Rwanda and Tanzania Wildlife Adventure

Between steep valleys and thickly forested ridges, Kigali flourishes, an ever-building drumbeat of modern charm. A gateway to the national parks, there is much to discover here before escaping to the jungle: a pulsing party scene and places of quiet reflection to better understand the country’s past, notably at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a haunting tribute to the lives lost in the 1994 atrocities.

Some of Africa’s most spellbinding scenery can be found in Volcanoes National Park; Rwanda’s calling card, this is the jungle of every explorer’s dream, where the sky crowns the green Virungas (volcanoes) with halos of cloud and hiking trails twist deep into forests ringing with birdsong. It also promises glimpses of some of Rwanda’s most enigmatic species: elusive golden monkeys, and around half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas. 

Two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle race for their lives across the Serengeti in the annual Great Migration between July and October, dodging crocodiles, hyenas and big cats with big teeth. This is the show-stopping event, but by no means the only exciting wildlife spectacle to be found in this fantasia of deep forests, fecund wetlands and endless grasslands. It is a year-long safari hotspot where lions, cheetahs and spotted hyenas stalk Cape buffalo, waterbuck and giraffe wandering freely across the savannah. A&K’s experts have selected prime tented camp locations for each season, giving you front-row seats to the thrilling show as it unfolds, in places other safari-goers cannot reach.

The UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Highlands and Crater are the African wilderness at its grandest: a vast unbroken caldera, formed millions of years ago by a volcanic eruption, now teeming with wildlife. Days could be spent tracking lions and leopards, spotting herds of gazelle grazing on the horizon or learning about Maasai traditions in a typical village. Stay in the crater’s lush, secluded foothills for added privacy, completely immersed in the rhythms of this great natural wonder.

While the nearby Serengeti steals the limelight, Tarangire offers relatively crowd-free encounters with the elephants, lions and zebras that roam the great, golden plains. Base yourself in one of A&K’s hand-picked lodges, set on an escarpment overlooking the beautiful Tarangire River, and make the most of hot-air balloon rides, walking safaris and night drives to appreciate the park’s astounding diversity.