Mountain Gorillas to the Masai Mara

From dense mountain jungles to wide savannah plains, from a thrilling trek to see endangered mountain gorillas to prolific game and birdlife that fill the Mara and the lakes of the Great Rift Valley; this tour reveals the diversity of Eastern Africa and offers exciting wildlife and cultural encounters to complete your African adventure!

Watching flamingos feed at Lake Nakuru Volunteering at Ugandan Schools The spectacular Bujagali Falls Relaxing by the waters of Lake Bunyonyi Trekking in search of Mountain Gorillas Wildlife encounters in Kenya’s famous Masai Mara

Price

From: GBP1010 per person (18 Days)

Price Includes

• Fully equipped safari vehicle
• Camping and cooking equipment
• All road tolls and vehicle taxes
• All ground transportation
• Sleeping mattress
• services of two crew
• meals as indicated

Price Excludes

• Local Payment excursions, visas, travel insurance, flights, departure taxes, airport transfers, sleeping bag, optional activities, drinks, tips, items of a personal nature and meals & accommodation in Nairobi (2 nights on days 14 & 15)

Departure Dates

Basic Local Payment - Mandatory
Food and Camping US$ 255
Lake Nakuru National Park US$ 85
Gorilla Trek Transfer US$ 50
Masai Mara Game Reserve US$ 295

TOTAL BASIC LOCAL PAYMENT
US$ 685.00

Flexible Local Payment - Optional
Community Schools Project US$ 30

TOTAL FLEXIBLE LOCAL PAYMENT
US$ 30.00

TOTAL INCLUSIVE LOCAL PAYMENT
US$ 715.00

DAYS 1 - 2, Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru

From Nairobi we cross the Great Rift Valley, an enormous cleft in the Earth’s surface stretching north to the Red Sea and south to Mozambique. After stopping to admire the spectacular views over the valley we continue to Lake Nakuru National Park, our first night’s camp. Rhino, leopard, warthog, baboon and numerous other animals inhabit the park, but Nakuru is best known for its wealth of birdlife, especially flamingos which feed in huge numbers forming a pink fringe around the lake shore. Leaving Nakuru we travel north through the highlands of Eldoret to the lush landscape of Uganda.

DAYS 3 - 6, Uganda, Nile River, Kampala

Uganda is a surprisingly green country and our first stop is at Jinja, near the famed source of the River Nile. Time permitting,there are various activities available here including white water rafting and quadbiking! Alternatively, relax and admire the world’s longest river and dramatic Bujagali Falls from our camp. While here there is a chance to take part in a charity project involved in building and improving local schools. Roll up your sleeves for the afternoon and make a difference! Further along the shore of Lake Victoria we arrive in Kampala, Uganda’s vibrant capital city, set amidst seven hills and bustling with markets and roadside traders.

DAYS 7 - 11, Gorilla Trekking

Continuing to rural south-western Uganda, we pass through Mbarara and Kabale, and stop at Lake Bunyonyi, a picturesque lake in the Kigezi Highlands. From here we enter deep valleys of banana plantations and tiny villages to arrive at the dense forest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for the most exciting part of our trip: a trek to see the mountain gorillas! This region is home to approximately half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and is one of only two forests in the world where they live in their natural habitat. The trekking can be hard going but all the effort is forgotten when we finally come face to face with these magnificent creatures. Gorillas are very sociable and live in families of 12-20 individuals, led by a dominant male (the so-called ‘Silverback’) together with several adult females and numerous young. We have a one-hour audience with these gentle giants which promises to be a truly memorable experience. Group sizes on treks are kept small to minimise the impact on the sensitive natural habitat so we may therefore spend several days here allowing all members of the group to view the gorillas. Community visits and forest walks can be taken around this beautiful area when not trekking gorillas.

DAYS 12 - 18, Kenya, Masai Mara

We return to Kenya, crossing the Rift Valley for the bright lights of Nairobi. Following our brief stay, we venture into the ‘Mara’. Masai Mara Game Reserve is Kenya’s most celebrated park, known for its breathtaking scenery and prolific wildlife. We game drive amidst this African wilderness and hopefully spot the ‘Big Five’ and a host of other wildlife including cheetah, giraffe, hippo, jackal, hyena and antelope. From the ‘Mara’ we return to Nairobi where our tour ends.