Singita East Africa

Itinerary Highlights

The name Singita, meaning “Place of Miracles” in Shangaan, is synonymous with Africa’s most exclusive safari experience. The widely renowned and globally recognized brand has perfected the craft of luxury safari with equal emphasis on wildlife conservation and local community engagement. For safari connoisseurs or those who simply demand the best, Singita is a name you will come to know and love. With the 2019 addition of Kwitonda Lodge in Volcanoes National Park, Singita has expanded its repertoire from classic Big Five safari to include yet another one of Africa’s greatest and unforgettable adventures: gorilla trekking. Our Singita East Africa itinerary allows travelers to combine Singita’s distinguished Serengeti camps and lodges with primate tracking in Rwanda. The pairing of these two unique destinations coupled with the Singita experience provides what is, even for the most discerning and sophisticated traveler, easily the trip of a lifetime. The 9-night combination of Singita properties also provides substantial value, with a sixth night in the Serengeti free of charge and a third night at Kwitonda Lodge in Rwanda half off.

Your journey to East Africa begins in Arusha, home to some of Tanzania’s most fertile lands ripe with coffee plantations. Spend your first day relaxing at Legendary Lodge, a working coffee farm dripping with old world charm. You’ll then fly to your first Singita property: Mara River Tented Camp. Set in the northern Serengeti upon the famed Mara River, ground zero for the spectacular wildebeest migration route. Here you will embark on twice-daily safaris boasting prolific wildlife with the exclusivity only a private reserve could offer. You’ll then head south to the recently renovated Singita Sabora Tented Camp, located in Grumeti Private Nature Reserve in the heart of the Serengeti. Like Mara River, Sabora offers the best in tented safari but with markedly different scenery and topography, providing diversity to your journey. Round out your Serengeti safari adventure at Singita’s Faru Faru Lodge. This architecturally stunning property is matched only by the pristine backdrop of Grumeti. Depart Tanzania for neighboring Rwanda where you’ll arrive to the capital city of Kigali. Drive through the “land of a thousand hills” before arriving to Volcanoes National Park. Situated at the foothills of the park, Singita Kwitonda Lodge has quickly become Rwanda’s crown jewel and the perfect base for mountain gorilla trekking. End your adventure with an unforgettable helicopter ride as you return to Kigali.

Hotels and lodges described in the itinerary are recommended by Craft Travel but there are numerous options in each destination and we will customize your itinerary based upon your preferences. With your feedback, we will similarly customize suggested activities, time spent in each location and trip extensions to additional destinations of interest nearby.

See “Expert Notes & Customization” section below.

Itinerary Details

Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you will be immediately greeted by your guide and transferred to Arusha where you’ll spend your evening.

Legendary Lodge boasts 12 beautiful garden cottages, each with a private veranda with spectacular views of Mount Meru. Legendary Lodge is one of a kind: it is a luxury property located on the outskirts of Arusha, set in a lush tropical garden surrounded by a working coffee farm. The interiors have been designed with a unique blend of African style combined with Western comforts and old colonial luxury.

Indulge in gourmet meals served at the old farmhouse. Meal times are flexible and guests are accommodated at their convenience. Wake up calls are accompanied by freshly brewed coffee and tea along with a full English breakfast. Delicious lunches are followed by romantic candle-lit dinners, served with a selection of fine wines. The nearby recreation centre includes a fully equipped gym with aerobics studio, sauna, steam room, pool, tennis and squash courts as well as sports fields and a five-kilometre running track. Optional activities offered are a coffee tour or shopping at the nearby Cultural Heritage Center. Legendary Spa offers a full range of professional services. After a long flight, ease your body into African time with a relaxing massage or reflexology treatment. After your safari, rehydrate your skin with a personalized face or body treatment. Whatever your pleasure, Legendary Lodge will ensure a truly legendary experience.

Overnight at Legendary Lodge Arusha (Lunch & Dinner)

After breakfast you’ll be escorted from Legendary Lodge to Arusha’s airport for a charter flight to the Lamai triangle in the heart of the northern Serengeti. Situated on the famed Mara River whose banks host the iconic scenes of the Great Wildebeest Migration, Singita’s private concession covers 98,000 acres of the northern-most tip of the Serengeti National Park. Singita’s Mara River Tented Camp is a permanent tented camp with a modern take on the classic East African safari. Close to the ground and off the grid, the concept and design of the camp encourages constant engagement with nature without compromising on creature comforts. The look is Bohemian chic: contemporary with splashes of bright colors, without sacrificing the elegant yet relaxed feet-up style that defines the Singita brand.

During your two-night stay enjoy daily morning and afternoon game drives with the region’s most highly trained and experienced local naturalist guides. In your downtime, relax with stargazing, swimming, board games or yoga and meditation on your private deck. During your stay you are likely to see a great variety of wildlife including bat-eared fox, buffalo, cheetah, eland, elephant, gazelle, leopard, lion, Maasai giraffe, topi, wildebeest and zebra.

