12 Days Serengeti, Masai Mara, Chimpanzees & Gorillas

Enjoy thrilling encounters with East Africa’s remarkable wildlife and primates on this 12 Days Serengeti, Masai Mara, Chimpanzees & Gorillas Safari. This East Africa Safari is ideal for travelers interested in visiting Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve for game viewing and Uganda’s Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee trekking and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking.

Highlights of 12 Days Serengeti, Masai Mara, Chimpanzees & Gorillas

Day 1: Pick up from Airport/ Hotel in Arusha city, Fly to Serengeti
Day 2: Full day Game drives in Serengeti National Park
Day 3: Game drive in Serengeti and community visit
Day 4: flight from Serengeti to Masai Mara
Day 5: Full day in Masai Mara
Day 6: Masai Mara – Fly to Uganda
Day 7: Fly to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 8: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park
Day 9: Fly to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 10: Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Forest National Park
Day 11: Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga National Park
Day 12: Domestic flight from Kisoro to Entebbe International airport for your flight back home.

Detailed Itinerary of 12 Days Serengeti, Masai Mara, Chimpanzees & Gorillas

Day 1: Pick up from Airport/ Hotel in Arusha city, Fly to Serengeti

On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport or after breakfast at your hotel by our representative and be transferred to Arusha Airport for a domestic flight to Serengeti’s Seronera Airport. Meet your driver-guide and drive to your lodge with a game drive through the savannah plains.

After lunch and settling in, you will go out for an afternoon game drive as you explore the savannah plains of Serengeti.

Overnight: &beyond Serengeti
Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Full day Game drives in Serengeti National Park

Spend a full day in Serengeti National Park, exploring the park’s different regions on morning and afternoon game drives with lunch served at one of the picnic sites. Serengeti National Park is one of the most remarkable safari destination famously known for hosting the Big 5 – lion, elephant, leopard, cape buffalo and rhinos as well as the Great Wildebeest Migration which you will see during the game drives.

Overnight: &beyond Serengeti
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Game drive in Serengeti and community visit

Head out for another game drive exploring Serengeti National Park on a morning game drive, visiting new areas of the park and spotting animals. After lunch, head to a Maasai village for a cultural experience. Meet the local people, interact with them, get a taste of their local dishes and take part in local dances.

Overnight: &beyond Serengeti
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: flight from Serengeti to Masai Mara

Check out of your lodge after breakfast and be transferred to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. On landing, you will embark on a game drive offering you the first glimpse of the iconic Masai Mara as you head to your lodge, check-in and enjoy lunch.

In the afternoon, you will return to the reserve for another game drive. Some of the animals to looking for animals such as lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, gazelles, wildebeests, rhinos, elands and topis among other.

Overnight: Soroi Mara
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Full day in Masai Mara

The full day is dedicated to exploring Masai Mara National Reserve on morning and afternoon game drives with lunch set at one of the picnic sites along Mara River.

Masai Mara National Reserve is home to a wide range of wildlife including all the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, cape buffalo and rhinos. During the game drive you will see the big five as well as zebras, gazelles, giraffes, cheetahs, wildebeest, elands among others.

Day 6: Masai Mara – Fly to Uganda

After breakfast, check out of the lodge and be transferred to the airstrip for a domestic flight to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport. Upon landing, you will meet our guide and be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight to Uganda.

On landing at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met by our representative and be transferred to your hotel for a relaxing evening, dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Soroi Mara
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7: Fly to Kibale Forest National Park

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for a domestic flight to Kibale Forest National Park. On landing at Kasese Airport, you will be met by our representative and be transferred to your lodge.

In afternoon you will visit the Bigodi Swamp for a guided nature walk. Lead by an experience guide ranger, you will see several forest dwellers including black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons and several bird species among others.

Overnight: Chimpudu Safari Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8: Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park

Wake up early for breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee trekking and how to conduct yourself while in the forest. Led by an armed ranger guide, your chimpanzee trekking experience will commence. Hike through the forest searching for a habituated chimpanzee troop. The trek takes approximately 2 to 4 hours or more depending on the movement of the chimpanzees and where they spent their previous night.

Once you locate these playful primates, spend a precious hour in their presence as you watch them play, feed and groom each other. Return to the starting point, head back to your lodge and spend the rest of the day at rest.

Overnight: Chimpudu Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 9: Fly to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

After breakfast, check out of your lodge and embark on a journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through the Ishasha Sector where you will have a chance to see the rare tree climbing lions. Enjoy lunch en-route, arrive at your lodge in the evening, check in and spend the rest of the day at rest.

Overnight: Mahogany Springs Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 10: Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Forest National Park

Wake up early for breakfast and head to the park headquarters for briefing about gorilla trekking and the right way to behave while in the forest. In groups of 8 people, enter into the forest searching for mountain gorillas led by armed rangers and trackers. The trek takes approximately 2 to 4 hours or more through the slippery trails, once you locate your habituated gorilla family, spend an hour in their presence as you watch them play, feed and groom each. Take amazing photos as long as your flash light is off.

Trek back to the starting point, meet your driver-guide and return to your lodge to fresh up- and embark on a journey to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, check in at your lodge, dinner and overnight stay.

Overnight: Mahogany Springs Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 11: Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga National Park

Wake up early and head to the park headquarters for briefing about golden monkey trekking, enter into the forest led by ranger guides searching for the beautiful golden monkeys found in the bamboo forests, spend an hour watching them play, pick fruits and play. Do not be surprised when a golden monkey comes to your feet, just enjoy the moment.

After this thrilling experience, return to the lodge for lunch and an evening of rest.

Overnight: Imbogo Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 12: Departure

Today marks the end of your East Africa Safari, after breakfast you will check out of your safari lodge and embark on a journey back to Kampala with en-route in Mbarara. You will be dropped off at the airport for your onward journey.

End of 12 Days Serengeti, Masai Mara, Chimpanzees & Gorillas