12-Day Tanzania Wildlife and Uganda Primates Safari
This 12-Day Tanzania Wildlife and Uganda Primates Safari itinerary will lead you through the breathtaking sceneries and wildlife in Tanzania’s Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park, Serengeti national park, and Ngorongoro Crater, each being home to the Big Five as well as other wildlife species. You will also visit the thick forests and savanna grasslands in Uganda for a memorable primate experience from the largest primates being the mountain gorillas, then the chimpanzees and the playful golden monkeys that are endemic to the Virunga Conservation Area.
Itinerary Overview of 12-Day Tanzania Wildlife and Uganda Primates Safari
- Day 1: Transfer from Arusha to Tarangire National Park
- Day 2: Mto wa Mbu to Serengeti National Park
- Day 3: Serengeti National Park
- Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater Experience
- Day 5: Lake Manyara National Park and transfer to Arusha
- Day 6: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport
- Day 7: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
- Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi Swamp walk
- Day 9: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Day 10: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Mgahinga national park
- Day 11: Golden monkey trekking and Batwa experience
- Day 12: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport
Day 1: Transfer from Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and driven to Tarangire National Park, Tanzania’s third-largest park and a haven for its impressive elephant population. The park is notable for its towering baobab trees, which dwarf the animals feeding beneath them. Wildlife congregates around the Tarangire River, the only permanent water source in the area, attracting a diverse range of animals, including leopards, cheetahs, and up to 6,000 elephants. With over 300 bird species, it’s also a fantastic destination for bird watching. In the evening, you’ll head to Ngedere Camp and lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Main Destination:
Tarangire National Park
Best Time to Visit: July to November (Animals come to the Tarangire River)
High Season: June to October (The Park is full of visitors)
Best Weather: June to October (Little rainfall)
Accommodation:
Ngedere Lodges & Camps
Budget lodge located 1-2hr drive from Tarangire NP
Meals & Drinks:
Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
Day 2: Mto wa Mbu to Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, you’ll drive to Serengeti National Park for a thrilling game drive in search of predators and their prey. You’ll stop for lunch at the park entrance before continuing the game drive with the vehicle’s roof open for a better view. Later, you’ll head to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Option: On the way to Serengeti, you can visit up to four Maasai villages for an additional cost, offering a unique chance to experience Maasai culture.
Main Destination:
Serengeti National Park
Best Time To Visit: January to February and June to October (Different areas are best at different times)
High Season July to March (The Seronera area is crowded)
Best Weather June to October (Little to no rainfall)
Accommodation:
Ang’ata Serengeti Camp
Luxury tented bush camp located inside Central Serengeti NP
Meals & Drinks:
All meals included
Day 3: Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, you’ll continue your game drive through Serengeti National Park, discovering its rich wildlife and stunning landscapes. You’ll enjoy the thrill of observing the park’s diverse animals in their natural habitat. Later, you’ll travel to Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp, where you’ll indulge in a delicious dinner and spend the night in comfort. Relax and unwind as you reflect on an unforgettable day spent exploring one of Tanzania’s most iconic parks.
Main Destination:
Serengeti National Park
Accommodation:
Ang’ata Ngorongoro Camp
Mid-range tented bush camp located on the crater rim of Ngorongoro Crater
Meals & Drinks:
All meals included
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater Experience
You’ll descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive across the short-grass plains and around Lake Magadi on the crater floor. This extinct volcano spans 100 square miles and teems with wildlife, including lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, buffalo, and hippos. With a bit of luck, you might spot the rare black rhino. After exploring the stunning landscapes of Ngorongoro, you’ll ascend back to the top and head to the lodge for an overnight stay.
