For many of us, an African safari is a true bucket list holiday. The ultimate wildlife experience involves observing wildlife in vast open plains, rivers teeming with hippos and crocodiles, starry night skies, lions snoozing in the long grass, and leopards lounging in trees.
What if you could see all this wildlife and see mountain gorillas up close and personal?
Combining a gorilla trek in either Uganda or Rwanda with a traditional safari offers an extraordinary African wildlife adventure. You just need to know where and when to go.  And, how to get between the countries, the easiest way possible. Â
An itinerary that includes gorilla trekking and a traditional African safari can be either tailor-made or created by joining two small group departures together. Â
A tailor-made itinerary costs a bit more, you can customise your itinerary based on your interests, choose your accommodations based on the best locations, and choose how long you wish to stay.
Whilst small group departures are more cost-effective, you cannot adjust the itinerary to include other areas or sights you may want to visit. Also, it is essential to know that in Tanzania, all small group departures use accommodation in the centre of the Serengeti National Park, and it is only from April to June (the wet season) when the migration passes by the centre of the Serengeti.
UGANDA
Uganda, ‘The Pearl of Africa,’ is celebrated for its great biodiversity and as a vital habitat for threatened mountain gorillas; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rich cultural experiences, varied fauna, and deep forests of the park make it a top choice for those who enjoy the natural world and preservation. For guests, its difficult terrain and abundant greenery provide a singular and immersive experience.
RWANDA
Rwanda offers gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Its unique biodiversity, volcanic settings, and deep woods provide a variety of activities focused on its most well-known residents—the mountain gorillas. A multifarious location for environment enthusiasts and adventure seekers, the park offers chances for trekking, wildlife viewing, and cultural encounters as well.
KENYA and TANZANIA
Kenya and Tanzania are home to many of Africa’s most famous wildlife areas. Safaris to these countries can seamlessly combine Kenya’s Masai Mara and Amboseli parks with Tanzania’s Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. The wildebeest migration is the main reason to combine these two countries, or you can focus on one of the areas in each country for the migration, i.e., either the Masai Mara or the Serengeti National Park.
When is the best time to combine gorilla trekking with a Kenya or Tanzania safari?
Tailored tours that combine gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda with a Kenya or Tanzania safari are organised throughout the year because all four countries have pleasant environments with average temperatures of 25°C and chilly nights most of the time.
The west season for East Africa (Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania) is typically April/May, with shorter rains in October and November. We say ‘typically’ as climate change now has an effect.
So, the optimal time to do a Gorilla Trek and a safari is entirely determined by what you want to see or experience. For example, if you want to see the wildebeest migration, the optimal time to do a gorilla trek and safari in either Kenya and/or Tanzania safari is determined by the migration stage you want to see.  Whilst the herds move in a clockwise direction 365 days of the year, the two events that draw the biggest number of visitors are the river crossings in July/August/September or the calving in February/March.
January, February, and March
The migration begins in the Ndutu region of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.  The short grass plains are rich in nutritious grasses, providing the best conditions for the herds to raise their newborns. By mid-February, the calving season is in full swing, with approximately 8,000 wildebeest being born daily for about three weeks. As a result, the area surrounding Lake Ndutu is the best spot for this time of year.
April and May
Usually, the first signs of migration appear in April, when hundreds of thousands of wildebeest begin their laborious journey over the western plains and then north.
As the herds pass across the Ndoha and Dutwa plains next to the Mbalagweti River, they may begin to build up near the Mbalagweti and Grumeti Rivers, posing a dangerous impediment for animals to cross. During these months, there are too many wildlife watching possibilities in both the central and western Serengeti.
June and July
The rutting season typically begins in June, with fierce fighting between competitive males vying for the attention of females. Around this time, the dry season begins, with large concentrations of wildebeest in the Western Serengeti and on the southern banks of the Grumeti River. Each migrating animal must face the difficulty of crossing the crocodile-infested river, and this dramatic river crossing is one of the most exciting occurrences throughout the Great Migration.
In early July, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra continue to migrate north along the park’s western perimeter towards an even more dangerous barrier, the Mara River in northern Serengeti, and the river crossing is a remarkable and exhilarating wildlife encounter on Earth. The Mara River Crossings normally begin in late July, but the exact schedule is dependent on the rainfall. As a result, if you want to observe the Great Migration Grumeti River Crossing, June through early July is the optimum time to combine gorilla trekking with a Tanzania safari.
Late July, August, September, and October
At the beginning of August, the migration herds faced the obstacle of crossing the Mara River and were distributed across the northern half of the Masai Mara National Reserve, with many remaining in the Northern Serengeti National Park. It should be noted that there are no single crossings. At some locations, there are only a few animals, while others have a huge numbers moving nonstop for hours. As a result, if you want to observe the Great Migration crossing the Mara River, late July to early October is the optimum time to combine gorilla trekking with a safari in the Northern Serengeti.
November and December
By the end of October or early November, the wildebeest migrate from the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya to the Serengeti’s eastern part, passing the Namiri Plains, By December, the wildebeest herds have spread throughout the eastern and southern regions, and the cycle continues when the calving season begins again. November and December are ideal months to observe the animals in the Central and Eastern Serengeti.
Travellers should be aware that the Central Serengeti (the Seronera Area) can be visited all year because to the abundance of resident species, including predators, and tourist-wise, is the busiest area of the park with the most number of lodges and camps.