Day 1: Transfer from Arusha to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania

Depart from Arusha airport, with your tour guide from Serengeti Masai Mara Experts and board your 4×4 vehicle.  So, begin your trip to  Serengeti National Park Tanzania.  Also, the road trip is not only adventurous but it’s full of amusements as you catch phenomenal geographical landmarks at the scenic stopovers. Additionally, these include the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Also, you’ll have a stopover at the Maasai Cultural village before getting to Serengeti. So, learn more about the culture and historical background of these Maasai people.

Have a lunch stopover at the Lilac Oasis restaurant in Karatu.  The trip to Serengeti from Arusha takes you about 10hours, covering over 250km with these numerous stopovers in between. While at the park, check in at Serengeti Luxury Retreat, one of the Serengeti tented camps about 4km from its center. Spend the evening enjoying the tranquil environment, and then you’ll be served with an evening meal before you rest.

Day 2: Track the big five animals in Serengeti during game drives

First, enjoy breakfast at your tented camp in Tanzania before proceeding for a full day game drive. So, these game drives for the day are for tracking the movement of the big 5 members in Serengeti. Additionally, the big 5 animals to see in this Serengeti and gorilla trekking tours include the lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, and rhinos. The first game drive in Serengeti in the morning starts with witnessing the sunrise magic over the misty savannahs of the park. Usually, the big five animals that are easily sighted are lions seen resting under the acacia trees on the hunt. Also, you’ll spot the numerous herds of elephants, some even crossing your driveway.

So, watch these animals in Serengeti through your safari vehicle rooftop for a better picturesque perspective of the endangered species.  Additionally, spot the buffaloes and rhinos at the water holes in Serengeti in the Seronera River. This is found in the central valley, where a lot of animals are concentrated. Though the leopards in Serengeti are very rare to see, you might see them around Seronera in the Sausage trees. The first game drive in Serengeti will be graced with a picnic lunch and a wilderness meal. Later, head back to your tent at Serengeti Luxury Retreat for rest as you prepare for another day.

Day 3: Experience the Serengeti Migration safari

In the early morning, at around 7:00 am, embark on a sunrise game drive through the park for you Serengeti Migration Safari.  So, catch some of the activities in Serengeti like the predator-prey chases that are normally optimal at this time. After your morning game drive, head back to Serengeti Luxury Retreat for a bush breakfast. So, interact with other visitors at this camp, narrating your experiences and what you expect during your safari. Hence, this could be a way of adding new ideas of what you would want in your safari in Serengeti and Uganda.

After the meal, go for full day game drives to track the movements of the wildebeests in Serengeti. So, ensure you plan with our Serengeti Masai Mara Experts for this unique Tanzania things to do in the Africa great migration dates between June to October.  Also, your  game drives will be around the Grumeti and Mara River areas where the wildebeests traverse through to Masai Mara Kenya. Later, enjoy a packed lunch at one of the magnificent scenic stopovers around the Oloololo escarpment. Lastly, dinner will be served back at your tent.

Day 4: Enjoy a Hot air balloon safari in the Serengeti and an afternoon game drive.

As early as 6:00 am, head to the  Seronera airstrip in Serengeti, where you will find your captain and his team inflating the hot air balloon. Next, be briefed about this Serengeti balloon safari before you climb up, especially about conducting yourself during the flight.  Later, join other individuals, and this depends on how big the hot air balloon is, as it can carry from 4-10 people. Next, soar up, you’ll be overwhelmed by the stunning beauty of the sunrise over the Serengeti Savannahs.

So, witness the movements of the wildebeest herds as they are followed by a foam of dust. In addition, see the wildebeests being followed up by other animals like the zebras, impalas, and gazelles. After the hot air balloon experience in Serengeti, have a celebratory morning meal in the vast open grasslands. In the afternoon, have another game drive where you’ll likely spot animals like the Hartebeest, hyrax, greater kudu, Thomson’s gazelles etc. Lunch and dinner will all be served to you at the Serengeti Luxury Retreat Camp.

Day 5: Go for a Serengeti walking safari.

On this day, you will immerse yourself more in the Savannahs of the Serengeti with a walking safari.  So, have a more tactile experience of the park by exploring on foot. The whole day will be dedicated to attaining knowledge about the distinct endangered species of the Serengeti. So, study their unique behavioral patterns and get a deeper understanding of the conservation efforts of this park.

