Day One – Arrival

Arrival and welcome dinner event in Kigali, Rwanda.

Accommodations:    Heaven at the Retreat Resort, or similar
Meals Included:        Welcome Dinner

Day Two – Arrival at Virunga

Breakfast at the hotel

Morning transfer to Virunga.  Your Zoom group will make a brief stop to take Covid tests, which are necessary in order to do the gorilla safari.

Day at leisure to enjoy Virunga Lodge

This evening, enjoy our welcome dinner at the lodge.

Accommodations:    Virunga Lodge
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, and domestic open bar
Laundry is also included for Zoom Vacations guests

Day Three – Mountain Gorilla Experience

Breakfast at the hotel

Morning transfer to the Volcanoes National Park offices. Briefing by the park’s guides on how to behave in the forest and in the presence of mountain gorillas. From the trailhead, there is a 10-20 minute walk through fields (cultivated land) to the edge of the forest.  Here you enter the park for a gorilla trek, which will take you until around midday depending on where you find them.

Locating the gorillas is often described as being the most profound natural history experience in the world. A limited number of gorilla permits are issued each day, to maintain the harmonious relationship between trekkers and the gentle giants.  It is important to take plenty of water. Good cameras and plenty of fast-speed film or memory cards are recommended. It can rain at a few minutes’ notice, hence waterproof clothing is a good essential including zip-lock bags for cameras and film.

After the trek, lunch and dinner will be at your hotel.

Accommodations:    Virunga Lodge
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Domestic Open Bar
Laundry is also included for Zoom Vacations guests

Day Four – Golden Monkey Experience and Departure

Breakfast at the hotel

Today you will take part in a golden monkey tracking activity (additional permit required).

Transfer to the airport for our flight to Nairobi.

Arrival in Nairobi and transfer to Hemingways Hotel.

Welcome to Kenya! On arrival at Nairobi – Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you will be met by a Zoom Vacations representative and transferred to Hemingways Hotel in Nairobi.

Set between Nairobi National Park and the foot of the Ngong Hills, Hemingways Nairobi is an exclusive boutique hotel far from the bustle of central Nairobi. An all-suite property providing full butler service, a gourmet restaurant, a brasserie, and a bar, it is perfectly placed for trips to Nairobi National Park and the capital.

Hemingways has a sophisticated and tranquil ambiance. Each of the 45 suites is a generous size, all with walk-in dressing rooms and a terrace with magnificent views of the Ngong Hills.

Tonight, enjoy a beautiful welcome dinner at Hemingways.

Accommodations:    Hemingways Hotel
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, and Domestic Open Bar

Day Five – Amboseli National Park

Breakfast at the hotel.

After breakfast, you will proceed to Wilson Airport, for your Zoom private flight to Amboseli National Park.

140km south of Nairobi, Amboseli National Park is the second most popular wildlife area in Kenya, famous for its large population of over 1000 resident elephants and for its scenic beauty with the backdrop of the world’s highest free-standing mountain, snow-capped Kilimanjaro.

Amboseli National Park covers 96,865 acres (392km²), which constitutes less than 5% of the entire 2 million acre ecosystem of the Amboseli basin crossing from Kenya into Tanzania. The lush green wetlands in this otherwise dry area make Amboseli National Park one of the best wildlife-viewing areas on the planet, attracting over 600 species of birds including pelicans, kingfishers,  crakes,  hammerkops,  47  types  of  raptors  as  well  as  the  African  elephant,  cape buffalo, impala, hyena, giraffe, zebra, gazelle and wildebeest with lion and cheetah among the big cats that roam the area.

Amboseli opens your eyes to Africa’s vast space: a photographer’s paradise. Around camp the Acacia Tortilis forest is host to many bird species and literally thousands of weaver nests hang above the tents adding a rousing dawn chorus into the mix.

Tortilis  Camp  has  unrivaled  views  of  Kilimanjaro,  rising  out  of  the  semi-arid  bush  studded plains – Africa’s highest mountain, and the highest free standing mountain in the world.

Winner of British Airways’ prestigious eco-tourism award, Tortilis pioneered low impact, high comfort tourism. Guests have access to a private 30,000 acre conservancy facing the mountain; and can enjoy walks with experienced Masai guides, bush breakfasts and sundowners.

Today, you will enjoy a full day of activities including game drives, a game walk, sundowners in the bush, a night game drive, and more.

Accommodations:    Tortillis Camp
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Domestic Open Bar
Laundry is also included for Zoom Vacations guests

Day Six – Amboseli National Park

Breakfast at the hotel

After breakfast you will enjoy a full day of activities including game drives, a game walk, sundowners in the bush, a night game drive, and more.

There is no better way to up close and personal to the wild than to take a walking safari. Feel the ancient earth beneath every step you take as you tread on the tracks of animals that have walked the same path minutes before. In the company of an experienced guide, you will learn about the flora as well as the fauna, and begin to understand the true majesty of the indigenous peoples that live and thrive on the land.

