Serengeti & Rwanda: Big Cat Country to Gorilla Forests
Ngorongoro Crater · Central Serengeti · Volcanoes National Park 9 Days / 8 Nights From $10,980 per person
Overview
The journey
A 9-day multi-country safari — one of our Tanzania safari and Rwanda gorilla trekking. A multi-country East Africa journey through Ngorongoro Crater, Central Serengeti and Volcanoes National Park. The route runs in one direction with no doubling back, and saves the best for last — a permitted hour with mountain gorillas.
9 days across 4 camps, every sector flown, with your own guide on the ground.
4 distinct ecosystems in 9 days
Arusha · Ngorongoro Crater · Central Serengeti · Volcanoes National Park — each chosen for a different animal, landscape and light, and ordered so you never double back.
A tight, purposeful route with no wasted days
Every move is planned around game movements and light, so short days still deliver full game-viewing mornings.
Your own 4x4 Land Cruiser and private guide
No shared vehicles and no fixed departure times — you decide when to leave camp, how long to sit with a sighting, and where to have breakfast.
Every transfer flown by private charter
You are in a game vehicle minutes after landing, with luggage handled planeside — the same route by road costs the better part of two days.
Ultra-Luxury is genuinely all-inclusive
All meals, premium drinks, laundry, park and conservancy fees, private guiding and the charter flights are in the price. You should not need your wallet until you tip.
Priced honestly, with fees shown up front
Park and conservation fees, taxes and levies are itemised on your proforma invoice — 50% confirms the booking and the balance is due before travel.
At a glance
Trip essentials
Best season
Jun – Oct (dry) · Year-round wildlife
Pace & difficulty
Relaxed — long stays, few moves · Easy — suitable for all ages
Group size
Private departure — 2 to 6 guests per vehicle
Game viewing
42–56 hours of guided game viewing across 7 active days
Destinations routed
Arusha National Park → Ngorongoro Crater → Serengeti National Park → Volcanoes National Park
Ideal for
First-time safari guests · Couples and small private groups · Private departures for 2–6 guests
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
Every day is planned to the hour, with the flexibility to change anything before you confirm.
Route overview
1
Arusha National Park
Day 1 · 1 night
2
Ngorongoro Crater
Days 2–3 · 2 nights
3
Serengeti National Park
Days 4–5–6 · 3 nights
4
Volcanoes National Park
Day 7 · 1 night
5
Ngorongoro Crater
Day 8 · 1 night
6
Volcanoes National Park
Day 9 · journey ends
1
Day 1 · Arrive in Arusha
Arusha National Park
Arrival
Met at Kilimanjaro International and transferred to your hotel for a relaxed evening and trip briefing with your Perch Africa specialist.
Morning
Arrival, immigration assistance and meet-and-greet by your Perch Africa representative
Afternoon
Transfer, luggage re-pack for light aircraft, and a full trip briefing with your guide
Evening
Welcome dinner and route walkthrough with your safari specialist
Highlights
Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
Authentic local culture & guides
Curated lodges & camps in every tier
Arusha Coffee Lodge
Dinner
Private airport transfer
Visa/e-TA must be approved before departure — we send the checklist on booking
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Neutral greens and browns for game drives — avoid blue and black (tsetse flies)
2
Day 2 · Up to the crater rim
Ngorongoro Crater
Scenic flightSundowners
Safari
Light-aircraft charter to the airstrip to Ngorongoro Crater. Climb through highland forest to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater for a sunset view over the caldera.
Morning
Dawn departure with coffee in the vehicle — visit to olduvai gorge & museum
Afternoon
Siesta through the heat, then maasai cultural village
Evening
Sundowners at a viewpoint, then a bush dinner under the stars
Highlights
Black rhino sightings
Big Five in a single morning
Spectacular crater-rim sunrise descents
The Highlands
All inclusive
Light aircraft + 4x4 game-drive vehicle on landing
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Light-aircraft baggage limit: 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage
Conservation fee: USD 70.80/adult + USD 295/vehicle crater service fee
Vehicles allowed on crater floor 06:00–16:00 only
Soft-sided bag of 15 kg maximum per person on light-aircraft transfers
3
Day 3 · Ngorongoro Crater floor
Ngorongoro Crater
Wildlife viewing
Safari
Descend at dawn for a full day on the crater floor — black rhino, lion, hippo pools and flamingo lakes.
