Kigali - Parc National des Volcans Today We travel towards Parc National des Volcans 

“The largest population of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Conservation area can be found in Volcanoes National Park, which serves as the starting point for all Rwanda gorilla safaris. The VNP is the most accessible gorilla national park in the world due to its advantageous location from the international airport of Kigali. You go gorilla trekking, which is such a fantastic activity to do and a memorable experience. The hour you spend with the gorillas is incredible and makes the entire gorilla trekking experience worthwhile!” 

LODGING:  Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
MEAL:  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner 

TRAVEL TIME: ( 2.5 Hours) 

Today your options are varied. You may choose to hike up to the tomb of Dian Fossey or the site of the old Karisoke Research Station (additional fees; rate included in your pre-trip notes). The Dian Fossey trek could be a good option for those who enjoy the movie or book "Gorillas In The Mist.". The tour takes you to Dian Fossey's grave and the graves of the poached gorillas, such as Digit. As a precaution, this option involves a 30-minute drive (both ways) and a moderately steep hike (one way). Also, you will not be able to participate in the Twin Lakes excursion if you choose this option. 

The Golden Monkeys trek is highly recommended for a more leisurely experience (allowing you to visit the Twin Lakes as described - additional cost). A walk through the forest to see the endangered Golden Monkeys is a mesmerizing experience; watching these unique primates play and perform is a rare treat. 

LODGING: Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel

MEAL:  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner 

In the early morning, we drive to the park headquarters for our briefing by the guides before our Gorilla trek begins.   

It is a magical experience to track gorillas through the light mountain forest on the slopes of the Virungas. You may get to see the gorillas, spend an hour with them, and be back in time for a late lunch at the base. However, tracking some gorilla families takes a full day, especially when it is rainy and muddy. 

It is estimated that there are only 740 Mountain Gorillas worldwide, including those in the Parc National des Volcans. There are five habituated family groups of gorillas we are allowed to observe. These groups have undergone an extremely delicate process for up to five years each, which has gradually taught them to accept human presence for a brief period every day and allowed a select group of privileged visitors to interact with them in the wild. 

There is no such thing as a tame gorilla, as they are wild creatures. However, we will have experienced guides accompanying us on the tracking, most of whom have been involved in the habituation process.  A maximum of one hour will allow our group to spend with the gorillas once they're located. 

LODGING:  Five volcano boutique hotel

MEAL:  breakfast / lunch / dinner
 

Today we drive back from Parc National des Volcans to Kigali. 

During our visit to Kigali, we will visit the Rwandan Genocide Museum, which was opened in 2004 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi. Rwanda's genocide cannot be seen as an absolute tragedy, regardless of the complex factors that led to it. A visit to the Genocide Museum is moving and important in understanding the courage and resilience of this country. 

LODGING:  Hotel des Mille Collines
MEAL: Breakfast /Lunch 

We fly towards Nairobi which is Kenya’s capital city. Kenya is also home to Nairobi National Park, a large game reserve renowned for breeding endangered black rhinos as well as giraffes, zebras, and lions. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates a well-regarded elephant orphanage nearby. It is also a popular starting point for safari trips elsewhere in Kenya from Nairobi. With its colonial British influence and African influences, Nairobi is a pleasant mix of modernity and tradition. 

LODGING:  Welcome to the Windsor
MEAL: Breakfast 

From Nairobi, we travel through the "White Highlands," so named for the large number of Europeans who settled here, northward to Mt Kenya, Africa's second tallest peak at 5199 meters (16,728 feet). We'll drive through the Central Highlands, the heartland of the Kikuyu. Despite its forested and densely cultivated landscape, this region has a very fertile climate. After the railway through the area was completed, European immigrants began arriving increasingly. In the east of Mt Kenya, the settlers planted coffee and tea plantations; in the west, they grew wheat. 

In the pristine calm of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy's pristine tented camp, Sweetwaters, a luxury tented camp near a water hole, we stay in an environmentally-friendly tented camp. This sanctuary is home to one of the highest densities of predators in Kenya, as well as the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. 

First game drive within the conservancy is scheduled for this afternoon, and we look forward to it greatly. 

LODGING: Ol Pejeta Bush Camp

MEAL: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner 

Ol Pejeta Conservancy's game-to-area ratio ranks highest among the 364 sq km wildlife conservancies between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains. In Kenya, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy has over ten thousand large mammals, including the big five and chimpanzees. There are also the fastest-growing rhino populations in Africa here. In a unique sanctuary, two of the world's last white rhinos and about 80 endangered African black rhinos can be found. 

During today's game drive, we'll also visit the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary-the only place in Kenya to see this highly endangered and remarkably intelligent species. As part of its original purpose, the facility was created to provide a lifelong refuge for orphaned, abused, and abandoned chimpanzees from West and Central Africa. The purpose of this sanctuary is to provide chimpanzees with the best possible care so that they will be able to live out their lives in the safety of a natural enclosure for as long as possible. 

LODGING:   Ol Pejeta Bush Camp

MEAL: Breakfast, / Lunch  / Dinner 

Today our next destination is the beautiful wildlife haven of Lake Nakuru, a shallow soda lake in the Rift valley. As the name suggests, the rift valley is a low-lying, flat valley that forms when the Earth splits or rifts off at a geographical crack or separation. The rift valley is formed when two tectonic plates diverge (move away from one another in opposite directions) from one beneath the surface. A vital point that needs to be emphasized here is that rift valleys are only formed when tectonic plates move due to tectonic plate movements, unlike rivers and glacial valleys created by icebergs. The erosion of rivers and glacial valleys makes their geographical features. 

Nakuru Lake fluctuates up to 5 meters (12 feet) daily since it's so shallow. You can see crystallized soda along the shoreline when the water is low. In eastern Africa, it's part of the Great Rift Valley's saline lake system. In addition to pink flamingos, Lake Nakuru is home to waterbucks, impalas, and hippos. 

Historically, this lake and others in the Rift Valley have been known for their flamingo populations; however, seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, water levels, and droughts make this a very "hit and miss" activity. Let's hope for the best! 

LODGING: Lake Nakuru Sopa lodge

 MEAL: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner