13 Days Gorilla, Masai Mara & Serengeti Wilderness Safari

Day 1: Materuni waterfalls and coffee tour with possible Kilimanjaro view

We understand you are arriving a day before. Our friendly guide shall pick you up from your hotel in Arusha and embark on a transfer to the Kilimanjaro region for a hike like no other. After a briefing regarding how you shall spend your adventure, a team from Friendly Gorillas shall bid your farewell as you embark on your adventure.

You shall drive towards Kilimanjaro region for about 3 hours before reaching the Materuni waterfalls hiking starting point.

Materuni is one of the few villages of wonder in Northern Tanzania sitting at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. The village is blessed with full of all the beauty worth visiting for holidays, weekend outings, or vacations. While in the village, the scenic view of Moshi Town and Mount Kilimanjaro is astonishing.

The impressive Materuni Waterfall is one of the tallest in the area, spewing crystal clear glacier water 70m into its basin. The beautiful path leading to Materuni Waterfall is located 2500m above sea level. It crosses valleys and hills covered by tropical rainforest, past coffee, banana, and avocado “shambas”, the Kiswahili word for farms. On a clear day, great views of Kibo (highest peak of Kilimanjaro mountains) and Moshi town can be seen.

NB: The hike to the base of the Waterfall can be demanding and hiking boots are recommended. After the tour you will drive to Chemka Hot springs.  Retire and return to your lodge for dinner, relaxation, and overnight.

Accommodation: Gold crest Hotel Arusha https://www.goldcresthotel.com/arusha/

Day 2: Transfer to Ngorongoro

Today, you shall transfer to the famous Ngorongoro area for the greatest experiences in

the mystical Ngorongoro. The journey from Arusha to Ngorongoro takes about 3 hours including the welcome by baboons at the entrance of Ngorongoro.  Immediately after entering the park, you shall witness amazing view of the crater at the Ngorongoro Crater view point. Proceed for an amazing nature walk taking about 2½ hour starting in the late afternoon, this is an excursion on the western rim of the Ngorongoro Crater along a well-used Maasai trail. The track takes you through thick forests accompanied by an armed ranger around the contours of the Ngorongoro Crater rim with stunning views of the crater floor below. You walk on an easy animal trail and may encounter local Masaai with cattle.

Accommodation: Karatu Safari Camp & Lodge

Day 3: Ngorongoro Full day

Explore Ngorongoro today. After an early morning breakfast from your hotel, our tour

guide/driver will pick you up and give you a little briefing before departing for a game

drive out of the city. As soon as you reach the edge of the crater, the caldera opens up before you. Have a remarkable view of this impressive natural wonder for a few minutes. You’ll explore an astonishingly rich, self-contained ecosystem protected by high crater walls. Here, lions and hyenas hunt wildebeest and Grant’s gazelle within. You will sight hundreds of wildebeests, zebras, lions, and other big cats such as leopards and cheetahs. With a picnic lunch box, you will have a lunch break in the afternoon and then continue with your game drive. Our driver will take you back to your lodge for relaxation.

** The Crater drive is only possible with departures of 4 or more guests. Otherwise, you shall drive to the Ndutu plains to explore the magnificent games including the lions, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, jackal, jennet cats among many others. Here, you shall proceed for a bush lunch before embarking on further game viewing as you return to your safari accommodation.

Accommodation; Karatu Safari Camp & Lodge

Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti from Ngorongoro

After breakfast you will drive up the crater highlands, stopping at the rim for a

spectacular view of the Ngorongoro Crater and continuing as far as the eye can see, the

vast view of the Serengeti. Serengeti means “endless plain” and is inhabited by more

than 2 million wildebeest and other wildlife. From January to April the wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle give birth and large predators including lions, cheetahs, and hyenas are always in the hunt for them. During your game drive upon arrival in Serengeti, watch out for these exciting experience before proceeding to your Serengeti accommodation.

Accommodation: Africa Safari Ikoma (Comfort)

Day 5: Serengeti Full-day Exploration

Today is another incredible to further explore the amazing attractions of Serengeti beyond just the wildebeest. The migration can be seen every month of the year, starting with the wildebeest calving between January and March.