Overnight at Singita Mara River Tented Camp (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

Today fly south via charter aircraft to the magnificent Grumeti Reserve, a 138,000-hectare private concession home to some of Tanzania’s most abundant game. An unforgettable East African experience, Singita’s Sabora is an intimate tented camp is modeled on a 1920s-style explorer’s camp in the middle of the game-rich savanna plains of the Serengeti. Evoking the elegance and romance of a bygone era, the nine tented suites are lavishly furnished with antiques and Zanzibari treasures.

Like Little Mara, your days at safari will be spent primarily on daily morning and afternoon game drives with your guide. Afternoon drives conclude with a spot-lit evening return revealing the elusive magic of nocturnal Africa. For the more adventurous (and those over 16), walking safaris are offered to provide the ultimate immersion into the Serengeti bush. Guests at Sabora also have the opportunity to visit a local community and experience Tanzanian culture while learn about the positive impact that tourism has made in the region.

During your stay you are likely to see a great variety of wildlife including bat-eared fox, buffalo, cheetah, Colobus monkey, eland, elephant, gazelle, leopard, lion, Maasai giraffe, topi,wildebeest and zebra.

Overnight at Singita Sabora Tented Camp (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Today you’ll depart Sabora with your guide via your Land Rover vehicle to the nearby Faru Faru Lodge. Despite the two properties residing near one another, be prepared for an utterly unique experience.

Inspired by the fusion of traditional African craft with a Danish simplicity, Singita Faru Faru Lodge has been re-imagined within its wilderness setting in the Serengeti. The main living and dining areas are more expansive, with new enclosed dining and lounge areas creating cool places of retreat. An interactive kitchen adds a new dynamic to the dining experience, while open seating areas will have been pulled forward for closer engagement with nature. New central areas, including a Singita signature ‘bar-deli’ encourage guests to come together to drink, eat and enjoy the breath-taking views. Shaped organically with its main focus on the waterhole, the new architecture makes a bold, but magical statement enhanced by the creative use of locally sourced natural materials. The revitalized lodge boasts a back-to-basics style allowing animals and nature to take center stage.

At Faru Faru you’ll continue with magical game drives, encountering the prolific wildlife of this private nature reserve. Walking safari is once again an option for the brave (and 16+ crowd), as are community visits. Enjoy the lodge’s spa and fitness center, along with its two elegant pools. During your stay you are likely to see a great variety of wildlife including bat-eared fox, buffalo, cheetah, Colobus monkey, eland, elephant, gazelle, leopard, lion, Maasai giraffe, topi,wildebeest and zebra.

Overnight at Singita Faru Faru Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

Following your final Serengeti bush breakfast, embark on your charter flight to neighboring Rwanda. Upon arrival to Kigali’s airport you will be immediately greeted by your guide and head for a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi. The memorial is the burial site for 250,000 Rwandan genocide victims and serves to educate about how the genocide against the Tutsi took shape, as well as a deeper look into all genocides of the twentieth century. The wall of names is dedicated to those who died and is a work still in progress. Many of the victims’ names have yet to be gathered and documented and many of the victims who rest in the graves are unknown. The memorial gardens provide a place for quiet contemplation about the history of the genocide against the Tutsi. The centre also provides support for survivors, in particular orphans and widows.

Following your visit you’ll head southwest with your guide on a scenic ride through the “land of a thousand hills” as Rwanda is affectionately known. Your journey ends at the iconic Volcanoes National Park. Situated on its northwestern border, the park is home to more than one third of the remaining mountain gorillas in the world. It is here, sharing a 1.2km border with the Park, that Singita Kwitonda Lodge – the only lodge in such close proximity to the habitat of the gorillas – puts trekking experiences within easy reach.

Rwanda’s regenerative spirit has inspired the entire guest experience at Kwitonda Lodge, where guests are enveloped in a contemplative, nurturing space in which to appreciate the transformative experience of coming face to face with the forest’s gentle giants. Boasting breathtaking views of the Sabyinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura volcanoes and surrounded by high-altitude forests, Singita Kwitonda Lodge offers an experience unlike any of Singita’s other destinations. With its exceptionally beautiful surroundings, environmentally conscious luxury and transformative, purpose-driven experiences, the lodge was designed to reflect the gentle, yet strong spirit of Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas. It features eight contemporary suites, and Singita Volcanoes National Park also offers a private villa – Kataza House. The interiors emphasize local design and handcrafted details adorn the carefully planned spaces. Private heated plunge pools and in- and outdoor fireplaces enhance the comfort of each suite and the main lodge features a convivial fire pit, interactive kitchen, ‘bar-deli’ and wine cellar.

