Day 1: Welcome To Nairobi
There is no need to rush on this safari: it’s time to get settled in. On your arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and transferred to a comfortable in Nairobi. If you arrive with time to spare, consider getting to know the Nairobi city on a city tour. You can visit the popular attractions such as Karen Blixen Museum, Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre and Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.
Accommodation
Luxury: Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi/Giraffe Manor/Hemingways Nairobi
Midrange: Tamarind Tree Hotel/Crowne Plaza Nairobi
Meals
Optional activities
- Nairobi – City Experience Urban
Special information
As with many cities around the globe, petty crime is come in Nairobi city and recently arrived visitors to the capital can frequently make for tempting targets. Your tour guide will verse you in a few worthwhile precautions at the welcome meeting. But generally you should keep valuables in a neck wallet or money belt at all times. There is no need to be mistrustful but appearing vigilant is a great deterrent to would-be thieves.
Day 2: Visit Lake Nakuru
On day two of your 8 Days Wildlife Safari in Kenya, drive north-west past splendid views of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha and Elementaita to Lake Nakuru National Park. Situated in the heart of African Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru is a great location for spotting wildlife, which you will do in an early morning game drive tomorrow.
For now, you will visit the nearby village with your guide. This is a fantastic opportunity to interact with the local people and get a feel for everyday life here. You can even take a cooking class and return later in the evening to share the results for dinner.
Accommodation
Luxury: The Cliff/Sarova Woodlands
Midrange: Lake Nakuru Lodge/Flamingo Hill Camp/Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Meals
Included activities
- Lake Nakuru – Village Walk & Cooking Class
Special information
- Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
- Your camp, outside the park, is well-situated and has flush toilets and showers. Accommodation upgrades and Wi-Fi are not available.
Day 3: Travel To Lake Naivasha
Wake early for breakfast and head into the Lake Nakuru National Park for a morning game drive in a 4×4 vehicle. Along with the other members of the Big 5, Nakuru is home to rhinos, and there will be a good chance of spotting and photographing one of these magnificent beasts.
Return to camp for lunch before driving to your camp or Lodge near Lake Naivasha. One of the few freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha has floating islands of papyrus reeds and a border of flat-topped acacias. It is also home to a healthy population of hippos and a wonderful variety of birds.
Accommodation
Luxury: The Cliff/Sarova Woodlands
Midrange: Lake Nakuru Lodge/Flamingo Hill Camp/Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Meals
Included activities
- Lake Nakuru – Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Special information
- Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
Day 4: A Variety Of Activities Lake Naivasha
Enjoy a free day to choose from a variety of optional activities available around Lake Naivasha. Perhaps visit the nearby Hell’s Gate National Park, which feature beautiful cliffs, gorges, rock towers, volcanoes and a range of geothermal phenomena.
Another great choice is to take a boat trip across Lake Naivasha – perhaps the best way to take in the atmosphere of this lush area. If you are interested something active, why not hire a bike for the day and make some of your own discoveries, venturing beyond the cacti and olive trees.
Accommodation
Luxury: Kiboko Luxury Camp/Chui Lodge/Enashipai Resort
Midrange: Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp/Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort
Meals
Add on activities
- Lake Naivasha – Bike biking tour
- Lake Naivasha – Boat trip
- Lake Naivasha – Game Walk in Crater Lake Game Sanctuary
- Lake Naivasha – Hell’s Gate NP (Game Drive)
Day 5: Travel To Masai Mara
Depart Lake Naivasha and embark on a drive to Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya’s richest game park renowned for its black-maned Lions. The road is dusty when dry, and could be slippery and muddy when wet, so the going may be slow.
You will arrive in time for lunch and short relaxation. Then, you will enjoy your first game drive in the “Mara”, as the locals call it. Masai Mara is the classic African safari destination, with vast open plains, dramatic skies and some of the world’s most tremendous animals.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Masai Mara – 4×4 Game Drive
Special information
- Your travel time today will be around 4 hours.
Day 6: Full Day Game Drive In Masai Mara
Venture into the Masai Mara National Reserve for a full day of game drive in a 4×4. You will explore this diverse environment and most likely see a multitude of wildlife.
An optional balloon safari over the Mara at sunrise is available today. If you have pre-booked this activity you’ll be picked up before sunrise and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then you will glide through the sunrise, sometimes at tree height, to get some amazing photographic opportunities.
Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and of the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you will be treated to a bush breakfast, and then be returned to your campsite.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Masai Mara – 4×4 Game Drive
Add on activities
- Masai Mara National Reserve – Balloon ride (from price) – USD500
Special information
The hot air balloon safari must be booked in advance to secure a place. This is because it is a popular activity and places are limited. If you take in this safari activity you will miss the morning half of game drive.
Day 7: Game Drive & Masai Village Tour
Due to the flourishing wildlife activity, a second full day in Masai Mara National Reserve will offers you the chance to witness more of the wildlife’s natural behavior. This can include a cheetah chasing an impala, lions killing a buffalo, or the serene activities of birds building nests and giraffes browsing. You will be back at the lodge or camp in time for lunch.
After lunch and maybe a siesta, you will set off on an afternoon game drive. After a game drive, you will take a cultural tour to a Maasai village to learn about the culture of the famous Maasai People. Your guide will lead you through the village and discover traditions and beliefs, and daily practices of Masai People like demonstrations of how to make fire using sticks.
At the end of the cultural adventure, you can buy some gift items/curios made by the villagers – which are a chance to give back to the local community.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Masai Mara – 4×4 Game Drive
- Masai Village Tour
Day 8: Drive Back To Nairobi
On the final day of the 8 Days Wildlife Safari in Kenya, say goodbye to the open plains of the African bush and return to the busy city of Nairobi.
On arrival, you will be dropped at a centrally located hotel and with no accommodation provided for tonight, you are free to leave at any time. If you would like to extend your to Uganda, Rwanda or Tanzania, we will happily organised the extension.
Meals
Special information
- Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.
- It’s important not to book any outgoing international flights for earlier than 6 pm today.
Day 1: Welcome To Nairobi, Kenya
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, where our company representative will be on hand to facilitate your transfer to the hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 2: Nairobi
After a good breakfast on day two of the 11 Days Kenya’s Big 5 & Conservancy Safari, meet your tour guide for briefing and then set out for Kazuri, a factory that employs single mothers and other marginalized Kenyans to make high-quality ceramic beads and jewelry.
After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Giraffe Centre, established by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife to educate Kenya’s children about their country’s wildlife. Learn about the center’s program for breeding endangered Rothschild’s giraffes and releasing them into the wild. Early this evening, enjoy an after-hours tour of the excellent Nairobi National Museum. Tonight, you will enjoy a good dinner at the hotel.
Accommodation
Luxury: Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi/Giraffe Manor/Hemingways Nairobi
Midrange: Tamarind Tree Hotel/Crowne Plaza Nairobi
Meals
Included activities
- Visit Kazuri, a factory that employs single mothers and other marginalized Kenyans
- Tour Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s elephant orphanage
- Visit the Giraffe Centre
Day 3: Fly To Amboseli National Park
On day three of the 11 Days Kenya’s Big 5 & Conservancy Safari, take a flight to Amboseli National Park, where vast savanna and marshlands are irrigated by underground runoff streams from – the world’s highest freestanding mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.
