Great Migration & Gorillas 2024 (fully booked)

Day Notes
Your arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport marks the beginning of your wonderful safari.  You will be met by your driver as you leave the arrivals hall and they will transfer to your hotel.  Rest up.  Tomorrow you meet your tour leader and the rest of the team at breakfast before your flight to Tarangire.

Arusha
Resting at the foot of Mount Meru, the sprawling city of Arusha is known as the safari capital of northern Tanzania. It serves as an excellent base from which to explore the remarkably scenic surrounding area which includes majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as the Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks. Arusha is a good spot to take a day or two off from the safari circuit as it features a temperate climate and lush surrounds. Visitors can look forward to exploring the wildlife-abundant Serengeti National Park; the magnificent Arusha National Park; and taking on the challenge of climbing Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest mountain.

Mount Meru Hotel
Situated in Arusha and offering breathtaking views of Mount Meru, Mount Meru Hotel is the ideal option for leisure travellers seeking a relaxing stay. The hotel's guest rooms include mini-refrigerators, tea and coffee-making facilities, TVs and Wi-Fi. During their stay, guests can delight their palate at the two on-site restaurants and enjoy refreshing drinks at the bars. Guests can unwind in the swimming pool or enjoy rejuvenating massages and treatments at the Tulia Spa and Salon. The hotel also offers a golf course and a variety of convenience shops.

Day Notes
A little off the beaten track but well worth the experience, Tarangire is a great place to find your safari feet.  We get straight into a program that includes two game drives every day, (arrival and departure times permitting.)

Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park, situated within Tanzania’s spectacular Manyara Region, is an awe-inspiring national park comprising of granite ridges, river valleys, mixed vegetative landscapes, and free-roaming wildlife. During the annual dry season, the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Large herds of elephants and migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland gather and not surprisingly the predators follow. With lion being among the most commonly spotted animal, it is a rare day that a visitor does not spot this majestic animal prowling or grazing. Tarangire is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as oryx and gerenuk are seen regularly. This expansive area is also known for its spectacular baobab trees, its breathtaking views of the Masaai Steppe and the wondrous mountains to the south.

Nyikani Camp Tarangire
Opened in 2017  - Nyikani Camp Tarangire is located in Tarangire National Park. The camp's design has a termite mound theme with organic features and structures found throughout the campsite. Enjoy gourmet Swahili cuisine from our highly trained chefs!

A 45-minute drive from the main gate, this camp is located in a less crowded area of the park with excellent access to the river, swamp and other regions. Nyikani Camp Tarangire offers an extraordinarily comfortable and intimate atmosphere in the middle of Tanzania's wilderness!

Day Notes
Northern Serengeti is one of those iconic safari destinations and we've chosen a camp that is about as close to the heart of the path of the Great Migration as you can get. You're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.

Northern Serengeti
Located between the Central Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve to the north, the Northern Serengeti is a remote African wildlife wonderland. The vast, rolling savannah of the Northern Serengeti, is known as the hub of the great migration. The landscape is characterised by vast stretches of savannah interspersed with acacia trees and riverine woodlands. Wildlife can be seen along the banks of the Mara River and visitors can view the annual spectacle of the half a million migrating wildebeest. Commonly spotted wildlife include: a multitude of plains game such as buffalo, zebra, gazelles, impala, giraffe as well as lion and leopard. Visitors can look forward to bird watching, hot air ballooning, game safaris and guided bush walks.

Nykani Migration Camp - Kogatende
From May through November, Nyikani Migration Camp is located in Northern Serengeti, just minutes away from the Mara River. Often featured in magazines and on television, wildebeest crossings over the Mara River are a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Designed to be lightweight to move seasonally, Nyikani Migration Camp follows the migration south to Ndutu from December through March. Nyikani Migration Camp operates off the grid and relies on a custom-built a solar system for its power. Room fabrics are handwoven African designs, and the camp's furniture was commissioned and crafted by artisans in Arusha, Tanzania.

Day Notes
We now head to Uganda, home of about half of the world's Mountain Gorillas.  (NB: There are none in captivity, anywhere in the world.)  We stop over in this lovely private hotel near the airport because the flight schedules don't allow a straight-through connection.  And you'll value the break after an intense safari experience in Tanzania.

