12 Day Uganda Gorillas, Tanzania Wildlife & Zanzibar Islands

Today is the moment you’ve been waiting for – an intimate encounter with mountain gorillas deep within Bwindi’s mystical rainforest.

After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing on gorilla behavior, tracking guidelines, and the conservation efforts that make this experience possible. With your UWA ranger and tracker team, you’ll venture into the dense forest, guided by the sounds of rustling leaves and distant calls.

The trek can be challenging but is immensely rewarding. Once you find your assigned gorilla family, you’ll spend one magical hour observing their daily life – juveniles tumbling through the foliage, mothers cuddling infants, and the dominant silverback watching over his group. There’s nothing quite like locking eyes with a wild gorilla.

After the trek, return to your lodge for a late lunch and time to relax. In the afternoon, you may opt for a gentle community walk or simply enjoy the serene views from your veranda.

Accommodation: Orugano Bwindi Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board

After breakfast, say goodbye to Uganda and drive south to the Cyanika border, where you’ll cross into Rwanda – a country of rolling hills and remarkable transformation.

Continue to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital and one of Africa’s cleanest, safest, and most organized cities. Upon arrival, check into your boutique city hotel and unwind. If time allows, explore the local craft markets or enjoy a coffee at one of Kigali’s vibrant cafés. Dinner is at your hotel or at a recommended local restaurant.

Accommodation: Hotel Des Mille Collines
Meal Plan: Full Board

Today you’ll catch a scheduled flight from Kigali to Arusha, Tanzania. Upon arrival, our local representative will greet you and transfer you to your hotel, where you can relax and prepare for the next leg of your adventure.

Spend the evening unwinding at your accommodation, with dinner and views over the town.

Accommodation: Tulia Boutique Hotel & Spa
Meal Plan: Full Board

The real safari begins today! After breakfast, you’ll drive into the heart of Serengeti National Park, where endless golden plains stretch to the horizon.

Arrive in the Central Serengeti, a region teeming with wildlife – lions lounging under acacia trees, cheetahs scanning the savannah, elephants roaming in herds, and giraffes moving gracefully through the grasslands. After check-in at your lodge or luxury tented camp, head out for an evening game drive.

Tonight, dine under the stars and fall asleep to the sounds of the African wilderness.

Accommodation: Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board

After breakfast, drive north toward the Kogatende region, where the Mara River flows through dramatic valleys. This is one of the best places to witness the Great Wildebeest Migration, particularly the heart-stopping river crossings where wildebeest and zebra brave crocodile-filled waters.

Spend the day exploring this vibrant ecosystem, watching predator-prey interactions, elephants by the riverbanks, and hopefully catching a migration crossing in action.

Overnight at a camp in the north, surrounded by the drama of the wild.

Accommodation: Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board

Rise before dawn for a hot air balloon safari – a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As the sun rises over the plains, you’ll float above the Serengeti, spotting wildlife from above and soaking in the sheer scale of the landscape. After landing, enjoy a champagne bush breakfast.

Spend the rest of the day on game drives through the Kogatende and Bologonja areas, following the migration herds and tracking big cats. Return to camp for dinner and a fireside chat under the stars.

Accommodation: Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board

After breakfast, depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, stopping en route at Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world.

Explore the small museum and learn how early human ancestors lived in this very region. Then continue to your lodge perched on the Ngorongoro Crater rim, offering spectacular views over this ancient volcanic caldera.

Enjoy dinner with the best sunset in East Africa.

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board

Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive like no other. The crater is home to nearly every African animal species, including lions, elephants, hyenas, flamingos, and the elusive black rhino. Have lunch by a hippo pool, then ascend the crater walls and visit a nearby Maasai village, where you’ll learn about traditional life, customs, and music.

Later, fly to Zanzibar Island and check into your beachfront resort. The rest of the evening is yours to relax under swaying palms.

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board

After days of safaris and trekking, today is all about rejuvenation. Spend your time swimming in the warm Indian Ocean, lounging on white sands, or enjoying optional activities like spice tours, sunset dhow cruises, or snorkeling adventures.

Your luxury beachfront resort is the perfect place to soak up the peace and beauty of Zanzibar.

Accommodation: My Blue Hotel
Meal Plan: Full Board

Enjoy another full day to discover Zanzibar at your own pace. Visit Stone Town, a UNESCO-listed historical city where Swahili, Arab, Indian, and European cultures blend in winding alleyways and old coral stone buildings. Or opt for a spice plantation tour, dolphin excursion, or just more beach time.

Celebrate your final night with a romantic dinner and reflect on the unforgettable journey behind you.

Accommodation: My Blue Hotel
Meal Plan: Full Board