These landscapes provide a natural habitat for hundreds of African elephants, making the park one of the best places in Africa to spot these biggest land mammals on the planet. The safari begins on the drive to your booked sustainable safari lodge, set within view of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Enjoy lunch and time to settle into your room before setting out on a sunset game drive, on the lookout for cheetahs, lions, zebras, buffalos, elephants, hyenas, and other creatures scattered across the endless savanna plains. Return to the lodge for dinner.
Accommodation
Luxury: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge/Oltukai Lodge/ Tortilis Camp
Midrange: Kibo Safari Camp/Satao Elerai Camp
Meals
Included activities
- Amboseli – Sunset Game Drive
Day 4: Safari In Amboseli National Park
Enjoy early morning game drive in Amboseli National Park, keeping an eye out for the savanna’s smaller creatures, including around 420 bird species that have been identified here – from superb starlings to the iconic grey crowned cranes. Stop for a bush breakfast en route to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, home to the longest running study of wild elephants in the world.
Initiated by Cynthia Moss and Harvey Croze and operated by the Amboseli Trust for Elephant, the project has centered on researching and monitoring the elephants of Amboseli for over 50 years.
The life histories of individual elephant herds have been painstakingly documented across generations, contributing greatly to our understanding of elephant behaviour and the bonds within and between herds. Meet a member of the team to hear about their time in the field observing herd dynamics and collecting biological samples. Travel back to the camp for lunch before a late afternoon wildlife drive.
Accommodation
Luxury: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge/Oltukai Lodge/ Tortilis Camp
Midrange: Kibo Safari Camp/Satao Elerai Camp
Meals
Included activities
- Amboseli morning 4×4 Game Drive
- Visit Amboseli Trust for Elephants
Day 5: Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
After a delicious breakfast, a short flight brings you to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, 251 square kilometers (25091 hectares) of golden savanna dotted with iconic umbrella thorn trees on the northern flanks of Mount Kenya –Africa’s second tallest mountain.
Considered a model in the conservation field, this healthy wildlife habitat is home to a number of rare wildlife species, including the dazzling Grevy’s zebra, the reticulated giraffe, and African wild dogs.
Lewa Wildlife conservation and the neighboring Borana Wildlife Conservancy also harbor roughly 15% of the entire rhino population in Kenya. Settle into your comfortable safari lodge or camp before setting out on safari to track these and multitudes of other creatures, and cap off your day sipping sundowners on the beautiful savanna plains.
Accommodation
Luxury: Elewana Lewa Safari Camp/Lewa House/Laragai House
Midrange: Lewa Wilderness
Meals
Included activities
- Lewa 4×4 Game Drive
- Lewa -Sundowner
Day 6: Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
If you wish, rise at sunrise for a guided bush walk, searching out the tracks of rhinos, lions, and leopards. Learn to spot the park’s flora and small fauna. Alternatively, have a morning wildlife game drive.
Travel to the conservancy’s office to meet with members of Lewa’s award-winning security team, whose effective patrolling of the reserve has ensured that not a single rhino has been poached in the past 5 years to date. If time permit, join the rangers and their highly skilled dogs for a tracking demonstration on the conservancy. Enjoy a leisurely lunch and free time before your late afternoon safari.
Accommodation
Luxury: Elewana Lewa Safari Camp/Lewa House/Laragai House
Midrange: Lewa Wilderness
Meals
Included activities
- Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – 4×4 Game Drive
Day 7: Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
Learn about the fascinating Maasai people and their culture during a village visit. Learn about their traditional games and sports, music and dance, and everyday life.
Get acquainted with local families and visit a home to see how typical dwellings called manyattas are built using cow dung and grass. Watch for wildlife on your way back to lodge or camp for lunch. Enjoy time to relax or read in the shade before enjoying a delightful dinner.
Accommodation
Luxury: Elewana Lewa Safari Camp/Lewa House/Laragai House
Midrange: Lewa Wilderness
Meals
Included activities
- Lewa Wildlife Conservancy -4×4 Game Drive
Day 8: Travel To Masai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, have final safari in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy en route to the airstrip, and then fly to the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve, which stretches along Kenya’s southwest border.
The national reserve is famous for its large populations of African predators, including leopard, cheetah, hyenas, and lion. During the annual Great wildebeest migration, some 1.5 to 2 million wildebeests and zebras thunder through the park, searching for nutriuos grass. After lunch, get an intimate look at the area’s ecosystems on a 4×4 safari game drive.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Masai Mara – 4×4 Game Drive
Day 9: Masai Mara National Reserve
At first light, head out on safari game drive to see animals that traversed the area during the night. View savannah plains game such as Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, topi, impala, and eland antelopes – as well as their stealthy predators – at one of their most active times of the day.
Masai Mara is fabled to have one of the highest predator concentrations in all of Africa. Watch large pods of hippos submerged up to their nostrils in the water of the Great Mara River and huge Nile crocodiles sunbathing on the shore. After a picnic lunch, drive back to camp or lodge for a leisurely afternoon.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Masai Mara – 4×4 Game Drive
Day 10: Masai Mara
Have a closer look at efforts to protect the Masai Mara on a visit to one of the region’s conservation NGOs, such as the Anne K. Taylor Fund, an organization that works with local Maasai communities to reduce poaching and human-animal conflict. Later, set off on one last safari, and then toast your adventure during a farewell dinner.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Masai Mara – 4×4 Game Drive
Day 11: Nairobi/Home
Return to Nairobi by air and pay a visit to the imaginative social enterprise Ocean Sole, which creates art out of flip-flops and other plastics that wash up on Kenya’s shores. This afternoon, continue to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s elephant orphanage. The organization is the world’s most successful rescue and rehabilitation program for orphaned elephants. Enjoy the opportunity to shadow the center’s caretakers and get up close to the elephants during their afternoon feeding. Later, transfer to the airport for your evening flight home. Safe Travels!
Day 1: Arrive In Nairobi
Welcome to the capital of Kenya! If you have a window seat on the flight, you will likely see Nairobi National Park before touching down on the runway. One of the many aspects of what makes this city unique is the closeness of its 117.21 km2 (45.26 sq. mi) park. This is not a zoo, but rather a large protected are where many of Africa’s wild animal species roam happily and free.
Upon landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), you will be picked up by a private driver and transferred to your hotel. Nairobi is the largest city of Kenya, with over 6 million residents, and it was founded in the late 19th century by colonial authorities in British East Africa as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway. The name Nairobi originated from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi (cold water), referring to the Nairobi River, which flows through the city.
The rest of the day is free time to explore any way you would like. You might want to rest after the journey or visit artistic and cultural displays at Nairobi Gallery or lounging by the pool.
