This 14 Days Kenya Tanzania and Uganda Safari offers one of the greatest experience in East Africa, visiting Africa top destinations including Kenya’s Masai Mara national park – rewarding with variety of animals and wildebeest migration experience including the Big 5. Tanzania’s of all – Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro conservation are and Tarangire national park. The World’s only home of the Mountain gorillas – Bwindi Impenetrable national park and Kibaale national park, which is home of the wild chimpanzees in East Africa.
Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Pick up from Nairobi and transfer to Masai Mara national reserve – evening game drive – about 4-5 hours
- Day 2: Masai Mara full day game viewing
- Day 3: Another day in Masai Mara in the North Eastern end of the reserve
- Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park via Isabenia border
- Day 5: Full day game drive in Serengeti national park in Northern sectors
- Day 6: Another day game drive in central Serengeti
- Day 7: Transfer to Ngorongoro conservation area – Crater tour and Masai Community tour
- Day 8: Full day game drive in Tarangire and transfer to Arusha
- Day 9: Fly to Uganda (Own booked flight)
- Day 11: Gorilla trekking experience
- Day 12: Boat cruise on the Kazinga channel – transfer to Kibale national park
- Day 13: Chimpanzee trekking and nature walk
- Day 14: Transfer to Entebbe – Departure
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Nairobi and transfer to Masai Mara national reserve – evening game drive – about 4-5 hours
Depending on your location in Nairobi city, you will meet your safari guide to transfer to Masai Mara Game Reserve – the unspoiled Savannah. Masai Mara is actually the northern portion of the Great Plains ecosystem in neighbouring Tanzania bordering Serengeti national park. It is home to the big five games such as the lion, buffalo, rhino, leopard, and elephant as well cheetah, zebra, giraffe, and vast herds of plain antelope and numerous and other wildlife. It’s about 5-6 hours’ drive with en-route sightseeing.
Upon arrival, have lunch then connect for an afternoon game drive in search of the big five. As the sun starts to edge dip into the horizon, it will be the perfect time to photograph the beautiful Mara rolling plains. Don’t forget this is the right time to spot the shy leopard. Dinner and overnight stay at Zebra Plains Lodge for mid-range/Mara Sentrim Lodge for budget
Day 2: Masai Mara full day game viewing
After breakfast, full day in the park with packed lunch in search of its popular residents, The Masai Mara plains are full of wildebeest during migration season early July to end September, zebra, impala, topi, giraffe, Thomson’s gazelle are regularly seen, leopards, lions, hyenas, cheetah, jackal and bat-eared foxes. Black rhinos are a little shy and hard to spot but are often seen at a distance if you are lucky. Hippos are abundant in the Mara River as are very large Nile crocodiles, which lay in wait for a meal as the wildebeest cross on their annual quest to find new pastures. Later Meals and overnight at lodge as above
Optional activity; Hot air balloon – Wake early and be picked up by the air balloon team for your hot air balloon safari which starts in the early morning, just in time for sunrise. For about one hour you will be floating peacefully above the ground, with a bird’s eye view of the African bush below. The capacity for this activity is limited making this a very special and exclusive experience. Breakfast will be provided and thereafter connect back to the lodge.
Day 3: Another day in Masai Mara in the North Eastern end of the reserve
After breakfast, meet your guide and transfer to the north eastern end of the park to widen your chances of seeing more animals and the Wildebeest migration on the Mara River depending on the month you have travelled in. The wildebeest migration is however not guaranteed to spot the crossing. You will drive to Mara river to witness the great migration which happens mostly around June to July and October to November viewing the survivors of the fittest as they go past the big Nile crocodiles in the water, a large pride of hunting lions in the land as they exit or enter to the river. You will enjoy the whole day in the park and later late evening return to your lodge for dinner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park via Isabenia border
You will have a very early breakfast and checkout from the lodge to embark on your journey to Serengeti national park in Tanzania. You will have an en-route game drive on your way to Isebania border where you will be crossing the border. This day will take you to other side of Masai Mara as you exit the park via Olololo gate in Mara west.
