TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Nairobi – begin your African adventure in the bustling Kenyan capital and opt to head out and explore independently
Gorilla trekking – trek into the dense jungle of Uganda and watch a group of endangered mountain gorillas from a safe distance
Ngorongoro Crater – explore the UNESCO-listed crater, which has one of the highest densities of wildlife of any African national park
Lake Nakuru – see the shallow soda lake and spot both black and white rhinos in the small but biodiverse Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Naivasha – watch the rare African Fish Eagle swooping over the lake, as well as a myriad of other bird life found at the African great lake
Serengeti National Park – spot incredible wildlife as you game drive through Tanzania’s best known national park, home to the amazing annual migration
Masai Mara – search for Africa’s iconic Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo) in one of the continents most famous game reserves
Zanzibar – spend two full days relaxing on the beach, exploring Stone Town or participating in optional activities, including a sunset dhow cruise
Lake Bunyoni – unwind on the shore of the deepest crater lake in Africa, which is home to a large number of bird species
Kampala – cross the Equator and stand with a foot in each hemisphere before arriving in the Ugandan capital
Day 1: Nairobi
Saturday. Welcome to Nairobi! We’ll be there to collect you at Nairobi Airport and transfer you to the Kenya Comfort Hotel. Tonight you will stay in shared dorms. There will be a pre departure meeting at 17.00
Overnight: Nairobi
Days 2-3: Masai Mara
Nairobi – Masai Mara. Heading west from Nairobi on day 2, we reach possibly Kenya’s most famous natural attraction – the Masai Mara National Reserve. The Kenyan section of the wildly beautiful Serengeti Plains teems with wildlife. The highlight of the Mara is no doubt the annual wildebeest migration, when literally millions of these beasts plus zebra and Thomson’s gazelle stray north from the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania in search of lush grass on the savannah plains. Elephant, lion, cheetah, giraffe and a multitude of hooved herbivores also inhabit the reserve. A game drive through the Mara on day 3 gives us the chance to spot the Big Five. During our stay we can also opt to visit a local Masai tribe.
Overnight: Masai Mara | Breakfast x 1, Lunch x 2, Dinner x 2
Day 4: Eldoret & Kampala
Masai Mara – Eldoret. Leaving the Masai Mara early today, we head out of Masai Land and pass through the scenic tea plantations of Kericho before descending the Rift Valley Plateau, on our way to Eldoret – our stop for the night.
Overnight: Eldoret | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Kampala
Eldoret – Kampala (Uganda). This morning, we cross the border into Uganda where we overnight it the capital city, Kampala.
Overnight: Kampala | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 6-9: Lake Bunyoni & Gorilla Trekking
Kampala – Lake Bunyoni. From Kampala we drive to Lake Bunyoni, the deepest Crater Lake in Africa and home to a large and varied number of beautiful birds, which is the base from which the optional Gorilla trek takes place. Dependant on where trekking permits are available, we trek in the Magahinga or Bwindi National Parks in Uganda.
We depart from our base in Bunyoni in small groups over 3-4 days, depending on the group size. We wind our way through arguably some of the most picturesque scenery in Africa en-route to the National Park. Dependant on where permits are available, we may spend a night in Kisoro en route. The following morning, after packing our picnic lunch, we are transferred to a ranger’s station where the trek commences. Your rangers will lead you through the cultivated lands and then into the dense rain forest and on to a gorilla family. Trekking can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 8 hours and it can be quite strenuous. To ensure the gorillas do not get too used to the presence of humans and because they share many of our genes (and therefore able to catch our diseases), the maximum time permitted to spend with them is 1 hour. You will have plenty of time to watch their activity and to take photographs. The rangers will be able to provide you with a background to the family you are visiting. Once your hour is up, you trek back out of the rain forest to your meeting point where you will be transferred back to the Lake Bunyoni campsite.
Please note: Gorilla permits need to be purchased in advance.
Overnight: Lake Bunyoni | Breakfast x 4, Lunch x 4, Dinner x 4
Day 10: Kampala
Lake Bunyoni – Kampala. After marvelling at the experience of our gorilla encounters and enjoying the peaceful Lake Bunyoni, we begin our drive back to Kampala. We cross the Equator for the second time and stop for the classic “one foot in each hemisphere” photo opportunity. We overnight in Kampala and have the opportunity to sample its night life!
Overnight: Kampala | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Jinja
Kampala – Jinja. Today we have the option of visiting the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary or heading to Jinja for a selection of adventure activities including white water rafting at the source of the White Nile, quad biking or visiting a volunteer and community project.
Overnight: Jinja | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 12-13: Lake Nakuru
Jinja – Lake Nakuru (Kenya). Departing early, we head back to Kenya and spend the night outside Nakuru at a lovely campsite on a local farm. Nakuru is Kenya’s 4th largest town and capital of the Rift Valley Province and lies adjacent to the small but wildlife rich Lake Nakuru National Park.
