029: 14 Days Best Of Uganda

Day 1 Nairobi to Masai Mara Game Reserve

You will depart from the Boulevard Hotel and leave the hustle and bustle of Nairobi and climb the escarpment to your first viewpoint stop over looking the Great African Rift Valley. Descending into the Rift valley you enter Masai land, and these habitual pastoralists are seen quite regularly on the side of the road as they tend their cattle. You will arrive at your campsite – Acacia Camp - early evening in time to enjoy sunset on the Masai Mara. Meal Plan {L, D}.

Day 2 Masai Mara

‘Spice’ Game drives through the Mara find you looking for the famous Big Five as well as giving you the opportunity to see this ‘ Garden of Eden’ in a state nature intended it to be, huge plains, rolling hills and an abundance of game matched no where else on earth. Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, Giraffe, Zebra, Waterbuck just to name a few of the animal that inhabit this wonderland. Sitting around a campfire and watching the sunset is the perfect way to finish a day’s game viewing in the Mara. Meal Plan {B,L,D}


Day 3 Masai Mara to Nakuru

Departing the Masai Mara early you will pass through the third largest town in Kenya, Nakuru, where you will stop for the night to re supply and shop. Meal Plan {B, L, D}

Day 4 Nakuru to Kampala

Today, you cross the border into Uganda and travel via the lakeside town of Jinja (the Source of the Nile) before reaching Kampala, Uganda's capital, for an overnight stay. Uganda is a small country of striking physical beauty.
Its landscapes vary from the fertile green areas around the northern shores of Lake Victoria to the snow-covered Ruwenzori Mountains in the west and the semi-desert parts of the north facing the border of Sudan. The political instability that haunted Uganda over a period of years has had the positive effect of leaving the country free of the over-commercialism so common in other parts of Africa.
The current administration under President Museveni has devoted considerable effort and funds to regain Uganda's former glory as one of Africa's most prosperous and, from a tourist’s point of view, one of the most appealing and interesting countries to visit. Meal Plan {B, L, D}.

Days 5 & 6 Kampala to Kisoro

After an early morning departure from Kampala you drive further west on into the depths of Uganda and arrive at your base in Kisoro. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.
From your Kisoro base, depending on where the gorilla permits are available, and where the gorillas are located, you will be viewing them in either the Magahinga or Bwindi National Parks in Uganda, the Virunga National Park in the DRC or at Ruhengeri in Rwanda.
Due to the nature of the gorillas and their habits, viewing cannot be guaranteed. The gorillas themselves can tend to move around the locality quite a distance and the trek can be quite arduous.
There is usually a park entry fee as well of approx US$15. There is also a cost for the local transport to take you to & from the starting point to trek the gorillas. This cost is normally US$10 to US$15 per person. Please note that we are not in control of the price of gorilla permits and therefore cannot be held responsible for any increases in fees levied by the relevant authorities.
National parks usually allow clients who fail to see the gorillas, a second chance to re-trek the next day if time and availability allows or they may refund your trekking fee. This is purely at their discretion. Although this is the general situation, the respective National Parks authorities will not put this in writing to any tour operator.
Please note: This is an optional excursion and visas to the DRC and Rwanda can be obtained at the border. The mountain gorilla (Gorilla Berengei) of whom only about 600 still exist, is one of our closest living relatives, yet ironically, it is mankind that poses the greatest threat to its survival.
To visit these noble creatures in there own environment is an experience you will never forget. Accompanied by a park guide and a bush cutter, we track these gorillas through the rain forest. The gorilla families have been habituated to tourists and their whereabouts are monitored daily by the guides and park officials.
It may be necessary to trek for quite a while through the dense forest vegetation (up to 5 hrs) in order to reach the family designated for your visit. As gorillas are sensitive to human diseases, the park authorities will not allow anyone they consider to be in poor health to visit the gorilla groups and children under 15 years of age are not allowed to visit.
You need not feel that you are exploiting these animals - for years they have been ruthlessly hunted for their hands and heads, which have been sold as souvenir ashtrays and lampshades. In addition, large numbers have been killed whilst trying to stop poachers stealing babies for sale to zoos, where they have never lived long.
As a result, the ever-growing number of tourists to see them is an important factor in their survival. The gorilla fees help to set up and finance patrols that are instrumental in protecting the gorillas from poachers and their lethal snares. Meal Plan {B, L, D}.

Day 7 Kisoro to Lake Bunyoni

A short drive through arguably some of the most picturesque scenery in Africa brings you to Lake Bunyoni. Lake Bunyoni is the deepest Crater Lake in Africa and is home to a large number of bird and fish species as well as otters. Meal Plan {B, L, D}.
Day 8 Lake Bunyoni
Today you have the whole day at leisure to enjoy the beauty of Lake Bunyoni. There is the option to swim, visit the local villages or just sit back, relax and enjoy the tranquil surrounds. A well deserved rest day! Meal Plan {B, L, D}.

Day 9 Lake Bunyoni to Kampala

After enjoying the peaceful surrounds of Lake Bunyoni you will drive to Kampala for another overnight stay, and perhaps the chance to sample the nightlife. Today you will cross the equator for the second time and there will be ample opportunity for photos at the Equator crossing. Meal Plan {B, L, D}.

Day 10 Kampala- Jinja

Today you have the option to either white water raft the Nile or visit Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary. For the adventurous, you will be collected from Kampala and transferred to Jinja where you wilL experience some of the best white water rafting in Africa.

For the less adventurous, you will have the morning at leisure or the option to take a full day excursion to visit Ngamba Chimp Sanctuary before your departure to Jinja. Your overnight camp is right on the edge of the Nile River where there is an abundance of resident bird life & some truly amazing photo opportunities from right outside your tent! Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.

Day 11 Jinja to Nakuru

Today will be a full day driving back towards Kenya; we will cross the border before lunch and stop for supplies en route. Tonight we will overnight again in Nakuru. Meal Plan {B, L, D}.

Day 12: Lake Nakuru National Park

Today you move onto Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for the thousands of flamingo that inhabits the Lake's edge. The numbers vary depending on the level of the lake, and are more numerous when the water level is low.
The Park has also been established as a sanctuary for Black and White Rhino, which are frequently seen in the Park, along with Buffalo, Giraffe, Waterbuck, various Antelope, Leopard and the occasional Hippo. After entering the park in the morning you will spend the rest of the day game driving. Meal Plan {B, L, D}.

Day 13 Lake Nakuru National Park to Lake Naivasha

Moving further east, you drive to Lake Naivasha where you make camp in peaceful surroundings beside the lake. The highest of the Rift Valley lakes, Naivasha lies at about 1880m again the lake is home to a multitude of bird life, pride of place must go to the African Fish Eagle.
The afternoon is spent at leisure here and you have the opportunity (time permitting) to enjoy some optional excursions, such as a boat ride to the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary, Hell's Gate National Park or Elsamere, the retirement home of Joy Adamson ('Born Free'). Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.

Day 14 Lake Naivasha to Nairobi

After breakfast, you leave Naivasha and return to Nairobi, arriving in the early afternoon. The truck will stop at the Boulevard Hotel for those staying there, and then continue to your campsite to finish the trip. Meal Plan {B}.