:: Sample Holidays - suggestions to whet your appetite

WALK IN THE WILD, for those who wish to keep their feet on the ground and yet see fantastic game: walk with elephants in West Kilimanjaro and view game in the Serengeti in Tanzania before trekking to see mountain gorillas in the Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda

	Fly from London overnight via Nairobi to Arusha. By road to West Kilmanjaro Conservation Area for 2 nights at Hemingways Camp. Return to Arusha and fly to the Serengeti. Transfer to Nduara Loliondo Camp for 3 nights. Transfer to Kogatende airstrip and fly to Kigali. Overnight at The Serena Hotel. By road to the Virunga Mountains. Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge for 3 nights. Return to Kigali and fly via Nairobi overnight to London. From £6,479 per person sharing for 10 nights
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Your private guide will be waiting for you at Arusha airport and will drive you to Hemingways Camp, a small, comfortable tented camp in a private wilderness area of the WEST KILIMANJARO leased from the local Olmolog Maasai. Members of the community act as hosts and guides in the camp and benefits feed back with the funding of facilities such as schools in the local village which you can visit if you wish.

The focus here is on walking to track elephants but the different vegetation zones of the park allow a variety of game to thrive including giraffe, eland and gerenuk.

After a scenic light aircraft flight you will find yourself in another specialist walking area to the east of the SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK. Nomad’s Nduara Loliondo Camp moves seasonally to be in the best possible location for game viewing.

The design of the camp was influenced by nomadic cultures with accommodation in stylish and luxurious yurts. While you will have the opportunity for game drives in the main park, having the camp located in the huge adjacent boulder-strewn concession gives a real feeling of wildness and makes night drives possible as well.

We make use of a flight from the Kogatende airstrip to take you direct to KIGALI, the capital of Rwanda. It is well worth staying a night at The Serena Hotel to allow time for a city tour including an emotional visit to the Genocide Museum.

A natural bridge on the outskirts of Ruhengeri at the base of the Virunga Mountains, formed from a solidified lava flow, is a fascinating reminder of the volcanic activity that shaped the whole country. Indeed it is known as the ‘land of a thousand hills’ and the fertile volcanic soils means that, when permitted, terraces for agriculture climb from the valleys to virtually every summit contributing to the amazing scenery.

The lush slopes of the VIRUNGA MOUNTAINS provide an appropriately dramatic setting for the thrilling experience of viewing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. The Parc National des Volcans is one of the last refuges of these gorillas and you will trek to visit a habituated family.

Situated on the edge of the National Park, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is in a great location for the early start needed for trekking. The company, Governors’ Camp, which has over 30 years of experience in luxury-tented safaris in Kenya, was behind the construction and beautiful appointment of the guest cottages. Now its expertise is at work in the operation of the lodge which is owned by a Community Trust. Funds raised by Sabyinyo are driving socio-economic and conservation initiatives in the local community while the gorilla trekking permits contribute to the protection of these endangered animals.

It is also now possible to trek to see troops of habituated golden monkeys in the forests and nearby there are three stunning lakes, Burera, Ruhondo and Karago that are well worth a detour before heading off to Kigali for your flight back to Nairobi.

and what about?
	For a very different experience, plan at least eight days into an itinerary to CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO, the highest free-standing mountain in Africa. Our choice operator is Hoopoe Safaris, who offer two routes. Machame passes through tropical montane rainforest and on to the snow of Kili. Lemosho is ideal for those wanting more privacy, a slower climb, and all the best scenery of the mountain. The traversing of the Shira plateau is especially spectacular, and this route also ensures the best of the Machame route is also seen.

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