16 Days Hiking Kilimanjaro and Uganda Gorilla trekking Safari

On this 16 Days Hiking Kilimanjaro and Uganda Gorilla Trekking Safari, you will visit Tanzania to climb Mountain Kilimanjaro after you will visit Uganda to see the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. Below is the summary itinerary of gorillas and hiking Kilimanjaro mountain.

Day 0: Arrival day.

Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you are welcomed by our Tanzania driver guide who will usher you into a waiting vehicle and transfer you to the Mvuli hotel in Arusha Our tour coordinator will have a short briefing session with you at the lodge about 16 Days Hiking Kilimanjaro and Uganda Gorilla trekking Safari and leave you to relax and have dinner.

MEALS: Bed | Breakfast

ACCOMODATION: Mvuli hotel in Arusha https://mvulihotels.co.tz/

Day 01:  Marangu Gate (1,800m/5,905ft) to Mandara Hut (2,743m/9,000ft)

Depart Arusha around 0800hrs to Marangu Gate for the Mountain Climb Registration. Begin your Kilimanjaro trek by walking along a narrow trail through the rainforest of Kilimanjaro for most of the hike. Eat a picnic lunch at Kisambioni, day one’s halfway point. After lunch continues walking through the rainforest until reaching Mandara Hut. Relax for the rest of the day or take a short walk to Mahundi Crater. The views to the east over Taveta and to the northwest to Mawenzi Peak are striking on a clear day, making the short hike well worth the effort.         

Day 02:  Mandara Hut (2,743m/9,000ft) to Horombo Hut (3,720m/12,200ft)

After breakfast, depart Mandara Hut and Kilimanjaro forests to Horombo Hut. Most of the day’s hike will be through Kilimanjaro moorland, a rocky landscape with desert-like plants. Have your picnic lunch at Kambi ya Taabu before continuing to Horombo Hut. If the day is clear, enjoy beautiful views of Mawenzi and Kibo peaks. Arrive at Horombo Hut at around 1500hrs and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing.

Day 03:  Horombo Hut (3,720m/12,200ft) to Mawenzi Hut (4,600m/15,100ft) to Horombo Hut

This extra day and night at Horombo are ideal for body acclimatization. A hike towards Mawenzi, passing through Zebra Rocks on the way (about 3 hours up and 1.5 hours down), is strongly recommended as it will further assist with acclimatization.    

Day 04:  Horombo Hut (3,720m/12,200ft) to Kibo Hut (4,750m/15,580ft)

After breakfast continue your ascent into the Alpine desert, passes the last water point at 13550 ft/4130m. You will have to fill your water bottles with all the water you will need until your return to Horombo hut in two night’s time (unless you are willing to buy Mineral water at Kibo hut). The summit is now a further 3921ft /1195m up and you will make your final ascent the same night. Go to bed around 1830hrs and try to get as much rest and sleep as possible.

Day 05: Kibo Hut (4,750m/15,580ft) to Summit (5,895m/19,340ft) to Horombo Hut (3,720m/12,200ft)

Around 2330hrs, you will wake up and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night, and this is where the going gets tough. The first section of the trail consists of a rocky path to the Hans Meyer point (17225ft/5250m), also a good resting spot. The path then zigzags up to Gillman’s point (18639ft/5 681m), which is located on the crater rim. This section is very steep with a lot of stone screed, requiring a great physical and mental effort.

From Gillman’s Point, you will normally come across snow up to Uhuru peak (19341ft/5895m), the highest point in Africa. Weather conditions on the summit will determine how long you will be able to spend, taking photographs before the 3 hours descent back to Kibo hut. After a short rest, you gather all the gear you left behind for the ascent and head down to Horombo hut (3 hours) for your overnight. Later in the evening, you enjoy your last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep, filled with memories and stirring emotions.

