Gorillas & East Africa Explorer (Accommodated) - 39 days
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Overview
Highlights
- Lake Nakuru National Park - Search for lions, rhinos and other resident wildlife on an included game drive in specialized safari vehicles
- Eldoret - Pose for photos at the Equator and camp on the outskirts of one of Kenya's largest and most vibrant cities
- Kalinzu Forest-Go trekking in search of chimpanzees, which are usually spotted in the treetops
- Bwindi National Park - Embark on a memorable trek to see endangered mountain gorillas in the steamy jungles of Uganda
- Lake Bunyonyi - When not trekking to see gorillas, relax beside this idyllic lake, surrounded by greenery and rolling hills
- Jinja - Spend two full days relaxing beside the Nile and Lake Victoria, with time for boating, fishing, hiking and more
- Masai Mara - Discover the incredible wildlife of Kenya's most famous reserve, part of the legendary Serengeti ecosystem
- Serengeti National Park - Go in search of the Big Five in one of the world's most famous national parks and camp out in the wilderness
- Ngorongoro Crater - Drive around the rim of this UNESCO-listed volcanic caldera and search for wildlife in the crater itself
- Bagamoyo - Pass Mount Kilimanjaro enroute to this historic trading town on the Indian Ocean coast
What's this trip about?
Details
Destinations
Attractions
Min Group Size
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- 38 breakfasts, 30 lunches & 30 dinners
- 36 nights simple accommodation (including permanent tents), 2 nights camping in 2-person dome tents - a foam mattress, sleeping bag and pillow is provided on camping nights (please refer to the trip notes for details)
- Escorted by a licensed 2-person crew
- Transportation in a 24-seater overland truck with camping and cooking equipment
- Lake Nakuru National Park game drive in specialized safari vehicles
- Kalinzu Forest chimpanzee trekking with expert guides (subject to payment of permits, see cost below)
- Bwindi National Park gorilla trekking with expert guides (subject to payment of permits, see cost below)
- Masai Mara excursion in a purpose built safari vehicle and game drives with a resident guide
- Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Excursion in a purpose built safari vehicle and game drives with a resident guide
- Maasai Village Walk with a resident guide
- Zanzibar return ferry ticket
- Mosi Oa Tunya National Park, Victoria Falls visit
- All road tolls and vehicle taxes
Itinerary
Nairobi - Lake Nakuru National Park. We leave Nairobi this morning and descend into the Great Rift Valley, home to some of Africa's most dramatic scenery. We stop at a lookout point to enjoy the view before arriving in Lake Nakuru National Park. Although small by Afri...
Lake Nakuru National Park - Eldoret. Departing Nakuru this morning we journey to Eldoret, Kenya's fifth largest town and a region increasingly important to the country's economy. On our journey today we will cross the Equator, travelling from the Southern Hemisphere t...
Eldoret - Kampala (Uganda). Wave goodbye to Kenya for now as we cross into Uganda, a country once described by Sir Winston Churchill as the 'Pearl of Africa'. On our drive to Kampala you will see lush rolling hills, tribal villages and growing towns and cities. Tonight we stay in the country's capital, Kampala.
Kampala - Chimpanzee Trekking Area. Departing Kampala, we cross the Equator again and pass through fertile green hills, tangled forests. From our vehicle we witness herds of Ankole cattle with their incredible long curving horns roaming the roads and paddocks. Our first evening here is free to unwind and relax, take a walk in the surrounding areas and take in the local ambient of the community.
Kalinzu Forest or Kyambura Gorge. Today, we head out in search of chimpanzees. Unlike their larger cousins, the mountain gorillas, chimps primarily lives in the trees, making our viewing experience one of gazing up into the dense forest canopy. Unsurprisingly, witness...
Chimpanzee Trekking Area - Lake Bunyonyi. On day 6 we drive to Lake Bunyonyi, dotted with scenic islands and surrounded by lush forest and rolling hills. Over the next three days everyone in the group will enjoy their mountain gorilla trek, but we will split into smal...
Lake Bunyonyi - Kampala. Leaving the mountain gorillas and Lake Bunyonyi behind, we return to Kampala, skirting around the northern edge of Lake Victoria. There is time this evening for you to head into the city and explore, meet the locals or try some of the local cuisine if you wish.
Kampala - Jinja. It's a short drive today as we make our way to Jinja, a city in southern Uganda on the banks of Lake Victoria, source of the River Nile. From here, the river flows for 5,584km, through 11 countries. It enters the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt, having pro...
The next two days are completely free for you to unwind by the Nile. Enjoy some of the optional activities available, go for a long walk beside the river or simply relax at the campsite with a good book - the choice is yours!
Jinja - Eldoret (Kenya). Say goodbye to Jinja as we cross the border back into Kenya and return to Eldoret.
Eldoret - Nairobi. This morning, we cross the Equator and make our way south to Nairobi and to our accommodation in the city.
Today offers you the freedom to explore both the city and its surrounding areas. Alternatively, the following optional excursions are available to book locally. Enjoy close encounters at the the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery and the Giraffe Centre, or dis...
