Explore Uganda, Tanzania Safari & Zanzibar – 16 days

Day 0: Arrival at Entebbe Airport

On arrival, meet and greet our representative & transfer to your hotel in Entebbe City.

Accommodation: Own Arrangement.

Day 1: Entebbe – Mabamba Bay Shoebill Experience to Kibale Forest National Park

7 am, meet your private guide at your hotel. Transfer by private car to Lake Victoria. At 2424hectares, the Mabamba swamp is one of the few remaining on Lake Victoria. Mabamba swamp is characterized by small channels of marsh-filled water and lagoons and is a habitat to the shoe-bill. The shoebill’s feet and claws look very similar to many dinosaur fossils, including two that it is believed these birds came from.

Pass by townships and local suburbs on mixed surfaced and dirty roads, arriving at Mabamba bay landing site on Lake Victoria. Located at least 57kms from Kampala city. It takes one and half hours from Kampala City and /or an hour’s drive from Entebbe city to Mabamba bay – a massive papyrus swamp.

Canoe ride: You will board wooden boats with engines and thereafter traditional peddle canoeing in search of mainly the Shoebill which usually hides in the mash to look for fish.

Recent sightings indicate Mabamba boasts of 9-15 shoebills and is a must-visit place for bird watchers who come to Uganda. Duration:   3 hours.

After transfer to Kibale forest national park. The is a very beautiful journey with stunning diverse landscapes. The hills and mountains you will drive through will become greener and greener until you come to the tea plantations of Fort Portal!

Drive distance and time: 340 Km, 5.5 hrs

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Day 2: Kibale Forest National Park

Today morning at 7.30 am, we transfer to the Kanyanchu gate to meet Chimpanzees. Kibale National park is an extension of the great rainforests of central Africa. It is inhabited by three large “communities” of chimps, with over 120 individuals.

In Kibale, here you will find one of the largest populations of chimpanzees in Africa – about 1450 individuals. Today you will do Chimpanzee ‘tracking’.

Chimp walking time: 2 to 3 hours.

What to carry: Remember to carry bottled drinking water, rain gear, in your backpack, and walking/ hiking shoes.

It will be a perfect opportunity to listen to the chimps as they grumble and feed. Only one community is allowed to be visited by tourists. Chimpanzees live in communities. Each community has a complicated social structure. The big adult males dominate the group and defend the community territory against other male intruders; the females usually wander in small family groups. Rangers locate the chimps by listening for their pant-hooting calls, following their eating trails.

There are chances of seeing other primates namely; the Guereza colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, and olive baboons as well as the Red colobus monkey considered endangered and the rare L’Hoest’s monkey that is considered Vulnerable and…plentiful of forest birdlife.

Today afternoon at 3 pm, you will be to explore Bigodi swamp & community in a village walk (3 hours). Search for other primates including I’hoestes, red colobus, blues, red-tailed and gray-cheeked mangabey, bird species like the Great blue Turaco, bees’ eaters, and many more. Experience how primates and birds live with the community, amazing farm life & community life experiences like basket weaving, learning how to roast coffee beans, and taste coffee prepared by yourself in a traditional coffee brewing tour. You could also learn how to process banana beer & banana gin the local African way.  Later head back to your lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.

Day 3: To Queen Elizabeth National Park – Boat cruise on Kazinga channel

Today early morning you will transfer by road 2 hours to Queen Elisabeth NP. Enjoy magnificent views of the Rwenzori Mountains.  Check-in at the lodge in Queen Elizabeth NP.  At 2 pm you will go for a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel (2 hours approx.) Look out for the hippos, great herds of Buffalos, and lots of water birds by the channel side.  Later we drive out for an evening game drive up to 7 pm. lookout for the lions, buffalos, elephants, and large numbers of Uganda Kobs and other antelopes. Finally, check into your lodge.

Drive distance and time: 120 Km, 2.5 hrs

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.

Day 4: In Queen Elizabeth National Park – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

You will drive to Ishasha (2 ½ hours approx.) Ishasha is famous for tree-climbing lions. There are chances of finding lions in the trees by the roadside. Please note that there is no guarantee but our guide will maximize all regular hot spots to increase the chances of a sighting.  After picnic lunch, you will continue to Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Depending on the park gate of gorilla permits available at the time of booking, we will proceed to one of the following three sectors: Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija, and Kisoro/Mgahinga gorilla gate.

• Drive distance and time: 5 hrs
• Driving time to Bwindi: 3 to 6 hours (160 to 300 Kms) depending on location/gate of gorilla permit reserved at time of booking.
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.

*Please note the choice of lodging today will be determined by the location of Gorilla permits available at the time of booking!

Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – Gorilla Trekking

Breakfast and take a short transfer to the Bwindi NP office, where you will meet up with excellent local rangers and trackers, who will give a talk on the etiquette of gorilla trekking. Thereafter, hike into the forest with your packed lunch. After this exciting experience, it’s time to relax at the lodge and view your photos.

