From mountain gorillas roaming Rwanda’s jungles to wildebeest crossing the Mara River, this 6-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek and Masai Mara Migration Safari lets you experience two of East Africa’s most iconic wildlife encounters on one trip.
Trek to meet a Rwanda mountain gorilla family and spend time observing these primates up close. Then continue to spend two full days in Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, surrounded by the wildlife of the annual wildebeest migration.
Built for travel year-round, this Rwanda gorilla trekking and Maasai Mara safari combines endangered mountain gorillas with the wildlife of the Masai Mara.
6-Day Rwanda Kenya Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
- Day 2: Rwanda gorilla trek and community experience
- Day 3: Canoeing on the Twin Lakes, outbound flight to Nairobi
- Day 4: Transfer to Maasai Mara National Reserve
- Day 5: Full-day game drive in Masai Mara
- Day 6: Morning game drive and transfer to Nairobi
Detailed 6-Day Rwanda Kenya Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Kigali to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
On arrival at Kigali airport, your guide will drive you to a nearby hotel for breakfast and a short rest. Time permitting, take a brief city tour before heading to Volcanoes National Park.
The city tour covers sites of historic and cultural importance in Rwanda, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where at least 250,000 genocide victims are buried.
The memorial includes open graves and a detailed documentation of the events of the genocide inside the museum.
Visit the Kigali craft market, Belgian-era monuments, modern buildings, shopping malls, and the Kigali Convention Center. Afterward, have lunch and continue your journey toward Musanze district, in Rwanda’s northwestern province.
The route passes the Virunga range, Rwanda’s rolling hills, and tea estates along the way.
Arrive at your lodge on the outskirts of Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda’s main home of the endangered mountain gorillas, and spend the evening resting.
Day 2: Rwanda Gorilla Trek and Community Experience
This morning brings you face to face with one of Rwanda’s most sought-after primates, the endangered mountain gorilla. For most travelers, this is the highlight of their entire safari in Africa.
Volcanoes National Park holds a wide range of plant and animal life and is one of the few places in Africa where mountain gorillas and golden monkeys both live. Up to 35% of the world’s mountain gorilla population lives here.
Trekking time ranges from 1 to 7 hours. Once your assigned gorilla family is found, you get up to one hour to observe them feeding, moving through the trees, playing, and caring for their young.
An up-close encounter with mountain gorillas is one of the most memorable parts of any African safari.
After the trek, return to the starting point and transfer to your lodge to rest. In the evening, take a community walk to the Iby’Iwacu village, where you can see traditional performances, hear local stories, and learn about Rwandan history. Return to the lodge for an overnight stay.
Day 3: Canoeing on the Twin Lakes, Outbound Flight to Nairobi
After breakfast, take a short canoe ride on the calm waters of Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, the Twin Lakes located at the foot of Mount Muhabura and Mount Sabyinyo.
The canoe trip takes in the region’s bird life, local communities, fishermen, and the history of the two lakes, narrated by your guide.
Return to the lodge and head to Kigali, passing scenic plantations along one of the best routes in northern Rwanda.
Depending on your schedule, stop at Kigali’s craft market for souvenirs before checking in at the airport for your outbound flight to Nairobi.
Day 4: Transfer to Maasai Mara National Reserve
Depart Nairobi at 8:00 am for the drive to the Maasai Mara. The route passes a viewpoint over the Great Rift Valley, descends the escarpment, and continues through Narok before arriving at the Mara for lunch at your lodge.
In the afternoon, take a game drive through the Mara, known for its black-maned lions, the annual wildebeest migration, resident elephant herds, buffalo, giraffe, and hippos moving between waterholes.
The reserve also holds strong numbers of zebra, eland, topi, and impala, along with raptors overhead, a good way to close out the day.
Day 5: Full-Day Game Drive in Masai Mara
Spend a full day on game drives through the reserve. Have breakfast before sunrise and head out early to look for predators that may have made a kill overnight, then return to the lodge for a full breakfast as the sun rises over the plains.
Depending on your lodge’s location, continue with a packed lunch for more game viewing, or return to the lodge for a hot lunch. In the evening, relax on your lodge balcony overlooking the Mara River.
A walking safari is also available in the Masai Mara. Many visitors choose to explore the Great Rift Valley on foot, following the southern route along the edge of the Oloololo Escarpment, guided by local Maasai naturalists through forest and open grassland.
Day 6: Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Nairobi
Have an early breakfast, then head out for a final game drive in the Masai Mara, a good chance to spot animals you may have missed earlier in the trip.
Afterward, return to the lodge, check out, and drive back to Nairobi. Your guide will drop you at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your departure flight.
End of 6-Day Rwanda Gorilla Trek and Masai Mara Migration Safari.
