Gorillas, Lakes & Plains

Itinerary

Day 1 Entebe

Our tour commences in Entebbe, conveniently located near the international airport. Today you will meet your fellow passengers, crew and your expedition vehicle.

Days 2-3 Jinja

Travel through Kampala then past lush mountain scenery to the town of Jinja on the shores of Lake Victoria. The rushing Bujagali Falls nearby are one of the sources of the great Nile River and its churning waters are a rafter's dream. There's time here to shop for souvenirs, take on the world-class rapids or simply to relax on the riverbank.

Day 4 Lake Mburo

Take a game drive in Lake Mburo National Park, through an varied landscape of open plains, acacia grasslands, marshes and riverine woodland. The mosaic of habitats here makes for a great range of wildlife so look out for everything from hippos and antelopes to buffaloes and water birds around the lake.

Days 5-7 Queen Elizabeth National Park

Considered Uganda's finest, Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts remarkable diversity in its wildlife. See some of the 606 recorded bird species here on a leisurely cruise along the passage linking Lake Edward to Lake George, the Kazinga Channel. Later, an escorted walk through the lush riverine forest of Kyambura Gorge is a chance to see the famous chimps and cheeky colubus monkeys that call this place home. The sound of chatter signals when the primates are near so keep an ear out at all times. Enjoy land-based safaris and keep an eye out for the Big Five as well as Uganda kobs and waterbucks.

Day 8 Lake Bunyoni

Travel through the mystical landscapes of the Lake Bunyoni region to discover some of the most picturesque scenery in all of Uganda. It's possible to hire a traditional dugout canoe to take to the lake. They can be hard to master at first but great fun.

Days 9-11 Gorilla Trekking

Journey to Rwanda's green heart, a highly fertile mountain region. Against a backdrop of volcanic peaks, the thick jungle-like hilltops are incredibly beautiful. Accompanied by a guide and trackers, hike through the forest searching for a family. Bring lots of water because the trek to see the extremely rare mountain gorillas is strenuous. However the sight of these intelligent creatures, so similar to humans, makes the hard going completely worth it. The placid creatures will captivate you with their human-like behaviour and big brown eyes. When not tracking gorillas, enjoy walks into the steamy rainforests to see the other creatures that call it home.

Day 12 Lake Bunyoni

We return to picturesque Lake Bunyoni today to break our long return journey.

Day 13 Kampala/Entebbe

The adventure comes full circle on return to Entebbe via a visit to Kampala.

Day 14 Nairobi

Enjoy being back in civilisation in Nairobi.

Day 15 Kisii

Travel west across the Great Rift Valley to the tea-growing areas of Kenya.

Day 16 Lake Victoria

Catch a glimpse of Masai men on the way to the continent's largest lake.

Days 17-18 Serengeti National Park

Appreciate the sheer size and animal life of the world-renowned Serengeti. Look out for game such as cheetahs, zebras and gazelles while exploring the vast grassy plains and kopjes of the park.

Day 19 Ngorongoro Crater

Explore the Cradle of Mankind, where ancient humanoid skeletons were discovered.

Day 20 Mto Wa Mbu

With 30,000 resident animals, animal-spotting in the Ngorongoro Crater is awesome.

Day 21 Nairobi

Leave the animals, lakes and plains sadly behind.