In Bwindi NP (Uganda), there are 20 habituated gorilla families that can be viewed by tourists.

In Mgahinga NP (Uganda), there is 1 habituated gorilla family for tourist viewing.

Each of the families can be visited by a maximum of 8 people daily and the viewing lasts only 1 hour.

The trekking can take from 2 to 9 hours and climb to altitudes in excess of 7,500 feet.  After finding gorillas, you will spend a maximum of 1 hour viewing them. The terrain can get tough and at times muddy.  Although the hike is physically demanding the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery make the trekking worthwhile. Once the gorillas are located all fatigue is forgotten, as the experience is often described as being the most profound natural history experience in the world. It can rain at a few minutes’ notice; hence waterproof clothing is a good essential including zip lock bags for cameras.  It is important to take plenty of water.

After gorilla trekking, our guide will transfer you to Kisoro Town. This is the last stopover town on your way to Mgahinga National Park. You will be viewing the Virunga Volcanoes. Drive time will depend on the location of the gorilla permit booked on day 7.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.

Day 6: To Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – Second Gorilla trekking encounter

You will drive to Mgahinga national park gate from where you will start another gorilla trekking expedition. Today you will see gorillas from a different gate in Mgahinga national park.

Remember every gorilla encounter is a different experience.

TIP: We can customize this tour to start any date. If you like instead of the second gorilla trek, you could also choose to see Golden monkeys in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. After that your guide will drive you to your hotel for a rest.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner included.

Day 7: Local Flight from Kisoro to Entebbe City

Today our guide will drive you to Kisoro Airstrip for a local flight to Entebbe airport. Our representative will pick you up and transfer you to your preferred hotel in Entebbe.

TIP. It is also possible to transfer you by a road trip to Entebbe airport for 8 to 9 hours.

Day 8: Entebbe Airport (Uganda) – Flight To Kilimanjaro Airport (Tanzania) Arrival Moshi

Today morning our guide will transfer you to Entebbe airport for a flight to Tanzania. Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will meet your Driver Guide and transfer to Moshi; you will stop along the way to see the great view of Mount Kilimanjaro if there will be clear weather, then proceeds to Moshi arriving in time for leisure, dinner and overnight at your Hotel Chanya Lodge. Today you have an option of visiting Kikuletwa Hot springs “Maji Moto” at Boma while on the way to Moshi.

Day 9: Moshi to Lake Manyara National Park

After breakfast at 07:00 am, drive to Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) arriving at 08:30 and spending 1h00, later on at 09:30 am drive to Lake Manyara National Park arriving in time for the afternoon game drive in the park and later on proceed to Karatu at your lodge. You will stop Arusha on the way for briefing and lunch at Cultural Heritage.

Lake Manyara National Park is one of Tanzania’s most dramatically located wildlife areas, consisting of a shallow soda lake (covering two-thirds of the park), located at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment. The park’s varied habitat attracts a wide variety of animals, including one of Africa’s largest concentrations of elephants, Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions, as well as large flocks of flamingos, attracted by the algae in the lake.

Welcome to Karatu Simba Lodge where you’ll experience the peace and quiet of the Tanzanian countryside. Karatu Simba Lodge is located about a thirty-minute drive from the gate of Lake Manyara National Park, approximately four kilometers off the main road to the entry of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Situated deep in the farming area of the Karatu district and nestled right alongside the Ngorongoro Forest—home to elephant, buffalo, hyena, and other wildlife — Karatu Simba Lodge offers fine hospitality for safari travelers.

Day 10: Lake Manyara National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serengeti

After early breakfast, drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), arriving in time for a crater tour with picnic lunch down into the crater, and later on proceed to Serengeti National Park with game drive en-route arriving at your tented camp in time for dinner and overnight.

You will descend 600m into this stunning crater to view wildlife and witness an unforgettable spectacle of African wildlife – a world teeming with animals. Supported by a year-round water supply and fodder, the area supports a vast variety of animals, which include herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, giant elephants, and a small population of black rhinos. Another big draw to this picturesque area is its dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot.

Thereafter you will be heading towards the Serengeti National Park, leaving the highlands behind, and proceeds into the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti National Park – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see. Arriving central park area, known as the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park, featuring the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species.

Osero, (the Maasai word for “Bush”) Serengeti Tented Camp is located in the heart of the African Wilderness. The camp is an open lodge so the animals freely pass by the camp or can even walk through it on occasions, which contributes to a truly unique atmosphere. Our tents are luxurious and are fitted with all the necessary amenities. You are surrounded by the lush green landscape and embraced by the rich Maasai culture which makes your stay unforgettable.

Day 11: In Serengeti National Park

On this day you will do an early morning Hot Air Balloon flight, followed by a delightful champagne breakfast. After breakfast you will be heading to the south-eastern side of the park for a game drive with a picnic lunch, visiting the Barafu Kopjes and the Ngare Nanyuki River area, for your morning and afternoon game drives. Apart from the lion prides you find in the area, the Barafu Kopjes is the place to visit for possible cheetah sightings. The Ngare Nanyuki River area is also well known for being packed with games. Later on, drive back to your tented camp arriving in time for dinner and overnight.

