Zambia Safari and Gorilla Trekking

Begin your extraordinary journey in Kigali, a resilient city arrayed across emerald hills. A private driver brings you to The Governor's Residence, a tranquil hideaway with charming rose gardens. Dinner is relaxed and unhurried; a soft landing before the journey deepens. Shake off your jet lag with a restful sleep. 

Begin your day at the Kigali Genocide Memorial for a powerful and dignified introduction to Rwanda's modern history. Afterward, peruse a buzzing market for woven home goods, fashions, and handcrafted jewelry. After lunch, drive north through Rwanda's terraced hills to reach Sambora Kinigi Lodge, a stylish base nestled in the foothills of the cloud-hugged Virunga Mountains. Enjoy dinner in the presence of volcanoes, steeped in the anticipation of tomorrow’s gorilla trek. 

Lace up your hiking boots for one of the most poignant wildlife experiences on the planet. At park headquarters you’re assigned a gorilla family and guide. Drive to the trailhead and then hike uphill through a tangled forest. Once you locate the magnificent primates, spend a quiet hour in their spellbinding presence. Imagine standing mere feet from a mother cradling her precious infant or locking eyes with a commanding silverback.

Reserve a second day in Volcanoes for a golden monkey trek. Their playful energy and striking colors contrast the previous day’s quiet majesty. (Optional: A second gorilla trek.) Your afternoon is at leisure. You might sip cocktails in the trendy tasting room of Virunga Mountain Spirits or tour the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to learn about the plight of mountain gorillas and the legacy of the famed conservationist.

After breakfast, your guide drives you to the Kigali airport where you will board your flight to Lusaka, Zambia. You’re collected by a guide at the airport and transferred to Latitude 15°, a sleek and art-filled boutique hotel in the upscale Kabulonga district. Sip something cold by the pool, dine on-site, or book a moringa oil massage; your one-night stay is a brief pause between adventures.

Take a bush plane flight to Lower Zambezi National Park and arrive at Old Mondoro. A collection of five chalets shaded by winterthorn trees and set upon a sandy floodplain, this traditional bush camp strips away excesses, and walls, to immerse you in the wild. Unfenced, elephants wander through camp and hippos honk from the reed beds. This afternoon, savor your first wondrous game drive and observe a ritual sundowner. 

Days begin with honeyed Zambezi sunrises and end with firelight under the stars. Track big cats on a game drive or cast a line to hook a tiger fish. Walking safaris reveal the micro, nuanced layers of the bush, while boat cruises offer golden-hour encounters along the riverbank. Whether on land or water, every moment in Lower Zambezi feels untamed and elemental. 

Fly to South Luangwa National Park, the crown jewel of Zambian safaris and one of the most rewarding wildlife destinations on the continent. Make Mchenja your basecamp for edge-of-your-seat wildlife moments. An intimate camp of just five safari rooms, no one remains a stranger for long while gathered at the dinner table or around the fire. On your afternoon game drive, ready your binoculars for big cat sightings. 

After the open landscapes and water safaris of the Lower Zambezi, South Luangwa is a study in contrast—more textured, more secretive. On game drives, scan the canopy for leopards draped on branches, cruise by oxbow lagoons where species mingle, and after dark, surveil for aardvark. Reserve one morning to follow in the footsteps of British Conservationist Norman Carr, who pioneered walking safaris right here in South Luangwa in the 1950’s.

Fly to Likoma Island and arrive at Kaya Mawa. Hemmed by Lake Malawi’s endless horizon, this rustic-luxe hideaway is a freshwater beach finale. Relax into your rock-hewn and thatch suite, adorned with Swahili design accents. Cradled in the privacy of mango and baobab trees, dip into the plunge pool, sunbathe on your deck, shower under the stars, or draw a bath for an al fresco soak in a standalone tub. 

Kaya Mawa translates to “maybe tomorrow,” setting the tone for your stay: do as much or as little as you please. While away joyful days snorkeling turquoise waters, paddleboarding, sailing, wakeboarding, fishing, scuba diving, or e-mountain biking. Pillowy beach picnics, lakeside massages, cotton candy sunsets, candlelit dinners with toes in the sand, and stargazing imbue dreamy days with barefoot bliss. 

Fully rested, heart and mind at ease, your trip comes to a quiet close. Savor one final unrushed breakfast with toes in the sand before flying back to Lilongwe. From here, begin your international journey home.