Lake Nakuru National Park is home to a veritable array of wildlife. The park supports a population of black rhino, lion, leopard, zebra, antelope and giraffe. The lake itself is a shallow soda lake.
On day 13 we begin our exploration of the Lake Nakuru National Park. The park was established as a sanctuary for black and white rhino, which are often seen. We spend the day searching for these pre-historic looking beasts as well as the elusive leopard, encountering buffalo, giraffe, various antelope and the occasional hippo along the way.
Overnight: Lake Nakuru | Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 2, Dinner x 2
Day 14: Lake Naivasha
Nakuru – Naivasha. Today we head to Lake Naivasha arriving in the late afternoon. Lake Naivasha, is home to a multitude of bird life, the most magnificent being the African Fish Eagle with his regal cry. At 1880 m, this is the highest of the Rift Valley lakes. We spend the day enjoying optional excursions like Elsamere (former home to Joy & George Adamson of Born Free fame), a boat ride to the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary or a bike ride around Hell’s Gate National Park.
Overnight: Lake Naivasha | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15: Nairobi
Naivasha – Nairobi. After breakfast we head back to Nairobi. On arrival we bid farewell to members of the group who will be ending their trip here before heading to our hotel for the night.
Overnight: Nairobi | Breakfast
Days 16-19: Serengeti & Ngorongoro
Nairobi – Arusha (Tanzania). Leaving Nairobi, we cross the border into Tanzania. We set up camp in a Meserani, on the outsirts of Arusha – the starting point for the 3 day excursion to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.
The Ngorongoro/Serengeti excursion takes us via the Masai town of Mtu Wa Mbu (Mosquito River) that lies adjacent to the Lake Manyara National Park and up the Rift Valley Escarpment to the higher lying village of Karatu. Karatu offers magnificent views over the surrounding hills and has many well established wheat farms that add to the picturesque panoramas. We spend the evening at a pleasant campsite in Karatu. The following morning we depart early for the Ngorongoro Conservation area and head into the wildlife rich Ngorongoro Crater. This World Heritage Site boasts some of the best game viewing in Africa – including the elusive Black Rhino.
Overnight: Karatu (1) Serengeti (1) Arusha (1) | Breakfast x 3, Lunch x 4, Dinner x 4
Day 20: Pangani
Arusha – Pangani. We return to Arusha before continuing on towards Dar es Salaam. On the way we drive through the town of Moshi situated at the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest mountain. We may even catch a glimpse of this magical mountain’s snowy summit – a photo opportunity not to be missed!
Overnight: Pangani | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Dar es Salaam
Pangani – Dar es Salaam. After our night in Pangani midway between Arusha and Dar es Salaam we continue to our lovely seaside campsite in Dar es Salaam.
Overnight: Dar es Salaam | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 22-24: Zanzibar
Dar es Salaam – Zanzibar. A ferry from Dar Es Salaam takes us to ‘Spice Island’, where we spend the next three nights. Zanzibar is steeped in history and offers a wealth of experiences. Wander the streets of Stone Town, take an excursion around a spice plantation or simply laze on one of the pristine white sandy beaches, the choice is yours!
Overnight: Zanzibar | Breakfast x 1
Day 25: Dar es Salaam
Zanzibar – Dar es Salaam. Leaving Zanzibar in the afternoon we take the ferry back to Dar es Salaam. On arrival, where we exchange addresses and part ways, having just experienced a trip of a lifetime!
GORILLA TREKKING PERMITS
Please note: Uganda Gorilla trekking permits need to be purchased in advance, and are subject to availability. Due to the limited availability of the trekking permits, we are unable to guarantee your permit upon receipt of payment. Should we be unable to obtain your permit you will receive a full refund.
INCLUDED
Arrival transfer from Nairobi Airport on day 1
A fully equipped overland truck for transportation and game drives
All camping fees and appropriate equipment
Park entry – Lake Naivasha NP. Park entry and game drives – Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara, Ngorongoro NP, Serengeti NP
All road taxes and tolls
1st night dormitory accommodation at Kenya Comfort Hotel and 20 nights camping. Tents and sleeping mats provided
Services of 3 person crew (leader, driver, cook)
19 breakfasts, 19 lunches and 19 dinners
3 night Zanzibar Excursion including ferry transfer, accommodation, Spice Tour and Dhow Sunset Cruise.
NOT INCLUDED
Gorilla Permit and transfer fee: Please note that Gorillas often move across the border, between the national parks in Rwanda and Uganda, therefore itineraries often have to be changed at short notice in order to track the Gorillas in whichever National Park they have migrated to. For this reason the cost of the Gorilla Permit and relevant transfers varies, as do the applicable visa costs, dependent upon which country we need to travel into. Permits are subject to availability and need to be booked in advance.