Itinerary
- Day 1
Nairobi to Lake Nakuru
You'll leave Nairobi early and head down into the Great Rift Valley, making your way to Lake Nakuru National Park. The lake itself is the main attraction here, with roughly 2 million flamingos showing up annually to feed on the nutrient-rich water. Besides the flamingos, you'll have chances to spot buffalo, rhino, lion, leopard, antelope, warthog, and baboon throughout the park. By afternoon, you'll be out on a game drive searching for animals in their natural habitat.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Afternoon game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park
Landmarks Lake Nakuru National Park Great Rift Valley - Day 2
Lake Nakuru to Eldoret
You're heading northwest onto the higher plateau today, traveling through tea country as you go. Along the way, you'll cross from the Southern Hemisphere into the Northern Hemisphere right at the equator, which is a fun moment to mark. From there, you'll continue on to Eldoret, Kenya's 5th largest town with around 194,000 people living there.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Equator - Day 3
Eldoret to Kampala
Today you'll cross the border from Kenya into Uganda at a busy African border crossing. After that, you're heading to Kampala, Uganda's capital, which sprawls across five hills and has over 1.5 million residents. Once you arrive, you'll settle into your camp on the outskirts of the city, with the rest of the afternoon free to relax and get oriented.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Kampala - Day 4
Kampala to Bwindi/Magahinga area
You'll head out early from Kampala and travel west through Ugandan countryside, passing through villages and crossing the equator again. The drive takes you through lush green tea plantations, tangled forests, steep mountains, and more villages. By the end of the day, you'll reach your quiet accommodation just outside the park. The afternoon is yours to spend however you'd like, whether that means reading, relaxing, or checking out any optional activities available.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Optional activities in the area
Landmarks Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Magahinga National Park - Day 5
Bwindi/Magahinga area
Today's about trekking to find chimpanzees while taking in mountain views and spotting other wildlife through the forest. You'll be hiking through the surrounding forest, keeping your eyes open for both the chimps and whatever else crosses your path in this rich ecosystem.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Chimpanzee trek
Landmarks Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - Day 6
Lake Bunyonyi
You're traveling to Lake Bunyonyi, known locally as the 'Place of many little birds.' This lake stretches 27km long and 7km wide with depths reaching nearly 900m in some spots, making it Africa's second deepest lake. Twenty-nine islands dot the water, and you can visit them by hiring local boats. It's a good place to unwind, explore, and get some real downtime after your travels so far.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Island exploration by local boat
Landmarks Lake Bunyonyi - Days 7 - 8
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Lake Bunyonyi is your base for mountain gorilla trekking in the nearby Bwindi and Magahinga National Parks. Your permit covers one trek with up to one hour watching the gorillas. Because authorities limit daily visitors strictly, the group might spend several days here while everyone gets their turn. If you're not trekking on your scheduled day, you can explore nearby islands by boat or just relax back at camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Mountain gorilla trek with one-hour viewing time (permit included)
Optional Activities
- Island exploration by local boat
- Relaxation at camp
Landmarks Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Magahinga National Park - Day 9
Lake Bunyonyi to Kampala
You're heading back across the equator toward Kampala, passing by the northern edges of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake. Once you're settled in the city, you'll have the evening to check out Kampala's nightlife and try local food at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- City nightlife exploration
- Local cuisine dining
Landmarks Lake Victoria - Day 10
Kampala to Jinja
You'll travel a short distance from Kampala to Jinja, a small town sitting on the banks of both Lake Victoria and the Nile River. Your accommodation is right on the grassy banks with views overlooking the Nile. The river itself flows for 4,132 miles, starting here in Uganda and passing through Sudan and Egypt before reaching the Mediterranean.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Jinja Nile River - Days 11 - 12
Jinja
You have two full days to do whatever you'd like in Jinja. Wander around town, hang out by the river, or jump into some of the many optional activities in the area. You can try white water rafting on the rapids, bungy jump over the Nile, go off-road quad biking, or volunteer at a local community school project if that interests you.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- White water rafting on the Nile rapids
- Bungy jumping over the Nile
- Off-road quad biking
- Volunteering at community school project
- Town exploration
- Relaxation on the river's edge
Landmarks Nile River - Day 13
Jinja to Eldoret
You're leaving Uganda and heading back across the border into Kenya, making your way to Eldoret. Your accommodation sits outside town in a quiet setting. The lodge has an interesting cave restaurant that's known for its entertainment, plus a central fire pit for warming up on those chilly evenings.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 14
Eldoret to Nairobi
You'll cross the equator again, moving back into the southern hemisphere as you drive to Nairobi, Kenya's capital. You'll spend the night here and might want to get out and see what the local nightlife has to offer.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Local nightlife exploration
Landmarks Nairobi - Day 15
Nairobi
Today is completely free to explore Nairobi based on what interests you. You could visit Nairobi National Park, check out the National Museum of Kenya, stop by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery, or head to the Giraffe Centre. If you'd rather take it easy, the local cafe scene, restaurants, markets, and shops are all worth exploring, or you can just rest up and recharge.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Optional Activities
- Nairobi National Park visit
- National Museum of Kenya visit
- Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery visit
- Giraffe Centre visit
- Local cafe culture exploration
- Restaurant dining
- Market and shop exploration
Landmarks Nairobi National Park National Museum of Kenya Giraffe Centre - Day 16
Nairobi to Maasai Mara
Early this morning you'll head out in specialized safari vehicles and cross the Great Rift Valley to reach the Maasai Mara National Reserve. You'll spend two nights in a tented camp right on the edge of the reserve. With morning and afternoon game drives, you'll hunt for the Big Five: elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard, and lion. The Maasai Mara is known for its annual migration from July to October, when roughly 2 million wildebeest and zebras cross through searching for better grazing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning game drive at Maasai Mara National Reserve
- Afternoon game drive at Maasai Mara National Reserve
Landmarks Maasai Mara National Reserve Great Rift Valley - Day 17
Maasai Mara
You'll spend a full day game driving through the Maasai Mara Reserve looking for the Big Five: buffalo, leopard, elephant, lion, and rhino. The landscape here has rolling hills and open savanna that make spotting animals pretty feasible. During migration season between July and October, you'll see massive herds of wildebeest, gazelle, and zebra. Even outside migration, the park has resident herds, big cats, elephants, giraffes, and plenty more.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning game drive at Maasai Mara National Reserve
- Afternoon game drive at Maasai Mara National Reserve
Landmarks Maasai Mara National Reserve - Day 18
Maasai Mara to Nairobi
Time to say goodbye to this wildlife area and head back over the dirt-track roads toward Nairobi. The drive takes you back across the landscape you came in on, and your tour finishes once you arrive back in the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
