East Africa & Gorillas - South 2019

We leave the capital of Nairobi and travel to the Masai Mara, world renowned for its endless plains of wild animals and spectacular beauty.  The visit to the Masai Mara is operated in safari type vehicles and not the Nomad truck. For this reason, you are asked to pack a small overnight bag to travel with. You will need your towel, clothes, toiletries and camping essentials.

The rolling grasslands of the Masai Mara offer ideal game viewing and photographic opportunities. Some of the animals that could be found here include elephant, black rhino, buffalo, leopard, cheetah, wildebeest, zebra and gazelle. Hippo and crocodile abound in the muddy brown waters of the rivers, which traverse this reserve. Today we will spend the entire day game driving through the Mara in search of all the animals.

This morning we bid the Mara farewell before heading to Lake Nakuru National Park, where we are reunited with our truck and we will enjoy an afternoon game drive through the park. Lake Nakuru is home to large flocks of flamingos and pelicans as well as black & white rhino, leopard, lion and numerous buck. Originally created as a bird sanctuary, Lake Nakuru was upgraded to National Park status in 1968.

This morning we not only cross the border into Uganda, but shortly after setting out this morning we cross the Equator on our way to Jinja. Jinja is Uganda’s second largest city and most famous as the point where the Nile (officially the Victoria Nile) flows out of Lake Victoria and begins the 6695 kilometre journey to Egypt and the Mediterranean.

After a quick stop in the city of Kampala, we head in the direction of The Murchison Falls National Park. Also referred to as the Kabaraga Falls, Murchison Falls is a waterfall found on the course of the great Nile and is located within the Murchison National Park. The park is recognized as one of the best National Parks in Uganda. After settling into our accommodation in Masindi, your guide will brief you on the activities for the following day.

Budongo Forest is the biggest Mahogany forest found in the whole of East Africa and is home to the largest number of chimpanzees throughout Uganda. It is believed that there are between 600 – 700 chimpanzees in Budongo and this morning we will meet up with our chimp guide who will take us on our trek through the forest in search of the chimps.  We will also enjoy a boat cruise in the park. Note: As the Chimp trekking is limited to 12 guests per trek, should there be more than 12 guests on a tour the trekking will be split between the morning and the afternoon. Therefore you may find that you will first do the game drive activity followed by the Chimp trekking or vice versa. Please allow for flexibility.

While we spend the night in the bustling capital city of Kampala, this morning we have the opportunity to visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. These majestic animals are in a literal fight for their survival. Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU) was formed as a Non-Government Organization (NGO) in 1997 and is tasked with overseeing its aim of reintroducing Rhinoceros, a highly endangered species across the globe, back into the National Parks of Uganda through a breeding and release program. Out of this emerged the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, 7000 hectares of imminently suitable savannah and native woodlands.

Crossing the Equator once more we travel south to the beautiful scenery of Lake Bunyonyi. With eager anticipation we prepare for the upcoming Gorilla trekking excursion and tonight we will receive a briefing on what to expect.

The mountain gorilla is extremely endangered and while exact numbers vary it is widely assumed that there are only around 650 left. Visiting the gorillas is a great way to support their future on earth as the money spent on permits is used for their protection. An extremely important part of the future conservation of the remaining gorillas rests in the community development work – as local communities change their attitudes towards wildlife and start to protect rather than poach, the future of the mountain gorilla is assured.

As permits granting permission to visit the gorillas are extremely limited we require flexibility in both the tour itinerary and where we actually visit them. The home of the mountain gorillas is completely at odds with man-made borders and so their range encompasses Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Whenever possible we choose to make use of the National Park in Uganda, but this depends on the availability of permits. Should we not obtain permits to visit the mountain gorillas in Uganda then we will inform all passengers beforehand that the tour will travel to Rwanda or DRC.

On your free day in Bunyonyi you will have the opportunity to participate in certain optional activities. You can also go hiking or explore the area on a mountain bike.

Although there are 2 days allocated to Gorilla Trekking you will only spend one day on the trek. The other days are there to provide a large enough window in which to obtain permits and to allow the entire group to trek if there are more than 6 of you on the tour.  Today we will enjoy a visit to the Nyombi Village, a Pygmy village which is reached by motor boat from Bunyonyi Resort.  We will have the opportunity to learn about the culture of the Pygmies and how they live.

This morning we set off on our return journey to Kampala.  Your tour comes to an end upon arrival in Kampala.

A short distance from Kampala, Jinja offers many exciting activities and your guide will assist you to plan for this day. Most activities are focussed around the waters of the Nile and these include rafting, kayaking and a variety of cruises on Africa’s largest river.  While those who may be less inclined to water sports can enjoy horse riding or a quadbike adventure on dry land.

Returning to Kenya we visit Eldoret, the country’s 5th largest city. The Great Rift Valley is still the dominant geographical feature of this region and the altitude at Eldoret is 2100 metres above sea level.

Returning to Nairobi this afternoon we reflect on many memories that we have gathered together and brace ourselves for a return to the busy streets of Nairobi. Your tour ends upon arrival in Nairobi.

