Arusha and Kilimanjaro · Tarangire National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Gombe Stream National Park
Northern Parks and Gombe Chimpanzees: An 11-Day Journey
Baobabs and crater floors in the north, then a flight and a boat ride west to wild chimpanzees on the shore of Lake Tanganyika.
- Duration
- 11 days
- Destinations
- Arusha and Kilimanjaro · Tarangire National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Gombe Stream National Park
- Best months
- Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Group size
- 2 to 6 guests
- From
- $6,009 per person
Overview
Baobabs and crater floors in the north, then a flight and a boat ride west to wild chimpanzees on the shore of Lake Tanganyika.
Two very different corners of Tanzania sit side by side in this itinerary: the established wildlife route of the north and the forested shore of Gombe Stream. The first half runs through Arusha National Park, Tarangire's elephants under old baobabs and a full day inside Ngorongoro Crater. The second half flies west, via Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, to the national park on Lake Tanganyika where Jane Goodall's chimpanzee research began.
Two days are set aside for Gombe, on the trails her studies were built around. Getting there takes a second domestic flight and a boat ride, a chain of logistics that sits outside the day-to-day work of most northern-circuit operators, which is why the pairing is unusual.
Here both halves are one continuous booking with one guide relationship, so you do not need to coordinate separate companies. It is especially good for travellers who have already done a standard Tanzania safari and want to know what comes next.
- Northern-circuit wildlife and Gombe chimpanzee trekking in a single unbroken itinerary
- A half-day guided walk in Arusha National Park to open the trip
- Tarangire's elephants and a Maasai community visit
- A full day inside Ngorongoro Crater, one of the region's more dependable places for Big Five sightings
- Chimpanzee trekking on the trails where Jane Goodall's work started
- A boat journey on Lake Tanganyika that forms part of the route, not a footnote to it
Best forCouplesHoneymoonersSolo travellersWildlife enthusiastsRepeat visitors to Tanzania
Wildlife radar
What you can expect to see
June to October, the dry season, which suits both the game drives in the north and the forest trails at Gombe.
- ChimpanzeeHigh
Gombe Stream National Park
- LionHigh
- African elephantHigh
- GiraffeHigh
- Colobus monkeyHigh
- Black rhinoRare
The difference
Two journeys, one booking
The north and Gombe use separate routing. Gombe lies on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in the far west, and no road reaches it, so the whole approach is by air and water. Most operators run one or the other.
We have built both into one itinerary so the transitions, flights and boat transfer are handled for you rather than left to a second company.
On the map
Your route
Follow the trip from the first night to the last, by road and by air.
- Start · Day 1Arusha
- Day 2Arusha National ParkDrive from Arusha
- Day 3Tarangire National ParkDrive from Arusha National Park
- Day 4KaratuDrive from Tarangire National Park
- Day 5Ngorongoro CraterDrive from Karatu
- Day 6Dar es SalaamFlight from Ngorongoro Crater
- Day 7KigomaFlight from Dar es Salaam
- Day 7-8Gombe StreamBoat from Kigoma
- Day 9KigomaBoat from Gombe Stream
- End · Day 10-11Dar es SalaamFlight from Kigoma
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Arusha
Arusha
Land at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drive through farmland and coffee estates at the foot of Mount Meru. After you have unpacked, your guide meets you over dinner and talks through all eleven days of the route.
- Ridge
- Kahawa House
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2
Half-Day Walk in Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park
Few Tanzanian parks allow guided walking in every season, and this is one of them; an armed ranger leads. The trail normally skirts the Momella Lakes, where giraffe and buffalo are frequently nearby, while colobus monkeys travel the treetops above you.