Day 06:  Horombo Hut (3,720m/12,200ft) to Marangu Gate (1,800m/5,905ft)

After breakfast, end the trek with a descent to Marangu Gate. Your last trek on Kilimanjaro is a beautiful one, passing through Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. Watch your step during the descent, as the trail can be slippery. At Marangu Gate, you will sign for departure. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Gillman’s Point (18652ft/5685m) are issued with silver certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (1 9341ft/5895m), receive gold certificates. Our vehicles will be waiting at Marangu Gate to take you back to Arusha for relaxing and overnight

MEALS: Bed | Breakfast

ACCOMODATION: Mvuli hotel in Arusha https://mvulihotels.co.tz/

Day 07: Tarangire  National Park

After breakfast the tour departs. First stop is Arusha Town for any last minute purchases before we head off on safari. Afterwards we head towards the Tarangire National Park for a game drive with picnic lunch at the park. Tarangire is well known for its huge elephant population and baobab trees. It forms the centre of an annual migratory cycle that includes up to 3000 elephants, 25,000 wildebeest and 30,000 zebras.

MEALS: Lunch | Dinner | Bed | Breakfast

ACCOMODATION: Tarangire Sopa Lodge https://www.sopalodges.com/tarangire-sopa-lodge/the-lodge

Day 08: Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park, via the beautiful high lying farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Leaving the highlands behind, we descend into the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti National Park – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see. Then heard to the central park area, known as the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park, featuring the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. Arrive in time for lunch and enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Serengeti national park. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti serena Lodge

MEALS: Dinner | Overnight HB

ACCOMMODATION: Serengeti serena Lodge https://www.serenahotels.com/serengeti

Day 09: Full game Serengeti National Park

Early morning game drive to see also nocturnal animals returning from hunting and lions awaking in the dawn followed by a full day of game drives around Serengeti. Depending on the time of year and the Great Migration and the movements of the herds you can expect to see wildebeest, lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, monkeys, baboons, hippos, rhinos, antelopes and many birds and other species.

MEALS: Dinner | Overnight HB

ACCOMMODATION: Serengeti Serena Lodge

Day 10: Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Crater

Early morning game drive and after depart to Ngorongoro Conservation area. We will stopover at Olduvai Gorge, boasting with a history dating back to the dawn of time. It was here, that the anthropologists Drs. Lois and Mary Leakey discovered the skulls of ‘Nutcracker Man’ and ‘Handy Man’, both very significant links in the chain of human evolution Late afternoon transfer to Ngorongoro Serena Lodge where you will have dinner and overnight

MEALS: Dinner | Overnight HB

ACCOMODATION: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge https://www.serenahotels.com/ngorongoro

Day 11: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

After an early breakfast, You will descend over 600 meters into the crater to view wildlife. Supported by a year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro conservation Area supports avast variety of animals, which include herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, and giant African elephants. Another big draw card to this picturesque national park, is it’s dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot. We will visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually been seen here.

You will proceed to Kilimanjaro International Airport with packed lunch or have hot lunch in Arusha if time is permeable. You will fly out from Tanzania to Uganda for overnight in Entebbe

Day 12: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park via the Uganda Equator for stop and lunch en-route

Today you will meet with your guide and drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for overnight in late afternoon and relax at the Lodge with the amazing views of Bwindi Forest and later dinner and overnight at Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge.

MEALS: Full Board

ACCOMODATION: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge https://rushagagorillahavens.com/

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Bwindi National Park, located in south western Uganda on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, is considered the most diverse forest in Uganda. The area, one of the few large expanses of forest in East Africa, where lowland and montane habitats meet, contains a dense ground cover of herbs, vines, and shrubs.  Home to over 120 mammals, 345 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies, and 160 species of trees, Bwindi is one of the richest ecosystems in East Africa.  The park contains almost one half of the world’s population of the endangered Mountain Gorilla, making it an extremely valuable conservation site. Bwindi is also home to several endangered bird species with very limited ranges, and acts as an important catchment area for many rivers, supplying water for agriculture in the surrounding region.

