13-Day Masai Mara, Serengeti & Gorilla Trekking Safari

Safari Overview

This 13-day East African adventure connects three iconic destinations: Kenya’s Masai Mara, Tanzania’s Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, and Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Experience the Great Migration in the Serengeti and Masai Mara, descend into the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera for Big Five viewing, and trek through misty rainforest to spend an unforgettable hour with endangered mountain gorillas. This cross-border journey delivers the ultimate wildlife diversity in one trip.

Destinations: Masai Mara (Kenya), Serengeti & Ngorongoro (Tanzania), Bwindi (Uganda)
Safari Type: Private / Midrange or Luxury
Best For: Wildlife lovers, photographers, bucket-list travelers

 

Safari Highlights

• Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara

• Day 2: Full day in Masai Mara

• Day 3: Masai Mara to Lake Victoria region

• Day 4: Cross to Serengeti National Park

• Day 5–6: Serengeti game drives

• Day 7: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

• Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

• Day 9: Fly to Entebbe, transfer to Bwindi

• Day 10: Gorilla trekking experience

• Day 11: Bwindi forest walk or Batwa cultural visit

• Day 12: Return to Entebbe

• Day 13: Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve

Depart Nairobi in the morning and drive through the Great Rift Valley to the Masai Mara National Reserve. The journey takes approximately 5 to 6 hours, offering scenic views of the escarpment and valley floor. Arrive in time for lunch at your lodge or camp.

In the afternoon, head out for your first game drive across the rolling plains. The Masai Mara is one of Africa’s most famous wildlife reserves, home to the Big Five and the stage for the Great Migration between July and October . Spot elephants, lions, giraffes, and vast herds of plains game against the backdrop of acacia-dotted savannah.

Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2: Full Day in Masai Mara

Spend the full day exploring the Masai Mara with morning and afternoon game drives. The reserve is known for its high density of big cats, including lions, leopards, and cheetahs . During migration season (July to October), focus on the Mara River where over 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by zebras and gazelles, attempt dramatic river crossings.

A picnic lunch inside the reserve allows uninterrupted wildlife viewing. Optional activities include a hot air balloon safari at sunrise or a visit to a Maasai cultural village to learn about traditional customs and lifestyle.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Masai Mara to Lake Victoria Region

After breakfast, depart the Masai Mara and travel west toward the Kenya–Tanzania border. The drive takes you through scenic countryside, with views of rolling hills and rural villages. Arrive near Lake Victoria in the evening, where you will overnight in preparation for crossing into Tanzania the following day.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Serengeti National Park

Cross the border into Tanzania and continue to Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world’s largest remaining mammal migration. Covering approximately 14,763 square kilometres, the park hosts over 1.5 million wildebeest, 250,000 zebras, and the highest concentration of carnivores in Africa.

Arrive in the afternoon and enjoy your first game drive across the endless plains. Spot lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes as the sun sets over this iconic landscape.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5–6: Serengeti Game Drives

Spend two full days exploring the Serengeti ecosystem with morning and afternoon game drives. The park’s diverse habitats open grasslands, riverine forests, and woodlands support an incredible variety of wildlife. Depending on the season, you may witness the Great Migration’s calving season (January to February) or the dramatic river crossings (July to October) .

Your guide will track predators and adjust routes based on wildlife movements. The Serengeti has been recognized as Africa’s Leading National Park multiple times at the World Travel Awards .

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Enjoy a morning game drive as you exit the Serengeti en route to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was established in 1959 as a multiple land-use area where conservation is integrated with human development . The area is home to the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest unbroken caldera, along with archaeological sites such as Olduvai Gorge.

Arrive at the crater rim in the late afternoon and check into your lodge with spectacular views over the caldera. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers 8,292 square kilometres and is one of Africa’s most unique protected areas.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for an early morning game drive. The crater floor, measuring approximately 260 square kilometres, supports around 25,000 large mammals including lions, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, and the critically endangered black rhinoceros . It is one of the best places in Africa to see the Big Five in a single morning.

Enjoy a picnic lunch by Ngoitokitok Springs before ascending and driving to Arusha. The journey takes approximately 4 hours, arriving in the late afternoon. Spend the night in Arusha before your flight to Uganda the following day.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Fly to Entebbe, Transfer to Bwindi

After breakfast, transfer to Arusha or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight to Entebbe, Uganda. Upon arrival, your Ugandan guide will meet you and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The drive takes approximately 8 to 9 hours through southwestern Uganda’s scenic countryside, with views of terraced hills and remote villages. Alternatively, domestic flights are available from Entebbe to Kihihi or Kisoro, followed by a shorter road transfer. Arrive at your Bwindi lodge in the evening, surrounded by the misty rainforest that is home to nearly half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

This is the highlight of your safari. After an early breakfast and briefing at the park headquarters, set out with expert trackers to locate a habituated gorilla family. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to an estimated 459 mountain gorillas, with nine groups habituated for tourism .

The trek can last anywhere from 1 to 8 hours, depending on the gorilla family’s location. The terrain is steep and often muddy, requiring good fitness and sturdy footwear. Once located, you will have one unforgettable hour observing these gentle giants in their natural habitat watching the silverback survey his family, mothers cradle their infants, and juveniles tumble through the undergrowth.

After the trek, return to the lodge for a well-earned lunch and relaxation.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11: Bwindi Cultural Experience

Today offers flexibility to customise your experience. Choose from a guided forest walk to explore Bwindi’s incredible biodiversity medicinal plants, monkeys, birds, and smaller wildlife or a visit to the Batwa community, the forest’s original inhabitants .

The Batwa lived as hunter-gatherers in Bwindi for thousands of years before the forest was gazetted as a national park in 1991. A Batwa elder will lead you through the Buniga Forest Trail, demonstrating traditional hunting techniques, fire-making skills, and the use of forest plants for food and medicine. You’ll witness traditional songs and dances performed by the community.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12: Return to Entebbe

After breakfast, depart Bwindi and drive back to Entebbe. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have time for an optional stop at the Equator for photographs or a visit to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. Arrive in Entebbe in the evening and check into your hotel near the airport.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 13: Departure

Enjoy a final breakfast before transferring to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight. Your 13-day East African adventure concludes with memories of dramatic river crossings, caldera wildlife, and the gentle giants of Bwindi’s misty forests.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Safari Inclusions

• All park entry fees and conservation levies

• Gorilla trekking permit ($800 per person for foreign non-residents)

• 4×4 safari vehicle with fuel

• Professional English-speaking driver-guide

• Accommodation on full-board basis

• Domestic flights where indicated (Arusha/Entebbe and Entebbe/Bwindi)

• Bottled drinking water during the safari

Safari Exclusions

• International flights to and from home country

• Additional accommodation before and after the safari

• Tanzania visa and Uganda visa fees

• Travel insurance and medical repatriation

• Tips for guides, drivers, and lodge staff (recommended $20 per person per day)

• Personal expenses such as drinks, laundry, and souvenirs

• Government-imposed increases in taxes or park fees

• Optional activities such as hot air balloon safaris

• Porter fees during gorilla trekking (recommended)

 

Book Your Safari