This 11 days’ tour leads you to Uganda’s and Kenya’s leading safari destinations; Bwindi forest and Masai mara. It is equipped with water safaris, game drives, and cultural encounters intended to give you a real African feel.
Tour overview
Day 1 Kigali city tour and transfer to Ruhija/Buhoma
Day 2 Gorilla Trekking
Day 3 Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 4 Chimpanzee trekking and Kazinga Channel boat safari
Day 5 Transfer to Kampala
Day 6 Transfer to Kisumu
Day 7 Transfer to Naivasha
Day 8 Transfer to Masai Mara
Day 9 and 10 Full day game drive in the Masai mara
Day 11 Transfer to Nairobi
Day 1 Kigali city tour and transfer to Ruhija/Buhoma
Having had breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and have a city tour in Kigali (a clean city of Africa). The tour will take you to the Genocide Memorial site where you will be given a brief history of this hilly country. You will then travel to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable forest as you get ready for your gorilla trek the next day. Your gorilla trek will be either in Ruhija or Buhoma depending on availability of gorilla permits.
Meal plan – breakfast, lunch and supper
Accommodation – Broadbill Forest camp
Day 2 Gorilla Trekking
After a mighty breakfast prepared by your accommodation, we report at the gorilla tracking starting point for a short briefing. You then enter the Impenetrable forest with your packed lunch to search for the endangered mountain gorillas. Be ready to walk for 45 minutes to 5 hours depending on where you will find the gorillas that day. Having encountered them, you will be given a full hour to interact with gorillas before returning to your lodge to relax.
Meal plan – breakfast, lunch and supper
Accommodation – Broadbill Forest camp
Day 3 Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Having had breakfast, you will drive to Queen Elizabeth National park. You will access the park via Ishasha, the southern sector which is famous for the rare tree climbing lions. You will have a game drive enroute and if lucky you may spot these cats lazing in the fig trees as they try to escape the mid-day sun. Arrival at your lodge will be in the evening.
Meal plan – Breakfast, lunch and supper
Accommodation – Pumba Safari Cottages
Day 4 Chimpanzee trekking and Kazinga Channel boat safari
After breakfast, we prepare ourselves for the once in a life time experience (chimpanzee tracking). You may track the chimps in the Kyambura Gorge or Imaramagambo Forest or Kalinzu Forest; the choice is yours. This activity is a bit challenging but very rewarding, so expect to walk for one to four hours depending on where the chimps will be on this day. Having encountered them, you will have a full hour with them. The chimpanzees’ behavior can provide a clue to that of our early ancestors.
You are to have picnic lunch and then have a boat trip on the Kazinga channel which will give you an opportunity to see many animals including; crocodiles, hippos, elephants, kobs, monitor lizards and so on. Also expect to see many bird species including; the marabou stalk, African Fish Eagle, pelicans, cormorants and so on. The Kazinga channel is said to have the highest concentration of hippos in the world.
Meal plan –Breakfast, lunch and supper.
Accommodation-Pumba Safari Cottages
Day 5 Transfer to Kampala
After having breakfast, you drive to Kampala. We are to have a stop at the equator village (Kayabwe) for lunch and to take pictures if interested. Equator is the imaginary line on the world map that runs east to west and divides the earth into the southern and northern hemispheres. Arrival at your hotel will be in the evening.
Meal plan – breakfast,lunch and supper
Accommodation – Namirembe Guesthouse
Day 6 Transfer to Kisumu
After breakfast, you will drive east of Kampala towards Kisumu. You will drive through the Mabira forest (the largest in Uganda) and cross the river Nile. Your first stop will be in Jinja where you will have a boat trip to the source of the river Nile (world’s longest River) It is here that the water begins its 90 days’ journey to the Mediterranean Sea. You then drive on to Kisumu with lunch, boarder and photo stops. Arrival will be in the evening.
Meal plan – breakfast, lunch and supper
Accommodation – The Home stay cottage
Day 7 Transfer to Naivasha
You have breakfast at leisure and then drive to Naivasha. On arrival, you check into your lodge and then go for a boat trip on Lake Naivasha which gives you an opportunity to see hippos and various animals on the crescent Island including zebras, giraffes, Kobs Starbucks and so on. You also have an option to have a guided walking safari on Crescent Island to get up close with the wildlife as there are no predators present.
Meal plan – breakfast, lunch and supper
Accommodation – mwanzo lodge
Day 8 Transfer to Masai Mara
Depart Naivasha after breakfast for transfer to Masai Mara. We drive through the highlands where you will have views of the Eastern arm of the Great East African rift valley and later drive to its floor. On arrival, you will check into your lodge and relax.
Meal plan – lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Mara Explorers Camp
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294209-d6276019-Reviews-Mara_Explorers_Camp_Backpackers-Maasai_Mara_National_Reserve_Rift_Valley_Province.html
Day 9 and 10 Full day game drive in the Masai mara
Having had breakfast, have a full day game viewing on the vast plains of the Masai Mara giving you chance to see lions, cheetahs, buffaloes, zebras, warthogs. Masai Mara is famous for having a huge population of game. The months of July to September tend to be the most interesting due to the migration of millions of wildebeest from Tanzania’s Serengeti to Kenya’s Mara National Reserve. To some, this great animal migration is the 7th wonder of the world. Dinner and overnight at campsite.
Our game drives will mainly focus on Ngama hills for black rhinos, Sand River for large herds of elephants, hammer kop plains and Kissenger for lions, Keekorok for hippo viewing and river crossings for the wildebeest.
Meal Plan – Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Mara Explorers Camp
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294209-d6276019-Reviews-Mara_Explorers_Camp_Backpackers-Maasai_Mara_National_Reserve_Rift_Valley_Province.html
Day 11 Transfer to Nairobi
After having breakfast at leisure and have a morning game drive in the mara plains. You then visit a masai community. On this tour you will be introduced to some masai traditions such as starting fire without a lighter, visit a typical masai homestead, visit a masai market and also enjoy a presentation from their community. Be ready to participate in the presentation as it is healthy for your muscles (can you jump higher than a masai warrior?).
In the evening, you will travel to Jommo Kenyatta International Airport to catch your connection flight to your next destination.
ACTIVITIES
Game drives
Boat trip
Bird watching
Sightseeing
Cultural visits
PRICE USD 2155 per person, Based on 6 people travelling
Included in the price are;
All park entry fees
Gorilla and chimpanzee permits
Sightseeing
Boat trip on Lake Naivasha, river Nile and Kazinga channel
10 nights’ Accommodation
All meals
Packed drinking water
Fueled 4WD Private Safari Vehicle
English speaking Private safari guide
Not included in the price are;
Safari walk on crescent island (usd 30 per person)
Flights
Visa
Personal Expenses (e.g. laundry, telephone, beverages, etc.)
Meals not listed above
Flying balloon rides
any items of personal nature.
What to pack
Personal cameras and binoculars
Insect repellant
Hat
Sun glasses
Light clothes and jackets or sweaters
A pair of water proof trousers and jacket