Upon arrival at the border the customs office will do clearance after which, meet your Tanzanian driver guide to proceed to Serengeti where you will enter the park with the game drive lasting up to 2 hours as you enjoy the plains of Serengeti. The Serengeti allows you see the big five game in plenty. Dinner and overnight at Tukaone Serengeti Lodge for budget/Serengeti Bush Camp for mid-range option
Day 5: Full day game drive in Serengeti national park in Northern sectors
Have early breakfast, get parked lunch and go for a full day game drive we start from far North around the Mara river in case you came on the opposite month when the migration will start from Serengeti after missing it from Mara Kenya side now this will be you turn to enjoy the best. Spend the whole day looking for these animals like Hippos, Elephants, Buffalos, Giraffes, Lions, Hyenas, Cheetahs, Antelopes, Hartebeest, zebras mention but a few. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight at lodge above
Day 6: Another day game drive in central Serengeti
After your delicious breakfast, meet your driver and connect for another day game drive in the Serengeti plains with your packed picnic lunch to find some more/other animals the Lions, Thomson gazelles, topi, ostriches, cheetahs elephants, leopards, hyenas, rhinos to mention but a few. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 7: Transfer to Ngorongoro conservation area – Crater tour and Masai Community tour
After breakfast, set off to transfer to Ngorongoro conservation area, this is about 4 hours’ drive. Upon arrival, descend into the crater 600m down crater. It’s much famous as one of the biggest volcanic calderas in the world; it occupies over 1 million animals with all the big five including the rare black rhino present. Other animals include Lions, leopards, cheetahs, Elephants, Buffalos, zebras and others. After your lunch break, later evening, visit the Masai Boma community for a Masai cultural tour before you connect to your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Hhando Coffee Lodge for budget/Tlowa Lodge for mid-range
Day 8: Full day game drive in Tarangire and transfer to Arusha
After breakfast, drive to transfer to Tarangire national park. Connect for a full day game drive for amazing game viewing experience in the Tarangire national park enjoying sights of different animals with your packed lunch.
Later evening, embark on a 2 hours’ drive to Arusha. Upon arrival, check-in at your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Burka Coffee Lodge for budget/Tulia Botinque Hotel for mid-range
Day 9: Fly to Uganda (Own booked flight)
Depending on your booked flight schedule, the driver will drop you off at Kilimanjaro airport for your onward flight to Uganda.
Upon landing at Entebbe airport, meet the driver and connect to your booked hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at Papyrus Guesthouse for budget/Best Western Garden Hotel for mid-range
Day 10: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park
After breakfast, you will meet your safari guide and transfer to Bwindi national park. The park is located in the south-western part of the country, it’s a 8-9 hours’ drive with en routes. Via Masaka road, you will have a stopover at the equator where you will be able to take photographs and visit the craft shop, proceed with lunch en route. On arrival to the park area, you will proceed and check in your lodge for relaxation. Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget/Buhoma Haven lodge for mid-range
Day 11: Gorilla trekking experience
After early breakfast and transfer to park headquarters for briefing before you set of gorilla trekking. Trekking takes about 2-7 hours’ depending on the location of the gorillas through the steep, densely forested hills and then finally coming across the gorillas camouflaged in the vegetation is an inspiring and privileged moment. You will be allowed to spend about 1 hour with the gorillas as you take pictures aand videos of your experience with them. Return at your meeting point with the driver-guide and drive back to the lodge. Relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 12: Boat cruise on the Kazinga channel – transfer to Kibale national park
After breakfast, embark on your drive to Kibale forest national park in the western part of Uganda, which is about 6-7 hours’ drive with stopovers lunch through Queen Elizabeth national park – home of the tree-climbing lions.
Upon arrival in Queen Elizabeth national park have en-route lunch before you connect for a boat trip along the Kazinga channel that seperates Lake Edward and George. The channel has the highest concertation of hippos and many other animals like the elephants, antelopes, crocodiles and different bird species. After the 2 hour boat trip, meet your driver and proceed to Kibale national park, en-route stop at the Uganda Equator and crater lake tours depending on the time. Upon arrival, connect to your booked lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge for mid-range/Kibale forest lodge for budget
Day 13: Chimpanzee trekking and nature walk
After breakfast, drive to Kibale park head offices for briefing about the chimpanzees. Enter the forest and start trek the chimpanzees in their natural habitat, its take 2-5 hours to find them and on finding them, you are allowed 1 hour to be in their process as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor.
In the afternoon, explore the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The reserve is abundant with butterflies, plants, animals and, in particular, birds. Spectacular birds like Great Blue Turaco and rare Papyrus Gonolek will be of great interest to birders. The swamp is also home to more elusive animals such as Red Colobus monkeys and Sitatunga antelope. There is also the opportunity to visit local community projects that have been financed by tourism. Dinner and overnight at lodge as above
Day 14: Transfer to Entebbe – Departure
After breakfast, meet your driver and transfer back to Entebbe. It’s about 6 hours’ drive with en-route sightseeing of tea plantations and lunch. Upon arrival in Entebbe, the driver will drop you off at Entebbe airport for your onward flight back home.
