Gorilla Trek and Tanzania - 25 days
25 Days Starting in Nairobi and ending in Dar es Salaam
Visiting: Zanzibar, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
Tour operator:
Tour code:
561/GTTZ
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 30
Age range:
18 and over.Overland Age Policy:To travel on one of our overland family departure safaris children need to be a minimum age of 6 for Southern Africa safaris (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) and a minimum of 8 years old for East Africa safaris (
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact On The Go Tours with specific dietary requests
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Activities:
Tour Overview
CAMPING SAFARI: From the wilds of the Masai Mara, to gorillas in Uganda, safari in the Serengeti and down into the Ngorongoro crater. Then top off your East African adventure with a taste of the tropics on the beautiful island of Zanzibar. Take in the highlights of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania on this 25 day overland safari.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi
Saturday. Welcome to Nairobi! We’ll be there to collect you at Nairobi Airport and transfer you to the Kenya Comfort Hotel. Tonight you will stay in shared dorms. There will be a pre departure meeting at 17.00
Day 2-3: Masai Mara
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Nairobi - Masai Mara. Heading west from Nairobi on day 2, we reach possibly Kenya’s most famous natural attraction - the Masai Mara National Reserve. The Kenyan section of the wildly beautiful Serengeti Plains teems with wildlife. The highlight of the Mara is no doubt the annual wildebeest migration, when literally millions of these beasts plus zebra and Thomson’s gazelle stray north from the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania in search of lush grass on the savannah plains. Elephant, lion, cheetah, giraffe and a multitude of hooved herbivores also inhabit the reserve. A game drive through the Mara on day 3 gives us the chance to spot the Big Five. During our stay we can also opt to visit a local Masai tribe.
Day 4: Eldoret &Amp; Kampala
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Masai Mara - Eldoret. Leaving the Masai Mara early today, we head out of Masai Land and pass through the scenic tea plantations of Kericho before descending the Rift Valley Plateau, on our way to Eldoret - our stop for the night.
Day 5: Kampala
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Eldoret - Kampala (Uganda). This morning, we cross the border into Uganda where we overnight it the capital city, Kampala.
Day 6-9: Lake Bunyonyi &Amp; Gorilla Trekking
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kampala - Lake Bunyonyi. From Kampala we drive to Lake Bunyonyi, the deepest Crater Lake in Africa and home to a large and varied number of beautiful birds, which is the base from which the optional Gorilla trek takes place. Depending on where trekking permits are available, we trek in the Magahinga or Bwindi National Parks in Uganda.
We depart from our base in Bunyonyi in small groups over 3-4 days, depending on the group size. We wind our way through arguably some of the most picturesque scenery in Africa en-route to the National Park. Dependant on where permits are available, we may spend a night in Kisoro en route. The following morning, after packing our picnic lunch, we are transferred to a ranger’s station where the trek commences. Your rangers will lead you through the cultivated lands and then into the dense rain forest and on to a gorilla family. Trekking can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 8 hours and it can be quite strenuous. To ensure the gorillas do not get too used to the presence of humans and because they share many of our genes (and therefore able to catch our diseases), the maximum time permitted to spend with them is 1 hour. You will have plenty of time to watch their activity and to take photographs. The rangers will be able to provide you with a background to the family you are visiting. Once your hour is up, you trek back out of the rain forest to your meeting point where you will be transferred back to the Lake Bunyonyi campsite.
Please note: Gorilla permits need to be purchased in advance, please ask your reservations consultant or visit our Gorilla trekking travel guide.
Day 10: Kampala
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lake Bunyonyi - Kampala. After marvelling at the experience of our gorilla encounters and enjoying the peaceful Lake Bunyonyi, we begin our drive back to Kampala. We cross the Equator for the second time and stop for the classic “one foot in each hemisphere” photo opportunity. We overnight in Kampala and have the opportunity to sample its night life!
Day 11: Jinja
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kampala - Jinja. Today we have the option of visiting the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary or heading to Jinja for a selection of adventure activities including white water rafting at the source of the White Nile, quad biking or visiting a volunteer and community project.
Day 12-13: Lake Nakuru
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Jinja – Lake Nakuru (Kenya). Departing early, we head back to Kenya and spend the night outside Nakuru at a lovely campsite on a local farm. Nakuru is Kenya’s 4th largest town and capital of the Rift Valley Province and lies adjacent to the small but wildlife rich Lake Nakuru National Park.
Lake Nakuru National Park is home to a veritable array of wildlife. The park supports a population of black rhino, lion, leopard, zebra, antelope and giraffe. The lake itself is a shallow soda lake.
On day 13 we begin our exploration of the Lake Nakuru National Park. The park was established as a sanctuary for black and white rhino, which are often seen. We spend the day searching for these pre-historic looking beasts as well as the elusive leopard, encountering buffalo, giraffe, various antelope and the occasional hippo along the way.
Day 14: Lake Naivasha
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Nakuru – Naivasha. Today we head to Lake Naivasha arriving in the late afternoon. Lake Naivasha, is home to a multitude of bird life, the most magnificent being the African Fish Eagle with his regal cry. At 1880 m, this is the highest of the Rift Valley lakes. We spend the day enjoying optional excursions like Elsamere (former home to Joy & George Adamson of Born Free fame), a boat ride to the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary or a bike ride around Hell’s Gate National Park.