Main Destination:
Ngorongoro Crater
Best Time to Visit: June to October (Wildlife viewing is best)
High Season: Most of the year – July to March (Expect crowds)
Best Weather: June to October (Rainfall is little to none)
Accommodation:
Ngedere Lodges & Camps
Budget lodge located 1-2hr drive from Ngorongoro Crater
Meals & Drinks:
All meals included
Day 5: Lake Manyara National Park to Arusha
We’ll drive to Lake Manyara National Park, located in the Great Rift Valley. After enjoying a picnic lunch amidst the park’s vibrant birdlife, elephants, and hippos, you’ll head out for an afternoon game drive. In the evening, you’ll return to Arusha, where our tour guide will drop you off at your hotel for the night.
Main Destination:
Lake Manyara National Park
Best Time to Visit: June to October (Easier to spot animals)
High Season: July to March (The northern section gets crowded)
Best Weather: June to October (Little rainfall)
Accommodation:
Arusha planet lodge
Meals & Drinks:
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport
Early morning the hotel will provide you with a breakfast after which the tour guide will transfer you to Kilimanjaro International Airport where you will catch your flight to Entebbe International Airport. Once at the airport, you will meet your destination guide who will transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe where you will stay the night.
Accommodation:
Best Western Hotel
Meals & Drinks:
Breakfast & dinner
Day 7: Transfer to Kibale Forest national park
The hotel will provide you with an early morning breakfast after which you will embark on a journey to Kibale Forest national park for your chimpanzee experience. En route you will have a stopover in Fort portal for lunch then proceed to Kibale Forest national park. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Main destination:
Kibale Forest
National Park
Best time to visit: Throughout the year however is more favorable from June to August and December to February (due to less rains)
Accommodation:
Kibale Forest Camp
Meals & Drinks:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Early morning, the lodge will provide you with a breakfast after which your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge and transfer to Kibale Forest Park headquarters for a briefing on chimpanzee trekking. After this, you will penetrate the forest in search of the chimpanzees. This will take between 5 to 6 hours and when you find them you will be allowed 1 hour in their presence. You will then return to the starting point where you will meet your driver guide and return to the lodge for an afternoon of relaxation. You can also opt to go out for the Bigodi swamp walk. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Accommodation:
Kibale Forest Camp
Meals & Drinks
Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 9: Transfer to Mgahinga national park
In the morning, you will have breakfast at the lodge then with your driver guide begin your journey to Mgahinga national park ‘where silver meets gold’ for the mountain gorilla experience. Dinner and overnight at the lodge
Main destination:
Mgahinga national park
Best time to visit: Throughout the year however is more favorable from June to August and December to February (due to less rains)
Accommodation:
Ichumbi Kisoro
Meals & Drinks
Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 10: Gorilla trekking
Very early in the morning the lodge will provide you a breakfast then your driver guide will pick you up and transfer you to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla trekking. After breaking, you will join your group of 8 and enter the forest in search of the highly endangered yet gentle species. This will take you between 5 to 6 hours and when you find the gorillas you will be allowed 1 hour with them then you will return to the starting point where you meet the driver guide and drive back to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel
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Accommodation:
Ichumbi Kisoro
Meals & Drinks
Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
Day 11: Golden Monkey trekking
After a breakfast at the hotel, you will head out with your driver guide to Mgahinga national park headquarters for a briefing about golden monkey trekking. After briefing, you will proceed to search for the golden monkeys. This will take between 3 to 4 hours and after finding them you will enjoy 1 hour watching them and taking photos. After the driver guide will return you to the lodge for a lunch after which you will enjoy and afternoon of relaxation at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at Ichumbi Kisoro.
Main destination:
Mgahinga national park
Meals & Drinks
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 12: Transfer to Entebbe International Airport
In the morning, you will have a breakfast at the lodge then checkout and embark on yet another drive back to Kampala, Entebbe International Airport where the driver guide will drop you off either at the hotel or Entebbe International Airport where you will catch your flight back home.
Meals & Drinks
Breakfast & lunch
Included
- Park fees
- All activities & permits
- All accommodation
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation
- All Taxes/VAT
- Meals
- Drinks
Excluded
- International flights
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips
- Personal items