Accommodation
Luxury: Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi/Giraffe Manor/Panafric Nairobi
Midrange: Tamarind Tree Hotel/Crowne Plaza Nairobi
Meals
Included activities
- Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
- Nairobi – Welcome Dinner
Add on activities
Special information
An airport arrival transfer is included but this transfer is only valid if arriving on day one or if you have booked pre-trip accommodation through Tulambule. Please provide your flight details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 15 days prior to travel.
Day 2: Lake Naivasha – Lake Nakuru
After an early breakfast, your tour drive will take you to East African Great Rift Valley. Your first stop will be at the Eden Project.
Eden Reforestation Projects is an NGO (nonprofit) that works in developing countries to restore natural landscapes destroyed by deforestation. Eden works directly with local communities experiencing extreme poverty resulting from the deforestation and destruction of the land that sustains them.
You will spend an hour here and learn how they work alongside the local community to produce, plant, and protect tens of millions of trees every month, creating jobs to support them in restoring their local environment and economy long-term.
Then continue your drive to Elsamere, the former home of the writer Joy Adamson, whose 1960 book ‘Born Free’ helped bring wildlife conservation into the mainstream.
Elsamere house is a veritable museum dedicated to the works of George and Joy Adamson, with many photos of Elsa, the lioness that started it all. Enjoy on a boat cruise on Lake Naivasha, the highest of all lakes in the Great Rift Valley and home to many a hippopotamus.
Later, enjoy a high tea lunch on the very grounds Joy cherished for so many years, with the lake as a serene backdrop. After lunch, you continue to your lodge at Lake Nakuru National Park, arriving in the early evening. From your lodge you will enjoy remarkable views of Lake Nakuru, alive with the call of birds and rich in wildlife.
Accommodation
Luxury: The Cliff/Sarova Woodlands
Midrange: Lake Nakuru Lodge/Flamingo Hill Camp/Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Meals
Included activities
- Lake Naivasha – Boat trip
- Lake Naivasha – Elsamere Conservation Centre
- Kiambu Tigoni – Eden Reforestation Project
Special information
- Today’s total driving time is around 4 hours.
Day 3: Lake Nakuru National Park
This morning you will tour Lake Nakuru National Park on a game drive – the park’s lake is its stunning centrepiece. Mornings can be cold here so you need to bring warm clothes.
You might see why this great soda lake has been described as the world’s greatest ornithological spectacle; great flocks of flamingos often turn the landscape a sweeping shade of pink. Flooding in recent years has unfortunately caused a decline in the park’s birdlife. However Nakuru boasts substantial numbers of other wildlife species, including waterbuck, reedbuck, gazelle and the rare Rothschild’s giraffe.
Leopards also reside here, and the chances of sighting one are high. Return to the lodge and take some time out for lunch, then head back out for another afternoon game drive. Keep your eyes peeled for white rhinoceros as well as one of Africa’s most endangered creatures, the elusive black rhinoceros. Although white rhino sightings are fairly common, spotting a black rhinoceros is a real treat.
Accommodation
Luxury: The Cliff/Sarova Woodlands
Midrange: Lake Nakuru Lodge/Flamingo Hill Camp/Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
Meals
Included activities
- Lake Nakuru – Afternoon 4×4 Game Drive
- Lake Nakuru – Morning 4×4 Game Drive
Day 4: Visit Masai Mara
After breakfast, drive southwest to the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of the best wildlife game reserves on African continent. Cross the Great Rift Valley of East Africa.
Pass by the remote Loita Hills region which is home to the Maasai people. This is one of little area where they still practice their traditional way of life with little influence from the western world.
Have a stopover at Tepesua Village. Here youwill be welcomed by Maasai Warriors through traditional song and dance. Meet your Maasai guide, take a walk to the community village and enjoy a captivating talk full of insights into this ancient culture.
Tepesua Village offers support, safety and economic growth through the Tepesua Widows Income Project, where widowed women sew eco-friendly handicrafts to sell to visitors and locals.
Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home and cattle enclosure. Move on to your lodge or camp in Masai Mara National Reserve where you will stay for the next three nights. Watch blazing sunsets and you can share stories over the bonfire.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Loita Hills – Cultural talk and village visit
Special information
- Today’s total driving time is approximately 7 hours.
Day 5: Masai Mara National Reserve
Explore more of the national reserve by 4×4 vehicle today with further game drives from morning to the afternoon. Have your packed lunch and depart for an early morning game drive. You will explore the furthest part of the game reserve.
Witness the wonderful variety of wildlife that inhabits the area. Zebra, wildebeest and gazelle are plentiful. You might even spot predators keeping a casual eye on their movements. Giraffes, elephants and elands are also frequently sighted, along with plenty of bird life.
The place is known for its riverine woodlands and rolling green plain, and amongst the many species of game, black-maned lions, leopards or cheetahs might appear, with some luck.
As the sun starts to set, stop and take a moment to soak it all in with a drink in hand – there is few better ways to wrap up a day of wildlife watching in one of the world’s most magical wildlife areas. As dusk falls, a variety of animals might be visible in the vicinity of your camp or lodge also.
Return to lodge late in the evening and freshen up before settling in for dinner.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Masai Mara – Sundowner and snacks
- Masai Mara – Full Day 4×4 Game Drive
Day 6: Masai Mara National Reserve
Today’s morning is yours to do as you wish.
You might choose sit back with a delicious cup of coffee on your private deck, keeping an eye out for animals in the reserve. Or forgo a sleep-in in favour of an early morning game drive or a guided walking safari.
If you would like to see the Mara from a different viewpoint, a hot air balloon safari at sunrise is a truly unforgettable experience. You can book a balloon ride in advance or on the ground (subject to availability). And the suppliers are committed conservationists. Part of the profits from every flight goes straight to worthy conservation projects within the reserve.
You will be picked before sunrise and float through the sunrise, sometimes at tree height, making the most of the marvelous photo opportunities.
Sometimes you’ll ascend to get an overview of the vastness of the Mara plains and the early-morning movements of the teeming mammal herds. In the afternoon, you’ll go another exciting game drive in the reserve.
Accommodation
Luxury: Mara Serena Lodge/Ashnil Mara Camp/Mara Leisure Camp
Midrange: Mara Sopa Lodge/Jambo Mara Lodge/Basecamp Masai Mara
Meals
Included activities
- Masai Mara – Afternoon 4×4 Game Drive
Add on activities
- Masai Mara National Reserve – Balloon ride
- Masai Mara – Half Day Game Drive
- Masai Mara National Reserve – Guided Walking safari
Special information
The balloon safari is offered as a pre-booked service which will guarantee you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you are welcome to, but keep in mind that this is a popular activity and places are limited.
Day 7: Drive Back Nairobi
Today, you leave Masai Mara and return to Nairobi. You can expect to arrive in the late afternoon, at which point your adventure will come to an end.
Please do not book any international flights departing from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before 8pm this evening to allow for any unexpected delays. If you would like to extend your stay in Nairobi city, additional accommodation can be booked in advance.