Morning
Dawn departure with coffee in the vehicle — maasai cultural village
Afternoon
Siesta through the heat, then crater-rim walks with armed ranger
Evening
Sundowners at a viewpoint, then a bush dinner under the stars
Highlights
Black rhino sightings
Big Five in a single morning
Spectacular crater-rim sunrise descents
The Highlands
All inclusive
Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-top roof and window seat guaranteed
Approx. 1.5 h on the road
Conservation fee: USD 70.80/adult + USD 295/vehicle crater service fee
Vehicles allowed on crater floor 06:00–16:00 only
Bring binoculars; one pair per person changes the whole safari
Light-aircraft charter to the airstrip to Central Serengeti. Drive into the Seronera valley, the big-cat heartland of the Serengeti, for an afternoon of lion and cheetah.
Morning
Dawn departure with coffee in the vehicle — walking safaris in northern concessions
Afternoon
Siesta through the heat, then game drives across seronera, western corridor, northern serengeti
Evening
Sundowners at a viewpoint, then a bush dinner under the stars
Highlights
The Great Migration — calving, river crossings, rutting
Big cat coalitions in the Seronera Valley
Kopjes (granite outcrops) hiding leopards & lions
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
All inclusive
Light aircraft + 4x4 game-drive vehicle on landing
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Light-aircraft baggage limit: 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage
Park fees: USD 82.60/adult/day (non-resident)
Best river crossings: Aug–Oct (Mara River, north)
A warm fleece for pre-dawn drives — it is genuinely cold before sunrise
Light-aircraft charter to the airstrip to Volcanoes National Park. Climb to Musanze through terraced hills, afternoon golden monkey tracking and trek briefing.
Morning
Dawn departure with coffee in the vehicle — birdwatching & photography
Afternoon
Siesta through the heat, then walking safaris (where permitted)
Evening
Sundowners at a viewpoint, then a bush dinner under the stars
Highlights
Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
Authentic local culture & guides
Curated lodges & camps in every tier
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
All inclusive
Light aircraft + 4x4 game-drive vehicle on landing
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Light-aircraft baggage limit: 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Neutral greens and browns for game drives — avoid blue and black (tsetse flies)
A final morning at Volcanoes National Park, then a charter flight to connect with your onward or international flight.
Morning
Final sunrise game drive or a slow breakfast, then check-out and pack
Afternoon
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Evening
Assisted check-in for your international flight home
Highlights
Excellent wildlife viewing year-round
Authentic local culture & guides
Curated lodges & camps in every tier
Accommodation confirmed on booking
Breakfast
Light aircraft + 4x4 game-drive vehicle on landing
Scheduled light-aircraft flight
Light-aircraft baggage limit: 15 kg per person in a soft bag, including hand luggage
Standard park/reserve fees apply
Best accessed via light aircraft or 4x4 transfer
Bring binoculars; one pair per person changes the whole safari
You leave Arusha National Park with the sound of the plains still in your ears — and a standing invitation to come back for the season you missed.
Transparent pricing
Park & conservation fees included
Destination
Type
Per adult / day
Days
Per adult
Arusha National Park
Park entry fee
$60
1
$60
Ngorongoro Crater
Park entry fee
$295
3
$885
Serengeti National Park
Park entry fee
$250
3
$750
Volcanoes National Park
Park entry fee
$100
1
$100
Total statutory fees per adult
$1,795
Children under 12 pay 50% and infants under 3 are free. Your proforma invoice itemises 16% VAT, the 2% catering levy and the 2% service charge separately.