Immediately after breakfast, proceed for an exciting game drive for possibility of witnessing the Great migration plus encounter with amazing wildlife of Serengeti including lions, leopards, hippos, rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, hyenas, antelopes and many other.

Have the bush lunch and return for further encounter before returning to your Serengeti accommodation for dinner, relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Ikoma (Comfort)

Day 6: Serengeti to Masai Mara

Today, you shall depart Serengeti to Masai Mara via the Isebania border. The drive to Isebania border takes about 3 hours. Upon arrival, you shall go through the immigration process for -/+30 minutes then enter Masai Mara for -/+ 4 hrs. With an incredible en route game drive with a possibility of sighting hyenas, warthogs, buffaloes, giraffes, antelopes, zebras, etc, you shall arrive Masai Mara late in the evening have. Proceed to check in at your accommodation for dinner, relaxation, and overnight.

Accommodation: Talek Safari Camp Masai Mara

Day 7: Full day Masai Mara Game viewing

Today, you have the whole day in the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve starting with an early morning game viewing safari which is one of the best ways to explore the great Masai Mara Reserve’s many ecosystems, including the huge Mara River, marshes, woods, animals, and the African Savannah. After this exciting adventure, continue watching animals for the remainder of the day in Masai Mara Game Reserve. This day, you shall have further encounters of the African Big 5 games, hyenas, zebras, antelopes and many more. Retire and return to your hotel for relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Talek Safari Camp Masai Mara.

Day 8: Masai Mara to Entebbe

Get up early and embark on a transfer from Masai Mara to Nairobi for -/+5 hours, passing through the vast plains and upcountry of these incredible plains. Today, you with an optional Maasai village visit, you bid farewell to the Maasai land before embarking on a busy drive to Nairobi where you shall have lunch before your driver guide drops you off at the airport for your flight to Entebbe, where your guide in Uganda will pick you up and drive you for – /+15 minutes to your lodge.

Depending on your flight time, consult your guide to advice if you should go for the Maasai village visit.

Accommodation: Papyrus Guest House.

Day 9: Entebbe to Kibale + Crater hike

This morning you will embark on your Journey to the world primate capital for -/+4 hours

where you will arrive in time for lunch and indulge in the short crater lakes tour. Here, you shall be briefed and given a history of the lakes before embarking on the encounter. Proceed to Tinka homestay and experience for yourself a Uganda home-stay way of life. Retire and go to your accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight as you await tomorrows exciting chimpanzee trekking adventure.

Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp

Day 10: Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi

Early morning your guide will transfer you for a chimpanzee tracking experience in the

Kibale forest which will be -/+4hours and then return back to the lodge in, the afternoon

have lunch, and then have an evening at leisure while exploring the crater lakes around

this whole area or you can choose to go for a Bigodi nature walk instead.

Accommodation: Kibale Forest Camp

Day 11: Transfer to Bwindi

Early morning transfers to Bwindi forest, which is home to over half of the only remaining gorillas in the world you will arrive in the later afternoon with an evening at leisure and dinner served in the stars. In the evening, you have a chance to meet the exciting local Batwa as they showcase several of their cultural performances. Enjoy and return to your accommodation for dinner, relaxation and overnight.

Accommodation: Buhoma Gorilla Camp

Day 12: Gorilla Trekking Experience

This is everyone’s dream day. After breakfast, your guide will take you to the briefing area where you will receive training on how to track gorillas. You will then be paired with a gorilla family and a ranger guide before proceeding to look for the amazing gentle giants of Bwindi. This is a fascinating experience that shall get you adoring and admiring them for all the moments you have with them. You then later, after your tracking, you can have lunch and take a stroll through the Batwa Community Culture in the evening or optionally head for relaxation in Lake Bunyonyi.

Accommodation: Lake Bunyonyi Acardia Resort.

Day 13: Return to Kampala and bid farewell

Transfer from Lake Bunyonyi or Bwindi with a stop at the Equator Entebbe arriving in the

late afternoon. Here, you have the opportunity to take some stunning pictures as you go back home with memories of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Our safari guide is happy to drop you off at the airport or any place of choice in Kampala or Entebbe.

Thank you for choosing to safari with us.