Bucket List Safari: Gorilla Trekking, Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti

Wake up to a hearty breakfast at the Arusha Coffee Lodge, before meeting your guide who will transfer you to Ngorongoro. But on the way experience a game drive through Lake Manyara with a delicious picnic lunch. Then the guide will transfer you to yur base for the next 2 nights – &Beyond’s Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, an exclusive lodge towering over the Ngorongoro Crater below. The accommodation is spread over 3 intimate camps, with 30 private, stilted suites offering exclusive views of the crater. After an easy check-in, you will have time to unwind after your travels with an in-room massage, alternatively you can prep for your first game drive this afternoon.

Descend through the rugged highlands to the base of the crater alongside your dedicated guide before traversing the grassy plains in search of the Big 5. The mineral rich base of the Ngorongoro Crater attracts an abundance of herbivores, with predators and big cats following close behind – great wildlife sightings can be expected. Return to the lodge for expertly prepared dinner at your camp’s exclusive dining area or request a private dinner in the lodge’s wine studio.

Today you will have the iconic Ngorongoro Crater descent.  The crater is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and this activity will be filled an abundance of wildlife and many photographic opportunities. After this unique experience, return to the lodge for some downtime before joining your guide on an optional late afternoon Crater rim walk. Pull on your walking shoes to discover the Crater rim’s natural surroundings.

Make your way back to the lodge to enjoy pre-dinner drinks and snacks as the sun sets over the Crater.

After your morning game drive and a hearty breakfast, your driver will transfer you to Manyara Airstrip for your onward journey to the Serengeti National Park, a quick 45 minute flight away. Touch down at Seronera Airstrip where a lodge representative will be ready to accompany you to Nyaruswiga Safari Camp. Located in the heart of the Serengeti, this uber-luxe safari camp is surrounded by endless plains with the Nyaruswiga Hills as your backdrop. The main lodge features an intimate lounge, bar and dining area, as well as an outdoor plunge pool, jacuzzi and an astral observation deck. The camp consists of 14 exclusive canvas tents overlooking the open savannah, each with a bedroom, indoor lounge and ensuite bathroom. After check-in, you will have time to unpack and unwind after your travels with a dip in the plunge pool or a casual game of badminton.

The afternoon calls for your first game drive through the Serengeti. Home to the Big 5, herds of wildebeest, zebra, antelopes, giraffes, cheetah, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles and over 500 species of birds, a game drive through the Serengeti promises to be a thrilling experience. If you’re traveling from July to September, you might be lucky enough to witness the world’s greatest migration as wildebeest stampede through the Mara River. Return to the camp for a pre-dinner drink at the bar before a sumptuous dinner, satisfying the tastes of the most discerning guests.

This morning you can choose to wake before sunrise and set off on a life-changing experience as you soar over the Serengeti in a hot air balloon. Although this activity is at an additional cost, we highly recommend taking full advantage of your time in the Serengeti. On your safe return to land, you will be escorted back to the camp for a filling breakfast and a morning at leisure, alternatively request to have a breakfast dining experience in the wild. In the afternoon, slow down your safari and join your expert guide on a walking safari along a foot trail with amazing wildlife waiting to be discovered. Complement the days exhilarating activities with a revitalising treatment at the camp’s spa before your final dinner at Nyaruswiga. After dinner, make your way to the astral observation deck to take in the African night sky surrounded by nature.

After your morning game drive and breakfast at the camp, meet your driver who will transfer you to Seronera Airstrip for your onward journey to the Grumeti Reserve. On arrival at Sasakwa Airstrip, a lodge representative will meet you for your transfer to Singita Faru Faru Lodge located on the banks of the Grumeti River. Situated in the western corridor of the Serengeti, the lodge features 8 private suites which overlook the river and an active water hole. After a simple check-in, you will have time to unpack and enjoy an afternoon at leisure at this prestigious designer lodge. Spend the afternoon at one of the 2 swimming pools at the main lodge and observe as wildlife comes and goes. The rest of your day can be spent unwinding at the spa or visiting the fitness center. In the evening, embark on a night game drive through the Grumeti Reserve and spot a variety of animals from leopard to black rhino as the day turns to night.

Your first morning at Singita Faru Faru Lodge will start with an early game drive through the reserve. The Grumeti region is home to a variety of wildlife from cheetah and bearded wildebeest, to Maasai giraffe and lion. Over the months of January to March you can experience the calving season where almost 400,000 wildebeest calves are born. Return to the lodge for a filling breakfast before venturing to the villages bordering Singita Grumeti. Working closely with the neighbouring villages, Singita partners with the communities to address issues of education, natural resource management, water management and enterprise development. This will be your chance to learn more about the community upliftment programs and conservation efforts which Singita holds true to their heart.

In the afternoon, pull on your walking shoes and join your expert guide on a walking safari through the wilderness. Experience the bush up close while learning about the vegetation and landscapes in the reserve. You will also have the opportunity to visit the OP 7, Singita’s anti-poaching observation post where you can meet the game scouts and observe their daily routines. Your guide will stop en route for a late afternoon drink in the African bush before dinner at the lodge.

After a final breakfast at Singita Faru Faru, your driver will accompany you to Sasakwa Airstrip. From here you will board a flight from Sasakwa/Serengeti to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda. Touch down in Entebbe International Airport and from here our representative will transfer you to Protea Hotel Entebbe for overnight.

Wake up to a hearty breakfast before setting off for a short transfer to the airport for a light aircraft flight just over 2 hours to Kihihi airstrip. From here a lodge representative will transfer you to Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp.  Spend the afternoon relaxing in this mountain luxury sanctuary which is deep within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. With eight tents that look out onto the forest canopy below. Do some retail therapy at the gift shop on site which stocks locally sourced handicrafts.

On day eleven have the first of your two bucket list gorilla trekking. After an early breakfast transfer to the park head quarters for pre-Gorilla trekking briefing, then set off at 08h00 into the forest by foot. Spend an hour with the gorillas for the most humbling experience. Afterwards trek back to the lodge for lunch.

After lunch, go for a forest walk to see the Muyanga Waterfalls (it takes approximately 3 hours).

Wake up to a hearty breakfast before setting off for your 2nd day of a rigorous day of gorilla trekking with your expert guide in search of the rare Silverback Mountain Gorilla. The climb is challenging with steep slopes and dense forest, so make sure you’re physically fit for this experience. You will require a tracking permit before you venture into the forest as just 8 visitors are allowed to visit each gorilla family per day. The duration of your gorilla trek will be dependent on how long it takes to track down the untamed gorillas. Enjoy the thrill of spotting your first mountain gorilla and enjoy an hour observing the playful nature of these large primates. Return to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon enjoy an informative visit to the Buhoma village and observe local agricultural practices on the farms.