Meals
Special information
The total driving time today is around 6 hours. To reduce your travel time back to Nairobi, you may choose to take a morning flight from Masai Mara to Nairobi. This will give you the chance to catch a late afternoon international flight out of the city.
Please note that the flight from Masai Mara arrives at Wilson Airport (Nairobi). International flights leave from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
If staying on in Nairobi, you may require a transfer from Wilson Airport back to your Nairobi hotel. We are able to book the flight and also the transfer to our Nairobi hotel (additional costs involved).
Day 1: Entebbe
Your adventure begins with your arrival at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport where you are met by a tour representative and transferred the short distance to The Boma Hotel in Entebbe Town. With a population of more than 40 million, Uganda is a country of great cultural diversity and is one of the 5 countries that make up the East African Community.
Your hotel is follows in a midrange category. It is set near Africa’s largest lake – Lake Victoria and makes the ideal start to your tour. Complete with complimentary Internet access and an in-house restaurant, there is also a swimming pool if you want to have a workout after a long journey.
Other Accommodation Options:
- 2 Friends Beach Hotel – Midrange
- Airport Guest House – Budget
- Hotel No. 5 – Luxury
- Lake Victoria Serena Resort and Spa – Luxury
Meals Include:
Day 2: Kibale Forest
After relaxed breakfast at around 8.30 am, you will be will be met by your driver-guide, who will accompany you throughout your stay in Uganda. He will drive you to Kibale Forest National Park, a journey of approximately 6 hours, stopping for a lunch at restaurant en route in the beautiful town of Fort Portal. The drive will take you past tea plantations, through rolling hills, open savannahs and colourful rural villages. Arriving at your lodge, you can relax and unwind after your journey.
Accommodation Options:
- Chimpanzee Forest Lodge – Midrange/Budget
- Kibale Forest Camp– Midrange/Budget
- Primate Lodge– Luxury
- Crater Safari Lodge– Luxury
Meals Include:
Day 3: Kibale Forest & Bigodi Village
After breakfast today you’ll be driven to the Kibale National Park visitor centre for a briefing about your morning of chimpanzee trekking adventure. The trek departs the briefing point (Kanyanchu) at 8.00am. Although it is not guaranteed you will see the chimpanzees, there is a 97% success rate of seeing them — far higher than any other place which offers chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, Rwanda or Tanzania.
Kibale Forest has one of the highest concentrations of primates in East Africa and your hike will offer good chances of seeing red-tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, Vervet monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys. If you are lucky to find yourself in the company of the chimps, you’ll have an hour to enjoy their human-like behaviour and take photos to your heart’s content!
Once your chimp trek is wrapped up, you will to your lodge for lunch and relaxation. In afternoon, you will go for a walk in the nearby Bigodi Village.
Accompanied by a guide who can tell you everything about the traditional customs and lifestyle of the inhabitants, you will follow the village path and visit a primary school, traditional homesteads, learn about the crops and listen to the story telling of a Mzee (elderly man). This activity is an initiative of the inhabitants of Bigodi Village and the revenues are shared by the local community.
Day 4: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today, a leisurely drive of about 2 hours will take you through Kibale Forest, Kasese Town and across the equator to your next stop. Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s premier wildlife destination. This park is home to more than 600 bird species, 10 species of primates – including chimpanzees, and 95 different types of mammals. The route to your accommodation may feel like an unofficial safari.
Keep a look out for African elephants, buffalo, hippos, warthogs, Nile crocodiles, leopards, spotted hyenas, and lions. On arrival you will enjoy a delicious lunch at the lodge before going out for an afternoon game drive.
Accommodation Options:
- Pumba Safari Cottage – Budget
- Bush Lodge– Midrange/Budget
- Enganzi Game Lodge – Midrange
- Elephant Plains Camp – Luxury
- Park View Lodge – Semi Luxury
Meals Include:
Day 5: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Wake up for another amazing day in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park with another 4×4 safari Game Drive. Be on the lookout for any sightings you may have missed yesterday, and if you are really lucky, you might be able to spot leopards or lions.
This afternoon, you also have the opportunity to see the park from another perspective with a leisurely cruise down the hippo-filled Kazinga Channel, linking Lake Edward to Lake George. You’ll be accompanied by local guides who will fill you in on everything you could want to know about the landscape and the animals who live within it – be on the lookout for hippos basking on the shore, as well as Nile crocodiles, herds of elephants and fantastic waterbirds.
Accommodation Options:
- Pumba Safari Cottage – Budget
- Bush Lodge– Midrange/Budget
- Enganzi Game Lodge – Midrange
- Elephant Plains Camp – Luxury
- Park View Lodge – Semi Luxury
Meals Include:
Day 6: Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast this morning, this morning, you will make your way to Ishasha, the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here you will meet some local residents to learn more about rural life in Uganda. Visit a local organic farm, medicine garden and homestead and learn how its owner is tackling human-wildlife conflict with his anti-crop raiding techniques.
You will also meet a local Mukiga woman who will share her story while showing you how to sort, pound and grind millet to make porridge and other Bakiga meals. This part of the park is famous for its tree climbing lions, so be on the lookout as you make the game drive towards your lodge.
Accommodation Options:
- Enjojo Lodge– Midrange/Budget
- Ishasha Wilderness Cam– Luxury
Meals Include:
Day 7: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Today, you will depart Queen Elizabeth National Park on your way to the southwest tip of Uganda. On this short game drive, you will look out for elephants, buffalo, Ugandan kobs, topis, and waterbucks. When you arrive at the southwestern corner of Uganda, you’ll be based in Rushaga Sector of Bwindi, which provides access to 9 of Bwindi’s 24 gorilla families.
Accommodation Options:
- Ichumbi Lodge- Budget
- Rushaga Gorilla Camp – Midrange
- Mutanda Lake Resort- Midrange
- Gorilla Safari Lodge – Luxury
Meals Include:
Day 8: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Joined by a local ranger guide, hike through the rugged mountainous landscape of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to encounter rare Mountain Gorillas. No more than 8 visitors per day can visit any one habituated family and visits are strictly controlled to minimize disturbance or the chances of transmission of disease to the animals.
Gorilla trekking in the dense forest jungle can sometimes be wet, muddy and uncomfortable. The terrain is by no means easy either, so it can be pretty difficult and often humid, but the thrill in coming across a habituated family of wild gorillas, dominated by a great male silverback, more than outweighs any difficulty. You need to be prepared and fit enough for round walk of around 2 to 6.
You can usually get very close to the mountain gorillas, which are placid, shy and gentle, and watching their movements is like seeing a mirror image of yourself. Be mesmerized as you watch them eat, sleep, groom and play – the giant silverback surveying the scene as the smaller ones laze in the trees or play like children. Your visit with the gorillas will last one unforgettable hour.
Day 9: Kigali/Nairobi
After breakfast this morning, it’s time to make the journey to Kigali city of Rwanda (approximately 4 hours). You will be dropped off at Kigali International Airport for your short flight to Nairobi this evening (approximately 1.5hrs). On arrival at Nairobi Airport you will be met and transferred to your Nairobi hotel. Check-in, freshen up and get a good night’s rest.