Sundowner cocktails and dinner will be served.

Just after dusk, the night game drive will offer a rare opportunity to see how the bush ‘comes alive’ after dark. Driving with an experienced and qualified guide, the 1.5-hour drive provides an insight into the nocturnal wildlife that is often overlooked. With a keen eye and unbroken concentration, there is much to see and wonder at on a night game drive.

Accommodations:    Tortillis Camp
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Domestic Open Bar
Laundry is also included for Zoom Vacations guests

Day Seven – Amboseli National Park to Meru National Park

Breakfast at the Lodge

You will enjoy a morning game drive through Ambolseli National Park. Stop at leisure for a picnic lunch on your way to the airstrip to fly to Meru National Park.

350km from Nairobi. Meru forms part of a larger conservation area covering 370,000 acres including the adjoining Kora, Rahole and Bisanadi Reserves. The park also incorporates an 84km2  rhino sanctuary, making Meru one of the prime destinations to see rhino in their natural habitat. The birdlife is extraordinarily colorful and abundant with over 400 species of birds.

Rugged and remote, Meru National Park was rescued from oblivion thanks to Elsa’s Kopje, an environmental award-winning, boutique lodge. Visitors get the whole place to themselves: all 870 km2  of it, including a thriving rhino sanctuary inside the Park. Famous for large elephant herds, lion and birdlife, and more diversity of animal species than any other park in East Africa. Activities include nature walks, fishing in the streams, shared game drives to Kora and Bisanadi National Reserves, and evening shared game drives back to camp.

Unashamedly romantic and beautifully styled, Elsa’s Kopje is sculpted into Mughwango Hill, above the site of George Adamson’s original camp where he raised and released orphan lions, long before conservation became fashionable. Each cottage is crafted around the rocks, with a large bedroom, open sitting room, veranda, rock-hewn bathroom, and breathtaking views.

Arrive at Elsa’s Kopje in time for Lunch, and then enjoy an afternoon Game Drive

Accommodations:    Elsa’s Kopje
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Domestic Open Bar
Laundry is also included for Zoom Vacations guests

Day Eight – Meru National Park

After a morning game drive, enjoy an outdoor Breakfast in the bush

The later morning is free for relaxation at Elsa’s Kopje

Then, after lunch at Elsa’s Kopje, enjoy an afternoon Game Drive

You finish your day with sundowners in the bush and dinner at Elsa’s Kopje

Accommodations:     Elsa’s Kopje
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Domestic Open Bar
Laundry is also included for Zoom Vacations guests

Day Nine – Meru National Park to Masai Mara Game Reserve

After an informative Nature Walk, you will enjoy breakfast, morning a leisure, and lunch with a view at Elsa’s

You then head to the airstrip to take our flight to the world famous Masai Mara.

The Masai Mara is famous for its astounding numbers of wildlife. With both resident and transient populations of lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, giraffe, elephant, to name a few, as well as over 450 bird species, the vast fertile plains are dense with game. The area has been classified among the “Seven Wonders of the World” due to the extraordinary annual migration from July to November when over 1.3 million wildebeest and zebra cross from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara in search of greener pastures.

You will enjoy a game drive en-route to Sand River Masai Mara Camp.

Located on the banks of a river from which it has taken its name, Sand River Masai Mara is located within the Masai Mara National Reserve, close to the Tanzanian border. Situated on a secluded and picturesque site, the Camp replicates the heyday of exclusive permanent tented camps of the late 1920’s. The interior fixtures and furnishings mirror this period perfectly, reminding all who visit of those countless Hollywood movies that have paid homage to a classic era of African adventure.

Dinner at Sand River Masai Mara

Accommodations:    Sand River Masai Mara
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Domestic Open Bar
Laundry is also included for Zoom Vacations guests

Day Ten – Masai Mara Game Reserve

After a morning game drive, enjoy a big breakfast at our lodge

The later morning is free for relaxation at Sand River

Then, after lunch at Sand River, enjoy an afternoon Game Drive

You finish your day with sundowners in the bush and dinner at Sand River

Accommodations:    Sand River Masai Mara
Meals Included:        Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Domestic Open Bar
Laundry is also included for Zoom Vacations guests

Day Eleven – Masai Mara Game Reserve to Nairobi

Breakfast at the lodge

Watch a spectacular sunrise at Sand River

You will enjoy one last game drive en route to the airstrip for your flight to Nairobi.

Meals Included:        Breakfast

Heaven at the Retreat Resort, Kigali (1 Night)

This luxury boutique hotel was created by American owners, designed by Italian architects, and brought to life by an extraordinary team of Rwandan builders and technicians.

Set in the vibrant heart of Kigali, this luxury boutique hotel and spa offers easy access to all that is happening in this dynamic city. As one of Kigali’s top 5 star hotels, it offers the perfect combination of leafy tranquility, Rwandan flair, and contemporary buzz. Whether dining on exotic Rwandan cuisine at Fusion or Heaven restaurants, soaking up the warmth of Kigali’s people and culture, your time here is sure to promise memories to last a lifetime.

