7 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trek & Serengeti Wildlife Safari – Discover the wildlife of Uganda and Tanzania in only Seven days. The first three days are dedicated to Uganda as you trek the great mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and admiring the country’s unspoiled nature, friendly people and splendid scenery.
The last 4 days of this East African safaris tour will be spent within the endless plains of Serengeti National Park, exploring nature and admiring the great migration. Serengeti is as well home to both resident and migrant birds, lesser mammals, predators and so much more.
Bwindi Gorilla Trekking & Serengeti Wildlife Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe airport
Upon arrival at Uganda’s main entry point, Entebbe international airport for your 7 Days Bwindi Gorillas & Serengeti Wildlife Adventure, we will warmly welcome you and our professional safari guide will brief you and transfer you to the pre-booked hotel for relaxation, dinner and night stay.
Alternatively, depending on arrival time you can undertake a short city tour, either in Entebbe or Kampala to explore these two historical towns, marked with ancient buildings, museums, monuments, and rich history,
Day 2: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
After morning breakfast, travel from Kampala / Entebbe towards the south west and have a stop at the Uganda Equator crossing Kayabwe, located 72km from Kampala to experience the world’s main latitude and purchase a few African handicrafts / souvenirs and a cool photo session. There is a confirmatory local water experiment that shows the earth split-up into two parts, the north and south hemispheres.
Continue on the trip to Bwindi National Park driving past the extended pastoral lands of Ankole dotted with impressive vistas of the long horned Ankole cattle grazing in this savannah rangeland. The views of Zebras and Impala straying from the adjacent Lake Mburo National Park may also be spotted as they graze along with the lovely Ankole cows.
A sumptuous traditional lunch at Igongo Cultural Hotel is worthwhile. This hotel is located 12km from Mbarara town and it gives visitors an opportunity to tour an onsite museum which is the largest in south western Uganda. After lunch, continue driving through Bwindi and arrive in Bwindi impenetrable national park in the evening; check in at the lodge, relax and have dinner.
Day 3: Gorilla Trekking & Batwa Community Tour
Wake up for a tasty warm breakfast to shake off all the morning coldness that is synonymous with this part of Uganda before assembling at the respective park headquarters at 8:00am for briefing and rules and regulations about gorilla trekking and allocating each group of individuals a specific gorilla family to follow.
Continue to enter the foggy Bwindi jungles to begin searching the world’s most sought after and endangered primate species; mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking adventure takes you through pleasant slopes exploring the attractive impenetrable forest characterized by uneven terrain which makes it quite challenging to explore, but a one-on-one encounter with these gentle creatures in truly worthwhile.
Duration of gorilla trekking adventure is between 1 – 8 hours including one-hour of direct encounter with a complete family of family; watch them as they forage, socialize and make their acrobatic moves in the trees and glance at the Silverback.
Take as many photos as you wish before you retire from the activity to return to the starting point, link up with your guide, have lunch and return to your lodge. In the evening, you can take an optional tour to the neighboring Batwa villages; learn about their history, traditional songs, etc.
Day 4: Depart to Serengeti National Park via Kigali airport
A leisurely start to the day, prior to your drive back to Kigali from Bwindi forest. Immediately transfer to the airport in time for your international flight to Arusha – Tanzania.
Day 5: Drive from Arusha town to Serengeti National Park
After a delicious breakfast, depart towards the most popular National park in Africa and world over, the Serengeti. Although the driving itself is long, but you’ll be rewarded by spectacular landscapes in the countryside.
As you progress into the Serengeti national park, you will obviously find the reason why the name means, in native language, “endless plains”. Serengeti national park is approximately 6,900 sq. mile (18,000 sq. km) large and while here you will watch the plains stretching and disappearing into the horizon defying your senses and perception of distances.
The park is the prime home of the Great Migration and over 1.5 million wildebeests, 100s of thousands of zebras, all types of antelopes as well as big cats and predators can be easily spotted here.
Day 6: Full day wildlife viewing experience
This whole day is set aside for game drives in the interior of Serengeti National park. It is without a peaceful habitat of an abundance of wildlife including buffaloes, crocodiles, impalas, elephants and hippos, and the park is particularly famous for its huge migrating herds of zebras, antelopes, and wildebeests.
Although all sectors of Serengeti can be visited any time of the year, to have a successful game drive, it is better to first determine the rainfall patters and variations from year to year. For example, in November andDecember, animals move from the northern region, dominated by hills and woodlands, to the southern grassy plains.
Apart from the migrating herds, Serengeti’s game drives are filled with the opportunity to see resident predators like leopards, lions, cheetahs, and hyenas fulfilling their role in the circle of life and ecosystem stabilization. After an unforgettable day of game viewing, return to your Tented Camp or lodge for relaxation, dinner and night stay.
Day 7: Departure through Kilimanjaro Airport
Pick up from your accommodation and drive through Karatu and other interesting regions and impressive farmlands, transfer straight to the airport to catch your departure flight, marking the end of your epic 7 Days Uganda and Tanzania adventure.
End of 7 Days Bwindi Gorilla Trekking & Serengeti Wildlife Safari.
