Gorillas, Chimps and Tanzania 18 Days

Day 1: Arrival Entebbe

Welcome to the Pearl of Africa! Arrival at Entebbe Airport where you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel.

O/n Protea Hotel Entebbe (D)

Day 2: Entebbe to Lake Mburo National Park

After breakfast we will head southwest to Lake Mburo National Park. On our way we will pass the Ugandan Equator where you can take pictures and shop for a souvenir. From here we continue to Igongo Cultural Centre where we also will have lunch. The cultural centre illustrates the culture and traditional way of life of the local tribes in this area, including a museum, garden with indigenous trees and plants and traditional homesteads. In the afternoon we enter Lake Mburo National Park. Check in at your accommodation located on the top of a hill and enjoy the wonderful views. In the afternoon enjoy a guided bush walk with opportunities for a close encounter with Uganda’s wildlife!  

O/n Mihingo Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 3: Lake Mburo to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Wake up in the morning to the sounds of the African bush! After a calm breakfast we depart the protected area and with a game drive on our way out we drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, home of the endangered mountain gorillas.

O/n Mahogany Springs (B, L, D)

Day 4: Gorilla Trekking

Arise early today and prepare for the highlight of your safari, an unforgettable encounter with the Gentle Giants! Following breakfast, transfer to the national park offices where you will be allocated a gorilla family in groups of 8 as well as a gorilla tracking guide. After a pre-tracking briefing by your guide touching on the gorillas generally, your assigned gorilla family as well as appropriate safety precautions, you drive to the trail head for the start of a thrilling adventure. Expect to walk between 2 and 8 hours in steep and sometimes muddy conditions with rain overhead, which can be tough and require a degree of (average) fitness. However the thrill of coming face to face with a giant Mountain Gorilla silverback completely makes up for the effort! Upon sighting the gorillas, you spend the allowed one hour with them as they go about their daily life; feeding, moving, playing, raising their young and sometimes wrestling with the juveniles – it is a totally unique and unforgettable experience!

O/n Mahogany Springs (B, L, D)

Day 5: Gorilla Trekking

Just Like yesterday, arise early today and prepare for the highlight of your safari, an unforgettable encounter with the Gentle Giants! Following breakfast, transfer to the national park offices where you will be allocated a gorilla family in groups of 8 as well as a gorilla tracking guide. After a pre-tracking briefing by your guide touching on the gorillas generally, your assigned gorilla family as well as appropriate safety precautions, you drive to the trail head for the start of a thrilling adventure. Expect to walk between 2 and 8 hours in steep and sometimes muddy conditions with rain overhead, which can be tough and require a degree of (average) fitness. However the thrill of coming face to face with a giant Mountain Gorilla silverback completely makes up for the effort!

O/n Mahogany Springs (B, L, D)

Day 6: Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth NP to Kibale Forest NP

After an early breakfast we head to another tropical rainforest. En route we will pass the vast savannah plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park where we will go in search of the tree climbing lions. Enjoy a picnic lunch before we proceed towards the foothills of the “Mountains of the Moon” and finally reach Kibale Forest National Park, for an overnight in the middle of the African jungle.

O/n Primate Lodge Luxury Cottages (B, L, D)

Day 7: Kibale Forest National Park

Today the forest opens for a sensational chimp tracking. Kibale Forest is reputable of having the greatest variety and highest concentration of primates in East Africa. After a pre-tracking briefing at walking distance from your accommodation, you will start your hike adventure into the forest. Follow the footsteps of a large habituated family of chimpanzees, with over 120 individuals, that has made Kibale one of the best locations in Africa for chimp viewing.

En route your guide will explain more about the forest and the other inhabitants, including other primates and birds such as the blue breasted Kingfisher, black billed Turaco, Pied Hornbill, Chestnut winged Starlings and many more.

Upon sighting the chimpanzees, you will stay with them for one unforgettable hour as they continue their daily routine – growling, grooming, feeding, taking care of the young ones and agilely climbing up trees.  It certainly is one unforgettable wildlife encounter and the hour is always over too soon.

After your forest walk, return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon we transfer to Bigodi Village for a community walk that will bring you closer to the local tribe that lives in this area. Accompanied by a local guide, who can tell you everything about the traditional customs and lifestyle, you will follow the village path and visit a primary school, traditional homesteads and learn more about the crops in the fields.