Hemingways, Nairobi (1 Night)

Set between Nairobi National Park and the foot of the Ngong Hills, Hemingways Nairobi is an exclusive boutique hotel far from the bustle of central Nairobi. An all-suite property providing full butler service, gourmet restaurant, a brasserie and a bar, it is perfectly placed for trips to Nairobi National Park and the capital. Hemingways has a sophisticated and tranquil ambiance. Each of the 45 suites is a generous size, all with walk-in dressing rooms and a terrace with magnificent views of the Ngong Hills.

• Plantation-style boutique hotel with the Ngong Hills in the distance
• 45 suites all lined with hand cut Italian marble, walk-in wardrobe, double vanity, separate toilet, bath and shower and a terrace
• Personal butler service for every guest
• Spa makes use of sacred rituals to cleanse and reinvigorate
• Contemporary modern cuisine using locally sourced artisan producers and accompanied by the finest selection of wines

Loisaba Tented Camp (2 Nights)

Perched on the edge of an escarpment, with unhindered views over the rolling valleys and open plains to Mt Kenya, intimate Loisaba Tented Camp is a design triumph and a hub for cutting-edge conservation. At the heart of a huge conservancy, owned by the Loisaba Community Trust, the camp is a delight: stylish tents with floor-to-ceiling windows, enveloped by this remarkable wilderness. There are also chances to head out on horseback or camel – an exhilarating way to get unusually close to wild animals; to go for a bush walk or run with a Samburu on the rise; everything from the Big Five to rare wild dog might be spotted. There are also chances to head out on horseback or camel – an exhilarating way to get unusually close to wild animals; to go for a bush walk or run with a Samburu guide; to take exhilarating mountain-bike rides; or to meet the anti-poaching team to find out how they safeguard this exceptional place.

• Set on one of Kenya’s most cutting-edge wildlife conservancies
• Magical four-poster beds that can be wheeled out for nights under the stars
• Remarkable animal encounters – from the Big Five to rare wild dog
• Diverse activities, from camel treks to bush walks and mountain biking
• Spectacular wilderness of rolling hills, river valleys and open plains

Elsa’s Kopje (2 Nights)

Unashamedly romantic and beautifully styled, Elsa’s Kopje is sculpted into Mughwango Hill, above the site of George Adamson’s original camp where he raised and released orphan lions, long before conservation became fashionable. Each cottage is crafted around the rocks, with a large bedroom, open sitting room, veranda, rock-hewn bathroom, and breathtaking views.

• 6 spacious en suite Cottages ~ 5 doubles and 1 twin
• 3 Honeymoon Cottages ~ 2 spacious ensuite doubles with a private decks and outside baths; 1 large triple-level cottage with private sitting room, double ensuite bedroom & a private deck
• 1 Family Cottage ~ 2 ensuite bedrooms, (1 double, 1 twin), sitting room, and a large private veranda.
• Private House ~ 1 double and 1 twin room (both ensuite), shared sitting room, dining room, veranda and private pool.
• Infinity swimming pool, massage, Wi-Fi
• Gold level eco-rating and an Andrew Harper Grand Award Winner

Sand River, Masai Mara (2 Nights)

Located on the banks of a river from which it has taken its name, Sand River Masai Mara is located within the Masai Mara National Reserve, close to the Tanzanian border. Situated on a secluded and picturesque site, the Camp replicates the heyday of exclusive permanent tented camps of the late 1920’s. The interior fixtures and furnishings mirror this period perfectly, reminding all who visit of those countless Hollywood movies that have paid homage to a classic era of African adventure.

• 16-tented rooms divided into two separate but adjoining accommodation areas (split into 10/6)
• A 2-bedroom en suite family tent with private lounge
• Enclosed tents including eco-friendly woven strand bamboo floor adorned with throw carpets
• Free Wi-Fi in public areas and rooms

Virunga Lodge (2 Nights)

The magnificent Virunga Lodge is perched high on a ridge and has stunning views of the Virunga Volcanoes and the twin lakes Bulera and Ruhonda. It is the premier luxury destination for gorilla safari tours and tracking the endangered mountain gorillas. The Virunga safari lodge in Rwanda has been described as having ‘the best view in the world’ and as ‘one of the finest lodges in Africa’. The organic, ‘bush-chic’ design reflects the local building style and offers luxury comforts to all guests. Each banda has its own terrace with breath-taking views of the Virunga volcanoes or twin lakes, while sensitive installations such as low-flush toilets and solar power ensure you enjoy luxurious comforts while maintaining a crucial sensitivity to the environment.

• Individual villas
• Personal butler service for all guests
• Ikirunga – Spa & Sauna
• Wi-Fi access in the main lodge building and Dian Fossey Map Room. Charging facilities available in each banda.
• Premium wine, whisky, and cocktail menus
• 40-min drive to Park headquarters