Destinations: Tanzania, Burigi-Chato National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Mahale Mountains National Park
Over 12 days this route takes in Burigi-Chato, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Mahale, each stop with its own character. Boat trips on the lake add hippo, crocodile and waterbirds to the game drives. Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. The rim sits at 2,300 metres and mornings are cold before the sun clears the wall.
Day By Day
Day 1 Arrival At Burigi-Chato
You set out from Mwanza after breakfast and drive to Burigi-Chato National Park, the country changing as the kilometres pass, reaching camp with time to settle in and take a first look before dark. Lion and other predators are present in country you will often have to yourself. Boat trips on the lake add hippo, crocodile and waterbirds to the game drives. Burigi-Chato is a large, little-visited park in northwest Tanzania near Lake Victoria. You settle into camp as the light goes. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.
Rolling hills, miombo woodland and the shores of Lake Burigi give it a mix of habitats. Giraffe, zebra, eland, sitatunga and buffalo range across the grasslands and wetlands. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars.
Day 2 Game Drives In Burigi-Chato
A full day in Burigi-Chato National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Burigi-Chato is a large, little-visited park in northwest Tanzania near Lake Victoria. Rolling hills, miombo woodland and the shores of Lake Burigi give it a mix of habitats. Giraffe, zebra, eland, sitatunga and buffalo range across the grasslands and wetlands. Back at camp after dark, dinner is under the stars. Lion and other predators are present in country you will often have to yourself.
Boat trips on the lake add hippo, crocodile and waterbirds to the game drives. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count.
Day 3 Transfer To Serengeti
A short morning out on game drives at first light in Burigi-Chato, then to the airstrip and a light aircraft for the move to Serengeti National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Serengeti in the afternoon. You head out out on game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. It carries the great wildebeest migration, well over a million animals moving in a yearly loop. Big cats are the draw, lion on the kopjes, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine trees. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.
Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. The Serengeti runs to nearly 15,000 square kilometres of open plains and scattered kopjes. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up.
Day 4 Game Drives In Serengeti
A full day in Serengeti National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Big cats are the draw, lion on the kopjes, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine trees. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. On most drives you will not pass another vehicle.
The Serengeti runs to nearly 15,000 square kilometres of open plains and scattered kopjes. It carries the great wildebeest migration, well over a million animals moving in a yearly loop. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves.
Day 5 Game Drives In Serengeti
A full day in Serengeti National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. The Serengeti runs to nearly 15,000 square kilometres of open plains and scattered kopjes. Back at camp after dark, dinner is under the stars.
It carries the great wildebeest migration, well over a million animals moving in a yearly loop. Big cats are the draw, lion on the kopjes, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine trees. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead.
Day 6 Transfer To Ngorongoro Crater
A short morning out on game drives at first light in the Serengeti, then to the road for the move to Ngorongoro Crater. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Ngorongoro Crater in the afternoon. You head out out on game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. The rim sits at 2,300 metres and mornings are cold before the sun clears the wall. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, about 260 square kilometres of floor. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.
It is one of the best places in Africa to see black rhinocompleting the Big Five in a day. Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor. Its walls hold around 25,000 large animalsso game viewing is concentrated and reliable. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead.
Day 7 Game Drives In Ngorongoro Crater
A full day in Ngorongoro Crater. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, about 260 square kilometres of floor. Its walls hold around 25,000 large animalsso game viewing is concentrated and reliable. It is one of the best places in Africa to see black rhinocompleting the Big Five in a day. On most drives you will not pass another vehicle.
Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor. The rim sits at 2,300 metres and mornings are cold before the sun clears the wall. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good.
Day 8 Transfer To Mahale
A short morning out on game drives at first light in the Ngorongoro Crater, then to the airstrip and a light aircraft for the move to Mahale Mountains National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach Mahale in the afternoon. You head out tracking chimpanzees on foot as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. It protects one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzeethe habituated M-group. There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. The forest is loud with primates once you are inside it.
Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. Mahale rises straight from Lake Tanganyika, its forested slopes reaching Mount Nkungwe at 2,462 metres. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. The morning is cool and the animals are moving, so the first hours out are the busiest. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good.
Day 9 Chimpanzee Trekking In Mahale
A full day in Mahale Mountains National Park. You are tracking chimpanzees on foot, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. An hour with the group is the permitted limit, and it is enough.
Mahale rises straight from Lake Tanganyika, its forested slopes reaching Mount Nkungwe at 2,462 metres. It protects one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzeethe habituated M-group. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere.
Day 10 Chimpanzee Trekking In Mahale
A full day in Mahale Mountains National Park. You are tracking chimpanzees on foot, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. Mahale rises straight from Lake Tanganyika, its forested slopes reaching Mount Nkungwe at 2,462 metres. You climb back down through the trees to the lakeshore below.
It protects one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzeethe habituated M-group. There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground.
Day 11 Chimpanzee Trekking In Mahale
A full day in Mahale Mountains National Park. You are tracking chimpanzees on foot, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. Mahale rises straight from Lake Tanganyika, its forested slopes reaching Mount Nkungwe at 2,462 metres. It protects one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzeethe habituated M-group. The forest is loud with primates once you are inside it.
There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush.
Day 12 Departure
A final morning tracking chimpanzees on foot before you leave, the best window of the trip for anything still on your list. You make the most of the early light, then your light aircraft flies you back toward Mwanza. White-sand beaches meet the clear lake right below the forest. Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. This 12-day trip links Burigi-Chato, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Mahale, with the travelling done between the wildlife so your days stay on the ground that matters. Mahale rises straight from Lake Tanganyika, its forested slopes reaching Mount Nkungwe at 2,462 metres.
It protects one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzeethe habituated M-group. There are no roads, you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and move on foot. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools.
What’s Included
- All internal flights and road transfers on the route
- Full-board accommodation on safari as shown
- Game drives and the activities named in the day plan
- Park entry fees for the days shown
- Airport and airstrip transfers, drinking water in the vehicle
What’s Not Included
- International flights and any visa
- Travel insurance
- Drinks, tips for guides and staff
- Activities not listed and items of a personal nature
Why Book This Tanzania Safari?
This trip earns its place because the stops are nothing alike, and seeing them together makes each one land harder. Lion and other predators are present in country you will often have to yourself. Boat trips on the lake add hippo, crocodile and waterbirds to the game drives. Chimp trekking is the draw, with primate walks, kayaking and snorkelling around it. Linking Burigi-Chato, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Mahale in one route means you cover more of Tanzania than a single park allows, and the travelling between them is short. On 12 days you get range without the trip feeling rushed, the set-piece wildlife, the quieter corners, and the change of country from one stop to the next. For a traveller who wants variety over a single famous name, this is a strong, well-balanced way to see the region, and it works whether it is a first trip or a return.
What Can You Expect From a 12 Day Tanzania Safari?
12 days across Burigi-Chato, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Mahale is a well-judged length, though it is a read of each stop rather than a deep stay. You get a full day or more at the main parks, enough to see the headline wildlife and still catch the quieter moments. It suits travellers who value breadth and do not mind moving every couple of days. What this length cannot do is exhaust any one park, the biggest of them could fill a week on their own, so the remote corners stay for another trip. If a single place is your priority, spend the nights there instead. And if you have longer, the route takes an easy add-on, whether that is more time with the wildlife or a stretch on the coast to finish. As it stands, this 12-day trip is balanced and full.
What Is the Price Per Person for This Tanzania Safari?
What you pay turns mostly on the camps and the season. In Tanzania, park fees run from USD 35 to 70 per adult per day depending on the park, with the Ngorongoro Crater charged higher. As a rough guide, most trips of this length run from around USD 3,600 to 7,800 per person sharing, higher in the peak dry months and cheaper in the green season. Camp and lodge level is the big lever, from simple tented camps to the smarter river and bush camps, and a shared vehicle between four brings the per-person cost down. Tell an operator your dates, group size and the standard you want and it can be quoted to the figure.
