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Let us introduce you to one of the most incredible animals in the world, the rare Mountain Gorilla, on an unforgettable journey through East Africa’s deep forests and endless plains. Enjoy fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities at Kenya’s stunning lakes and national parks, fuel your adrenaline rush with options for white water rafting and bungee jumping in Jinja, and discover a taste of modern Africa in the cosmopolitan capital cities of Nairobi and Kampala.

Day 1 to 2
Arrive Nairobi

Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. Our adventure begins in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and the gateway to East Africa.

Day 2 to 5
Lake Nakuru National Park - Eldoret - Kampala

In the morning we depart for Nakuru which lends its name to both the lake and the national park that surrounds it. Driving across the top of the Great Rift Valley we admire the spectacular views along the way before dropping down into the valley itself. The Great Rift Valley stretches around 5000km from Lebanon to Mozambique but this is the best place along its entire length to view it.
We arrive in the afternoon with time for you to explore the town and visit the local craft market.
 
The following morning we will take a full day game drive in minivans to view more wildlife than your memory card can handle, including leopards, lions, zebra, buffalo and rhino. Here, black rhinos are used in a breeding program which aims to increase the population of this semi-endangered species.

After leaving Lake Nakuru we cross the Equator into the northern hemisphere, where we stop for the evening in Eldoret before making our way to Uganda. Kampala is Uganda's bustling capital city, boasting plenty of markets as well as some lively restaurants and bars. We spend an evening here with free time to get a feel for city life, visit the market, try some typical Ugandan cuisine and catch up on emails.

Day 6 to 7
Queen Elizabeth II National Park

In the morning we travel to the famous Queen Elizabeth II National Park, often referred to as the ‘QE2'. Established in 1954 at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains, this park suffered badly during the years of the Ugandan/Tanzanian war and much of the wildlife there was shot. Today, however, the wildlife has recovered and the Kazinga Channel, which joins Lake Edward and Lake George, is famous for having the world's largest concentration of hippos that are easily viewed from a boat on the channel. You have the option of spending a full day in the park both game driving and taking the not to be missed boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel.

Day 8 to 11
Musanze (formerly Rhuengeri)

Please note: this part of the itinerary may change - if it is not possible to see the gorillas in Rwanda, we will endeavour to see them in Uganda instead, but this will depend upon permit availability and may incur additional costs. See your separate gorilla trekking notes for more information.

Over the next three days we base ourselves in Musanze (formerly Rhuengeri) for the Gorilla Trek and travel into the mountains to trek for the rare mountain gorillas. These gorillas are found in the Virunga Mountains, a range of volcanic mountains and rainforest which covers parts of Uganda, Congo and Rwanda. On the Rwandan side, there are currently five groups of habituated mountain gorillas ranging in number from 7 - 37 individuals. We start our trekking from Kinigi into their mountainous habitat with our guides, who will track their spoor and last movements to find them. The trek can be demanding at times and the weather can be very changeable, but the experience of seeing these magnificent animals in the wild is worth every bit.

It is possible that you may be lucky enough to come within arm’s length of these beautiful creatures if they approach you, but you are required to maintain a distance of 5 metres from the animals at all times. Your time with the gorillas is restricted to around 45 - 60 minutes, to safeguard the families from too much human contact.

Day 12 to 12
Kigali & Lake Bunyoni

Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, is a short drive from Rhuengeri and we will stop here to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre to learn about the horrific 1994 genocide in which an estimated one million Rwandans died, with twice that number fleeing into exile. From Kigali we head to picturesque Lake Bunyoni where we have an included cruise on the lake and a guided visit to a local pygmy village.

Day 13 to 16
Kampala - Jinja

We retrace our steps to Kampala for one night and then we make our way to Jinja, where the source of the White Nile can be found nearby.

Jinja is Uganda's extreme sports hub, so it's time to get into some adrenaline-fuelled optional activities like white water rafting on the longest river in the world, quad biking to local villages along riverbanks, and bungee jumping (44m)! You will also have the option to visit an orphanage or do some community work with Soft Power, a local charity committed to improving the educational facilities with Uganda. Your tour leader will be able to give you more information about this.

Day 17 to 21
Eldoret - Lake Naivasha - Masai Mara National Park - Nairobi

In the morning we leave Jinja and spend one night at Eldoret on our way to Lake Naivasha. From here you can enjoy a boat cruise on the lake trying to spot some of the resident hippo or take a half day trip to the green Crater Lake for a guided bush walk. From our campsite you will be able to hear and maybe spot the hippo wallowing in the water near by and enjoy the many different species of birdlife found around the lakeshore.

You will also have plenty of free time to explore the near by Hell's Gate National Park which is home to a profusion of game and birdlife. Being mindful of the buffalo you can enter this park on foot and is an ideal place for mountain biking. You might want to visit Elsemere the former home of the late Joy Adamson who became famous for her relationship with the lioness Elsa in the film Born Free. At Elsemere you can look around the house and have a cup of tea in the garden watching the delightful Colobus monkeys.

We leave Lake Navaisha and have the option to take an overnight excursion led by local guides to visit the famous Masai Mara National Park, meeting up with the truck back in Nairobi the following day.

Choose to visit Masai Mara and you’ll spend the afternoon on an exciting game drive, glimpsing many of Africa’s famous wild beasts. The Masai Mara National Park is one of the best game parks in Africa, with large herds of gazelle, giraffe and antelope; these animals attract carnivores such as lion, cheetah, hyena and even the elusive leopard - so the wildlife viewing here is definitely plentiful! Make sure your memory cards are empty and your batteries are charged! You’ll camp overnight in the park surrounded by the sounds of the African wildlife before heading back to Nairobi the following day. Once you have returned to the bright, busy capital, you might choose to have your final group meal at the famous African Buffet restaurant “Carnivors”, where game meat is served from Masai spears until you can eat no more and raise your flag in surrender!

Day 22 to 22
Depart Nairobi

Your tour concludes after breakfast.