Travelers Rest Hotel
Ikaze cottages Kisoro
Gorilla Trekking and Wildebeest Migration Safari
Gorilla Trekking and Wildebeest Migration Safari brings together two of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife experiences — gorilla trekking in Uganda and the spectacular wildebeest migration in Tanzania. This journey takes you through lush tropical forests, rolling hills, and the vast savannah plains that define Africa’s most iconic landscapes. From tracking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park to exploring the wildlife-rich plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park, every step of the adventure reveals the incredible biodiversity and beauty of East Africa.
The highlight of the safari is the unforgettable gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, where you will hike through dense rainforest to spend a magical hour with endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Your Gorilla Trekking and Wildebeest Migration journey then continues to Tanzania’s legendary Serengeti National Park, where you will witness the awe-inspiring wildebeest migration, as millions of animals move across the plains in search of fresh grazing while predators follow closely behind. Together, these experiences create a truly inspiring safari filled with unforgettable wildlife encounters
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Kibale National Park
Your Gorilla Trekking and Wildebeest Migration begins with a scenic road transfer from Kampala to the lush forests of Kibale National Park, famously known as the Primate Capital of the World. The drive takes you through Uganda’s beautiful countryside where rolling hills, tea plantations, banana farms, and rural villages create a colorful introduction to the country. Along the way, you will see daily life in Uganda as local farmers tend their gardens and roadside markets display fresh fruits and crafts.
Upon arrival at your lodge near the park, you will check in and enjoy the peaceful forest atmosphere while preparing for the exciting adventures ahead. Kibale Forest is home to the largest population of chimpanzees in Uganda and more than a dozen other primate species. Your guide will brief you about the upcoming chimpanzee trekking experience and also introduce the overall safari route that will eventually lead you to the famous gorilla trekking destination in Bwindi and the spectacular wildebeest migration in Tanzania..
Day 2: Chimpanzee Trekking – Kazinga Channel Boat Safari
After an early breakfast, you will head to the visitor center in Kibale National Park for a briefing before starting your chimpanzee trekking adventure. Accompanied by experienced rangers and trackers, you will walk through the dense tropical rainforest in search of habituated chimpanzee families. The forest is alive with sounds of birds and primates, and besides chimpanzees you may encounter red colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and a variety of forest birds.
After the trek, your safari continues to Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda’s most diverse wildlife destinations. In the afternoon you will enjoy a relaxing boat safari along the famous Kazinga Channel. This natural waterway connects Lake George and Lake Edward and is known for its incredible concentration of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, and water birds along the shoreline. The day ends with dinner at your lodge as your guide shares stories about Uganda’s wildlife and the upcoming gorilla trekking experience.
Day 3: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Following breakfast, depart from Queen Elizabeth National Park and travel south through the famous Ishasha Sector. This area is well known for its unique population of tree-climbing lions often seen resting high in fig trees while scanning the savannah for prey. Your guide will make wildlife stops along the way, giving you opportunities to photograph elephants, antelopes, and birds.
Continue the journey through the scenic highlands of southwestern Uganda until you reach Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Bwindi’s dense rainforest and mist-covered hills create the perfect habitat for these endangered primates. After checking into your lodge, you will relax and prepare for the next day’s unforgettable gorilla trekking adventure deep inside the forest.
Day 4: Gorilla Trekking – Transfer to Kigali
Today is one of the highlights of your Gorilla Trekking and Wildebeest Migration safari. After an early breakfast, you will head to the park headquarters in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a briefing from Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers. You will then begin your gorilla trekking journey through thick forest vegetation, guided by experienced trackers who follow fresh signs left by the gorilla families. The trek may take several hours depending on the gorillas’ movements, but the experience of walking through ancient rainforest is rewarding in itself.
Once the gorilla family is located, you will spend a magical hour observing them in their natural habitat. Watching a silverback protect his group or young gorillas playing in the forest is an unforgettable wildlife encounter. After completing your gorilla trekking experience, you will transfer across the border into Rwanda and continue to Kigali where you will relax at your hotel for the night.
