Gorilla Trekking and a Tanzania Safari: How to Combine Them

Gorillas in the mist, then wildebeest on the plains. It is one of the best two-part trips in Africa, and one of the most asked-about. The two halves are in different countries, so the questions are practical: how do you get between them, which comes first, what does it cost and what paperwork changes at the border?

Prices below are in US dollars, per person. We list them for a group of six and for two travellers.

The short answer

Yes, you can combine them easily. Plan about 16 days, do Uganda first, fly between the two and expect to pay roughly $6,980 per person (group of six) for our two matching itineraries. There is no single ready-made package, so we join the two trips and quote the exact total.

• Uganda: gorillas (and chimpanzees) in Bwindi and Kibale.
• Tanzania: Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.
• Between them: one short direct flight from Entebbe to Kilimanjaro.

Why these two go well together

They are different kinds of wildlife trips. In Uganda you walk into the forest for primates, in small groups, with time to look closely. In Tanzania you ride in an open-topped 4x4 across huge plains for big cats, elephants and, in season, the Great Migration. Together they cover forest and savannah in one holiday.

Tanzania has no mountain gorillas, so if gorillas are your main reason to travel, Uganda is where to see them. Tanzania's role is the classic savannah safari. Our guide to the Serengeti and the Great Migration explains what you will see there.

A sample 16-day plan

The simplest build uses two of our itineraries, back to back:

• Uganda, 9 days: the Uganda Primates Positive Impact Safari, with chimpanzees in Kibale and gorilla tracking in Bwindi.
• Tanzania, 8 days: Highlights of Tanzania, with Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and the central Serengeti.

Each itinerary has its own arrival and departure day. When you join them, the flight day does both jobs, which is why the total is about 16 days and not 17. If you want a longer Uganda leg, swap in Explore Western Uganda (10 days).

Which country first?

We suggest Uganda first. Gorilla permits are tied to a fixed date and a fixed gorilla family, and UWA only secures a permit once it is paid in full. Tanzania's lodges and game drives are far more flexible. So you lock the gorilla date first and build the Tanzania half around it. It also means you finish on big open landscapes, which is a gentle way to end a trip after the forest hikes.

Getting between Uganda and Tanzania

You fly, and there are direct flights between Entebbe and Kilimanjaro. The flight takes roughly 90 minutes. They do not run every day and schedules change by season, so we match your dates to the current timetable and build the flight into your itinerary.

Driving between the two countries is not a realistic option for a holiday of this length.

What it costs

Adding up our two itineraries gives a good idea of the total. Prices are per person:

• Group of six: about $3,420 for the 9-day Uganda leg plus about $3,560 for the 8-day Tanzania leg, so about $6,980.
• Two travellers: about $5,220 plus about $4,190, so about $9,410.

That does not include the flight between the countries, your international flights, visas, insurance or tips. The Uganda leg includes the gorilla and chimpanzee permits, and the Tanzania leg includes park, conservation and crater fees. For what a gorilla permit costs on its own, see our gorilla trekking cost guide.

When to go

The best months for both are largely the same: June to October and December to February are drier, so the Uganda forest trails are easier and Tanzania's wildlife is easiest to find. March to May is the wet season in both countries.

There is a money angle too. In April, May and November, UWA drops the Uganda gorilla permit to $600 from $800, and those permits cannot be rescheduled. November also falls in Tanzania's short-rains shoulder season, which has good wildlife and reasonable prices, so it is a cost-saving month for the combination. Our guide to the best time to visit Uganda has the month-by-month detail.

Paperwork: yellow fever and visas

This is the part people miss. Uganda no longer asks for a yellow fever certificate at entry, but Tanzania does ask for one from travellers arriving from countries with yellow fever risk, and Uganda counts as one. The CDC's Tanzania page says the vaccine is required for arrivals aged one year and over from such countries, and that includes layovers of more than 12 hours there.

So if you fly from Entebbe to Kilimanjaro, expect to show a certificate. Check with the Tanzanian embassy before you go, and read our yellow fever guide for the full picture, including medical exemptions.

You also need a separate visa for each country. Uganda's eVisa is $50 through the official portal. Tanzania has its own online visa system, and the fee depends on your nationality, so check it there. Start both applications a few weeks before you travel.

Where to start

Start with the two halves: the Uganda Primates Positive Impact Safari and Highlights of Tanzania. For other Uganda options, compare them on our Uganda safari tours page. Our Tanzania and Uganda pages cover each country in more depth.

Tell us your dates and which highlights matter most, and we'll build the combination and quote the exact total within 24 hours. You can start your enquiry here.