You will do game viewing along the Sogore River Circuit, which loops into the plains south of the Seronera River, and which is good for possible lion, Thomson gazelle, topi, ostrich, and cheetah sightings. The visitor’s Centre not far from the Seronera airstrip and public campsites is well worth a visit after the morning’s game drive. This nicely designed Centre offers some interesting wildlife displays as well as a gift shop selling information leaflets and maps of the area. The Centre also has a shop where cold drinks and snacks can be purchased, as well as a picnic area and information trail up and around a nearby kopje.  hot air balloon safari and private standard game viewing.

Day 12: In Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, full day game drive in the park with picnic lunch following and sighting the great migration and later on drive back to your tented camp arriving in time for dinner and overnight. Includes: Accommodation on a full board basis (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and private standard game viewing.

Day 13: In Serengeti National Park, Seronera airstrip, Flight to Dar

After breakfast, game drive while heading Seronera Airstrip to catch your local flight to Zanzibar.

Zanzibar Extension:

You will be met by your guide from our representative who will transfer you to Zanzibar Stone Town at Tembo Hotel arriving in time for leisure, dinner, and overnight stay.

Tembo Hotel is located in Zanzibar Stone Town, it is one of the best 4* hotels in Stone Town. This Seafront Hotel is decorated with wood carved furniture and offers a Swahili four-poster bed, each room features a seating area with TV, air conditioning, and a bathroom with a shower and traditional hammam bath. Most of the rooms feature a balcony with sea or pool views. The hotel’s Bahari Restaurant offers local as well international cuisine.

Includes: Pick-up from the airport and transfer to Hotel,

Amenities: All rooms are en-suite beautifully decorated with Traditional Swahili furniture,

Day 14: In Zanzibar – Stone town by bike tour

After breakfast at your Stone Town hotel, with your bike, you will start a tour through the mysterious street of this UNESCO World Heritage town. After 10 minutes of biking, you may opt to catch a local bus, with the bikes on the roof, to avoid the crazy traffic out of town. You will offload your bike in the middle of the lush farm area and enjoy the beautiful landscape on your way a few km to the farm. You will get to the farm and start your tour where you expect to test and see vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, lemongrass, cloves, ylang-ylang, cumin, garlic, ginger, coriander, pepper, tamarind, chili, oregano, and many others. Learn about the origins of each spice, and its use as medicines or in food and drink. Be sure to smell and taste everything on offer! Before biking back, you will enjoy lunch on the farm cooked by the women in the family with raw material from their own farms. After the tour, you will ride back to Stone Town at your Tembo Hotel arriving in time for leisure, dinner, and overnight stay.

Day 15: In Zanzibar

After breakfast, you will start your tour right from the Hotel before you ride to other historical sites to explore Stone Town. A World Heritage Site boasts a labyrinth of winding alleys, bustling marketplaces, beautifully carved wooden doors, breathtaking mosques, and grand Arab residences. With streets too small and tightly packed for cars to cruise along, Stone Town is perfect for pedestrians. Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is Zanzibar’s biggest city which got its name from the fact that many of the gorgeous 19th-century buildings are built from coral stone. It may look ramshackle at first but this intriguing town is a living time capsule. The architecture here has been shaped by generations of explorers and spice traders and provides many interesting photography opportunities. You will pay a visit to some of the most interesting and attractive sites of Zanzibar Stone Town including the former slave market, National Museum, Old Fort, and City Market. After the tour, you will ride back to the hotel for leisure, dinner, and overnight.

Day 16: In Zanzibar

This morning after your breakfast, your guide will transfer you to the Airport for your flight to Dar es Salaam, departing. On arrival at Dar es Salaam Airport, you will be met by our colleague and transferred to the international terminal 3 for your onward international flights.

ACCOMMODATION:

Uganda

Mid-Range/Deluxe:

• Kibale Forest Camp
• QE Bush lodge
• Dutchess Fort Portal 
• Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Bakiga Lodge
• Travelers Rest Hotel

Luxury:

• Turaco Tree Tops.
• Mountains of the Moon
• Mazike Valley Lodge
• 4 Gorillas Lodge
• Mutanda Lake Resort

Tanzania

Midrange Tented Camp

• Karatu Simba Lodge
• Osero Serengeti Tented Camp

Luxury Tented Lodge

• Serengeti Sametu Camp

Zanzibar

• Tembo Hotel
• Uroa Beach Hotel

Additional accommodation before and at the end of the safari can be arranged for an extra cost!

Suggested accommodations depend on the availability of rooms at the time of booking. At the time of booking in the event that the listed hotel is fully booked or room unavailable, we will do our best to inform you and book a similar hotel of the same class available.