Accommodation Options:
- Four Points By Sheraton – Luxury
- Giraffe Manor – Luxury
- Hemingways Nairobi – Luxury
- Tamarind Tree Hotel – Midrange
- Crowne Plaza Nairobi – Midrange
Meals Include:
Day 10: Nairobi/Lake Nakuru National Park
After, an early breakfast, depart Nairobi for Lake Nakuru which is known for harbouring flocks of pink flamingos and a wonderful variety of bird species. Arrive at your safari lodge inside or near Lake Nakuru National Park in time for lunch, and seek out the resident white rhinos, black rhinos, hippos, zebras, giraffes, lions, leopards, and buffaloes on a late afternoon wildlife drive.
Accommodations Options:
- The Cliff – Luxury
- Sarova Woodlands – Luxury
- Lake Nakuru Lodge – Midrange
- Flamingo Hill Camp – Midrange
- Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge – Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 11: Lake Nakuru National Park
Enjoy a delicious breakfast today and set out on morning and afternoon safaris through the picturesque Lake Nakuru National Park, searching for rhinos, buffalo, impalas, lions, and more. Drive along the salty shores of Lake Nakuru and discover a mind-boggling variety of birds.
Day 12: Lake Nakuru National Park/Lake Naivasha
This morning attend a talk given by a representative of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)—a government institution dedicated to managing Kenya’s wildlife—about the issues surrounding poaching and wildlife conservation. Later drive southward through the Great Rift Valley to Lake Naivasha, a massive freshwater lake encircled by olive trees and grassy banks. Take a relaxing boat cruise on the lake, watching for hippos and buffalo; and peer through your binoculars to spot lovebirds, ibis, and the iconic African fish eagle. Step ashore at Crescent Island—a peaceful wildlife sanctuary located in the middle of the lake— and enjoy a guide leisurely walk in search of zebras, wildebeest, and giraffes.
Accommodations Options:
- Chui Lodge – Luxury
- Kiboko Luxury Camp– Luxury
- Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge – Midrange
- Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp – Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 13: Lake Naivasha/Masai Mara
Enjoy a delightful breakfast today and embark on a drive the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve. On arrival, settle into your comfortable tented camp or lodge, located inside the reserve. Head out for an afternoon game drive through vast, acacia-dotted plains, driving past throngs of wildebeest, zebra, and giraffes; and keep an eye out for lions, and the rest of the African “big five animals.” In the evening, relax at the camp or lodge and enjoy scenic views of the rolling plains.
Accommodations Options:
- Mara Serena Lodge – Luxury
- Mara Leisure Camp – Luxury
- Ashnil Mara Camp – Luxury
- Jambo Mara Lodge- Midrange
- Mara Sopa Lodge – Midrange
- Base Camp Masai Mara – Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 14: Masai Mara
Today, undertake an early morning game drive to see the animals that traversed the savanna during the night. Watch ungulates like gazelles, topis, and impalas, waterbucks, and eland antelopes—as well as their stealthy predators—at one of their most active times of the day. Proceed your exploration on a late afternoon game drive, discovering the breathtaking landscapes of Masai Mara.
Optional activity
You can opt for balloon ride over the Masai Mara Plains at sunrise today. If you have pre-booked this experience you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, to get some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the vastness of the plains and of the early morning movements of the teeming herds.
After landing, you’ll enjoy a bush breakfast, and then be returned to your camp or lodge. In the afternoon, you can take a game drive or visit a nearby Maasai Village to learn about the fascinating culture of Masai People.
Day 15: Masai Mara/Serengeti
Today, after an early breakfast, have your packed lunch and drive to Tanzania/Kenya Border at Isebania. After clearing with immigration, change the vehicle and proceed the famous Serengeti National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), one of the best-known reserves in Africa, and probably the world. The Serengeti has become world-famous for its annual wildebeest migration, an iconic and dramatic scene in wildlife documentaries for decades, and a true bucket list experience, and the main reason we are here! Arrive with an introductory game drive to your pre-booked lodge or camp.
Accommodations Options:
- Serengeti Serena Lodge– Luxury
- Serengeti Kati Kati Camp- Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 16: Serengeti National Park
Immerse yourself in the splendor of the Serengeti. Explore the park’s iconic creatures when you set out in a 4×4 on morning and afternoon safaris through the golden savannah grasslands. With luck, you will spot all of Africa’s “big 5”—lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo.
Day 17: Serengeti National Park/Ngorongoro
You will grab some picnic lunch as you take a final game drive through the Serengeti. But now you are on your way to the Ngorongoro Crater. On route, you’ll make a detour to the anthropological wonder of Olduvai Gorge. The archeological site is a living fossilized record of early man’s tool-making and early development and is not to be missed.
As you come to the Ngorongoro Crater’s rim, you will pause and take in the vast thriving world below you, an area of some 264 square kilometers with crater walls of about 600 m (1,968 feet). Continue to your lodge and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Accommodations Options:
- Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge– Luxury
- Ngorongoro Crater Lodge– Luxury
- Rhotia Valley Lodge- Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 18: Ngorongoro Crater
If you arise early, you can be treated to a spectacular sunrise at the crater’s rim. And now you’re off for a full day game drive inside Ngorongoro Crater. Spanning more than 20km in diameter, the Ngorongoro is the largest non-flooded volcanic caldera in the world and is inhabited by some 300,000 animals. Set out on a game drive into the Ngorongoro Crater and observe the biodiversity and resident wild animals in this incredibly important location to the conservation and protection of global wildlife. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the heart of the world’s largest caldera encircled by unique flora and fauna.
Day 19: Karatu/ Lake Eyasi
After breakfast this morning, you will make your way to Lake Eyasi, a huge seasonal soda lake. Lake Eyasi has been home to the Hadzabe tribal people for over 10,000 years and is one of the few places in Africa where traditional tribal life continues without modern influence.
Today’s visit to the Hadzabe lands offers incredible insight into this ancient culture and a chance to learn about their way of life today. You will have the opportunity to meet members of the community and join in on daily activities like hunting, gathering and traditional dance. You will also learn about their unique ‘click’ language, which is thought to be one of the oldest languages still in use today.
Accommodations Options:
- Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge- Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 20: Arusha
Today you will a leisurely breakfast and learn more about the Hadzabe People. In the afternoon, you will head to Arusha, where your safari ends. An overnight hotel in Arusha can be booked, at an additional expense or be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight.
Day 1: Kigali
Welcome to Rwanda’s capital, Kigali and the starting point for your 13 Days Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya Safari adventure. You will be picked from the Kigali International Airport (KGL) and transferred to your overnight hotel.
Your place of stay for the next two nights is no ordinary accommodation – the Hotel des Mille Collines is famous for sheltering and consequently saving more than 1000 people during the horrific genocide that happened in Rwanda in 1994.
If you arrive early in Kigali city, perhaps take to the streets to explore this thriving city in the midst of a great revival. Tour Nyamirambo, the Muslim quarter, to try some giant grilled tilapia, or visit a local cafe and discover why Rwandan coffee is considered some of the world’s best.
