four properties
trekking, Rwanda
concession, Tanzania
between countries
Two countries. Two scales. One arc from intimacy to expanse.
This is a journey that unfolds in two movements. The first is intimate and vertical: Rwanda's volcanic highlands, where mountain gorillas move through ancient forest and the encounter is measured in minutes, not hours. The second is wide and horizontal: Tanzania's Serengeti, where predators and prey shape daily rhythm and the plains stretch further than you can process from ground level.
In Volcanoes National Park, time with a gorilla family is capped at one hour. Seven metres minimum distance. No flash. Silence expected. The constraint is the point — it sharpens everything. Afterwards, days at Singita Kwitonda Lodge allow the intensity to settle. The lodge sits at the forest edge, built from volcanic stone, designed for warmth and quiet rather than spectacle.
Tanzania changes the scale entirely. After departing Rwanda by light aircraft, the forest recedes and the Serengeti ecosystem opens beneath you. Five days in Singita's Grumeti concession offer something increasingly rare on safari: the chance to return to the same territory day after day until individual animals become recognisable and the landscape starts to feel known.
80 permits per day
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
In 1981 there were 254 mountain gorillas left. Today, over 1,100. That recovery was funded almost entirely by tourism revenue. The USD 1,500 permit is not a surcharge — it is the mechanism that keeps rangers employed, anti-poaching patrols running, and veterinary teams on call.
Exclusive concession
Singita Grumeti, western Serengeti
350,000 acres of private concession bordering the Serengeti National Park. Vehicle numbers are strictly controlled — you will rarely share a sighting. Five days here changes what safari means: you stop chasing sightings and start following stories.
By light aircraft
Kigali to the Serengeti
From the window, the change is immediate. Forest drops away. Rivers trace lines across plains. Herds gather and scatter in patterns that become legible from altitude. The transition between Rwanda and Tanzania is part of the journey.
Your East Africa itinerary
June to September and December to February offer the best trekking conditions in Rwanda and peak wildlife viewing in Tanzania. This is the recommended travel window. Gorilla permits and Singita availability require planning six to twelve months in advance.
Four properties. Two countries.
The Retreat by Heaven in Kigali for arrival. Singita Kwitonda for the gorilla days — the only lodge with direct access to Volcanoes National Park trekking routes. Singita Sabora or Faru Faru in the Grumeti concession for five days of safari with vehicle density kept low by design.
The Retreat by Heaven
Kacyiru, Kigali, Rwanda
A quiet residential base in Kigali, away from the city centre. The Retreat by Heaven offers pool villas set in garden grounds, with a considered restaurant, spa, and the kind of calm that makes a one-night arrival feel purposeful rather than transient.
Suite
Pool Villa. Private plunge pool, garden terrace, king bed, and en-suite bathroom. A more residential feel than a standard hotel room — the right environment for the first night before the highlands.
Singita Kwitonda Lodge
Kinigi, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Singita Kwitonda sits at the edge of Volcanoes National Park, built from local volcanic stone with direct access to gorilla trekking routes. Eight suites, each with a fireplace and outdoor terrace facing the Virunga peaks. The lodge is designed for warmth and quiet: a place to absorb the intensity of what happens in the forest rather than compete with it.
Suite
Suite. Separate bedroom and living areas, fireplace, outdoor terrace with views toward the Virunga volcanic peaks, and an indoor-outdoor bathroom. Finished in local stone, timber and earth tones.
Singita Sabora Tented Camp
Grumeti Concession, western Serengeti, Tanzania
Singita Sabora Tented Camp sits within the 350,000-acre Grumeti concession on the western edge of the Serengeti ecosystem. Nine tented suites in a 1920s Great Gatsby-inspired aesthetic: canvas walls, Persian rugs, claw-foot baths. The concession is exclusive to Singita guests, keeping vehicle numbers minimal and the experience as private as the landscape is vast.
Suite
Tented Suite. A large canvas tent with a separate sitting area, writing desk, claw-foot bathtub, and outdoor shower. Each tent faces the plains, with a private veranda for morning coffee and evening sundowners.
Singita Faru Faru Lodge
Grumeti Concession, western Serengeti, Tanzania
Singita Faru Faru Lodge is the more contemporary of the two Grumeti properties, with nine suites arranged around a waterhole that attracts animals throughout the day. The pool deck and terrace offer some of the most considered sunset viewing in the concession. Faru Faru and Sabora can be split across the Tanzania stay for contrast.
Suite
Suite. Open-plan living and sleeping areas, private plunge pool, outdoor shower, and a deck directly facing the waterhole. Elephants drink twenty metres from the veranda in the early morning.
The journey is arranged
The Retreat by Heaven, 1 night
Pool Villa in Kigali. A quiet residential base for arrival before the drive north to Volcanoes National Park.
Singita Kwitonda Lodge, 3–4 nights
Suite with fireplace and Virunga views. Direct access to gorilla trekking routes. The base for Rwanda.
Singita Sabora or Faru Faru, 5 nights
Tented Suite or plunge pool suite in the Grumeti concession. Exclusive access. Minimal vehicles. Expert guiding.
Mountain gorilla trekking permit
One permit included per guest. A second permit is available as an enhancement, subject to availability. USD 1,500 per permit, allocated to park conservation and community programmes.
All safari drives and guiding
All morning and afternoon game drives in the Grumeti concession with Singita's specialist guides. Bush lunches and sundowners on the plains included.
All meals and beverages
All meals at all properties. Beverages included at most properties; premium selections may be charged separately at select Singita outlets.
National park fees and conservation levies
All Volcanoes National Park fees, Serengeti concession fees, and Grumeti conservation levies included.
Light aircraft, Kigali to Grumeti
Private or scheduled light aircraft between Rwanda and Tanzania, routing through Nairobi or direct into the Grumeti airstrip.
All private transfers
Private vehicles throughout: airport arrivals and departures, Kigali to Volcanoes National Park, all park transfers.
Second gorilla trek permit
A different family, different forest conditions, and a second encounter if weather affected the first. Subject to permit availability. Should be requested at time of booking.
Helicopter scenic flight, Tanzania
The Serengeti from above. One of the few perspectives that makes the scale of the ecosystem comprehensible. Subject to weather and aviation permissions.
Private photographic guide
A specialist wildlife photographer for guests who want expert guidance on documenting the trip with technical skill and discretion. Available in both Rwanda and Tanzania.
Extended Tanzania stay
Two to three additional nights in the Grumeti concession for deeper immersion and increased likelihood of significant encounters during key wildlife periods.
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