The Ultimate African Adventure - A 12 day safari - From £5,000 per person
Day 1
Met upon arrival at Arusha airport by your private driver and vehicle and transfer directly to Arusha Coffee Lodge.
O/N Arusha Coffee Lodge: located in a coffee plantation with 23 large comfortable rooms with a lovely swimming pool and excellent cuisine (FB)
Day 2
Catch your 0800 flight (shared charter) from Arusha across the savannah plains of Tanzania to the exclusive camp of Chada Katavi. Upon arrival you transfer by 4x4 from the airstrip to Chada Katavi Camp in time for a hot lunch and time to relax back at Camp.
O/N Chada Katavi Camp: Set on a wooded promontory overlooking the plains of Katavi you cannot get much more "bush" than this! Six luxury tents set in the shade of acacia trees with commanding views of the open plains provide amazingly comfortable lodging, with open camp fires at night and overfriendly elephants wandering through the camp (FB).
Days 3, 4, 5
Katavi is one of the few true remaining great wildernesses of Eastern Africa. Vast savannah plains stretch into the distance and you are almost guaranteed not to bump into any tourists during your stay! "Lakes" Chada and Katavi provide watering holes for huge herds of savannah game including hundreds if not thousands of hippo, elephant, lion, leopard, crocs, etc. This really is the adventurer's choice of safari, almost completely inaccessible by road, as you sit back and relax at camp during the evening you can finally appreciate what true nature is... Over the next couple of days you do a full day's game drive every day through the savannah plains, taking in the wonderful views and abundance of game, maybe stopping every now and then for a refreshing drink...
O/N Chada Katavi Camp (FB)
Day 6
Today you have time for a short game drive in the morning before setting off on the next leg of the adventure. Departing at 1220 (midday) you fly (approx 1hr flight) from Katavi National Park to the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Landing on an airstrip at the foot of the Mahale Mountains you then have a pleasant cruise on a traditionally constructed (but very comfortable) dhow along the shores of the lake and to the private retreat of Greystoke Camp. A beautiful camp located at the foot of the Mahale Mountains with a private beach and direct access to one of the largest habituated troops of chimpanzees. Accommodation is in exotic wooden bandas overlooking the beach with adjoining bathrooms and imaginatively designed interiors. The bar and dining area are the focal point of the camp rising up form the sand and loosely modelled on traditional Tongwe architecture.
O/N Greystoke Camp (FB)
Days 7,8
After an early morning breakfast at camp you set off chimpanzee tracking into the forested foothills of the Mahale Mountains. Lush tropical jungle surrounds you as you follow the frenetic pant hoots of the chimps off in the distance; it is only when you finally come across them that you realize how privileged you are to spend time with these intelligent apes in their natural habitat. Sometimes sitting in the middle of the group it is difficult not to feel part of the family. A truly amazing experience!
Returning to camp in the afternoon spend time relaxing on the soft sands of the private beach or swimming in the gin clear waters. A perfect end to the day with cocktails and dinner served on the dhow!
O/N Greystoke Camp (FB)
Day 9
Today you transfer by dhow back along the shores of the lake to the airstrip from where you catch your private flight from Mahale to Kigali, Rwanda. Met upon arrival by your private guide and vehicle and transfer directly through the land of a thousand hills to Virunga Lodge. A stunning eco-lodge built to western standards of comfort, located at the end of the chain of volcanoes at 2,300m with 360 degree views.
O/N Virunga Lodge (D)
Day 10, 11
Early start to Ruhengeri, to start the Gorilla tracking for these 2 days. The next two days activities may be amongst the most exciting and challenging of our entire expedition. The Mountain Gorillas in the Parc National des Volcans are part of a worldwide population of just 700 individuals. The gorillas we are allowed to track belong either one of five habituated family groups. For up to five years each, these groups have undergone an extremely delicate process that has gradually brought them to tolerate the presence of humans for a brief period every day and allowed a few privileged visitors to interact with them in the wild.
The gorillas are by no means tame, and are completely wild animals. However, experienced guides will accompany us on our tracking, many of who have been involved in the habituation process themselves. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas' habits and information from the previous day to locate the group's whereabouts. Because of this, the time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously, from as little as half an hour to as much as 9 hours before one returns to base. Once the gorillas are located, our group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. This is one of the world's truly memorable experiences - a look into one of these magnificent creatures eyes brings home the bond that exists between them and us. It also brings home the poignant fact that they are on the edge of extinction, and that our presence here contributes to ensuring their continued survival.
Coming across these amiable giants in their natural habitat is an awe inspiring experience and one that you will not forget easily; all thoughts of fatigue disappear as you spend the next hour with these gentle giants...
O/N Virunga Lodge (day 10), Intercontinental Hotel - Kigali (day 11) (FB)
Day 12
A relaxing start to the day with a morning tour of the city and then a transfer to the airport for your international flight back to the UK. (Breakfast and Lunch)
