Bucket List Safari: Gorilla Trekking & Great Migration

Wake up to a hearty breakfast at the Oyster Bay Hotel before meeting your driver who will transfer you back to Dar Es Salaam Airport. Today, you will board a short flight to Manyara Airstrip in northern Tanzania, a mere 1 hour and 40 minutes away. A lodge representative will be waiting for your arrival at Manyara and escort you to the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, approximately an hour and a half drive away. Your base for the next 3 nights is &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.

This morning your dedicated guide will wake you for your morning game drive into the crater. Before leaving the lodge, warm up with a strong cup of coffee and a morning snack. Remember to bring something warm, as the fresh morning air can be chilly. Join your guide in a closed safari vehicle with a pop-up roof and descend in the the crater in search of the Big 5 as well as hyena, wildebeest, cheetah and zebras. Mid day your guide will stop to prepare a unique lunch served in a private picnic spot on the Crater floor. Arrive to elegantly set tables and mouth-watering dishes while zebras graze in the vistas. After lunch, 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. Your evening will be ended off with a traditional ceremony of singing, dancing and chanting of 20 Maasai warriors before dinner.

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 to Musoma in north west Tanzania and travel onwards to Uganda. Touch down in Entebbe International Airport for your onward charter flight to Kihihi Airport, a mere 1 hour flight away. On arrival, your driver will be ready to escort you Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The ecologically respectful camp blends in seamlessly with its natural surrounding and features a communal lounge, dining area and bar overlooking the rainforest. Check in and make your way to your spacious canvas tent, featuring a draped four post bed, natural linens and a private wooden deck. Feeling active? Join an expert guide on a 3 hour forest walk to Munyaga waterfall. The Bwindi forest is home to rare forest elephants, eleven kinds of primates,

200 species of butterflies and over 350 species of birds. Return to the camp for drinks around the communal camp fire, before an expertly prepared dinner showcasing local ingredients and flavours.

Wake up to a hearty breakfast before setting off on a rigourous 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 and some well-earned down time before a candlelit alfresco dinner on your tent’s private deck.

Today, you can choose from 2 full day activities depending on your mood. If you would like to have a final safari experience, embark on a full day game drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park at 06:30am. The park is home to tree climbing lions, savannah elephants, buffaloes and leopard and will offer a contrasting safari experience compared to the Serengeti. Your day trip includes drinks, breakfast snacks as well as a fully prepared picnic lunch at the famous hippo pool. Alternatively, you can use this day for a cultural experience with the Batwa Tribe. A three hour walk will take you to the once nomadic Batwa tribe, the oldest inhabitants of the Great Lakes region (the first record of their existence were made by Egyptians over 4,000 years ago.) On this day excursion you will learn about the tribes rich culture and hunter gatherer way of life before heading back to the camp.