13 Days Uganda-Tanzania Safari

13 Days Uganda-Tanzania Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Tanzania.

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and welcomed by our representative. He will be your tour and driver guide for the rest of the days you will be in the country. After the interaction and brief introduction, you will be transferred to your preferred Hotel in Arusha for an Overnight stay.

Day 2: Transfer to Tarangire National Park

After an early breakfast, transfer to Tarangire National Park. Your Tarangire National Park journey begins with a scenic drive from Arusha, including an enriching stop at a nearby cultural or historical point of interest like the Shanga Workshop or the Cultural Heritage Centre to appreciate local Tanzanian artistry or history before continuing your trip. Upon entering the park's iconic, baobab-dotted landscape, your adventure immediately shifts into an afternoon game drive—an initial tour through the stunning savannah, offering immediate opportunities to spot Tarangire's famous massive elephant herds, lions, and other wildlife converging near the Tarangire River, culminating just before sunset as you arrive at your preferred lodge within the park for a restful evening.

Day 3: Game Drive in Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, you will proceed to Tarangire National Park for game viewing and a picnic lunch. The name of the park originates from the Tarangire River that crosses through the park, which is the only source of water for the wild animals here during the dry season. The park is famous for its large numbers of elephants, baobab trees, and tree-climbing African pythons. In the evening, transfer to Lake Manyara National Park for an overnight stay.

Day 4: Game Drive in Lake Manyara National Park

The journey from Tarangire National Park to Lake Manyara National Park is a relatively short and pleasant drive, typically taking just over an hour and covering approximately 100 km, making it an easy transition between the two safari destinations. Departing the baobab-dotted plains of Tarangire, you'll travel mainly on good paved roads, passing through changing landscapes and local villages like the bustling, vibrant market town of Mto wa Mbu, before the route quickly carries you towards the Great Rift Valley escarpment.

After an overnight stay at Lake Manyara National Park, the adventure continues with an exhilarating morning game drive that takes you through the lush groundwater forests, the grassy floodplain, and the famous soda lake, offering opportunities to spot the park's renowned tree-climbing lions, large troops of baboons, and immense flocks of pink flamingos along the shores. In the evening, transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Day 5: Game Drive in Ngorongoro Conservation Area

A game drive within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area primarily focuses on descending into the enclosed Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The journey begins with a stunning drive down the 600-meter-high crater walls, leading you to the 260 sq km crater floor, which hosts an astonishing, year-round concentration of approximately 25,000 animals, offering one of the best chances in Africa to spot the Big Five (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, and the rare Black Rhino) in a single day. As you traverse the diverse habitats—from open grasslands and the Lerai Forest to the alkaline Lake Magadi, often dotted with pink flamingos—you'll encounter massive herds of zebra and wildebeest, along with numerous predators like lions and spotted hyenas, all thriving in this self-contained natural wonder. Visit Oldvai Gorge as you head out to Serengeti National Park.

Olduvai Gorge, often called the "Cradle of Mankind," is a globally important paleoanthropological site in the eastern Serengeti Plain of Tanzania, famous for yielding some of the earliest evidence of human evolution, including ancient hominin fossils and stone tools dating back millions of years.

Day 6: Game drive in Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park, known as the "endless plains" in Maasai, is the ultimate African safari experience, offering vast, open landscapes and extraordinary wildlife viewing. Driving in specialized 4x4 safari vehicles, you traverse the park's diverse habitats—from the central Seronera Valley, famous for big cats like lions, leopards, and cheetahs, to the rocky outcrops (kopjes) where predators often perch. The Serengeti is perhaps most famous as the stage for the Great Wildebeest Migration, where over a million wildebeest and zebra move in a continuous, annual cycle, providing a dramatic spectacle, including the thrilling river crossings (seasonal). Whether on an early morning drive catching the golden light and nocturnal hunters, or a full day exploring the vastness, you are virtually guaranteed to witness a stunning variety of wildlife and unforgettable predator-prey action.

Day 7: Morning Game Drive in Serengeti and transfer to Karatu for overnight stay

Your day begins with a thrilling morning game drive in Serengeti National Park, maximizing the opportunity to witness active predators and herds in the cool, golden light before enjoying a final, hearty lunch amidst the endless plains. Following this ultimate safari experience, you will begin the scenic transfer journey, heading out of the vast Serengeti and down towards the cooler, fertile highlands near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, culminating in your arrival in the charming town of Karatu for a comfortable dinner and overnight stay at a lodge or hotel nestled in the coffee plantations or on the crater rim area.

Day 8: Transfer to Arusha and City tour

The day begins with a transfer from the cooler, fertile highlands of Karatu, leading you on a scenic drive of about two to three hours back toward the bustling city of Arusha, the safari capital of Tanzania. Upon arrival, your journey shifts from wilderness adventure to cultural immersion as you embark on an Arusha City Tour, offering a chance to explore the vibrant heart of the region. This tour typically includes a visit to the iconic Arusha Clock Tower (reputedly the halfway point between Cairo and Cape Town), the bustling Maasai Market for traditional crafts and souvenirs, and the Arusha Declaration Museum or the Natural History Museum to gain insight into the nation's history and culture.

Day 9: Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight to Uganda

Today marks the end of your Tanzanian safari adventure as you complete the final transfer from Arusha to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Following a comfortable drive, often offering the final stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro on a clear day, you will arrive at the airport with ample time for check-in procedures. Once airside, you will board your flight, beginning your aerial journey across borders to your next destination in Uganda.

Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

The transfer from Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the heart of Uganda's gorilla trekking, is an exciting journey offering two main choices: a long but scenic drive or a quick domestic flight. The road journey is a full-day adventure, taking approximately 8 to 10 hours in a sturdy 4x4 vehicle, across Uganda's lush, rolling countryside and providing opportunities for scenic stops like the Equator line. Alternatively, you can opt for a scheduled flight from Entebbe or nearby Kajjansi Airfield to airstrips like Kihihi or Kisoro, reducing travel time to around 1.5 hours in the air, followed by a shorter, one to two-hour drive on sometimes bumpy roads to your specific lodge near the forest entrance.

Day 11: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

The experience of gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is an unforgettable early morning adventure, involving a briefing followed by a challenging hike through dense, muddy forest trails, led by experienced trackers and rangers, which culminates in an awe-inspiring, intimate hour spent observing a habituated mountain gorilla family in their natural habitat. As the adrenaline of the trek subsides, the day concludes with a culturally enriching evening visit to the local Batwa indigenous community, the original inhabitants of the Bwindi forest, where you can learn about their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle, hear ancient forest songs, and witness their unique cultural dances.

Day 12: Transfer to Kampala, the bustling Capital city of Uganda

After breakfast, you will transfer to Kampala, and depending on your arrival time, you may have time for souvenir shopping in the busy capital of Uganda.

Day 13: Departure

Your guide/driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Entebbe International Airport for your journey back home.