Other Accommodation Options
Luxury: The Retreat/Kigali Serena Hotel/Heaven Boutique Hotel
Midrange: Hotel Chez Lando
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Kigali
Wake up to a healthy breakfast and head out of the city for a sobering visit to the Ntarama Church. Your leader will explain how this memorial marks the location where 5000 people were tragically killed during the Genocide. Reminders of lives lost are still in the church, including clothes and even bones. Proceed to the Nyamata Genocide Memorial Centre, a former church where an incomprehensible 50,000 people were murdered. Your guide will tell you how the Tutsis sought refuge in churches, only for them to turn into death traps.
After that, you will visit the Kigali Genocide Museum, a powerful yet confronting experience and important in understanding the tragedy and the resilience of the Rwandan people. This afternoon, you can re-energize with some local Rwandan food before taking a tour of the beautiful city and its vibrant market with your guide. The evening is free for you to enjoy.
Accommodation Options
- Hotel des Mille Collines
- The Retreat
- Kigali Serena Hotel
- Heaven Boutique Hotel
- Hotel Chez Lando
Day 3: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Enjoy a delicious breakfast at your hotel in Kigali and then leave Kigali. Take a scenic drive of about 4 hours across the border to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda.
Upon arrival, check into the Gorilla Heights Lodge, where you will spend the following three nights. The lodge, which is perched above Nteko Ridge, provides breathtaking views of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which is home to half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Take in the view of the jagged Virunga Volcanoes that straddle Uganda’s borders with Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. Gorilla Heights Lodge uses solar energy and works closely with the local community. You’ll experience genuinely warm Ugandan hospitality. There is no better spot for soaking in your wild surroundings and searching for mountain gorillas.
In the evening, you will have a truly special experience as you are joined by a field veterinarian from the Gorilla Doctors for a fireside chat. This organization is devoted to saving the mountain and eastern lowland gorilla species using veterinary medicine and science. They offer medical interventions to protect these endangered apes from human-induced or life-threatening trauma or disease. You will learn more about their fascinating work during this unique and exclusive experience.
Other Accommodation Options
Luxury: Buhoma Lodge/Gorilla Forest Camp
Midrange: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge/Haven Lodge Buhoma
Budget: Gorilla Conservation Camp/Buhoma Community Lodge
Day 4: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Have an early breakfast and take a short walk to the park office where you will be briefed on today’s gorilla trekking adventure by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) guides.
The gorilla trek can be relative difficult, wet and uncomfortable at times but the exceptional biodiversity of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and the chance to see rare mountain gorillas in their natural environment makes it so worthwhile. We recommend hiring local porter who can carry your pack and offer expert, local one-on-one assistance during the trek. Not only does it make for a more comfortable trek, it also offering valuable employment opportunities to locals and boost their confidence in sustainable tourism.
Gorilla trekking is highly controlled. There are few gorilla trekking permits available every day. Once you find a family of gorillas you will be allowed to stay with them for one hour – watch them groom each other and play, all under the watchful eye of a giant silverback.
Coming face to face with wild gorillas is sure to be a life-changing experience that will be etched on your mind forever. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the lush rainforest wilderness. The rest of the day is for you to relax at the lodge, along with a chance to reflect on a memorable day. Freshen up with a hot shower and enjoy a hearty dinner by the crackling fireplace.
Day 5: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the terrace overlooking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The day is free for you to do as little or as much as you want – your guide will be able to help tailor a day that best suits your interests. If you are interested in another encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas, there is the option for a second day of gorilla trekking. You may wish to just relax at the lodge, take in the views from the outdoor swimming pool, or enjoy a luxurious spa treatment. This evening, enjoy dinner at the terraced restaurant overlooking the Virunga Mountains.
Day 6: Kigali
After breakfast, you will leave Bwindi and start the journey to cross back over the border into Kigali. After arriving at the capital, your afternoon is free to relax or explore as you please.
Day 7: Nairobi
Enjoy a good breakfast today and then transfer to Kigali International Airport for your flight to Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. You will be picked up from the airport for a short transfer to your pre-booked hotel. If you arrive early, you can spend the afternoon exploring the artistic and cultural displays at Nairobi Gallery, or relaxing by the swimming pool at your home for the night – a swish central hotel complete with bold pan-African art, a sauna and steam room, and super friendly staff. After some rest, you will head out with your guide to a colourful local restaurant offering traditional favourites with a modern touch. Enjoy platters and tasty sides like samosas, fried plantains and tilapia.
Accommodation: Sarova Panafric Hotel or similar
Day 8: Lake Naivasha / Lake Nakuru
After Breakfast, head off to Great Rift Valley of East Africa. Your first stop will be at the Eden Project, a nonprofit NGO that works in developing countries to rebuild natural landscapes destroyed by deforestation. Eden works closely with communities experiencing extreme poverty resulting from the deforestation and destruction of the land that sustains them. Visit the site for an hour. Learn how they work alongside the local community to produce, plant, and protect tens of millions of trees every month, creating jobs to support them in restoring their local environment and economy long-term.
Next, make your way to Elsamere, the former home of the writer Joy Adamson, whose 1960 book ‘Born Free’ helped bring wildlife conservation into the mainstream. The house is a veritable museum dedicated to the works of Joy and George Adamson, with several photos of Elsa, the lioness that started it all. Take on a boat cruise on Lake Naivasha, the highest lake in the Great Rift Valley and home to many hippos. Later, enjoy a high tea lunch on the very grounds Joy cherished for so many years, with the lake as a serene backdrop.
After lunch, proceed to your Lake Nakuru lodge, arriving in the early evening. From your lodge, admire the remarkable views of Lake Nakuru and the surrounding park, alive with the call of birds and rich in wildlife. What better way to take it all in than from your lodge’s infinity pool.
Accommodation: Sopa Lodges Nakuru or similar
Day 9: Lake Nakuru National Park
Savour a scrumptious breakfast and explore Lake Nakuru National Park by four-wheel drive vehicle (4×4) – the park’s lake is its stunning centrepiece.
Mornings can be cold here so you are advised to bring warm clothes. You might see why this great soda lake has been described as the world’s greatest ornithological spectacle; great seas of flamingos often turn the landscape a sweeping shade of pink.
Flooding in recent years has unfortunately caused a decrease in birdlife; however the park boasts considerable numbers of other wildlife species, including waterbuck, bushbuck, reedbuck and gazelle. African Leopards are also to be found here, and the chances of sighting one are significant. After a morning game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In the afternoon, you will head back out for another game drive. Keep your eyes open for one of the most endangered creatures of Africa, the elusive black rhino. While white rhino sightings are fairly common, spotting a black rhino is a real treat.
Day 10: Masai Mara National Reserve
After a hearty breakfast today, travel southwest to the Masai Mara, one of Africa’s finest game reserves. Cross the Great Rift Valley floor and pass by the remote region of Loita Hills, home of the legendary Maasai people. This is one of the few places where they still practice their traditional way of life with little influence from the western world. Stop at Tepesua Village where you will be welcomed by Maasai Warriors through traditional song and dance.