Enjoy your evening at leisure in this peaceful paradise.

Overnight at Singita Kwitonda Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

Today you’ll embark on your first tracking experience as you make your entrance to Volcanoes National Park. This morning’s focus will be on the Golden monkey, a primate species found only in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa. This trek serves as the ideal preview for tomorrow’s grand adventure.

Return to the lodge for lunch and an afternoon of leisure, or consider additional explorations of the area. Popular activities include hikes to Dian Fossey’s gravesite or to the stunning Mount Bisoke Crater Lake. A visit to the Musanze Caves or a community experience in the local village of Gasura can also be arranged.

For those who prefer to enjoy the amenities of Kwitonda, the lodge’s expansive fitness studio includes various exercise options such as cycling, running, walking and yoga. Cooking lessons are also available with Kwitonda Lodge’s expert chefs and fully equipped interactive kitchen. And of course you are strongly encouraged to enjoy relaxation in the lodge’s spa or in your cottage’s private heated plunge pool.

Overnight at Singita Kwitonda Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

Singita Kwitonda Lodge provides a contemplative, nurturing space in which to appreciate the transformative experience of coming face to face with the forest’s gentle giants. For most guests, a gorilla trek is at the top of their list when they visit Rwanda and a stay at Singita Kwitonda Lodge allows them the privilege to encounter one of Africa’s most majestic and gentle creatures in the wild, while immersed in the beauty of their pristine natural habitat. Setting off early in the morning for the 7am briefing at Volcanoes National Park’s headquarters, 10 minutes from Singita Kwitonda Lodge, guests are matched with a guide before starting their hike into the dense cloud forest. The distance of each gorilla trek is varied, so depending on which gorilla family group guests are allocated to, the duration is anywhere from a couple of hours to a full day. Meals and lodge activities are flexible around each trek. As the age requirement for gorilla treks is 15, children will be cared for at the lodge where a variety of supervised activities are on offer.

Return to the lodge later this afternoon and enjoy time to relax and reflect on all you have witnessed the past ten days!

Overnight at Singita Kwitonda Lodge (Breakfast , Lunch & Dinner)

After a morning of leisure or lodge-based activities, depart on the transfer of a lifetime over the land of a thousand hills via private helicopter. This 45-minute heli ride will surely be a highlight of your trip and provide unparalleled photographic opportunities.

Then head to the international terminal for your departing flight. Depending on your flight schedule, you may need a day room to freshen-up before your flight, which can be arranged.

(Breakfast)

• 10 nights accommodations as per program (based on double/twin sharing room)

• All meals and drinks, wines and liquors (excluding French champagne)

• Internal flights, including helicopter experience from Volcanoes National Park to Kigali

• English speaking naturalist guides on in safari-outfitted Land Rovers with twice daily game drives in the Serengeti

• One gorilla trekking permit and one golden monkey trekking permit in Volcanoes National Park with park ranger guides

• All conservancy, wildlife and national park tourism fees

• *Not included: gratuities, visas (if applicable), international flights, meals and drinks not described above, additional permits (e.g. Golden Monkey permit in Volcanoes National Park) items of a personal nature

As described above, Singita is by far one of the most distinguished brands in African tourism and as such it is important to stress its rates may be significantly than those of competing five-star brands, particularly within the Serengeti. There is perhaps no substitute for the Singita experience but for those who prefer a more affordable option, we can customize a similar itinerary with exceptional lodges that are renowned and luxurious by every measure.

It is also worth noting that while Singita’s Serengeti locations boast abundant wildlife year-round, the migration period for the northern region of the Serengeti generally occurs between June and August. For migration chasers traveling outside of these specific months, it might be wise to consider other properties in Tanzania’s central or southern Serengeti, or in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. For those more focused on the overall experience, Singita is sure to deliver regardless of the month and the non-peak months offer the benefit of reduced rates. The primate experience in Rwanda is consistent throughout the year and as such rates do not change, though November - mid December and March - May are typically considered less in demand seasons.

This itinerary pairs perfectly with a beach extension to either Zanzibar or Seychelles. Additional nights can be added at Kwitonda Lodge to accommodate additional days of primate trekking, or the golden monkey trek can be substituted with an additional gorilla trek. As the perfect springboard for these encounters, Singita Kwitonda Lodge is also ideally located to discover the rest of Rwanda’s offerings such as Magashi Camp in Akagera Park or One&Only Nyungwe House, the perfect base for chimpanzee trekking.

Singita also boasts some of South Africa’s most iconic safari lodges, with private concessions and multiple properties within both Kruger National Park and neighboring Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve. Singita Pamushana is the brand’s impressive property within neighboring Zimbabwe. While we would generally recommend visiting Southern Africa on a separate trip, those looking for a more extensive itinerary may be interested in combining the two regions, with perhaps a stop along the way at Victoria Falls.