Even if the walking safaris in Serengeti could be physically demanding, this is a lifetime opportunity to bond with nature. So, this day won’t leave you the same, as you are to explore the rare gems of the Serengeti. The morning will start off with a warm Tanzanian-inspired breakfast, and in the middle of the day, you’ll have a lunch picnic break at the designated site. Lastly, in the night, have dinner under the stars in the open wilderness in proximity to your tent.

Day 6: Transfer from Serengeti to Arusha then to Entebbe

By 10:00 am, after breakfast at your luxury lodge in Serengeti National Park, prepare for aroad transfer to Arusha Airport. So, pack your gadgets and essentials that you would have come with back in the safari vehicles. Your tour guide in this gorillas and Serengeti safari will drive you through the boundless grasslands. Later, get to Arusha International Airport for your scheduled flight to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.

You are most likely to reach Entebbe in the early evening hours because the journey back to the Arusha airport from Serengeti involves stopovers. Hence, it takes you approximately 5-6 hours to reach Entebbe Airport by air from Serengeti. However, since it will be a direct flight from Arusha, it takes approximately 3hours to reach Entebbe. Since you might be having a jet-lag, you’ll check in directly to the K hotels in Entebbe. So, this is where you’ll have dinner and rest before the transfer to Bwindi for a gorilla trekking safari.

Day 7: Transfer from Entebbe to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking in Uganda

Enjoy breakfast before your next road trip for Uganda gorilla safari experiences, which await in Bwindi. Your safari vehicle will be waiting for you in the parking lot of your K hotel in Entebbe City. Also, the road trip is long, as it can take up to 12 hours and over 540km.  In the middle of your trip to Bwindi, stop over at a local restaurant in Masaka to enjoy ”oluwombo”. The latter is a the traditional cuisine of the Baganda. Additionally, you’ll pass through the bustling towns of Uganda, then through the remote communities to the winding roads of the Southern region.

So, these have breathtaking highland views, and as you approach Bwindi, you are greeted by the thick forests. You’ll reach this park when it’s dark, and you will also hear distant calls of the different wild species. Later, have dinner at the Buhoma lodge in Bwindi, which will accommodate you during your gorilla trekking safari.

Day 8: Track mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

The Buhoma lodge is strategically located in the verdant jungle in Bwindi. Hence, as you have breakfast, observe the scenic views from the tropical rain forests of Bwindi. After relaxing and rejuvenating, walk towards the hiking trail in Bwindi. So, this is the starting point for your gorilla trekking in Uganda. You will be grouped in groups of 8 for this hike to track mountain gorillas in Bwindi. So, before you proceed, get briefed by your ranger of how to behave and the safety precautions for this Bwindi gorilla trek. The gorilla trek usually begins at a level where you can see farm farmland of the local people.

So, proceed through the tall canopies, as this Uganda gorilla trek can take up to 4 hours depending on the route taken. The highlight of this Bwindi gorilla safari is when you come face to face with the mountain gorillas in the wild. So, it is scary, especially for first-timers, but also a happy moment of accomplishment. Additionally, take a maximum of 60 minutes with the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Forests. Later, head back to the Buhoma lodge to relax for the rest of the day. Also, meals of the day will all be provided at this lodge.

Day 9: Go for birding and the Batwa visit in Bwindi

In the morning, have a warm meal followed by a guided morning walk through the Bwindi forests. So, this day won’t be for gorilla trekking in Bwindi but for observing different bird species. Spot birds in Bwindi like the regal sunbird, Handsome sparrow, black -billed turaco, bar-tailed trogon, Mountain Oriole, and many more. Also, move steadily so that you don’t scare away the birds, and take pictures without the flashlight.

Lastly, head back to Buhoma Lodge for your lunch, and in the afternoon, you will visit the Batwa community. So, learn about their traditions and way of living, like hunting and the traditional dances. In the evening, go back to your luxury Buhoma lodge for an evening meal and pre-preparations for the departure the next day.

Day 10: Transfer from Bwindi to Entebbe International Airport

In the morning, after breakfast, embark on the road trip back to Entebbe International Airport for your scheduled night flight. And through the journey, you will revive the best memories that you will have gotten from our 10-days Serengeti and Bwindi Safari. The trip will take you about 10 to 12 hours to get to Entebbe. hence this marks the end of your 10 days gorilla trekking and Tanzania safari in Serengeti.