The Ultimate East Africa Singita Safari

When it comes to selecting which flight plan is best suited to your travel needs, your SmartFlyer travel advisor comes armed with the backing of our SmartFlyer Air Team. These aviation experts come equipped with in-depth knowledge about routes, aircraft configurations, lounges, and so much more. No matter where you’re coming from or which alliance you prefer to fly with, we’re here to create a custom itinerary for you and your travel companions.

Touch down in the vibrant capital city of Kigali as your introduction to Rwanda. While some international flight arrival times would allow you to go straight to Singita, we love building in a bit of time to experience the thriving art, dining, and nightlife scene in Kigali. This vibrant and sophisticated city takes so many travelers by surprise – our team has found commonalities between this Rwandan city and Singapore for their remarkable cleanliness; plastic bags are outlawed and community service or “Umunganda” keeps Rwanda clean thanks to the participation of all citizens.

After a brief twenty-minute transfer from the airport, arrive at The Retreat by Heaven. The property is Kigali’s first boutique luxury hotel and is sprinkled with Rwandan arts and photography. With only twelve rooms, you’re sure to feel like you’re staying at your very own Kigali home. If you’re up for some exploring, take the late afternoon to get into town. The Kigali Genocide Memorial acts as a poignant tribute to the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and serves as a meaningful way to begin your time learning first-hand about this complex country.

Wake up refreshed and ready to experience your first Singita property of the trip! Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at The Retreat by Heaven before meeting your driver for a scenic three-hour journey to Volcanoes National Park. The drive is quite hilly, so, if you prefer to see the landscape from above instead, you can take an exhilarating thirty-minute helicopter flight to the property.

Set on the edge of Volcanoes National Park, Singita Kwitonda Lodge is a nurturing sanctuary that provides Singita’s legendary hospitality and life-changing gorilla trekking experiences. With only eight suites, the vibe is sure to feel intimate with every one of your preferences catered to seamlessly. Each accommodation features a private heated plunge pool, wellness treatment area, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and large timber-framed windows that afford guests breathtaking volcano views. Enjoy a cozy dinner to fuel up for the epic adventure you have on deck.

There are approximately 480 mountain gorillas spread throughout the mountains which extend into Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Your positioning at Singita Kwitonda Lodge finds you on the edge of Volcanoes National Park which encompasses five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains. Volcanoes National Park is proud to be home to twelve gorilla groups – they are now habituated for tourism and attract travelers from all over the world for the chance to be in the presence of these gentle giants.

Trekking days begin with an early start; be sure to fuel up for a lengthy day of exercise. You’ll be picked up to drive to park headquarters at Kingi where park officials will assign you to a gorilla family and you’ll be introduced to your gorilla guides. There will be a protocol briefing before you head over to your starting point where you’ll be met by porters. Group sizes are limited to eight guests with a minimum age of fifteen years old.

While the immense size of the silverbacks may be overwhelming, they are known to be quite accommodating to human presence amongst their families.

The initial trek is typically through Rwanda’s open plains of potatoes and pyrethum before you reach the boundary of the park. From this point onwards, your guide will be in close communication with the trackers as you hike through the forest in search of your gorilla family. The permit you secured with the help of your SmartFlyer travel advisor grants you one full hour with the gorilla. Use this time to be in sheer awe of these majestic 400-pound creatures. While the immense size of the silverbacks may be overwhelming, they are known to be quite accommodating to human presence amongst their families. Your guide may even teach you a few words in ‘gorilla’ so you can greet one another!

While some opt to do just one day of gorilla trekking, many guests aim to maximize their time in Rwanda with a second day back in the jungle. While the format will be much the same as your previous day of trekking, the beauty of nature is its unpredictability. You’re sure to see a completely different scene on your second day, and that return to the roaring fireplace back at Singita Kwitonda Lodge will be even more welcome. Draw a bath and soak up the tranquility of this stunningly serene setting as the sun sets.

For your final full day in Rwanda, consider taking it easy. The physicality of two days of trekking will likely be wearing on your body, so today is the ideal time to dip into the spa. In the afternoon, you can discover the neighboring communities. Or, if you’re up for more interactions with wildlife, opt for golden monkey trekking. This rare and delightful experience allows guests to see the monkey’s in their bamboo vegetation close to the base of the mountain. We love how clients come back from Rwanda sharing that seeing the golden monkeys’ mischief kept them laughing all the way back to the lodge. Note that while this activity is less strenuous than gorilla trekking, but does still require permits, so be sure to arrange with your SmartFlyer travel advisor in advance.

Wake up for an early morning journey from Rwanda to Tanzania, beginning with a transfer from Singita to the Kigali International Airport. In typical Singita fashion, the team at Kwitonda will send you on your way with a delectable to-go breakfast that you can enjoy on your two-and-a-half-hour transfer from the lodge to the airport. Upon arrival, you’ll be assisted with check-in for your flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Once you touch down in Tanzania, you’ll be greeted by a VIP escort to whisk you through customs and immigration.

