25 Days Tanzania Rwanda Self Drive itinerary – Road Trip in East Africa.
3 weeks self drive tour around Tanzania and Rwanda is tailored to travelers starting from southern Tanzania ( Coastal Region) visiting the western Tanzania and cross into Rwanda’s Capital as the alternative self drive experience for 2 weeks Rwanda gorilla & Northern Tanzania. 3 weeks is more of an expedition and not usual travel plan for beginners but for adventures that seek to see East Africa in a challenging way Including the primate watching in Mahale Mountains National Park.
You will be doing more of rough roads in the western part of Tanzania, be more careful as the terrain can be more demanding compared to the southern coastal Tanzania and Rwanda roads that are classic above where you will be having soft self driving experience with only cameras as the police officers.
The 25 Days Tanzania Rwanda self drive itinerary starts from Dar es salaam Tanzania and ends in Kigali Rwanda where it comes with one way car rental option for classic East Africa Safari holiday tailored by experts with the best recommended rental car being landcruiser lx 76 series
Trip Summary 25 Days Tanzania Rwanda Self drive itinerary – Road Trip East Africa.
Day 1 : pick up from Dar es salaam
Day 2 : shopping and transfer to selous game reserve
Day3: game drive and boat cruise
Day 4: transfer to Mikumi
Day 5: game drive full day
Day 6: Udzungwa Mountains and hike to water falls
Day7: transfer to Ruaha National Park
Day8: game drive
Day 9: walking safari and night game drive
Day10: transfer to iringa town .
Day 11: Transfer to katavi national park
Day12: game drive
Day13: Mahale mountains national park
Day14: chimpanzee tracking and nature walk
Day 15: transfer to lake tanganyika
Day16: visit the fishing village and boat cruise
Day17:transfer to kigoma town
Day 18: transfer to Akagera National Park
Day19: game drive and boat cruise
Day20: transfer to Kigali city
Day 21: transfer to volcanoes national park
Day22: gorilla trekking and t community visits , cultural experiences
Day 23: golden monkey tracking and relaxation at lake kivu
Day 24: boat cruise and relax
Day 25: transfer back to Kigali for flight back home
25 Days Self drive through Tanzania & Rwanda Tour – Road Trip Africa Itinerary
Off Road Adventure in East Africa through Tanzania and Rwanda is best designed by following 25 Days Tanzania Rwanda perfect off safari tour in landcruiser lx jeep with rooftop tent for camping in the bush and beaches. The trip starts from Nyerere Airport and ends at Kigali Airport.
Day 1: Arrival in Dar es Salaam
You touch down in bustling Dar es Salaam and meet your driver‑guide. After a quick briefing, stock up on Tanzanian SIM cards and cash, then settle at Kipepeo Beach Village Campsite on the south‑coast peninsula. Pitch your tent under palms, grab a cold soda, and let the Indian Ocean breeze ease you into safari mode.
Day 2: Shopping & Journey to Nyerere (Selous) Game Reserve
Beat the city traffic with an early supermarket stop for snacks and fresh produce, then drive 5–6 hours southwest on the A7 toward Kibiti, turning onto the red‑earth reserve road by lunchtime. At the gate your guide completes paperwork while you photograph giraffe sauntering past. Arrive at Rufiji River Public Campsite in late afternoon, set camp on the bluff, and watch hippos grunt below as the cook lights the camp‑fire.
Day 3: Classic Selous: Game Drive & Rufiji Boat Safari
Dawn coffee and rusks, then a full‑morning game circuit in the Miombo woodland—look for wild dog packs, sable antelope, and huge elephant herds. Return for lunch at camp, siesta, and at 16:00 join a shared boat cruise: crocs slide off sandbanks, fish eagles dive for tilapia, and the sunset paints the river gold. Overnight again at Rufiji River Public Campsite.