Day 13: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi and optional visit to the Batwa Pygmies

You will wake up very early in the morning and after breakfast, head to the park headquarters to join other clients for briefing about dos and don’ts while with mountain gorillas on your gorilla tracking experience. After briefing, you will start your trek into the forest guided by researchers and guides. During your trek, you may encounter several birds, other animals and primates in the forest and once you have found the gorillas you will spend one hour with them and return back to the Lodge for overnight.

MEALS: Full Board

ACCOMODATION: Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge

Day 14: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park, you will have an en-route stop in Queen Elizabeth National Park for a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel

Today you will drive to Kibale Forest National Park where you will be doing Chimpanzee Trekking and Bigodi wetland walk.

MEALS: Full Board

Overnight: himpanzee Forest Guest House https://www.chimpanzeeforestlodge.com/

KIBALE NATIONAL PARK

Kibale is one of the last remaining expanses to contain both lowland and montane forests. In East Africa, it sustains the last significant expanse of pre-montane forest. The park was gazetted in 1932 and formally established in 1993 to protect a large area of forest previously managed as a logged Forest Reserve. The park forms a continuous forest with Queen Elizabeth National Park. This adjoining of the parks creates 180 km (111 mi.) wildlife corridor. It is an important eco-tourism and safari destination, popular for its population of habituated chimpanzees and 12 other species of primates.

Day 15: Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest and Bigodi wetland walk

Drive to Kibale National Park Headquarters to meet your guides for the day and begin your chimpanzee tracking experience. Experienced guides, researchers and trackers will accompany your party on an early morning trek into the forest to view wild chimpanzees as well as several other species of primates in their natural habitat.  You will have an opportunity to be within meters of these amusing and very social apes for one hour, sharing in their daily lives and experiencing their day-to-day activities and they will take you through the whole tracking process.  Chimpanzees, our closest cousins, are extremely endangered with only an estimated 5000 remaining in Uganda.

MEALS: Full Board

ACCOMODATION: Chimpanzee Forest Guest House

Day 16: After breakfast drive back to Entebbe for drop off at your hotel or for departure flight out to end the tour.

After breakfast, you will bid farewell to the lodge and then transfer to Kampala/Entebbe for drop off to end the tour. Drive time is 5 hours drive. Book a flight that departs Entebbe International Airport Back Home to end the tour to end the 16 Days Hiking Kilimanjaro and Uganda Gorilla trekking Safari

MEALS: Breakfast and Lunch

16 Days Hiking Kilimanjaro and Uganda Gorilla trekking Safari Price Includes

Nights accommodation before climbing

Professional, experienced, mountain guides

All Park fees & Rescue fees

All meals while on the Mountain and safari

Arrival and Departure transfers

Guides’, Porters’, cook’s salaries and park fees

Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food

Clean, purified drinking water

Crisis management and safety procedures

Fair and ethical treatment of porters

4×4 land cruiser

Gorilla permit of USD700 Per person

Chimpanzee permit of USD200 Per person

16 Days Hiking Kilimanjaro and Uganda Gorilla trekking Safari Price excludes

Tanzania Visa: $50 per person on arrival )

Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)

Meals not listed above.

Tips and any items of personal nature.

Optional Tours (short safari after your climb etc

Why book 16 Days Hiking Kilimanjaro and Uganda Gorilla trekking Safari with Eco Adventure Safaris?

Eco Adventure Safaris is a local tour operator in Tanzania, we take pride in customizing tailor made Gorilla trekking in Uganda and Safari in Tanzania. Including Combining Gorilla Trekking in Uganda with Tanzania Safari. We have a very diligent and trust worthy team. Your queries are answered within 20 minutes by our team of professional tour consultants. These consultants will make you a travel plan for you, answer to all your questions and make sure all your services are booked in advance for you to avoid inconveniences. We also have very knowledgeable safari guides depending on your language preferences. Contact us here about Combining 16 Days Hiking Kilimanjaro and Uganda Gorilla trekking Safari.