Tanzania Chimps of Gombe, Wildlife… (trip)

Tanzania Chimps of Gombe, Wildlife of Selous and the Magic of Zanzibar.

  • Dar es Salaam Airport, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Active & Adventure
Tanzania, Africa

from $7,495* per person8 DaysJuly
Luxury accommodations Exertion level: 5
Operator: Terra Incognita Ecotours 16 people max
This trip has it all! In just ten days we will spend time in Gombe National Park watching the exact same Chimpanzees that Jane Goodall has studied for over 50 years. We will see Africa as David Livingstone first experienced Africa, with a few days in the incredible and remote Selous – home to African Wild Dogs, Leopards, Lions and so much more. We end with a few days of relaxation on the private Chapwani Island, just a short distance offshore of Stone Town on the magical spice island of Zanzibar.

This trip is certain to exceed your expectations! After gathering in Dar es Salaam we immediately depart for the little-known, but incredible Selous, a short one-hour domestic flight from Dar es Salaam but a world apart. This park, the oldest and largest in all of Africa, is larger than the country of Belgium - indeed there are still areas in the Park where a westerner has never set foot! This is Africa as David Livingstone first found Africa, raw and wild. The Selous is home to the elusive African Wild Dog, the only park in eastern Africa where sightings are virtually guaranteed! Plus our remote wilderness camp has Elephants wandering through the grounds, Lions roaring at night and Leopard sightings are common!

After a few days in the Selous we move to Gombe National Park where Jane Goodall has studied the Chimp population for an unbroken period of 50 years, by far the longest continuous study of any Primate population on Earth. Consequently not only are all individuals named and history known, but the Chimpanzees are completely habituated and continue their daily lives all but indifferent to our presence.

We end with a few days of relaxation on the spice island of Zanzibar, and to make our stay here even more special we spend our time on the beautiful private Chapwani Island, with only ten rooms, this is indeed a tropical paradise on the Indian Ocean. Here you can relax, enjoy a massage on the beach, snorkel among tropical fish, or take the short boat ride to the main island of Zanzibar, where you can visit the Jozani Forest home to the Zanzibar Red Colobus monkey, explore Stone Town, even visit a spice farm if you wish.

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Locations visited/nearby

Tanzania, Africa

0 testimonials about this trip.

3 testimonials about the provider, Terra Incognita Ecotours:

  • Reviewer: Gary and Karen located in London, United Kingdom

    We visited Rwanda with Ged and Terra Ingognita Ecotours in September 2010. Without doubt it was the most amazing trip of our lives. The Gorilla trekking was out of this world. It's hard to put into words what an experience this was. Every aspect of the trip was planned to perfection. The accommodation (especially the Virunga Lodge) was fantastic. Ged, our tour leader and his supporting team of drivers were great. Ged made sure every element of the trip was perfect for us. I couldn't recommend Terra Ingonita more highly...

  • Reviewer: Merrie Wise located in New York, New York USA


    I traveled with Terra Incognita to Rwanda in June 2008...and it was the absolute adventure of a lifetime! Our tour leader, Ged, knows Rwanda so well and planned the absolute perfect trip! We had 2 amazing days with the Mountain Gorillas...a wildlife experience that just can not be beat! If you want a travel adventure that will change your life for the better book the Gorillas in the Mist trip with Terra Incognita Ecotours!
  • Reviewer: Bob Lidston located in Baltimore, Maryland USA

    I had the privelege of visiting Borneo with TI in August, 2010. Nine strangers from around the US and Ged. I had visited Africa and the Amazon with another competent company. TI was better Not only had Ged engaged an excellent local guide, found lovely accomodations and developed a well-paced and fascinating itinerary, but he also subtlely made certain the strangers became friends and even cleaned the mud from our boots. He lives up to what he says about helping local conservation and this benefitted us with entry into a restricted primary forest and dinner with a long-time French researcher. We met up with 50 elephants in a monsoon-like storm. How he staged that,I'll never know! The bats, rats and roaches of the Gomantong Cave were a living horror movie--a unique experience not to be missed. Snorkling off a Buffett kinda island paradise, holding a Barracuda in the Sandakan fish market, and meeting friendly Malays helped turn a trip into an experience. Eager to go TI again.