Day 4: Road to Mikumi National Park
Break camp and drive north through the Uluguru foothills. Stop at roadside fruit stalls for juicy mangoes before entering Mikumi’s open Mkata floodplain often dubbed “little Serengeti.” Giraffe and buffalo welcome you en‑route to Mikumi Tanapa Public Campsite, where hot showers and a view of the savanna await.
Day 5: Full‑Day Mikumi Game Drive
With packed breakfast, spend sunrise among zebra and eland silhouetted against the Ulugurus. Mid‑morning, explore the Vuma Hills loop for lion prides and rare Lichtenstein’s hartebeest. Pause at Mkata Hippo Pools picnic site, then continue until dusk. Return to Mikumi Tanapa Public Campsite for stories around the fire and stargazing unspoiled by light pollution.
Day 6: Udzungwa Mountains Waterfall Hike
Exit Mikumi national park early and drive 2 hours west to the little‑visited Ndunzu (sometimes written “Ndutu”) Mountains in the Udzungwa chain. A community guide leads a 4‑hour up‑and‑back trek through montane forest alive with endemic Udzungwa red colobus, ending at a crystal cascade where you can swim. Camp tonight at the rustic Mang’ula Community Campsite, ringed by banana groves and birdsong.
Day 7: Transfer to Ruaha National Park
A long but rewarding journey via Iringa town climbs onto the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Enter Ruaha, Tanzania’s largest park, by mid‑afternoon, spotting kudu and baobab‑dotted hills en‑route to Msembe Tanapa Public Campsite on the Ruaha River. Sundowners come with elephants trudging to drink just metres away.
Day 8 : Immersion Game Drive in Ruaha
Spend sunrise tracking big cats on the Kwihala Plains; Ruaha’s famed for huge lion prides and elusive leopard. After brunch at picnic site No. 3, explore the river loops for crocs and yawning hippos. Finish with a golden‑hour drive among towering baobabs before returning to Msembe Tanapa Public Campsite.
Day 9: Walking Safari & Night Game Drive
At first light a park ranger joins you for a 3‑hour walking safari—feel your pulse quicken as you read fresh lion tracks and watch elephants from a safe dry‑riverbed vantage. Rest at camp, then depart at 20:00 on a spotlight night drive: look for civets, aardvarks, and bush babies. Overnight again at Msembe Tanapa Public Campsite.
Day 10 : Drive to Iringa Town
Pack up and follow the escarpment road to the highland market town of Iringa. Stroll the colonial streets, visit the historic German Boma, and indulge in home‑style pizza at Neema Crafts café. Camp at the leafy Riverside Campsite (Old Farm House) just outside town, complete with hot showers and Wi‑Fi.
Day 11 : Long Haul to Katavi National Park
Depart by 06:00 for an adventurous full‑day (9–10 hrs) drive across the southern highlands and remote Mpanda town to Katavi national park, western Tanzania’s wild frontier. You will likely encounter more cattle than cars. Enter the park at Ikuu gate and settle at Ikuu Public Campsite, where roaring lions replace city noise.
Day 12: Raw Katavi Game Drive
Katavi’s floodplains teem with thousands of buffalo and some of Africa’s densest croc populations. Spend the day watching crocs pile into hippo‑filled pools and predators stalk the herds. Picnic under a tamarind tree, then continue to Chada Plain before sunset back at Ikuu Public Campsite.
Day 13: Boat to Mahale Mountains National Park
Leave camp at dawn for a 3‑hour drive to Lake Tanganyika’s Kalilani jetty. Board a shared dhow and motor north along the glassy lake, arriving late afternoon at Mahale. Pitch your tent at the forest‑lined Kansyana Beach Campsite, toes practically in the lake while hornbills’ flap overhead.
Day 14 – Chimpanzee Tracking & Nature Walk
Join Park trackers by 07:30 and trek steep forest trails (1–3 hrs) until the M‑group chimps are located. Spend a magical hour observing grooming, drumming, and young ones tumbling through lianas. After lunch, take a gentle guided walk to crystal‑clear mountain streams before a swim and sunset at Kansyana Beach Campsite.