Day 15: Nairobi
Meals Included: Breakfast
Naivasha - Nairobi. After breakfast we head back to Nairobi. On arrival we bid farewell to members of the group who will be ending their trip here before heading to our hotel for the night.
Day 16-19: Serengeti National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Nairobi - Arusha (Tanzania). Leaving Nairobi, we cross the border into Tanzania. We set up camp in a Meserani, on the outsirts of Arusha - the starting point for the 3 day excursion to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.
The Ngorongoro/Serengeti excursion takes us via the Masai town of Mtu Wa Mbu (Mosquito River) that lies adjacent to the Lake Manyara National Park and up the Rift Valley Escarpment to the higher lying village of Karatu. Karatu offers magnificent views over the surrounding hills and has many well established wheat farms that add to the picturesque panoramas. We spend the evening at a pleasant campsite in Karatu. The following morning we depart early for the Ngorongoro Conservation area and head into the wildlife rich Ngorongoro Crater. This World Heritage Site boasts some of the best game viewing in Africa – including the elusive Black Rhino.
Day 20: Dar Es Salaam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Arusha - Pangani. We return to Arusha before continuing on towards Dar es Salaam. On the way we drive through the town of Moshi situated at the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest mountain. We may even catch a glimpse of this magical mountain’s snowy summit - a photo opportunity not to be missed!
Day 21: Dar Es Salaam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Pangani - Dar es Salaam. After our night in Pangani midway between Arusha and Dar es Salaam we continue to our lovely seaside campsite in Dar es Salaam.
Day 22-24: Zanzibar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Dar es Salaam - Zanzibar. A ferry from Dar Es Salaam takes us to ‘Spice Island’, where we spend the next three nights. Zanzibar is steeped in history and offers a wealth of experiences. Wander the streets of Stone Town, take an excursion around a spice plantation or simply laze on one of the pristine white sandy beaches, the choice is yours!
Day 25: Dar Es Salaam
Meals Included: Breakfast
Zanzibar - Dar es Salaam. Leaving Zanzibar in the afternoon we take the ferry back to Dar es Salaam. On arrival, where we exchange addresses and part ways, having just experienced a trip of a lifetime!
What's Included
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Accommodation
Camping
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Arrival transfer from Nairobi Airport on day 1
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1st night dormitory accommodation at Kenya Comfort Hotel and 20 nights camping. Tents and sleeping mats provided
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A fully equipped overland truck for transportation and game drives
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Services of 3 person crew (leader, driver, cook)
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All camping fees and appropriate equipment
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19 breakfasts, 19 lunches and 19 dinners
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Park entry - Lake Naivasha NP. Park entry and game drives - Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara, Ngorongoro NP, Serengeti NP
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3 night Zanzibar Excursion including ferry transfer, accommodation, Spice Tour and Dhow Sunset Cruise.
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All road taxes and tolls
What's Not Included
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International flights and visas
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Sleeping bag - please bring your own
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Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
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Optional activities
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Entrance Fees: Gorilla Permit + Transfer USD$750-900pp, paid in USD
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Local payment - $1850pp, paid in USD
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Gorilla Permit and transfer fee: Please note that Gorillas often move across the border, between the national parks in Rwanda and Uganda, therefore itineraries often have to be changed at short notice in order to track the Gorillas in whichever National P
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Entrance Fees: Gorilla Permit + Transfer aprox USD$805pp, paid in USD
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Entrance Fees: Gorilla Permit & transaction fee aprox USD$805pp has to be pre booked, aprox USD$200 transfer fee payable locally
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Gorilla Permit, Transaction fee and ground transfer fee to Gorilla trekking meeting point: Please note that Gorillas often move across the border, between the national parks in Rwanda and Uganda, therefore itineraries often change at short notice in order
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Local payment - 2022 - $1850pp, 2023 - $1950pp paid in USD
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Entrance Fees: Gorilla Permit & transaction fee approx USD$805pp has to be pre booked, approx USD$200 transfer fee payable locally
-
International flights and visas
-
Entrance Fees: Gorilla Permit & transaction fee approx USD$805pp has to be pre booked, approx USD$200 transfer fee payable locally
Age Policy
18 and over.Overland Age Policy:To travel on one of our overland family departure safaris children need to be a minimum age of 6 for Southern Africa safaris (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) and a minimum of 8 years old for East Africa safaris (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia). If a safari includes both East and Southern Africa then the minimum age will be 8 years old. Please note that they will be travelling with the normal group. These are not separate family tours. For family dates look for the icon next to the tour date online. IMPORTANT: South Africa and Botswana regulations aimed at fighting child trafficking:'All parents travelling with children into or out of SA and/or Botswana may be asked to show the child’s unabridged (full) birth certificate, and where only one parent is accompanying, parental or legal consent for the child to travel (eg an affidavit from the other parent, a court order or – if applicable – a death certificate). You should travel with these documents in case you’re asked to provide them. There are other requirements for children travelling unaccompanied or with adults who are not their parents.' Tell pax to contact the South African High Commission, South African Department of Home Affairs and/or the Botswana High Commission for further information.
Check out our Q&As
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1998
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
Reviews from Travellers on this Tour
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Low Deposit
On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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