The 15 Days East African Tour guarantees you myriad of experiences from mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda, big five game viewing, the great migration in Kenya & Tanzania to beach holiday in the finest beaches in Zanzibar Island. The target destinations to explore on the comprehensive East African vacation package include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park -the best place to encounter the endangered mountain gorillas; Kibale National Park -true primate capital of the world and expect to enjoy encounter with eastern chimpanzees in the wild.
Cross from Uganda to the Magical Kenya to experience true African wilderness, witness by yourself the Great migration while in the Masai Mara Reserve. From the Mara Reserve, connect to Tanzania’s finest Serengeti National Park a vast savanna plain park. Sum up your vacation with unforgettable beach holiday at Zanzibar.
East African Tour Highlights
- Day 1: Road trip to Kibale National Park
- Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking & guided swamp walk in Bigodi
- Day 3: To Bwindi NP (Kigezi region)
- Day 4: Gorilla trekking & visit the Batwa community for a cultural experience
- Day 5: Fly to Entebbe & connect to Nairobi
- Day 6: Drive up to Maasai Mara National Reserve
- Day 7: Full day wildlife tour in the Mara Reserve
- Day 8: Drive to Serengeti National Park through Isebania border
- Day 9: A game viewing excursion the whole day
- Day 10: Visit Ngorongoro
- Day 11: Game drive & depart for Arusha
- Day 12: Arusha- Zanzibar
- Day 13-14: Zanzibar beach experience
- Day 15: Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Road trip to Kibale National Park
Today marks the start of your primate expedition in Uganda. Briefing will be done by your tour leader as early as 7:30 am at your respective hotel facilities in Entebbe or Kampala. At 8:00am, begin the 5-6 hours’ drive along Kampala-Mityana-Mubende-Fort Portal city route.
The en-route journey to Kibale comes with magnificent views of the lush Matiri Forest and tea farms then the Rwenzori Mountain ranges once you get to Fort Portal. A short lunch break will be had in one of the best restaurants in Fort Portal city and then continue to your places for a night stay.
Day 2: Chimpanzee tracking & guided swamp walk in Bigodi
You will depart early after breakfast and join the rest of the guests for briefing in Kanyanchu Visitor Center. The park tourism official will give highlights on regulations for chimpanzee tracking and also assign visitors the park rangers who will accompany them to search for chimpanzee community. The actual trek through Kibale in search for habituated chimpanzee communities begins at 8:00 am and this will last for 2-4.
You will have good time with chimpanzees face to face for one hour. These are our closest relatives sharing over 98% of their DNA with us. As you look out for chimpanzees, there are lots of other primates to encounter including the l’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, bush babies, grey cheeked mangabeys, and olive baboons.
In the afternoon after a leisurely lunch, you will be heading off to Bigodi wetland for a guided swamp walk. This brings you close to nature while you look out for more primates including colobus monkeys, baboons, red-tailed monkeys, bush babies, and many others.
Day 3: To Bwindi NP (Kigezi region)
Check out from the lodge and you will be transferred to Bwindi NP in Southwestern Uganda. Your journey will include navigating via the spectacular crater lakes, Queen Elizabeth National Park and in the southern side; you will have some time to look out for the tree climbing lions. Enjoy a bush meal and after, continue up to Bwindi N/Park to have a leisurely dinner and a night stay.
Day 4: Gorilla trekking & visit the Batwa community for a cultural experience
At leisure, have breakfast and continue to the park office for briefing. During the briefing you will get to know the dos and don’ts for gorilla trekking.
As you interact with mountain gorillas, maintain a distance of 8 meters away and your camera should be free of the flashlight. After your interaction with these large apes, start walking back to the briefing area and then proceed to the lodge. At the gorilla safari lodge, enjoy a leisurely lunch and in the afternoon, you will have an option of visiting the Batwa pygmies in their community.
Day 5: Fly to Entebbe & connect to Nairobi
Leave Bwindi for Kihihi airstrip where you will be departing to Entebbe airport. Get to the airport early and you will proceed to the beautiful Nairobi city in Kenya. You will be picked up at the airport in Nairobi and driven to the hotel for relaxation.
Day 6: Drive up to Maasai Mara National Reserve
At leisure, enjoy breakfast and you will start your road trip up to Maasai Mara Reserve. Driving time from Nairobi to the Mara takes about 6 hours and expect to enjoy the breathtaking view of the Great Rift Valley in the countryside. At the reserve, you will be at the camp or lodge for relaxation, lunch and later, continue with an afternoon game drive. On a game drive, expect to come across several of your favorite species of wildlife including leopards, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, and other mammal species.
Day 7: Full day wildlife tour in the Mara Reserve
You will enjoy a full day which includes the morning and afternoon game drives. The main interest on either game drive excursion will be to search for the big five game and plentiful of the Maasai Mara Reserve. Your day encounters will include cheetahs, rhinos, leopards, lions, elands, giraffes, zebras, gazelles, and don’t forget to capture great moments of the Great migration. You will be returning to the lodge once in the evening making the end of your day excursion.
Day 8: Drive to Serengeti National Park through Isebania border
Depart from the camp or lodge in the Masai Mara Reserve and you will be heading to Serengeti National Park. As you exit, look out for more interesting species of wildlife in the Mara and while driving to Isebania border point, get every bit of natural beauty in the countryside. Get everything sorted early at the border crossing and proceed to the camp or lodge in the Serengeti NP.
Day 9: A game viewing excursion the whole day
Today’s long day excursion includes wildlife/game viewing in the Serengeti National Park. This is a vast savanna park and today, you will be looking for species that make it a great destination. These include observing the wildebeest migration, watching the big five game: leopards, lions, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinos plus hyenas, zebras, cheetahs, giraffes, and birds. Get back to the lodge once you end your day late in the afternoon.
Day 10: Visit Ngorongoro
Early in the morning, you will be picked up at your lodge and transferred to Ngorongoro Crater. You will have great time at the crater. Includes looking for amazing animal species, especially the big five game and other mammals.
Day 11: Game drive & depart for Arusha
Depart for your morning game drive in Ngorongoro – a UNESCO Site and be ready to enjoy view of abundant wildlife. Your sights will include black rhinos, cape buffaloes, lions, leopards, jackals, zebras, cheetahs, hartebeest, Kudus, hyenas, elands, bushbucks, and also bird species.
Day 12: Arusha- Zanzibar
Pick up at the hotel and transfer to the airport where you will depart for Abeid Amani Karume Airport. This is found in the main Zanzibar archipelago -Unguja Island. At Abeid airport, you will be driven to the hotel in Zanzibar Island for a relaxed evening.
Day 13-14: Zanzibar beach experience
Get the best of Zanzibar for 2 days and expect to experience the most of the finest beach holiday. You will also consider engaging in some of the adventures including snorkeling, scuba diving and more.
Day 15: Departure
Leave your boutique hotel for Abeid Airport prepared to take your flight to the next destination or back home. Today brings to an end the 15 days East African tour.
End of tour.