Day 15 – Transfer to Lake Tanganyika Lakeshore
Catch the morning boat back to the mainland and drive south along the lakeshore to tranquil Kipili. Camp at Lake Shore Lodge Campsite, where hot showers, a small restaurant, and kayaks are available. Enjoy sundowners with fishermen’s lanterns twinkling across the water.
Day 16 – Fishing Village Visit & Sunset Cruise
After breakfast, walk with a local guide to nearby Mwanzini fishing village, learning how dhows are built and sardines sun‑dried on racks. In late afternoon, board a wooden boat for a relaxed cruise swim off the ladder, spot African fish eagles, and toast sunset before returning to Lake Shore Lodge Campsite.
Day 17 – Drive to Kigoma Town
Follow the north for 4–5 hours to historic Kigoma, terminus of the old Central Line railway. Pause at the Liemba ferry and browse craft stalls. Overnight at lakeside Jakobsen Beach Campsite, where you can snorkel straight off the shore.
Day 18 – Border Run to Akagera National Park, Rwanda
An early start takes you west via Rusumo Falls border post (visa formalities) and on through eastern Rwanda’s rolling hills to Akagera. Reach the south gate before dusk and camp at Shakani Lakeside Campsite zebra may graze between your guy‑ropes while hippos grunt in the dark.
Day 19 – Akagera Game Drive & Lake Ihema Boat Safari
Explore Akagera’s north–south game circuit: expect giraffe, topi, and perhaps a reintroduced black rhino. After lunch, board a park motor‑launch on Lake Ihema to spot crocs, numerous kingfishers, and perhaps a wallowing elephant. Return to Shakani Lakeside Campsite for a camp‑fire dinner beneath brilliant stars.
Day 20 – Drive to Kigali City
Exit Akagera and wind 2.5 hours through Rwanda’s “thousand hills,” arriving in spotless Kigali by noon. Visit the Genocide Memorial for poignant context, sip award‑winning Bourbon Coffee downtown, and camp at Peponi Living Spaces.
Day 21 – Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
After breakfast, a scenic 2‑hour drive north passes terraced farms and soaring volcano cones. Stop in Musanze for fresh pastries, then continue to Kinigi Volcanoes park HQ. Pitch your tent at community‑run Muhabura Lodge., join an afternoon banana‑beer brewing demo, and swap stories with fellow trekkers around the bonfire.
Day 22 – Gorilla Trekking & Community Visit
Arrive 07:00 at Kinigi for briefing, then trek through bamboo and giant hagenia to encounter a mountain‑gorilla family watch silverbacks hoist vines and infants’ somersault. Afternoon brings a visit to the Gorilla cultural village to learn drumming and spear‑throwing. Overnight at Muhabura Lodge.
Day 23 – Golden‑Monkey Trek & Lake Kivu Relaxation
A light 1‑hour forest walk reveals energetic golden monkeys leaping between mossy bamboo. Post‑trek, drive 1.5 hours to Gisenyi on Lake Kivu. Put your feet up at Paradise Malahide Campsite or Macheo Eco lodge, grab a fresh tilapia lunch, and lounge in a hammock with views across the Congolese hills.
Day 24 – Lake Kivu Boat Cruise & Beach Time
After a lazy breakfast, board a wooden pirogue for a half‑day cruise: visit Napoleon Island’s bats, glide past coffee‑plant‑draped shores, and swim in the bilharzia‑free water. Afternoon is yours for paddle‑boarding or simply reading on the beach before another night at Paradise Malahide Campsite or Macheo Eco lodge.
Day 25 – Return to Kigali & Departure
Break camp and drive 3 hours back to Kigali, stopping for roadside banana chips and last‑minute crafts at Kimironko Market. Your driver drops you at Kigali International Airport in time for your onward flight, your memory cards bursting with chimps, gorillas, and endless African horizons.