Nairobi To Nairobi (20 Days) Gorillas & Gameparks

DAY 1-3: Lake Naivasha and the Masai Mara
After loading the truck with all our gear, we depart Nairobi this morning and head north into one of Africa’s greatest natural features, the East African Rift Valley. Stretching from the Dead Sea in Jordan down to Mozambique in Southern Africa, our first view is from the top of a steep escarpment. Overland trips through East Africa will allow you to experience some of the most dramatic scenery in the world, and the Rift Valley is a definite highlight. The valley floor seems to sweep on forever and is dotted with volcanic peaks, shimmering lakes and countless springs. Our journey takes us into the heart of the Rift Valley to Lake Naivasha. We camp near the lake shore where Hippos sometimes feed at night! Here you can walk to Elsamere, the house of Joy Adamson - of Elsa the Lion and Born Free fame, and enjoy a film of her life - and cream teas! You can also hire mountain bikes and cycle or walk through Hells Gate National Park - the only game reserve in Kenya in which you are permitted to do so.

Or for a less active but equally enjoyable game viewing experience - visit the Crater Lake Game Sanctuary. Both offer excellent scenery and opportunities to spot hyrax, abundant bird and plant life along with several types of gazelle, impala and eland.

Next we head to one of Africa’s most famous wildlife reserves, the Masai Mara. Famous for its dense concentration of animals and birds, and for its important place in the annual wildebeest migration (July to October), you will have a great chance to see lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, cheetahs and also rhino if you are lucky. We include a morning and afternoon safari, while an additional evening safari may be available to arrange locally on our arrival day if we have made good time.

DAY 4-7: Kakamega Rainforest and Jinja
After leaving the Masai Mara, we drive west to the Kakamega Rainforest, a remnant of the ancient rainforest that stretched across Central Africa. This is a real contrast to other wild areas we’ll visit, and the forest is home to various mammals including colobus and Debrazzar monkeys, pottos, bush pigs and giant forest hedgehogs, as well as a great selection of colourful birdlife. A guided walk in the forest is included here.

Next, we make our first border crossing as we cross from Kenya into Uganda and continue on to camp near Jinja - Uganda's adventure playground. Here, on the edge of Lake Victoria, the Nile begins its 6700km journey to the sea. We spend the next few days a little downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area and a superb place to go whitewater rafting or kayaking. You can also organise quad biking, horse riding or a visit to a local education project.

DAY 8-10: Kalinzu Forest Reserve & Queen Elizabeth National Park
A long day’s drive now takes us west through swamps, patches of forest and fertile green countryside. As we travel through Uganda, we'll pass through a number of small towns and villages; Mpigi, where you will see roadside stalls manufacturing and selling traditional musical instruments; Kyazanga, where we can buy fresh rotisserie and roasted meat and vegetables, as well as roasted plantain bananas. We will also be able to make a photo stop where our route crosses the Equator.

Our destination is Kalinzu Forest Reserve. Here we have a great opportunity to take an optional hike into the forest to see some habituated chimpanzee families. Permits need to be booked several months in advance, so please get in touch if you would like to add this experience. Only 12 permits are issued each day to minimize disruption to the animals, and a local guide will take you through the forest to find the group. You then have an hour watching and following them before returning to camp. You should see many other monkeys, birds and other wildlife during the trip too.

If you don’t book the chimp trek, then various other walks are available in the forest to see waterfalls, birds, primates, and other wildlife. The forest has four main paths for nature walks, including the valley trail, the waterfall path, the river trail, and the Palm trail. These can all be arranged when you get there.

After our day in the forest, we take a short drive to Katunguru on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park. We have a free morning here to take a wide range of optional village walks, learning about the culture of the Basongara, Bakonjo and Banyabindi who live in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Then in the afternoon, we include a guided boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, where you can look out for hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffalos, waterbucks and a huge range of bird species.

Next, we spend the morning on a game drive on our truck, as we drive south through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to our next stop, Lake Bunyonyi.

DAY 11-12: Gorilla Trekking, to Kigali
We have a whole day set aside today to visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which are home to several families of Highland Mountain Gorillas. Getting up close to these amazing creatures is truly a once in a lifetime experience and one of the highlights of the trip. You have the opportunity to trek to see the Gorillas in Uganda (bookable as an Add on). It is estimated that only around 700 of these gentle giants remain. This mountainous area on the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and Zaire (now renamed Democratic Republic of Congo) is their only natural habitat and they are periodically threatened by poachers and political instability in the area. One permit allows you to spend about 50 to 60 minutes with one of the gorilla families. Trekking to find them in groups of 8 people can take anywhere from half an hour to 5 hours. The organisations and well-trained guides that continually monitor and protect the families are conscientious and responsible. We will base ourselves near the village of Kabale which will give you the opportunity to trek the Mountain Gorillas and visit the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi, where you will have the opportunity to visit a pygmy village.

If permits are limited, we may adjust the itinerary slightly to spend an extra day here to give everyone in the group the opportunity to see the gorillas.

After our latest forest adventure, we pass through mountain ranges and cross the border into Rwanda and continue to the capital, Kigali. Here we can visit the genocide memorial, which is a moving and humbling experience.

DAY 13-14: Kigali to Musanze
Leaving Kigali we head up into the hills and the small, friendly town of Musanze which is home to Musanze caves and several hiking trails. You can take a village tour through the area and see first-hand production of local Banana beer. As Musanze is the gateway to Volcanoes National Park, there is also the opportunity to take a guided trek to see the famous Golden Monkeys. Permits for this trek should be booked in advance as an add-on to guarantee availability.

DAY 15-17: Lake Mburo, Kampala & Sipi Falls
We are back on the road today as we leave Rwanda and drive back through Uganda towards Lake Mburo. This park provides a unique safari experience, distinct from other national parks in Uganda. Its compact size means it's easy to explore, and its varied landscapes support a wide range of wildlife species. It is also one of the Ugandan parks to offer adventurous night game drives, which you will have the option to take. Starting at around 6.30-7pm and taking 2-3 hours, you can explore the savannah plains with an experienced ranger guide, using spotlight torches to view nocturnal animals, such as leopards, white tailed mongoos, bush baby, bush pigs, genet cats, hippos feeding as well as other animals like impalas, waterbucks, zebras, elands, giraffes and topi among others. A morning safari into the park is also available the next day.

From Lake Mburo we drive on to Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Kampala has had a turbulent past, but these days it is a friendly and safe city. We have a free evening to spend in local cafes and nightspots where you can get to know the local people.

Then we head north to see the spectacular Sipi Falls. There are three waterfalls here on the Sipi River as it cascades into the Kyoga Basin from the slopes of Mount Elgon. The highest is just under 100m and there is an exciting abseiling option available here.

DAY 18-20: Lake Nakuru, to Nairobi
After leaving Uganda and crossing back into Kenya, we travel to Lake Nakuru National Park - home to a wide variety of wildlife including Black Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and Giraffe. However, Nakuru is a soda lake and most famous for its pink inhabitants, a flock of almost a million Pink Flamingos which feed noisily along the shoreline. We include a half day game safari here, and you have the option to add more activities as well.
Finally, we head back to Nairobi, arriving late afternoon. If your trip finishes here, you can fly out this evening, if you have a late evening flight.