Meet your Maasai guide, take a walk around the community village and enjoy a captivating talk full of insights into this ancient Maasai culture. The Tepesua Village offers support, safety and economic growth through the ‘Tepesua Widows Income Project’. Here, widowed women sew eco-friendly handicrafts that they sell to locals and visitors. Learn about African rural village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home and cattle enclosure.
After that, continue to your lodge in Masai Mara National Reserve where you will stay for the next three nights. Here, you can watch beautiful sunsets and share stories over the bonfire – or cocktails in the plush lounge area – before retiring to your luxury digs.
Accommodation: Sopa Lodges Masai Mara or similar
Day 11: Masai Mara National Reserve
Today, you will discover more of Masai Mara by 4×4 with further game drives from morning to the afternoon. You will depart for an early morning game drive with your packed picnic lunch at hand since you will drive to the furthest part of the game reserve.
Witness the wonderful variety of wildlife that inhabits the Mara. Zebra, Wildebeest, and Gazelle are plentiful, and you might even spot predators (Lions, Hyenas, Cheetahs and Leopards) keeping a casual eye on their movements. Giraffes, Elephants, and Elands are also commonly seen, along with plenty of bird life. Masai Mara is known for its rolling plains and riverine woodlands.
As the sun starts to set, stop and take a moment to soak it all in with a drink in hand – there is few better ways to wrap up a day of wildlife viewing in one of the world’s most magical places. As dusk falls, a variety of animals might be visible in the vicinity of your lodge also. You will return to lodge late in the evening and freshen up before settling in for dinner.
Day 12: Masai Mara National Reserve
The morning is yours to do as you please. You may like to sit back with a cup of coffee on your private deck, keeping an eye out for animals in the game reserve, or forgo a sleep-in in favour of an early morning game drive or walking safari.
If you would like to view the Mara from a different perspective, a sunrise hot air balloon safari is a truly unforgettable experience. A hot air balloon ride can be booked ahead of time or on the ground if available and the suppliers are committed conservationists, with a portion of the incomes from every flight going straight to worthy conservation projects within the park. You will be collected before dawn and glide through the sunrise, sometimes at tree height, making the most of the amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you’ll ascend to get an overview of the vastness of the Masai Mara plains and the early-morning movements of the teeming animal herds. In the afternoon, regroup for another exciting 4×4 game drive in the park.
Day 13: Nairobi
Depart Masai Mara and return to Nairobi. You can expect to arrive in the late afternoon, at which point your adventure will come to an end. If you would like to extend your stay in Nairobi, additional accommodation can be booked in advance.
Day 1: Arrive at Entebbe
Your unforgettable journey begins at Entebbe International Airport where you will be met by our company representative and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day will be spent at leisure to explore the town of Entebbe. Additional activities and transfers arranged upon request.
Accommodation Options:
- Boma Hotel – Midrange
- Karibu Guest House – Midrange
- 2 Friends Beach Hotel – Midrange
- Airport Guest House – Budget
- Hotel No. 5 – Luxury
- Lake Victoria Serena Resort and Spa – Luxury
Meals Include:
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
After breakfast, your private transfer vehicle takes you on a scenic drive of about 6 hours to Kibale Forest—the primate capital of East Africa. You will drive past rolling hills, tea plantations, and colourful villages towards Fort Portal Town. Fort Portal rests in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon and is famous for the many tea plantations. From this lovely town you will continue to your lodge inside or near Kibale Forest National Park. Arriving at your lodge, you can relax and unwind after your journey or take a short walk through the adjacent rainforest and Crater Lake field.
Accommodation Options:
- Chimpanzee Forest Lodge – Midrange/Budget
- Kibale Forest Camp– Midrange/Budget
- Primate Lodge– Luxury
- Crater Safari Lodge– Luxury
Meals Include:
Day 3: Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Swamp or Village Walk
Today Kibale Forest opens its doors for sensational chimpanzee trekking. The forest has one of the highest concentrations of primates in East Africa, with a habituated community of chimpanzees that are located 95% of the time during treks.
Spend an hour with these majestic primates, learning about their behaviour and lifestyle. Once your chimp trek is wrapped up, return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation. In afternoon, you will set out for a community based guided tour of the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. During this nature walk, you will learn more about this community-run initiative that aims to conserve the unique biodiversity and environmental values of the wetlands.
Alternatively, you may choose to take a village walk. During this walk you’ll visit the traditional doctor who will tell you more about medical plants, herbs and spirits. You’ll also learn more about the culture and history through a home visit. The elder of the village will tell you many stories about traditional weddings, special ceremonies and tribal life. While you walk past various villages you will also have the chance to visit a school or church.
Day 4: Travel to Bwindi via Queen Elizabeth National Park
Today, embark on a long but rewarding journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – the home of the endangered mountain gorillas. This fulfilling journey will take you through Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s premier wildlife destination with 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.
You will have an opportunity to spot a variety of animals including elephants, buffalo, leopards, spotted hyenas, antelopes, and lions being regular sightings. From Queen, your drive will continue southwest through the Kigezi highlands with great scenery of terraced hills. Lunch will be en route or at the lodge depending on the time of arrival.
Accommodation Options:
- Ichumbi Lodge- Budget
- Mutanda Lake Resort- Midrange
- Rushaga Gorilla Lodge – Midrange
Meals Include:
Day 5: Gorilla Trekking
Today you’ll experience what some people define a life changing adventure: a meeting with the gentle giants of Bwindi! Expect a relatively difficult hike of 2 to 6 hours through the rugged, mountainous terrain and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. But the indescribable elation at coming across a family of wild gorillas is worth the effort. Spend a mesmerizing hour with the gorillas as they eat, sleep, groom and play as the male silverback watches over them, then return to the lodge for dinner and to reflect on this incredible experience.
Day 6: Exploring Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Today, you can opt for a second gorilla trek but if not, your guide will offer you with options and ideas on how you can spend your free day at Bwindi. You can head out on more rainforest hikes to see monkeys, take some nature walks, or if your legs are up for it, take a tough hike over the volcanoes of the nearby Mgahinga Gorilla National Park – or perhaps take a day excursion over the border to Rwanda to visit the genocide memorial, art museum and Nyamirambo women’s center. However, please ensure you have a Rwanda or East Africa visa that allows entering Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya.
Day 7: Kigali/Nairobi
After an early breakfast this morning, take a spectacular drive of about 4 hours through emerald green hills of Rwanda “the Land of a Thousand Hills”. The winding roads meander through verdant rainforests, skirting hilltops (keep your eyes open for the volcanoes!) and dipping into quite rural villages before arriving in Kigali city. You will be dropped off at Kigali International Airport for your short flight to Nairobi this evening (approximately 1.5 hours). On arrival at Nairobi Airport you will be met and transferred to your Nairobi hotel. Check-in, freshen up and get a good night’s rest.
