| Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 | ![]() |
Possible to combine Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro with a gorilla safari?Country forums / Africa / Tanzania | ||
We are thinking of going to Tanzania during Christmas for 2-3 weeks. Would like to climb Kilimanjaro, see the Ngorongoro crater and perhaps chill in Sansibar at the end of our trip. We wonder how it would be possible to combine Tanzania with some kind of gorilla safari. I guess Rwanda, Uganda or Burundi are the best options? However, I read that Burundi is not safe at the moment. Which of these countries would be best to combine with Tanzania? | ||
Not only is Burundi not safe at the moment but also they don't have gorillas - when they promote gorillas it's actually into neighbouring Rwanda or DRC. DRC is your 3rd option for gorillas but to get there you'd have to go via Rwanda anyway. Rwanda has the most expensive permit but is the easiest place to access the gorillas given your short time. | 1 | |
Thanks. I have done some more reading and Rwanda indeed seems like the best option. How much time do you think we would need for gorillas in Rwanda, Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro? One option is to skip Ngorongoro as we will probably do safari in Etosha (Namibia) during September. | 2 | |
This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines. | 3 | |
Rwanda you will need about 3 days and Kilimanjaro climb will take 6-7 days so plan with 10-12 days will be good. Your flight from Kigali to Kilimanjaro might be a late one so you might need a night in Arusha. Ngorongoro crater is very special if you can please go there you will not be disappointed. | 4 | |
This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines. | 5 | |
As above. In Rwanda Kili, depend on route but about a week. Ngorongoro/Serengeti, this could vary but probably 4 days day 1. Arusha to Serngeti So 2 weeks for Gorillas, Kili and safari, then a few days in Zanzibar (spend a night in Stonetown as well as going to the beach). Worth noting the closest airport to Kilimanjaro is, unsurprisingly Kilimanjaro Airport which is closer to Moshi, not sure what flights are like between there and Kigali though. | 6 | |
Anybody who has been to both Etosha and Nogorongoro, Serengeti, etc? | 7 | |
Personally having been to both, I'd choose Serengeti and Ngorongoro by a big margin. | 8 | |
I've been to Ngorongoro and Serengeti a couple times, I've been to Etosha 3 times. Both great destinations, both different. Etosha's big thing is the wateringholes, flood-lit at night, sounds horrible but actually really good, it's like being at the theatre and just watching animals coming and going. | 9 | |
The Serengeti and Etosha are both great, and both quite different. I saw a lot more predators in the Serengeti -- I know this is partly luck but if you spend enough time in the Serengeti you can realistically see lions, leopards, cheetahs and spotted hyenas. The wildebeest migration is spectacular. Hippos and crocodiles along the river. There is always something to see. I loved the desert landscape of Etosha and its large herds of different antelopes, plus wonderful elephant viewing. Ngorogongoro Crater is actually my least favorite of the northern Tanzania parks. Yes, you can see plenty of wildlife up close, but it is also extreme.ly crowded and somewhat small. It is worth visiting, to be sure, but for me it does not come close to the wildness of the Serengeti. Tarangire, to my mind, is better than Ngorongoro. The number of elephants alone make it worth the visit. I found it a beautiful park. You can also get way off the beaten path there...few visit the southern part of the park. | 10 | |
This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you. | 11 | |