The Great Rift Valley runs continuously through Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, and this journey follows it — Kenya’s Rift lakes, Tanzania’s Rift-floor parks and Ngorongoro’s volcanic caldera, closing in Rwanda’s Albertine Rift volcanoes and Lake Kivu.
Detailed Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrival at Nairobi, then a drive to Lake Naivasha, a freshwater Rift lake known for hippos and birdlife.
Arrive Nairobi, Transfer to Lake Naivasha
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeLake Naivasha Sopa Lodge
LuxurySawela Lodges
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
DAY 2
A boat safari on the lake followed by a walking safari on Crescent Island.
Boat Safari and Crescent Island Walk
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3
A drive to Lake Nakuru, arriving for an afternoon game drive among flamingos and rhino.
Transfer to Lake Nakuru National Park
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeLake Nakuru Lodge
LuxurySarova Lion Hill Game Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4
A full day among Nakuru’s flamingo-lined shores and healthy rhino population.
Full Day Lake Nakuru Game Drives
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5
A drive across the Namanga border, continuing to Lake Manyara National Park, tucked beneath the Rift Valley escarpment.
Cross Border to Lake Manyara, Tanzania
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeLake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge
LuxuryTarangire Treetops
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6
A full day beneath the escarpment, known for tree-climbing lions and elephant herds.
Full Day Lake Manyara Game Drives
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7
A drive up the Rift Valley escarpment to the Ngorongoro Crater rim, itself a collapsed Rift volcano.
Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeNgorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
LuxuryNgorongoro Crater Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8
A full day descended onto the crater floor among lion, elephant and black rhino.
Ngorongoro Crater Floor Game Drive
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 9
A flight via Kilimanjaro or Nairobi to Kigali, then a drive to Kinigi at the base of the Virunga volcanoes, part of the Albertine Rift’s western branch.
Fly to Kigali, Transfer to Kinigi, Rwanda
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeMountain Gorilla View Lodge
LuxuryVirunga Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 10
A full day tracking a habituated mountain gorilla family through the Virunga volcanoes.
Gorilla Trekking, Volcanoes National Park
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 11
A morning trek through the bamboo zone tracking a troop of golden monkeys.
Golden Monkey Trekking
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 12
A drive to the shores of Lake Kivu, sitting directly within the Albertine Rift Valley floor, with the afternoon free to relax.
Transfer to Lake Kivu
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeCormoran Lodge
LuxuryLake Kivu Serena Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 13
A free day by the water, with optional boat trips or kayaking, closing the loop on the Rift Valley journey.
Free Day, Lake Kivu
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 14
A drive to Kigali and transfer to Kigali International Airport for your onward international flight.
Departure
Meals: Breakfast
Permits & Costs
| Lake Naivasha boat safari & Crescent Island entry | ~$50 per person |
| Lake Nakuru & Lake Manyara park entry | ~$60 per person per day |
| Ngorongoro Conservation Area fee | ~$70 per person per day, plus crater descent |
| Rwanda gorilla & golden monkey permits | $1,500 / $100 per person |
Who This Itinerary Suits
Travellers drawn to landscape and geology as much as wildlife, tracing one continuous natural feature across three countries.Tour Includes
- All ground transport in 4×4 safari vehicles
- Lake Naivasha boat safari & Crescent Island walk
- Cross-border transfer & regional flight
- Professional English-speaking driver-guides in each country
- All accommodation per itinerary
- Meals as specified
- Gorilla permit, golden monkey permit & park entry fees
Tour Excludes
- International flights
- Visas
- Tips & gratuities
- Travel insurance