Day 5: Fly to Tanzania
After breakfast, you will transfer to the airport in Kigali for your scheduled flight to Tanzania. Upon arrival, your safari guide will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. The city offers a relaxed atmosphere and serves as the gateway to some of Africa’s most famous wildlife destinations.
The remainder of the day is free for relaxation as you prepare for the Tanzania leg of your adventure. The next part of the safari will focus on classic African wildlife experiences and the legendary wildebeest migration, one of the most spectacular natural events on the continent.
Day 6: Arusha – Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, depart from Arusha and drive to Tarangire National Park. This park is famous for its massive elephant herds and iconic baobab trees that dominate the landscape. As you explore the park on a game drive, you may encounter elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, lions, and a wide variety of bird species.
Tarangire is especially beautiful during the dry season when wildlife gathers along the Tarangire River, making it an excellent location for photography and wildlife viewing. The evening is spent at your lodge as your guide prepares you for the upcoming journey to the Serengeti where the famous wildebeest migration takes place.
Day 7: Lake Manyara National Park – Serengeti National Park
Begin the day with a visit to Lake Manyara National Park, a small but beautiful park known for its diverse ecosystems including forests, grasslands, and the alkaline lake itself. The park is famous for flamingos, elephants, baboons, and the rare tree-climbing lions that sometimes rest in the branches of acacia trees.
Later, continue your journey toward the endless plains of Serengeti National Park. As you enter the park, the landscape opens into vast savannahs that host one of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles. This region is central to the annual wildebeest migration, where millions of animals move across the plains in search of fresh grazing.
Day 8: Serengeti Safari Experience
Spend the day exploring the legendary plains of Serengeti National Park on extensive game drives. The Serengeti ecosystem supports an incredible concentration of wildlife including lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, hyenas, giraffes, and large herds of antelope.
Your guide will take you to different areas of the park depending on wildlife movements. If conditions are right, you may begin to witness the early stages of the wildebeest migration, where massive herds move across the grasslands while predators follow closely behind.
Day 9: Wildebeest Migration Safari – Full Day
Today is dedicated to exploring the Serengeti in search of the spectacular wildebeest migration. This natural event involves over a million wildebeests accompanied by zebras and gazelles moving through the Serengeti ecosystem in a continuous search for fresh grazing lands.
Depending on the time of year, you may witness dramatic scenes such as river crossings or massive herds stretching across the horizon. The wildebeest migration also attracts predators like lions, cheetahs, and crocodiles, creating one of the most thrilling wildlife experiences in Africa.
Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater – Karatu
After breakfast, depart Serengeti and travel toward the spectacular Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Descend into the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater, a massive volcanic caldera that supports one of the highest densities of wildlife in Africa.
During the game drive you may encounter lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, flamingos, and possibly the rare black rhino. After exploring the crater floor, drive to the nearby town of Karatu where you will relax at your lodge and reflect on both the incredible gorilla trekking experience in Uganda and the unforgettable wildebeest migration safari in Tanzania.
Day 11: Departure
On your final day of your Gorilla Trekking and Wildebeest Migration, enjoy a relaxed breakfast before transferring back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight. Your guide will ensure a smooth transfer and assist with any final arrangements.
As your East African safari comes to an end, you will leave with unforgettable memories of lush rainforests, thrilling gorilla trekking encounters, and the awe-inspiring wildebeest migration across the Serengeti plains.
Gorilla Trekking and Wildebeest Migration Safari Price
$8,360
What’s Includes?
- 10 Nights Accommodation
- Meals; Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Private Tour Driver Guide
- Private Transportation
- Gorilla trekking permits
- Chimpanzee trekking permits
- Bigodi wetland nature walk
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Kazinga Channel Boat safari
- Tarangire National Park
- Lake Manyara National Park
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Serengeti National Park
- Wildebeest migration safari
What’s Excluded?
- Visas
- International Flights
- Domestic Flights
- Liquors
- Souvenirs
- Tips
- Porters
- Gears
- Hot air balloon – $550