Accommodation Options:
- Four Points By Sheraton – Luxury
- Giraffe Manor – Luxury
- Hemingways Nairobi – Luxury
- Tamarind Tree Hotel – Midrange
- Crowne Plaza Nairobi – Midrange
Meals Include:
Day 8: Amboseli National Park
Your driver guide will pick you up from the hotel for a drive to Amboseli National Park. En route, you’ll take in the African sun rising over the plains. Look for local homesteads and the Maasai herdsmen in their colorful wraps, tending to their cattle. Even before you arrive at Amboseli, you’ll be guided by the unmistakable summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, drawing you to the park.
You’ll arrive in time for lunch at your lodge or tented camp. After fortifying ourselves, you’ll venture out on your first game drive looking for elephants, buffalos, lions, zebras, giraffes, cheetahs, ostriches and so many others. Amboseli is known as a park where the wildlife viewing is easy and abundant. The reserve is also a photographer’s dream, framed by the snowy flanks and summit of Mount Kilimanjaro – the world’s highest freestanding mountain.
Toward the evening and sometimes early morning, the daytime clouds obscuring this tallest peak, drift off giving lucky viewers a stuffing view of the mountain’s iconic summit. You’ll spend the night in the park at your choice of safari lodge or tented camp.
Accommodation Options:
- Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge – Luxury
- Oltukai Lodge– Luxury
- Tortilis Camp – Luxury
- Kibo Safari Camp – Midrange
- AA Amboseli Lodge – Midrange
- Sentrim Amboseli Camp – Midrange
Meals Include:
Day 9: Amboseli National Park
Today, you will be up at the safari dawn to catch the wildlife as if first enters the new day. This pre-breakfast game drive is a special time to take in the park as the first light brings color to the savannah and its exciting inhabitants. As you travel across the grasslands, keep an eye out for the savanna’s smaller creatures, including some of the more than 400 bird species that have been identified here—from superb starlings to grey crowned cranes.
Day 10: Amboseli National Park /Lake Naivasha
By now, you know it is fun to rise with or even before the sun when on safari! You’ll take an early morning game drive for some last views of the elephants and majestic Mount Kilimanjaro. Now you headed for the Great Rift Valley and Lake Naivasha area attractions (approximately 340 km: 6 hour drive). You enjoy lunch and relax on an afternoon boat cruise, gliding by hippos and the rich birdlife here. You may see grazing zebra and antelope not far away, on the shore.
After the rugged terrain of the past few days, this languid freshwater lake is an indulgent retreat. While you are feeling relaxed, let’s take a guided walking safari over to Crescent Island Sanctuary amidst the gently grazing impala, zebra and giraffe.
Accommodations Options:
- Chui Lodge – Luxury
- Kiboko Luxury Camp– Luxury
- Lake Naivasha Country Club- Luxury
- Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge – Midrange
- Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp – Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 11: Lake Naivasha/Lake Nakuru
You can choose visit Lake Bogoria instead of Lake Nakuru National Park if you would like to view the larger flocks of flamingoes. Even you can take an early morning bicycle safari? Today is your chance as you peddle over to Hell’s Gate National Park to view its stunning gorges, dramatic towers, and peaceful grazing wildlife. It is short drive of 80km (1.5 hours) to Lake Nakuru National Park, a pretty game park with wooded hills, acacia forests, and the lake, hosting flocks of pelicans, kingfishers, ostriches, and flamingoes. There is also big game in this diverse park like black rhinos, white rhinos, Rothschild’s giraffes, lion, leopard, warthog, monkey, and baboon.
Accommodations Options:
- The Cliff – Luxury
- Sarova Woodlands – Luxury
- Lake Nakuru Lodge – Midrange
- Flamingo Hill Camp – Midrange
- Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge – Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 12: Lake Nakuru/Masai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, you’ll get in the 4 x 4 and take another game drive through the park. But the great Masai Mara calls! And after a game drive, you’ll embark on a drive of about 285 km (5.5 hours) to this world-famous reserve. On arrival, you will have time for an afternoon game drive in the reserve. The Masai Mara is the quintessential African experience, with expanse of rolling hills, sparse golden plains, signature acacia trees, dramatic skies and some of the world’s most tremendous animals.
Accommodations Options:
- Mara Serena Lodge – Luxury
- Mara Leisure Camp – Luxury
- Ashnil Mara Camp – Luxury
- Jambo Mara Lodge- Midrange
- Mara Sopa Lodge – Midrange
- Base Camp Masai Mara – Midrange
Meals Included:
Day 13: Masai Mara National Reserve
Enjoy unlimited game drives throughout this vast reserve. All the Big 5 are here, with a special emphasis on lions. The Mara is known for its intense concentration of wildlife – the densest in this part of Africa. If you should happen to be here during the Great Migration season, you’ll be lucky to find even greater quantities of wildlife. This is the time when gazelle, zebra, and wildebeest by the thousands cross into the park over the Mara River in their timeless search for ever taller grasses. Here the cycles of life play out as predators lie in wait for the multitudes of these grazers streaming into the Mara. You’ll visit the Mara River looking for hippo, crocs and perhaps waiting in the hills, lion, cheetah and other big cats.
If all that wasn’t enough, you have several optional activities of which you can take advantage. There are also indigenous tribes living here – the Maasai people. You can visit their village, learn about their lives and come away a bit richer for the experience.
If you are interested in something completely different and quite unforgettable, go for a hot air balloon ride over the Mara. You will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then you’ll glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, to get some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you’ll ascend, getting an overview of the vastness of the plains and of the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you’ll be treated to a bush breakfast, and then be returned to your campsite.
Day 14: Masai Mara / Zanzibar Stone Town
You’ll have a morning game drive in Masai Mara and depart late in the morning for Zanzibar. Lunch will be en-route and in the afternoon catch a flight from Nairobi to Stone Town, Zanzibar. Zanzibar is an archipelagic gem in Indian Ocean filled with idyllic beaches, vibrant markets and a varied, and sometimes dark, history. This is a place rooted in slavery, where Arabian sultans once lived. Why not throw yourself into the midst of Stone Town’s maze of narrow streets. Perhaps, if you would like to hear more about this town and the islands history our local representative can organised an afternoon tour.
Day 15: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)
Venture out of Stone Town this morning and drive to the spice farms for your optional guided tour, or head directly to the perfectly pristine northern beaches. If you choose to explore the spice farms, you’ll learn all about the history of this town’s renowned spice trade. Take the chance to touch, smell and taste various spices – such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger – then sample some delicious teas! After lunch, head to the northern beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas await for an afternoon at leisure. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.
Day 16: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)
Wake up in paradise and perhaps take the opportunity walk along this pristine coast before a beach side breakfast. Today is an included dhow cruise and snorkelling trip in the transparent waters among the incredible tropical fish. The late afternoon is free to dine on freshly caught sumptuous seafood or simply relax in a hammock underneath a coconut tree with a good book.
Day 17: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)
Your trip comes to an end today. If you’d like to spend more time in this island paradise, post trip accommodation can be pre-booked at your beach resort or in Stone Town.