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Itinerary

Day 1: Sunday - Arrive Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
You are met on arrival at the Dar Es Salaam International Airport and transferred to our hotel for the night, the comfortable Southern Sun Hotel.
Overnight at Southern Sun. (D)

Day 2: Monday - Dar es Salaam to Selous Game Reserve
Fly from Dar es Salaam early in the morning 8.30/9.15 to arrive at Selous Game Reserve, where we are picked up from the airstrip and transfer to our Camp for the next two nights. We will enjoy a game drive on the way, and have lunch in camp and then a short siesta. Later this afternoon go on either a game drive or boat safari.
Overnight at Lake Manze Tented Camp (B,L,D)

Day 3: Tuesday - Selous Game Reserve - explore on foot, by boat, or game drive
Early this morning we can choose whether we depart on a foot-walking Safari to the Selous Game Reserve, with the guidance of an armed ranger, the walk takes approximately 3 hours before you come back for a late breakfast, rest and lunch. Or perhaps take a game drive, or even an early morning boat ride. All options return to camp for lunch. Later this afternoon proceed with a game drive until sunset.  Walking excursions offer a good chance of seeing giraffe, zebra, elephant and birds at a close range.
Overnight at Lake Manze Tented Camp (B,L,D)

Day 4: Wednessday - Selous Game Reserve to Dar es Salaam
We can have another early morning game drive, return to camp for lunch and in the afternoon we transfer to the airstrip for a flight to Dar es Salaam, where we again check-in to the comfortable Southern Sun and enjoy dinner by the pool.
Overnight at Southern Sun (B,L,D)

Day 5: Thursday - Dar Es Salaam to Gombe Forest Lodge
This morning we take a short domestic flight to Kigoma on Precision Air. We should arrive around lunchtime. We then transfer to a lake boat for the two hour journey on Lake Tanganyika to the stunning Gombe Forest Lodge. This evening we settle in to our new lodgings at Gombe Forest Lodge, situated on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The lodge has been designed with every comfort in mind, whilst minimizing the disturbance and impact of such a stunning environment. The camp's spacious tents, set on wooden platforms are shaded by huge mango trees along the lake shore, each tent featuring a writing desk, en-suite facilities with hot and cold running water.
Overnight Gombe Forest Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 6: Friday - Gombe
This morning we take our first outing to track the Chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park . It is our first FULL day in Gombe and we plan to go chimp tracking in the morning and perhaps hike to Jane’s Peak in the afternoon to enjoy the spectacular view. The Chimp tracking can last from one to three hours, so you should be prepared for hiking on steep and sometimes slippery terrain, and you should be able to walk under such conditions for several hours.
Overnight Gombe Forest Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 7: Saturday - Gombe
Today is our second FULL day in Gombe and we plan to go chimp tracking again. As yesterday the Chimp tracking can last from one to three hours, so you should be prepared for hiking on steep and sometimes slippery terrain, and you should be able to walk under such conditions for several hours. In the afternoon we can hike again, relax on the beach, and we may try and meet with some of the Jane Goodall staff for cocktails this evening. We should certainly plan to end the day with a swim in Lake Tanganyika!
Overnight Gombe Forest Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 8: Sunday - Gombe to Kigoma to Dar and flights home
This morning we take the boat transfer back to Kigoma, enjoy a short tour of Ujiji where we can visit the memorial located in the exact spot where famed adventurer H.M. Stanley finally located Dr. Livingstone and uttered the famous phrase…”Dr. Livingstone I presume”. After the tour we enjoy lunch and then fly back to Dar es Salaam. We have rooms reserved at the Southern Sun, where we have a farewell dinner for those headed home. You may choose to head home late this evening (after 9pm) or early tomorrow morning, everyone has a room at Southern Sun, so that those leaving have somewhere to clean up before their flights home.
Overnight at Southern Sun (B,L,D)

Post Trip Extension to Zanzibar

Day 9: Monday - Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar
After a relaxed breakfast, we transfer to the airport for the short flight to Zanzibar, the famed Spice Island, where we plan to spend a couple of days relaxing, with opportunities to visit the Jozani Forest to see the endemic Red Colobus Monkeys, plus ample time to go snorkeling in the Indian Ocean. We fly over this morning and after a short drive through Stone Town transfer by boat over to Chapwani Island and our lodging for the next few days.
Overnight Chapwani Island (B,L,D)

Day 10: Tuesday - Zanzibar and the Jozani Forest
This morning we take a boat back to the main island of Zanzibar and drive to the Jozani Forest, where we go in search of the endemic, and highly endangered, Red Colobus Monkey. We plan to have lunch in Stone Town before a short guided tour of this historic site and plan to return to our beach-side lodge in time to catch sunset cocktails on the beach!
Overnight Chapwani Island (B,L,D)

Day 11: Wednesday - Chapwani island
Today we have a full day to relax on Chapwani island. Perhaps go snorkeling in the morning and enjoy a massage on the beach in the afternoon. Wander the trail to the view the fruit bat colony located in the middle of the island.
Overnight Chapwani Island (B,L,D)

Day 12: Thursday - Zanzibar and head home
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast this morning before transfer to the airport on Zanzibar in time to connect with your international flights from Dar Es Salaam.
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