safari vehicle, spotting a variety of wildlife species. After enjoying lunch beneath the acacia trees, return to Loldia in the afternoon.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 4: Guided Nature Walk
In the morning, enjoy a boat cruise or join a guided nature walk before departure. You will then be transferred by light aircraft to Masai Mara National Park, where you will spend three nights at Kicheche Mara Camp, with all meals and game-viewing activities included.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 5-6: Masai Mara National Park
The world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve is the centerpiece of classic wildlife safaris. It is celebrated for its remarkable concentration of wildlife, including highly sought-after species such as the African Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and elephant) along with cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, and numerous grazing mammals. The reserve is also globally recognized for hosting one of nature’s most extraordinary spectacles, the Great Wildebeest Migration. Each year, more than 1.5 million animals, including wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles, move into the Mara as part of their long journey from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania in search of drier grazing lands.
During your time in the Masai Mara, you will have many chances to witness this breathtaking natural event as it takes place. With three game-viewing activities scheduled daily, you’ll enjoy ample opportunities to explore and learn more about this iconic reserve.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch, and Dinner
Day 7: Transfer to Kigali from Nairobi
Fly to Nairobi and connect onward to Kigali. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. Spend the afternoon on a city tour that includes visits to the Muslim Quarter, the old town of Nyamirambo, the Batwa Pottery and Dance Center, the new handicraft village, and various local shops. The tour may also include the Gisozi Genocide Memorial, which can alternatively be scheduled for the end of your trip.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 8: Visit Nyungwe Chimpanzee Safari
Depart for Nyungwe Forest with a stop in Butare, located about two hours from Kigali and formerly Rwanda’s most important city before independence. Here, you will visit the National Museum, home to one of the finest ethnographic collections in East Africa, and enjoy a performance by the renowned Intore dancers.
After lunch, continue the journey to Nyungwe Forest, approximately a two-hour drive, with an optional stop along the way at the Murambi Genocide Memorial. You will spend two nights at the modest Gisakura Rest House, situated on the edge of the forest.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch, and Dinner
Day 9: Primates Viewing in Nyungwe Forest
Begin the day with an early breakfast at the lodge. Afterward, depart for a guided forest walk in Nyungwe, where you will search for primates and birdlife with the help of an experienced guide. Nyungwe Forest National Park is especially renowned for its rich variety of forest birds, many of which you may encounter during the walk. You may also have the chance to experience the canopy walk suspended high above the forest. Dinner and overnight stay will be at the same lodge as previously arranged.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 10: Visit Lake Kivu
You will enjoy a long yet very scenic drive of approximately five hours to Kibuye, located along the shores of Lake Kivu. This journey provides a wonderful opportunity to explore the countryside and observe rural lifestyles that have remained largely unchanged for generations.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 11: Drive to Musanze
On the 11th day, embark on a scenic drive to Musanze, the entrance to Volcanoes National Park. Along the way, take in the stunning landscapes of Rwanda’s “land of a thousand hills,” passing lush tea and coffee plantations on the steep slopes, as well as quaint villages where daily life unfolds in vivid, picturesque scenes.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 12: Visit the Orphanage
In the morning, travel to Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu, which marks the border between Rwanda and the Congo. This stunning and intriguing lake is alive with activity from local traders and fishermen in their traditional dugout canoes. Enjoy a scenic boat cruise on Lake Kivu.
You may also visit the Imbabazi Orphanage, where the founder, the remarkable Rosamund Carr, now in her late 80s, can still be found. Alternatively, take a drive into the ancient Gishwati Forest, or, when the border is open, cross into the Congo to see Goma, the site of the 2002 volcanic eruption.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 13: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
After an early breakfast, you will be welcomed by staff from the Park Headquarters, who will provide a briefing on proper conduct during gorilla tracking. Following this, trackers will guide you into the forested slopes in search of a mountain gorilla group. Gorilla tracking can be unpredictable, though on this occasion it is expected to take a shorter time.
In the afternoon, you may take a drive to the picturesque twin Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, known for their pelicans and herons, while enjoying breathtaking views of the surrounding volcanoes.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 14: Departure
After an early breakfast, your driver-guide will transfer you to Kigali International Airport for your departure.
Meal plan: Breakfast