Mountain Gorilla Safari: Tanzania, Zanzibar & Rwanda 2019

13 days
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USTOA

Small Group Tour
Earth Journeys, created by Tauck and BBC Earth... Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities abound on this 13-day small group Earth Journeys safari. Intimate game drives in wildlife-rich national parks promise up-close animal encounters. A private ocean safari and spice tour in Zanzibar reveal cultural treasures. And a gorilla trek in Rwanda is a true bucket list expe...

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Earth Journey
    • created with BBC Earth. Private game drives in open-top safari vehicles; visits to Lake Manyara & Serengeti national parks; hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti; picnic in Ngorongoro Crater; 'spice' walking tour & dhow cruise in Zanzibar; private Gorilla Trek in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park; visits to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Museum
    • and Kigali's Genocide Memorial Museum

What's this trip about?

    Earth Journeys, created by Tauck and BBC Earth... Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities abound on this 13-day small group Earth Journeys safari. Intimate game drives in wildlife-rich national parks promise up-close animal encounters. A private ocean safari and spice tour in Zanzibar reveal cultural treasures. And a gorilla trek in Rwanda is a true bucket list experience!

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - 24 max
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityArusha, Tanzania
End CityOperator does not provide

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Cultural

Destinations

  • Africa

Attractions

  • Arusha
  • Ngorongoro Crater
  • Serengeti National Park
  • Zanzibar

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • All small group departures On-tour film vignettes custom-made for Tauck by BBC Earth natural history experts and other select BBC Earth touches Group size limited to no more than 24 guests Three nights in Rwanda featuring a rigorous, challenging private Gorilla Trek in Volcanoes National Park to interact with endangered Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat more than 7,000 ft. (2,130 m.) above sea level; see Pricing & Availability for more details A hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti plains at dawn, followed by a champagne breakfast 4 nights in Serengeti National Park - 2 in a Maasai "Rondavel"- styled lodge and 2 in a luxury tented camp; an authentic "sundowner" cocktail party Two nights in Zanzibar include a "spice" walking tour and dhow sailboat cruise on the Indian Ocean Picnic lunch in the heart of ancient Ngorongoro Crater A private lecture at Oldupai Gorge and a museum visit Visits to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Museum, and Kigali's Genocide Memorial Museum On-Tour Air (5 flights) Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted 34 meals - (12 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 10 dinners); gratuities to local guides, service charges, taxes and porterage

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Arusha, Tanzania
Your safari experience begins at Arusha Serena Hotel. A transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha Serena Hotel, is included. Welcome to Tanzania; your hotel overlooks Lake Duluti. Although most flights land at Kilimanjaro International Airport after the s...
Day 2 Lake Manyara & on to Ngorongoro
Depart your hotel in Arusha and make your way to Lake Manyara Serena Lodge for lunch overlooking Lake Manyara, a bird-lover's paradise. Enjoy your first game viewing opportunity as you continue on this afternoon to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, home to Ngorongoro Cra...
Day 3 Game drives & a picnic in Ngorongoro Crater
Explore Ngorongoro Crater, long regarded as Africa's "Garden of Eden." Within the crater lie grasslands, forests and a saltwater lake, inspiring a continual migration of animals. From the comfort of your four-wheel-drive vehicle, you'll have a chance to spot the "Big Fiv...
Day 4 Visit Oldupai Gorge en route to the Serengeti
Set off this morning to explore Oldupai Gorge, where archaeologists Louis and Mary Leakey discovered the fossilized remains of some of the earliest known human species, an estimated 1.8 million years old; learn more about the site's significance on a docent-led tour. Con...
Day 5 Ballooning over the Serengeti & game viewing
Lift off on an exciting hot air balloon flight* as dawn breaks over the vast Serengeti grasslands; from aloft, observe wildlife in the first light of day, an African safari thrill - and enjoy another thrill upon your return where a champagne breakfast in the bush waits f...
Day 6 On to the western Serengeti
Travel to the Western Serengeti for a two-night stay at the luxurious Kirawira Tented Camp. This afternoon's game drive with your experienced guide explores the open, undisturbed plains of the Serengeti for exclusive wildlife encounters. Be sure to capture the moment with your camera or sketchbook! MEALS : B, L, D LODGING : Kirawira Tented Camp PORTOFCALL : Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Day 7 Wildlife wonders on the Serengeti plains
After awakening in the heart of the wilderness in your luxurious tent - surrounded by Edwardian-era accents that evoke the classic safari camps of a century ago - your safari guide shares fascinating insights about the African bush on your early morning game drive, as yo...
Day 8 To Zanzibar & a Stone Town "spice walk"
Rise early for your final Serengeti game drive this morning, then fly midday to intriguing Zanzibar, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean that was once a wealthy trading center for spices. Upon arrival, set off with your local guide on a walking "spice" tour of Stone Town,...
Day 9 Cruise aboard a dhow on an Indian Ocean "safari" in Zanzibar
Sail out to sea aboard a traditional dhow this morning as the captain and crew help you spot dolphins frolicking in the ocean blue. Dhows have plied these waters for millennia, trading and fishing from one island port to the next. Cast anchor on a sandy beach for swimmin...
Day 10 Fly to Kigali, Rwanda
Fly this morning to Kigali airport in Rwanda, home to Volcanoes National Park and the forested habitat of endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. A late afternoon arrival at your Serena Hotel is followed by dinner at leisure. MEALS : B, L, D LODGING : Kigali Serena Hotel PORTOFCALL : Stone Town, Zanzibar

Day 11 Kigali Coffee & Volcanoes National Park
Wake up and smell the coffee at a local cooperative that empowers Rwandan women to become coffee growers. Learn all about making coffee, from planting and harvesting to roasting and brewing with an opportunity to have a cup or two. Continue on a drive through the country...
Day 12 Gorilla Trek in Volcanoes National Park
Rise early for a once in a lifetime opportunity you'll not soon forget. Drive to the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park where a briefing by your expert mountain guides answers any questions you may have about your trek into the wilderness and a dance performance as ...
Day 13 Journey home
Tour ends: Kigali. Depart your hotel after breakfast for your journey back to Kigali, stopping en route to visit the Genocide Memorial Museum. Pay tribute to the 800,000 Rwandans who lost their lives during the atrocities of 1994 and discover how Rwanda was able to come ...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $15,790
Price per day$1,215
Last Updated: 0/8/2019

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Tour Operator

Tauck

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It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
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Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Trip ID
tauck-GZT2019

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