Gorillas & Safari

Day 1 - Arrive Nairobi
The first day of your tour is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities. In order to allow time to relax and see some of the sights you may wish to add pre-tour accommodation.

Many travellers use Nairobi as a stop off point on their way to other parts of Eastern Africa, but there are many activities in the city that may appeal such as visiting orphaned baby elephants or the giraffe centre where endangered Rothschild giraffes are protected and bred.

Optional Excursions:
Giraffe centre- KES1000pp (excluding transportation)
The Flip Flop Recycling Company – free (excluding transportation)
Karen Blixen Museum, coffee garden & cottages – KES2000 and free entrance to the bar (excluding transportation)
Elephant orphanage KES500 (excluding transportation) Only open 11am -12am when feeding.

Accommodation:
1 night camping at Karen Camp or similar. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
1 Dinner

Day 2 - Naivasha
Today we head to Lake Naivasha where we will spend one night. Here you will have a free afternoon to explore the area and chose from many of the optional activities on offer.

Naivasha is the second largest lake in the Great Rift Valley and is a great place to enjoy a boat cruise or guided bush walk to the green crater lake. With patience and a set of binoculars you can see many different species of birdlife found in the thick papyrus and forests of acacia trees fringing the lakeshore. You may also see colobus monkeys and giraffes near the lake.

You can also choose to explore the nearby Hell's Gate National Park on foot or by bicycle on a half day tour. With no predators present this is one of the few parks in Africa where you can enter on foot and walk beside wildlife such as giraffe, zebra, gazelle and warthogs to mention a few while taking in the amazing scenery that surrounds you. Don’t miss a walk through the beautiful and impressive Hell’s Gate Gorge and see why it inspired the stampede scene in Disney’s Lion King. Alternatively you might want to visit Elsamere, the former home of the late Joy Adamson, who became famous for her relationship with the lioness Elsa in the film Born Free.

Approximate Travel Time: Three hours to Naivasha

Optional Excursions:
Lake Naivasha boat trip – KES6000 (price dependent on number of passengers)
Elsamere visit – US$10 (transport not included)
Green crater lake hike half day – US$45
Hells Gate National Park bicycle tour– US$55. The national park has no animals dangerous to man, making it a safe place to go hiking, rock climbing and cycling.

Accommodation:
1 night camping at Crayfish Camp or similar. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

Day 3 - Eldoret
You may awake to some unusual sound effects this morning; from our campsite in Navaisha it is often possible to hear hippos wallowing in the lake’s fresh water. We set off, driving through the wilds of western Kenya until we reach Eldoret. The scenery as we pass varies from mountainous scrubland to tangled jungle ravines and fertile high tea country. The city of Eldoret is located on the Uasin Gishu Plateau west of the Great Rift Valley and was originally known as '64', because it was located 64 miles from the newly built Uganda Railway railhead at Kibigori. It is also famous for producing some of Kenya’s top athletes.

Approximate Travel Time: Seven hours

Accommodation:
1 night camping at Greenwoods Resort or similar. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

Day 4 to 6 - Jinja
Making our way towards the source of the mighty Nile, we cross the border into Uganda stopping at the adventure sports hub of Jinja. Jinja is known for being the adventure sports hub of Uganda and offers world-class white water rafting on the Nile River as well as quad biking and mountain biking. There is plenty to entertain in this buzzing town!!

For the slightly less adrenaline fuelled people amongst us you will have the opportunity to relax in tranquil surroundings, go for a refreshing swim in the Nile, or perhaps take a walk through the local villages or visit the markets depending on the day of the week.

Approximate Travel Time: Nine hours depending on the border

Optional Excursions:
White water rafting grade 3 & 5 Half day/full day – from US$115
Kayaking from US$85
Tandem kayaking – US$140
River boarding – US$140
Mountain Biking hire – from US$15
Guided tours – from US$30
Sunrise and sunset yoga by the River Nile – US$5
Fishing - from US$80

Accommodation:
3 night(s) camping at Nile River Explorers or similar. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
3 Breakfast(s), 3 Lunch(es), 3 Dinner(s)

Day 7 to 9 - Lake Bunyonyi (Gorilla Trek)
The next three days are based in Lake Bunyonyi, our start point for an optional excursion to see endangered mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. There are believed to be less than 800 mountain gorillas remaining in the world, and about half of that population live in this forest. To watch them in their natural habitat is a heart-stirring experience. The permit is included, and if you choose to take part in this excursion you will be part of the privileged few but you must book before departure.

You’ll be picked up early in the morning and taken to the national park’s office and then transferred by 4WD truck to the trek point. Specialist guides will track gorilla spoor and look for signs of the gorillas' last movements. Gorilla trekking is unpredictable and the distance can vary as gorillas may move very little or travel some distance while foraging for food. Trekking can be physically demanding at times and the weather can be very changeable, but the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing these magnificent animals in the wild is entirely worth the effort. 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 seven metres from the animals at all times. Your time with the gorillas is restricted to one hour to safeguard the families from excessive human contact.