O/n Primate Lodge Luxury Cottages (B, L, D)

Day 8: Kibale to Entebbe

After breakfast we calmly head back towards the capital city with lunch en route. Look out for the black-and-white colobus monkeys which are hiding along the road. From Kampala we continue to Entebbe.

O/n Protea Hotel Entebbe (B, L)

Day 9: Travel from Uganda to Tanzania

Transfer to Entebbe International Airport connect to your international flight. We recommend you book your own flight from Entebbe to Kilimanjaro Airport as part of your international ticket. Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport where you will be collected and transfer to Ahadi Lodge located just outside Arusha town.

O/n Ahadi Lodge (D)

Day 10: Arusha National Park and Safari Walk

After breakfast drive the short distance to Arusha National Park where you head out on an easy walking safari with an armed ranger. Walk through open plains and the lower slopes of Mt. Meru over to waterfalls. Get a different perspective of viewing wildlife from the ground level. There are also good chances of seeing black and white Colobus monkey.

Optional: afternoon canoeing safari of Little Momela lake – gives you a great opportunity to approach wildlife as they drink and wallow in the shallows.

Continue with afternoon game drives before heading back to Ahadi Lodge.

O/n Ahadi Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 11: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Depart from Arusha in the morning and begin the drive through a changing landscape to Tarangire National Park for game drives of the ‘Elephant Playground’. Game drives en route to Tarangire Safari Lodge for hot lunch and relaxation – head out again late afternoon for sunset game drives and return to the lodge in time for sundowner drinks.

O/n Tarangire Safari Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 12: Tarangire to Esilalei Maasai Community

Dawn game drives of Tarangire National Park - then leave the park with a game drive en-route and head the short distance to the Maasai community of Esilalei. Meet with your local Maasai guide who will introduce you to his village. Get a better understanding of the natural medicines still used on a daily basis with a Maasai medicine walk of the surrounding area. Then continue down to a Boma (mud dwelling) for an introduction into the Maasai way of life, beliefs and rituals. Freshen up and enjoy a real cultural experience around the fire place with traditional song and dance.

O/n Isoitok Camp Manyara (B, L, D)

Day 13: Lake Manyara National Park

After breakfast depart towards Lake Manyara National Park for game drives of this very diverse park. If you are lucky you may see the famous tree climbing lions. Picnic lunch in the bush followed by game drives until mid-afternoon – then slowly make your way out of the park and return to the camp.

O/n Isoitok Camp Manyara (B, L, D)

Day 14: Manyara to Serengeti National Park

Morning wake-up call with bird chorus. After breakfast you head via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the endless plains of Serengeti. Game drive en-route to central Serengeti – explore the many different areas of the park, your driver guide will advice on the best places to visit.

O/n Kiota Camp (B, L, D)

Day 15: Serengeti National Park

Optional: Early morning head out for a Balloon flight. View the Serengeti plains from a hot air balloon followed by champagne breakfast on the landing site. A full day of game drives in Serengeti National Park. Head over to the Rock Kopjes where you have good chances of seeing some of the cat families. Cheetah and lion use this giant rock out crops as observation posts.

O/n Kiota Camp (B, L, D)

Day 16: Ngorongoro Crater Rim Nature Walk

After breakfast game drives en-route out of the Serengeti, heading back through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area towards the Ngorongoro Crater. Continue to the crater rim and onto the NCAA HQ where you collect a ranger who will accompany you on a nature walk of the crater rim. Late afternoon head to Rhino lodge located just off the Ngorongoro Crater rim – enjoy your dinner and overnight.

O/n Rhino Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 17: Ngorongoro Crater

Early morning descend into the crater for game drives. There are 25,000 large mammals residing in the park. The elephants are mainly bulls, females stay out of the park due to it boasting the largest predator population in Africa. Black Rhino also make their home on the grassy plains, their numbers make up for almost half of what can still be found in East Africa; about 20 in total.

O/n Rhino Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 18: Ngorongoro to Kilimanjaro International Airport

After breakfast at the lodge, slowly begin the drive towards Arusha where you will be dropped off at Arusha Airport for your flight connection to your next safari/beach destination or drop off at Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight connection back home  (B, L)