14 Kenya Safari & Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tour

This morning we hop onto our adventure vehicle, built for travel in Africa, and make our way southwest into the scenic Great Rift Valley. Our first safari destination – the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Arriving at Masai Mara we settle in at our safari camp and head out on a thrilling late afternoon game drive. The open plains and rolling hills of Masai Mara are home to a plethora of free-roaming wild animals, a number of which we are sure to spot on our game drive. Keep your eyes peeled for the Big Five of Africa (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo) as we explore one of Africa’s most legendary game reserves. An exhilarating start to our African safari adventure!

Starting early this morning we spend the whole of day three exploring Masai Mara Reserve. Set off across the unspoiled plains in search of Africa’s wild animals, taking in the epic safari landscapes as we explore.

Kenya’s leading safari destination is renowned for its sizeable big cat populations, offering exceptional cheetah, lion, and leopard sightings. In addition to its plentiful feline predators, Masai Mara is also famous for the Great Migration, also known as the Wildebeest Migration that takes place annually. We may get to witness massive Nile crocodiles snapping up herbivores as they attempt river crossings, especially during the Great Migration when around two million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles are on the move.

Masai Mara is, however, an outstanding safari destination year-round so keep your cameras ready and your eyes open for wildlife action. This is after all the place for that quintessential African scene of acacia trees with grazing giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, and elephants.
Today you have the chance to take an optional hot air balloon safari over the plains of Masai Mara, viewing the wilderness and its roaming wildlife from above.

On day four of our Kenya Safari & Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tour, we say goodbye to majestic Masai Mara and drive northeast to Lake Nakuru. One of the Great Rift Valley lakes, Lake Nakuru is surrounded by a wildlife-rich protected area of the same name.

Along the way, we stop for lunch at the Ubuntu Cafe, a local community initiative where organic local food is served in support of social upliftment. After our tasty lunch, we continue to Lake Nakuru and embark on an afternoon game drive in our adventure vehicle.

Lake Nakuru National Park covers a variety of habitats and thus hosts diverse wild animals and birds. Chances of spotting endangered black rhinos are excellent here and the unusual tree-climbing lions are also a highlight. Watch for buffalos, giraffes, antelopes, hyenas, and possibly even shy leopards. Lake Nakuru attracts plenty of waterbirds making this park a birding hotspot, with over 400 bird species recorded. Sightings include flamingoes, pelicans, cormorants, and many others.

This morning we hop onto our adventure safari vehicle and take a second game drive in Lake Nakuru Park. After a wild African start to the day, we hit the road for Eldoret, near the Ugandan border. Tonight we camp at a grassy campsite just outside of Eldoret.

On day six of our African safari adventure, we cross into Uganda, heading to our campsite near Kampala. Uganda is a beautiful and relatively lush African country, less transformed by western development than most. On the long journey today you get to see the fertile farmlands and rural scenes of Ugandan life.
Later today you can join the introductory meeting to welcome new travelers and find out more about the rest of the safari trip if you choose.

Sit back and watch rural Africa go by as our Kenya Safari & Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tour travels the long road down to Lake Bunyonyi in the southwestern corner of Uganda.

On our way, we cross the equator stopping for snapshots at the imaginary line. Then we continue southwest to picturesque Lake Bunyonyi, near the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest of Uganda. Sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery at the lake, after a long day on the road.

The big day has arrived – time to go African mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda! One of the most magical and rare wildlife experiences in the world, trekking the gorillas in the wild is undoubtedly the highlight of our African safari.

We trek through the rainforest for up to six hours, depending on where the gorilla family groups are at the time. Uganda is home to almost half of the mountain gorillas surviving in the wild today, with the bulk of Uganda’s gorillas living in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Once we have located a gorilla family we spend about an hour watching them at close range – an unforgettable wildlife encounter! See how these intelligent and social primates groom each other, feed, play, and interact in their natural environment.

Ugandan park authorities allow a maximum of eight people per gorilla trek, so our safari group will be split into smaller groups for gorilla trekking, possibly tracking on different days. Also, our guided Uganda gorilla trekking tour may take place tomorrow, depending on our permits, but either way, we spend a full day trekking these endangered primates on foot.

On day nine you are free to unwind at scenic Lake Bunyonyi, enjoying optional activities or simply swimming in the lake and soaking up the lovely setting. You can go canoeing or take a motorboat ride out on the pretty lake, which is dotted with islands. Lake Bunyonyi is known for its abundant and diverse birdlife, so keep your binoculars ready.

If you didn’t go gorilla trekking yesterday then today is the day for your experience of a lifetime with the endangered African mountain gorillas in Uganda.

After our unforgettable Uganda gorilla trekking experience, we hit the road again. This time we head northeast in our comfortable adventure vehicle. Our destination for today is Kalinzu Forest Reserve, part of the Queen Elizabeth National Park.

This Ugandan forest hosts six species of primates, most notably chimpanzees. The Kalinzu Forest Reserve is home to over 200 chimpanzees, more than 370 species of birds, and a rich variety of trees, butterflies, reptiles, and more. Queen Elizabeth Park features diverse habitats, from open grasslands to forests and swamps. This afternoon you can embark on an optional boat cruise on the scenic crater lake.

Rise and shine early this morning, setting off into Kalinzu Forest Reserve in search of chimpanzees and an array of other wild creatures.

Admire the beautiful scenery as we trek along the Rift Valley escarpment, enjoying views of the majestic Rwenzori Mountains, Kazinga Channel, Lake Edward, and the neighboring country of Congo. As we walk along forest trails, our local guide intrigues us with tales of the local legends about the forest, the uses of the forest, and the culture of people here.

After our chimpanzee tracking expedition, which takes up to five hours, we visit a tea plantation in the Kalinzu area. A local guide walks us through the plantations and the process of producing tea – from growing the plants to harvesting and making the various teas.

Then we set off east to Lake Mburo. This afternoon you have the option of exploring the lake by boat. The boat cruise is an excellent way to watch the animals and birds of the lake, especially the crocodiles and hippos found in abundance here. Birding enthusiasts can look forward to spotting kingfishers, African fish eagles, and shoebill storks, amongst other waterbirds.

On day 12 of our Kenya Safari & Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tour, we drive to Jinja. This drive takes us along the shores of Lake Victoria and across the equator to the source of the Nile River.

Along the way, we pause at the equator to take photos and see how water turns in opposite directions on different sides of this imaginary line. Then we visit a café and gallery run by the non-profit AidChild. We have lunch at the cafe which directly supports the non-profit that helps children and youth living with HIV in Uganda.

This evening your guide can help you to plan optional activities for the following day in Jinja, the adventure capital of Uganda. Tonight you have the option of eating out at one of the local restaurants.

Today is all about enjoying the great outdoors and the exciting adventure activities in and around Jinja. As the main adventure hub of Uganda, this is the place to get your adrenaline pumping.

Go quad biking along the banks of the Nile River or mountain biking through plantations and villages into Mabira Forest hosting birds and monkeys. Whitewater rafting is another popular option in Jinja, as well as kayaking along the mighty river. You can also visit local markets and villages to get to know the Ugandan people and their cultures better. The sunset boat cruise along the Nile is a great way to end an action-packed day in Jinja.

This morning our Kenya Safari & Uganda Gorilla Trekking Tour leaves Jinja, behind. You then head to Entebbe Airport to catch your flight back home.