Back at Lake Bunyonyi, you have the option to visit we will visit the Batwa pygmy village and local school. The school was set up by an ex tour leader with the assistance of two passengers to help the local community and pygmy children integrate into Ugandan society. The cost of this excursion goes directly to the school and donations of school supplies are always welcome. You can also enjoy a cruise on the lake, perhaps take a swim or relax on the shore. Meaning 'place of many little birds', Lake Bunyonyi is about 29 kilometres long and 7 kilometres wide, dotted by 29 islands. Look out for Uganda's national bird, the crested crane, among the 200 other bird species in the area.

Optional Excursions:
Gorilla Trek with trekking permit included (needs to be pre-booked prior to travel) – From US$899
Batwa pygmy village and Lake Bunyonyi excursion- – US$35
Dugout canoe hire on the lake – US$5 Mountain biking – US$5
Half day Pygmy Village tour – US$35

Approximate Travel Time: Eight hours to Lake Bunyonyi

Accommodation:
3 night(s) camping at Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort or similar. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
3 Breakfast(s), 1 Lunch, 3 Dinner(s)

Day 10 - Kampala
After experiencing the beautiful scenery, spectacular wildlife and welcoming local communities of Lake Bunyonyi, we make our way to Uganda’s capital, Kampala, passing townships and local markets on the way.

Approximate Travel Time: Nine hours to Kampala

Included Excursions:
Stop at the equator

Accommodation:
1 night camping at Red Chilli Hideaway or similar. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

Day 11 to 12 - Nakuru
Today we make our way back into Kenya where we will spend two nights in the town of Nakuru. You have one full day in Nakuru and can choose to visit Lake Nakuru National Park for a game drive, where you can often catch a glimpse of the many pink flamingos that line the shores of the lake. This is also a great place to spot the critically endangered Rhino’s and look out for leopards, lions, cheetahs, zebras, buffalo, Rothschild giraffes and water birds including terns, stilts, ducks, herons, pelicans, kingfishers and cormorants.

You may instead opt to spend the day at a local school in the slums. This is a non-profit charity providing a safe haven to over 500 destitute children living in the local slum areas. In addition to running their feeding programme this project also provides a free education. A visit to the project will give you a true insight in to the lives of many African children. Your presence here is greatly received and you are encouraged to get involved with playing sports with the children, help with repair works or put your skills to use in the classroom.

Approximate Travel Time: Full day drive to Nakuru

Optional Excursions:
Melon Mission – Free

Accommodation:
2 night(s) camping at Kivu Resort or similar. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
2 Breakfast(s), 2 Lunch(es), 2 Dinner(s)

Day 13 to 14 - Masai Mara National Reserve
This morning we drive to Mai Mahiu Junction where you will transfer into 4WD safari vehicles and head to the Masai Mara Nature Reserve. This is a pre-bookable optional excursion and must be booked in advance. Passengers who decide not to visit the Masai Mara will return to Nairobi where they can enjoy free time.

The Masai Mara is one the world's most famous and expansive wildlife reserves. Covering over 1,500 square kilometres and providing habitat for thousands of animals, and is regarded as one of Kenya’s most popular safari spots. Animals present in the reserve include the Big Five (lions, elephants, Cape buffaloes, leopards and rhinoceros), various grazing mammals which attract carnivores such as cheetahs, hyenas and jackals, as well as over 500 recorded species of birds. We stay just outside the park in permanent tents, enjoying a buffet dinner in the evening.

The following morning we leave camp early for a second game drive, visiting the mighty Mara River en route. During the annual Great Migration, this is the setting for the thunderous display of thousands of wildebeest crossing the river while canny crocodiles lie in wait. At any time of year, the river is vitally important to the ecosystem and a good spot to view animals. We’ll also visit a local Masai village, learning about the vibrant, semi-nomadic herders’ way of life and join them in a local dance.

Approximate Travel Time: Seven hours

Optional Excursions:
2 night Excursion to the Masai Mara (needs to be pre-booked prior to travel)- US$589
Hot air balloon over the Masai Mara National Reserve – US$450 per person
Giraffe centre- KES1000pp (excluding transportation)
The Flip Flop Recycling Company – free (excluding transportation)
Karen Blixen Museum, coffee garden & cottages – KES2000 and free entrance to the bar (excluding transportation)
Elephant orphanage KES500 (excluding transportation). Only open 11am -12am when feeding.
Carnivores Restaurant- US$40

Accommodation:
2 night(s) in tented camps. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
2 Breakfast(s), 2 Lunch(es), 2 Dinner(s)

Day 15 - Nairobi
For passengers who opted to go to the Masai Mara, today you will return to Nairobi today to re-join the rest of the group, driver and expedition vehicle. You spend two nights back in Nairobi, so still have time to make the most of the optional activities available.

Approximate Travel Time: Four hours to Nairobi

Optional Excursions:
Giraffe centre- KES1000pp (excluding transportation)
The Flip Flop Recycling Company – free (excluding transportation)
Karen Blixen Museum, coffee garden & cottages – KES2000 and free entrance to the bar (excluding transportation)
Elephant orphanage KES500 (excluding transportation). Only open 11am -12am when feeding.

Accommodation:
1 night camping at Karen Camp or similar. No single room upgrade available.

Meals:
1 Breakfast, 1 Dinner

Day 16 - Depart Nairobi
Your adventure of a lifetime comes to an end today. If you have a late flight or have lengthened your stay by adding post tour accommodation you will have more time to explore the sights.

Meals:
1 Breakfast