Compare Gorilla tracking & Zanzibar adventure by Audley Travel
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 6,520 |
| Price Per Day | $ 652 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | |
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
| Description |
With its white sands and turquoise waters, the Zanzibar Archipelago is an ideal place to unwind following a safari in Tanzania. You can spend your days snorkeling and diving among coral reefs, sailing on a traditional dhow and absorbing the Swahili culture. Our specialists, having visited Zanzibar Island, Pemba Island and the Mafia Islands many times, can help you plan a vacation to Zanzibar that takes in the archipelago’s highlights. There’s more to this string of islands than basking on palm-fringed beaches. Once a hub for spice traders, history here goes back 2,000 years. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Stone Town, the Zanzibari capital, where you can wander winding alleys leading to spice markets and see piles of cinnamon and nutmeg lying in the sun. Exploring the green interior of Pemba Island, you might come across farmers tending their crops. And, on the Mafia Islands, watch as fishermen make and mend their nets in tiny coastal villages. |
Day 1 Ruhengeri
Kigali , Ruhengeri
On arrival in Kigali you will be met by your guide and assisted with your bags. You will depart Kigali and drive through the winding countryside to Ruhengeri where you will settle into your lodge.
Day 2 Ruhengeri
Volcanoes National Park , Ruhengeri
Today you will set off early after breakfast for the park headquarters where you will register for the gorilla trekking. Once you've been assigned a group and have had a briefing from your guide you will be driven to the trailhead where you will start the walk. Your trek will take anywhere from an hour to five hours to reach the gorillas - depending on which group you've been assigned. The terrain changes from farmland to bamboo forests and rainforest as you search for the gorillas. Once you've found the group you will have one hour to watche these incredible creatures and take photos.
Day 3 Ruhengeri
Volcanoes National Park , Ruhengeri
Today you will visit the golden monkeys in the Volcanoes National Park. This will be a completely different but just as rewarding experience to tracking the gorillas. You will search for the monkeys with your guide through the forest of the Volcanoes National Park. The walk is generally easier than the trek to the gorillas, although this depends on the monkeys' movements. There are two habituated troops of golden monkeys, both of which have around 80 members in the family. They are incredibly lively, so can be quite hard to photograph until they settle down or go into a clearing, but are fascinating to watch leaping from tree to tree! In the afternoon you will be taken across to Lake Burera and Ruhondo. These are two beautiful lakes located about 45 minutes out of Ruhengeri and it is possible to do some gentle walks in this area.
Day 4 Zanzibar Island
Ruhengeri , Kigali , Nairobi , Zanzibar Airport , Zanzibar Island
After breakfast you will head back to Kigali with your driver-guide, a journey of around two hours. There will be time to do a short city tour of Kigali if you wish - the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Museum is well worth visiting if you're interested in learning more about the country's history. You will then fly out to Zanzibar via Nairobi. You will be met on arrival and driven across the colourful island to the palm fringed south coast where you will be able to relax after your Rwandan adventures.
Day 5 Zanzibar Island
Zanzibar Island
At leisure at Unguja Lodge - you can spend the day relaxing and unwinding here on the beautiful stretch of beach, or by the pool, reading a book under the shade of a palm tree and swimming in the warm Indian Ocean. If you're feeling more active, you can easily arrange diving or snorkelling from the lodge's PADI-certified dive centre or choose from a range of other excursions to explore the island.
Day 6 Zanzibar Island
Zanzibar Island
I'd highly recommend heading out on a snorkelling trip at some point during your stay - you will sail in a traditional dhow to one of the reefs, and can spend an hour or two watching the colourful marine life living in the corals off Zanzibar. This is a lovely way to spend a morning or afternoon and a good opportunity to sail on a dhow as well!
Day 7 Zanzibar Island
Zanzibar Island
One of my favourite things to do in Zanzibar is to visit one of the small-scale spice farms on the island - you get a really hands-on experience tasting and smelling the spices for which the island is famous. This can be easily arranged either in advance or when you're at the hotel, so you can see how you feel day by day.
Day 8 Zanzibar Island
Zanzibar Island
Another good way to spend a morning or afternoon if you're looking for a change of scene from the beach, is to visit the Jozani Forest in the centre of the island. It's home to the rare red Kirk's colobus monkeys which are endemic to the island and which are really entertaining to watch leap and play in the trees!
Day 9 Zanzibar Island
Zanzibar Island
For something completely different to the beach, you could head into Stone Town one day for a daytrip - the town is located on the west coast and is a busy and bustling town. You can hire a guide to help you explore the narrow alleyways and cobbled streets, learning about the town's fascinating past with a rich and dramatic history as a centre of colonial exploration and of the East African slave-trade. It's also a great opportunity to pick up any souvenirs.
Day 10 Return home
Zanzibar Island
You will check out of your hotel today and will be driven across the island back to Zanzibar airport for your onward flights.