A Singita team member will have a sign with your name to meet you in the arrival hall, where you’ll then proceed to check in for your Grumeti Air scheduled charter flight; typically, there is one that leaves mid-afternoon and will have you on the Grumeti Airstrip by 4 p.m. Rest easy knowing yet another Singita Guide awaits on this end of the journey! Grab a cold beverage out of their well-stocked cooler and take in the vastly different landscape and wildlife that await on your twenty-minute transfer to Sasakwa.

As you wind your way up the hill on which Singita Sasakwa sits, you’ll be imbued with an overpowering sense of freedom – here, you’re at the precipice of the wide open plains of the Serengeti. The views once you reach the lawn of the lodge are truly remarkable. Just wait until you see them from your suite! The property was recently renovated and this freshness is visible throughout; the design is old-world elegance meets contemporary charm. You’ll arrive just in time for afternoon tea and even an evening game drive if you’re up for it. Relish your sundowner in the bush, knowing you woke up in the hills of Rwanda and will head to sleep in the plains of the Serengeti.

…this is undoubtedly our favorite place in the world to ask for a splash of Amarula in our coffee.

Wake up in the Serengeti knowing the world is at your fingertips. If you’re an early morning riser, you can start the day before sunrise with an early morning game drive. The Singita team thoughtfully has your preferred coffee order ready to go in a reusable mug so that you can sip your preferred caffeinated beverage in the game vehicle while you’re spotting all the Tanzanian bush has to offer. After an hour or two of viewing wildlife from the vehicle, your guide will find a beautiful spot to set up some early morning bites; stretch your legs, and feel one with nature – this is undoubtedly our favorite place in the world to ask for a splash of Amarula in our coffee.

You’ll make your way back to Sasakwa in time for a little rest before lunch. Take some time to relax in the property’s stunning open-air spaces, or perhaps give your private pool a test drive. The culinary program across each of Singita’s lodges on the Grumeti private concession is thoughtfully crafted with a mix of local produce and a vegetable-forward offering that will keep you feeling healthy throughout your stay. After lunch, consider a massage at the spa, or shop in the well-outfitted boutique. Evenings here are all magically the same and completely different; head out into the bush and look for whatever wonders present themselves.

If you’re a runner, ready yourself for a very special experience this morning. Get out into the bush in a completely new way of seeing your surroundings. With the protection of a game vehicle, a spotter, and a team member or two from Grumeti Fund (more on that later), you’ll be empowered to run through the dirt paths of the bush floor. There are few moments that can compare to seeing a family of giraffes run beside you, but anything is possible when you’re on foot. If this experience sparks inspiration, consider building your next trip around the Serengeti Girls Run, an annual charitable run that brings together women from around the globe to support Singita’s nonprofit partner, Grumeti Fund.

During your stay at Sasakwa, you’ll be viewing game across more than 350,000 acres of the Singita Grumeti Reserve. This private concession has been radically revitalized over the past two decades thanks to the stewardship of the Grumeti Fund in partnership with Singita; every stay at a Singita Grumeti lodge (Singita Sasakwa Lodge, Singita Faru Faru Lodge, Singita Sabora Tented Camp, Singita Explore, Singita Serengeti House and the soon-to-open Singita Milele) contributes to the conservation efforts of the Grumeti Fund, so simply by staying with Singita, you are supporting their efforts to help the wildlife thrive.

If you’re keen to understand even more about what the Grumeti Fund does, your SmartFlyer travel advisor can arrange for you to spend the afternoon with the Canine Unit. This unit of 120 hard-working anti-poaching scouts is responsible for protecting the fragile ecosystem from threads of illegal hunting, in turn ensuring the abundant wildlife is kept safe. During your time with the canines and their handlers, you’ll learn more about the intensive training they undergo to work together to create a meaningful impact on the anti-poaching efforts within the Serengeti ecosystem.

Wake up for your last day in the bush knowing that it’s not really your last day, just the last day of this trip – because once Africa bites, it’s only a matter of time before you’re reeled back in. For a truly picture-perfect day, we recommend beginning with an early morning hot air balloon ride to see the Serengeti from above at sunrise. Balloons can be privatized, or if you’re going with a group, baskets hold either eight, twelve, or sixteen passengers depending on your needs. Celebrate a smooth landing with some bubbly!

If you’r eager to get moving in between game drives, consider playing tennis on the lodge’s pristine courts. Or, opt for a swim. This evening, savor every moment of sunset on your final game drive. Your guide is sure to lead you to a gorgeous vantage point for your sundowners; the Grumeti has several lookout points that will have you feeling like you’re in your own version of The Lion King. For your last dinner back at Sasakwa, soak up every drop of wine offered by the sommelier and toast to your eventual return!

This morning, you’ll have your final bush breakfast before packing up to head back to the Grumeti Airstrip en route to Kilimanjaro International Airport, where you’ll catch your flight back home. Return back to home base knowing that you’ve made irreplaceable memories.