Itinerary | Nairobi to Gorillas

We recommend you arrive in Nairobi the day before the trip departs. If you’re there with time to spare there are lots to see and do around the city. In Nairobi town is the National Museum and markets. Also Karen Blixen’s house, Langata Giraffe Centre, Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage and Nairobi National Park for the first glimpse of African wildlife. In the evening before the trip departs we have a pre departure meeting at the departure hotel to prep you for the trip.

WEEK 1: Nairobi, Kenya to Jinja, Uganda

Leaving Nairobi, we stop at the Rift Valley scenic lookout its 8,000 feet high and overlooks Mount Longonot and Lake Naivasha to camp under the fever trees on the lake shore, with hippos grazing on the shore in the evening.

Close by is Hell’s Gate National Park where you can hire bikes to take you around the park and see the herds of zebra, buffalo and antelope. You can also wander in the predator free reserve amongst African game. There is spectacular scenery here; red cliffs, grassy plains and rock towers made of hardened lava and the remains of ancient volcanoes.

By the lake is Elsamere; home of Joy Adamson and Elsa, the lion of ‘Born Free’ fame. Elsamere is now the centre of the Born Free Foundation and you can find out more about their work and take afternoon tea in the gardens.

We head south to Narok to Masai Mara National Reserve; camping on the edge of the park. The sweeping plains evoke a picture of East Africa that most people hold in their minds and are rarely disappointed when confronted with the real thing. Great game viewing is assured all year round. The Mara offers us everything, amazing scenery and abundant wildlife; including the big five.
Included Activity: Masai Mara Nature Reserve and game drives

Passing Kakamega rainforest we enter Uganda, a green fertile country. We head to Jinja on Lake Victoria

Crossing the Owen Falls dam we arrive at Jinja on the shores of Lake Victoria. Our campsite for the next few days above Bujagali Falls is a welcome break from travelling; we can have a lazy afternoon to put up our tents on the grassy terraces overlooking the Nile River. – You can spend an action-filled day white water rafting down the Nile. As well as grade 5 rapids this river has a lot of bird and wildlife to view while drifting between the rapids. The rafting is rounded off with a sunset BBQ and drinks, then back to camp to re-live it on video. There are no shortages of other activities in Jinja; quad biking, bungee jump, fish on Lake Victoria, take a guided village walk or give up a day of your holiday to volunteer for the local community education project.

WEEK 2: Kampala to Gorillas

Uganda’s landscapes vary from the fertile green areas around the northern shores of Lake Victoria to the snow-capped Ruwenzori Mountains. Kampala, the capital city is bustling and friendly.

Kalinzu Forest Reserve & Queen Elizabeth National Park.
In Kalinzu Forest you can hike into the forest with a local guide to the habituated chimpanzee families. Permits need to be booked several months in advance, so please get in touch if you would like to do this.

We drive to Katunguru on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park. We have a free morning to do village walks, learning about the culture of the people who live in the park. Followed by boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, with hippos, crocodiles and elephants.

South through Queen Elizabeth National Park to Lake Bunyonyi.

Stopping for photos as we cross the equator, we continue southwest to Kabale town; gateway to the Mountain Gorilla Reserves. Climbing through lush terraced hills to Kisoro, there are panoramic views of the Ugandan hills on every turn. From the road, we have outlooks over three countries – Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda; Virunga Mountains; Mountains of the Moon, – home of the rare Mountain Gorillas.

Trekking to the mountain gorillas
The park rangers monitor the gorillas on a daily basis and know pretty much where they are each day. As the gorillas share much of our DNA, anyone with cold or flu cannot trek. Trekking is also only open to people over 16 years old. Due to the restrictions on the daily numbers of visitors, we depart from our base in Bunyoni in small groups over a few days. Whilst others are searching for the great apes you can; see the local markets, walk to the nearby mountain lakes, go to Magahinga National Park to hike up a volcano, or go on a guided nature trail.

In the morning, after packing our picnic lunch, we are transferred to a ranger’s station where the trek commences. Rangers lead us through the cultivated lands and villagers of subsistence farmers, into the dense rainforest, and on to find a gorilla family.

Trekking Time
It can take from one to eight 8 hours walking past the terraced farms into the forests and the hills with the guides sometimes cutting a path through the forest undergrowth. On finding a gorilla family, the visiting time is just one hour. Watch them, while the ranger guides give you the background of the family you are visiting.

The prices of trekking permits
This fluctuates. There is a local transport & handling fee which covers the return public transfer and the Wildlife Authority’s booking fee. We normally visit the gorillas in Uganda, but depending on conditions, we may see them in Rwanda.
Optional excursion Gorilla Trekking

WEEK 3: Rwanda, Uganda and back to Nairobi

From the forest, we cross the hills and border into Rwanda and continue to the capital, Kigali and visit the genocide memorial. From Kigali to the small town of Musanze and the 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.

Lake Mburo, Kampala & Sipi Falls
Leaving Rwanda to Uganda to Lake Mburo. This park provides a unique safari experience, distinct from other national parks in Uganda. It’s easy to explore, and it has night game drives, which you will have the option to take and see leopards, mongoose, bush baby, bush pigs, genet cats and hippos grazing.

We cross the Equator for the second time and stop for the classic – one foot in each hemisphere photo opportunity. We spend the night in Kampala and have the opportunity to try its nightlife.

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. There is exciting abseiling here.

We pass from the dramatic landscape of the Rift Valley to the highlands and spend our first night on the highland route to Eldoret.

We camp near Nakuru, at a campsite on a local farm. Nakuru is Kenya’s fourth largest town and sits in the Rift Valley, beside Lake Nakuru National Park.

At Lake Nakuru, viewing game in a park; famous for its soda lake surrounded by thousands, sometimes millions of pink flamingos. The park is home to over 400 species of bird, and we should spot leopard or black and white rhino among the zebra, waterbuck, impala, giraffe and tree climbing lions. Leaving the park we return to our camp.
Included Activity: Lake Nakuru National Park.

We climb out of the Rift Valley, hopefully with a mist free view of the valley below from the escarpment. We return to Nairobi, arriving around noon.