What's included
All accommodation as listed, on the meal plan shown for each day
Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-top roof, window seat guaranteed
Professional English-speaking driver-guide throughout
Scheduled light-aircraft flights on the internal legs shown in the itinerary
All game drives and activities named in the itinerary
All park, reserve and conservation fees for the routed destinations
Airport meet-and-greet plus all transfers in the itinerary
Drinking water in the vehicle and camp laundry where offered
Flying-doctor evacuation cover (AMREF) for the safari days
24/7 in-country support line and a proforma invoice with every quote
Not included
International flights and airport departure taxes
Visa / e-TA fees and travel insurance (both mandatory)
Tips for guides, camp staff and drivers (guidance provided pre-departure)
Personal shopping, telephone and anything not listed as included
What to pack
✦Neutral safari clothing — greens, browns, khaki (avoid blue and black)
✦Warm fleece and windproof layer for early-morning drives
✦Wide-brim hat, polarised sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen
✦Binoculars (one pair per person) and a zoom lens if you shoot
✦Insect repellent with DEET, plus antimalarials as advised by your doctor
✦Soft duffel bag of 15 kg per person for light-aircraft legs
✦Universal adaptor and a power bank — camp power is generator-timed
✦Copies of passport, insurance and yellow-fever certificate where required
Health & safety
✦Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for all safari areas — confirm with your doctor
✦Yellow-fever certificate required when entering from an endemic country
✦Camps are unfenced: always walk with an askari escort after dark
✦Never stand up or lean out of the vehicle during a sighting
✦Comprehensive travel insurance including medical evacuation is mandatory
✦Flying-doctor evacuation cover is included for your safari days
Good to know
✦Tanzania e-visa should be applied for at least 10 days before travel
✦Ngorongoro Crater descent is charged per vehicle per 6-hour period
✦Serengeti fees are levied on a 24-hour basis from the time of entry
✦18% VAT applies to Tanzanian park fees and is shown on your invoice
✦16% VAT, 2% catering levy and 2% service charge are itemised on your proforma invoice
✦Book 6–9 months ahead for July–October and the festive season
✦Drones are prohibited in national parks without a written permit
✦A deposit of 50% confirms your dates; the balance is due 45 days before travel
Guest reviews & credentials
Why travellers trust us with the Serengeti & Rwanda: Big Cat Country to Gorilla Forests
“Our guide read the plains like a book — we were the only vehicle at a leopard sighting twice. Every transfer, camp and park fee was exactly as quoted.”
Amelia & Tom R. · London, UK
Maasai Mara · 6 nights
“Travelling with a 6-year-old and grandparents could have been chaos. Perch planned the driving days around nap times and picked family tents with connecting rooms.”
The Okoth Family · Nairobi, Kenya
Amboseli & Tsavo · 5 nights
“The migration timing advice was spot on. When one camp went full they moved us to a better one in the same conservancy at no extra cost, same day.”
Dr. Karin H. · Munich, Germany
Serengeti & Ngorongoro · 8 nights
KPSGA silver & gold guides
Every driver-guide is Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association certified, with 8+ years in the parks on your route.
Licensed tour operator
Registered with the Tourism Regulatory Authority (Kenya) and TALA-licensed operations in Tanzania.
AMREF Flying Doctors cover
Air-evacuation cover for every guest for the full duration of the safari, included in your rate.
Vehicle & safety standards
Serviced 4x4 Land Cruisers with pop-up roofs, first-aid kits, satellite comms and daily driver check-ins.
Transparent proforma pricing
Park fees, conservancy levies, 16% VAT, 2% catering levy and 2% service charge itemised before you pay.
4.9 / 5 guest rating
Across 380+ reviewed departures, with a 62% repeat-and-referral rate from past travellers.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
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Not every safari company. The safari company.
Planned around you. Priced in the open. Built to end on a high.
Anyone can send you a brochure. We build your journey with named stays, verified availability and every cost shown before you commit — then save the finest sighting for your final golden hour.