The generally accepted "rule" is that lions don't climb trees and indeed, in most of Africa that is true (apart from cubs who, like children, often climb trees in the pursuit of play.) But in a few isolated places, adult lions have retained the ability to climb tree. We speculate that they do this to avoid flies or the heat, although in our experience there are flies and heat everywhere you find lions. In any case, the Ishasha Sector of the Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the few places you can see this unusual behaviour so we make a quick one-night stop at the rustic Ishasha Wilderness Lodge for this purpose.

We saw an even more unusual animal behaviour in this park last year. Quite to the astonishment of both our guide and our tour leader, an elephant stood up on his hind legs to reach high into an acacia to pull down a fresh branch to eat. This behaviour is seen routinely in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe, but we've never witnessed it here! Keep your cameras ready in case we see it again!

Day Notes
Possibly the highlight of this trip is the intimate visit to a family of Mountain Gorillas.  Access is strictly limited and controlled, in order to protect this magnificent species. 

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Located in southwestern Uganda, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is said to be Africa’s oldest rainforest. It is world-renowned for its excellent gorilla-sighting opportunities - the forest is home to half of the remaining mountain gorillas on earth. This gorilla experience takes place among a rugged landscape of dense jungle, cascading waterfalls, sparkling mountain streams, deep valleys, and steep ridges. The untouched forest has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its breathtaking natural beauty and unique ecological significance, and aside from the amazing gorilla interactions, there are other drawcards such as a network of forest walks, over 340 species of bird to spot, and a variety of brightly-coloured butterflies to identify. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the spectacular Virunga Volcanoes, three of which are still active.

Mahogany Springs Lodge
Mahogany Springs is situated in one of the most intimate, secluded, beautiful and most importantly natural settings in the world and only around 2 minutes away from the Gorilla tracking starting point.

All the rooms at Mahogany Springs are high end suites. All Suites can be twin, double or triple.  There is 24/7 power in all the rooms. All rooms have large en-suite bathrooms with a gorgeously designed open terracotta shower.

All 12  luxurious suites have their own private terrace with magnificent panoramic views over the grounds, river and surrounding areas.

The main dining area is exquisitely furnished and with panoramic views beyond the lodge’s own gardens you will enjoy dining in a tranquil and unrivalled setting. The service provided is as much an art form as the food therefore, the staff are trained to very high standards. Within the main building there is a stunning bar where guests can sit all day and night trying one of the many cocktails or simply a bottle of fine wine. Most of the produce used at Mahogany Springs is grown on site to provide guests with the freshest ingredients. Mahogany Springs cater to all dietary requirements and understands the importance of delicous meals.

Day Notes
The White Nile starts its journey north in Uganda and we stay in a classic safari camp, overlooking the White Nile valley.  Everyone of our guests who've stayed in this park wants to go back there.  You'll come to understand why.  There are plenty of safari experiences to be had here, including boat cruises and hikes near the river.

Murchison Falls National Park
Stretching from the shores of Lake Albert, Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda's largest National Park. The Nile River flows through the middle of the park creating the impressive Murchison Falls which is the park’s major attraction. The landscape features dense rainforest, undulating savannah and a diversity of abundant wildlife. Visitors can enjoy prime game-viewing along the Buligi Circuit. The forests are home to numerous primates, including Chimpanzees, and near the river, buffalo, elephants and Rothschild-Giraffes can be seen. Other commonly spotted wildlife include: lions, antelope, waterbucks, hippos and crocodiles.

Murchison River Lodge
Murchison River Lodge sits on the southern bank of the River Nile overlooking Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park. In beautiful surroundings, the property offers comfortable and relaxing mid-range accommodation to suit all budgets in attractive thatched cottages, riverside safari tents and simple camping tents.

Guests can explore the Murchison Falls National Park. One of Uganda’s largest national parks. Guests can relax and unwind at the lodge with a pair of binoculars and guide book or experience a safari and boat trip along the Nile.

Day Notes
Back to Entebbe for a rest before your departure tomorrow.  Alternatively, if your flight leaves at 5:30pm or later, you can go directly to the airport for your departing flight.