Nairobi - Masai Mara. We leave Nairobi early this morning and make our way to the famous Masai Mara National Reserve. The Mara is adjacent to the Serengeti, forming one of the world's last surviving great wildernesses. We will be travelling in specialised safari vehic...
Today we continue exploring the Masai Mara with morning and afternoon game drives to different areas of the park. As well as the iconic Big Five, we will hopefully spot some of the less glamorous species, but creatures that are important to the ecosystem. Hyenas and v...
Masai Mara - Nairobi. Leaving the Mara, we travel back through the Great Rift Valley to Nairobi, where we spend the night.
Nairobi - Arusha (Tanzania). We leave Kenya, crossing into neighbouring Tanzania at the Namanga frontier. We then drive to the country's safari capital, Arusha, arriving late afternoon. Situated in the shadow of Mount Meru and close to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Cra...
Arusha - Serengeti National Park. We leave our overland truck behind and transfer to designated safari vehicles this morning. Crossing the Great Rift Valley, we drive around the rim of the spectacular UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Crater and onto the wildlife-rich plains o...
Serengeti National Park - Ngorongoro Crater - Arusha. Game driving out of the Serengeti on day 21, we can search for any species we have not managed to spot so far. We travel back to the Ngorongoro Crater, camping on the rim of this UNESCO-listed natural caldera, one ...
Arusha - Bagamoyo. We begin our journey to Zanzibar today, heading towards the Indian Ocean coast. It's a long but scenic drive, and we pass Mount Kilimanjaro en route. If the weather is clear we should be able to enjoy magnificent views of the iconic snow-capped peak...
Bagamoyo - Dar es Salaam. Saying farewell to Bagamoyo we make the 2 - 3 hour drive along the coast to Dar es Salaam. This vibrant city is Tanzania's main port and a kaleidoscope of culture. Impressive Arab architecture and colourful markets give way to blissful beaches and turquoise ocean. We stay by the beach tonight before our excursion to Zanzibar.
Dar es Salaam - Zanzibar. On the morning of day 25, we take the ferry to Zanzibar, leaving our overland truck on the mainland. Evocative and exotic, Zanzibar conjures up images of idyllic, sandy, palm-fringed beaches, romantic winding cobbled alleys, and lush tropical...
Zanzibar - Dar es Salaam. We have the morning to do any last-minute shopping or enjoy one last swim before catching the ferry back to Dar es Salaam and travelling on to our accommodation by the coast for the evening.
Dar es Salaam - Mikumi National Park Area. Making our way southwest, we head back inland and towards the border with Malawi. We'll be driving through Mikumi National Park for a large chunk of the day, and will hopefully see some of the wildlife that lives in Tanzania'...
Mikumi National Park Area - Iringa. Continuing our journey south, we pass through Baobab Valley, home to many of these ancient, swollen baobab trees. Reaching the town of Iringa, we end our journey at the Kisolanza Farm. This family-run business supplies Dar es Salaam with organic meat and vegetables and is a well-known stopover, located in the scenic Southern Highlands of Tanzania.
Iringa - Mbeya Region. As we head towards Malawi, we make a stop at the tranquil Utengule Coffee Lodge, nestled amidst the majestic Mbeya range in Southern Tanzania. We take in breathtaking views of the East African Rift Valley, unwind by the poolside, or enjoy activi...
Mbeya Area - Chitimba (Malawi). After our last night in Tanzania, we make our way to the Songwe border post and cross into Malawi. Lake Malawi, formerly known as Lake Nyasa, covers nearly a fifth of the country and is a vital source of livelihood for many Malawians. F...
Chitimba - Nkhotakota Region (Lake Malawi). On day 33 we take a nice scenic drive through rubber plantations to Mzuzu - the capital of the northern region and the third largest town in Malawi - where we stop for a short while to grab supplies and check out the market...
Nkhotakota Region - Petauke (Zambia). Travelling via the Malawian capital of Lilongwe, we make the border crossing into Zambia. We arrive at the town of Chipata, formerly known as Fort Jamerson. We should have time to wander around the town, home to a large Indian community and a number of ornate mosques. Then we continue to our accommodation on the outskirts of town.
Petauke - Lusaka. Today we have a long drive through the picturesque scenery of Zambia. We'll travel along the Great Eastern Road and cross the Luangwa River before reaching the capital, Lusaka. This is southern Africa's fastest-growing city, but we'll enjoy a slice of tranquility at our accommodation on a rural farm.
Lusaka - Livingstone. On day 37 we drive to Livingstone, our final destination, and home to the Victoria Falls. There is an included visit to see the Zambian side of this famous cascade and the following day is free to relax or enjoy some of the numerous optional acti...
Today our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. If you'd like to stay a while longer in Livingstone then speak to our team about booking post-tour accommodation.
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International flights and visas
- Non refundable Gorilla & Chimpanzee Permit: USD $995pp (or equivalent in your currency) - pay at time of booking in addition to the deposit
- Airport transfers - can be booked on request
- Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
- Optional activities (prices listed in Trip Notes)
- Local payment - US$1025pp, paid on arrival in USD
Accommodation
18 and over. From departures starting in Jan 2026, the minimum age will be changing to 16 if accompanied an adult or legal guardian. Anyone over 65 to complete a Tour Suitability Form.Maximum age 75.
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