- Ridge
- Kahawa House
- Meals
- All meals
Day 3
Arusha to Tarangire
Tarangire National Park
Heading south via Makuyuni, you reach Tarangire's baobab-dotted plains, where Tanzania's biggest elephant herds congregate. The day closes with an afternoon game drive beside the Tarangire River, which sustains the park through the dry months.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 4
Tarangire and a Maasai Community Visit
Karatu
Spend a last half-day on game drives in Tarangire, then climb the Great Rift Valley escarpment towards the Ngorongoro highlands. On the way you stop at a Maasai community, step into a boma and talk about pastoralist life inside the conservation area.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 5
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater
You spend the whole day within the caldera, a closed world of about 260 km² (100 sq mi) enclosed by walls 400 to 600 m (1,312 to 1,969 ft) high. With so many animals packed into so little ground, it ranks among East Africa's most dependable spots for the Big Five, including black rhino.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 6
Karatu to Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
A morning drive returns you to Arusha Airport, where a scheduled flight east to Dar es Salaam marks the shift from the north towards Gombe.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 7
Dar es Salaam to Gombe Stream
Gombe Stream National Park
Fly across the width of the country to Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika, then take a boat along the shore into Gombe Stream National Park. No road reaches the park, so this is how every visitor arrives.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 8
Chimpanzee Trekking at Gombe
Gombe Stream National Park
An armed park ranger leads a full day on foot to find Gombe's habituated chimpanzees, among the most closely studied wild chimpanzees in Africa. Paths rise steadily from the lakeshore into forested ridges. When the group turns up, you may stay with them for one supervised hour.
Research here has run continuously since Jane Goodall began her original study in 1960.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 9
Gombe to Kigoma
Kigoma
Return along the lakeshore to Kigoma town for the night.
- Ridge
- Kigoma Hilltop
- Meals
- All meals
Day 10
Kigoma to Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
A flight carries you east over the whole width of Tanzania to Dar es Salaam, where a brief city tour fits in ahead of dusk.
- Meals
- All meals
Day 11
Departure
Dar es Salaam
Transfer to the airport for your international connection.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Gallery
Along the route
Where you stay
Choose your style of stay
Ridge
Character, comfort and standout settings
From$6,009per person
- Kahawa House
- Tarangire Katikati Tented Camp
- Ngorongoro Farm House
- Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel
- Mbalimbali Gombe Tented Camp
- Kigoma Hilltop
Price per person
Choose a level of stay and see what each person pays for your group size.
| Travelling together | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | $7,257 |
| 3 travellers | $6,633 |
| 4 travellers | $6,321 |
| 5 travellers | $6,134 |
| 6 travellers | $6,009 |
- Prices are in US dollars, per person sharing a double or twin room. Vehicle and guide costs are shared, so the price per person changes with group size and does not always fall in a straight line.
- Park fees are set by the authorities and can change, so the quote you accept is the price that applies.
What's included
- Park and conservation fees
- All game drives
- Chimpanzee trekking permits
- Domestic flights: Arusha to Dar es Salaam to Kigoma and back
- Accommodation as listed
- Meals during the safari
- Airport transfers
Not included
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
Good to know
- Single supplements are available on request.
- Gombe issues a limited number of trekking permits each day, so book at least three months ahead for travel between June and October.
- The small aircraft serving Kigoma have a lower baggage allowance than standard domestic flights, so pack for the Gombe leg in a soft bag rather than a hard-shell case.
- Lodge availability and costs can vary with the exact dates of travel.
Questions
Good to know
They need different routes. Gombe lies on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania, and getting there means a flight via Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, a logistical chain quite apart from the northern game drives. Most companies do one or the other; far fewer build both into a single itinerary.
Forest paths can be steep and uneven. Locating the chimpanzees may take half an hour or several hours, since the community drifts to a new spot each night. Reasonable fitness helps, though the hike is neither technical nor extreme.
It works for both first-timers and returning travellers. It particularly appeals to those who have done a classic safari and want something beyond the usual circuit: the north delivers the familiar wildlife, while Gombe adds an encounter many first-timers never know exists.
The dry season, roughly June to October, gives easier game viewing in the north and clearer conditions on the Gombe trails.
The price covers park and conservation charges, every game drive, the permits for chimpanzee trekking, internal flights linking Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Kigoma, lodging, meals on safari and airport transfers. International flights, visas, insurance and gratuities are extra.
Yes. After day 11 you can tack on a few slow days on a Zanzibar beach. Tell us and we will build it into the plan.
Northern Parks and Gombe Chimpanzees: An 11-Day Journey
Tell us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability and a personal quote.