Leaving behind the bustle of Nairobi we travel south to the Tanzanian border. After completing border formalities we continue to the busy town of Arusha, our base for the night. Northern Tanzania is home to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro. Those who have purchased the optional Serengeti Excursion upgrade package will be briefed this evening by our local guide on what to prepare for the coming days.

Although it is a short distance to Karatu, we will spend most of the day commuting closer to the Ngorongoro Crater.  Upon arrival in Karatu, our guide will brief us on the full day excursion into the crater.  Karatu is conveniently situated to allow you the opportunity to participate in various optional activities in the coming days. (This morning, those guests who pre-purchased the Serengeti excursion upgrade will be collected and will be separated from the group for the next 4 days).

We rise early and will be collected from our camp and transferred to the Ngorongoro Crater in 4×4 safari type vehicles.  We will spend the bulk of our day exploring the crater floor in search of the animals which roam the plains.  We will arrive back in Karatu in the afternoon.

Today your guide will accompany you on a cultural tour.  The rest of the day is for you to relax at camp or participate in a number of optional activities available from the accommodation establishment.  These activities need to be booked directly with the accommodation provide upon arrival in Karatu.

Wrapping up our time in Karatu and Ngorongoro Crater, we board our truck and return to Arusha.  Upon arrival in Arusha we are reunited with our fellow travellers who opted for the Serengeti upgrade.

We head out early this morning as we journey south to our overnight stop in the coastal town of Bagamoyo. Formerly a centre point of the East African slave trade, Bagamoyo lies just north of the port of Dar es Salaam and is a perfect launching point for our upcoming Zanzibar Excursion. While today is primarily a travel day, we experience the hustle and bustle of one of Africa’s major travel routes. Road travel in Africa is an experience in itself and the bustling markets, villages and scenic backdrops that line the routes give a window into the lifestyle of rural Africa. This evening we will prepare for our Zanzibar Excursion that begins tomorrow morning.

We complete the short journey into Dar es Salaam this morning and board our ferry for the two hour trip to Zanzibar. After arriving at the ferry port we board make our way to Nungwi on the northern shores of the island.  We take the opportunity to visit the spice farms of Kidichi and Kizambani on our way this afternoon. Zanzibar is renowned for its spices and fragrances and we have the chance to experience this first-hand today. There are a number of excursions that can be arranged for the coming days in Nungwi and your guide will be on hand to assist.

Today is a free day to enjoy some of the many attractions and activities on offer. Water sports are the order of the day and Nungwi offers fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving and a variety of ocean safari options. Whatever it is you chose to do today, you will have ample opportunity to create some island memories. Rent a scooter and explore the many attractions on offer or simply relax on the beach and soak up the sun.

Our visit to Nungwi comes to an end today as we travel back to Zanzibar Town in the afternoon. Boasting a rich history this busy port was once a landmark on both the Slave and Spice trade routes.  We spend our final night on the island on the beaches south of the port city.

This morning we have an opportunity to explore the historic area of Stone Town before catching an afternoon ferry back to Dar es Salaam and overnight back in the town of Bagamoyo. Stone Town represents the historic centre of Zanzibar Town and is a must see for those with an interest in history, culture and the unique architecture of the historic port.

Leaving the coast behind us we travel inland and make our way to Mikumi where we stop for the night. Mikumi National Park ranks as the fourth largest park in Tanzania and forms part of a 75 000 square kilometre wilderness that centres on Selous, Africa’s largest game reserve.

We rise early this morning and enjoy an extensive game drive in the Mikumi National Park. This afternoon we continue to the southern highlands of Tanzania and our final stop in Tanzania.

Leaving Tanzania behind, we descend the Great Rift Valley and cross the border into Malawi. Known as the “Warm Heart of Africa” the lakeside country is blessed with natural beauty and our destination tonight is the shores of Lake Malawi where we look forward to spending the next two days enjoying the attractions of the northern regions of the lake.  This afternoon we will enjoy a visit to a local community.

Snorkelling in the crystal waters offers the chance to see first-hand the brilliantly coloured tropical cichlids, tiny fish often found in colourful aquariums around the world.  Today is free for you to enjoy a relaxed day on the shores of lake Malawi.  For the more adventurous amongst us, use today to participate in the Livingstonia hike.  This is a strenuous hike that takes between 8 – 12 hours to complete.  Your guide will provide additional information on the hike.

This morning we board our truck and head further South of Lake Malawi. Our destination tonight is the shores of Lake Malawi.  Stretching over 500km along the western boundary of Malawi, the lake is home to more species of fish than any other lake. We spend the night on the shores of this natural wonder.

Today is another day of leisure, relaxing at the lake.  Use the time to read a book, soak up the sun or indulge in the many attractions that are on offer.

This morning we enjoy a final sunrise on the shores of Lake Malawi before setting off for Zambia and the South Luangwa National Park. After crossing the border into Zambia we make a short stop in Chipata before continuing to our camp on the banks of the Luangwa River. Having watched the sun rise over Lake Malawi in the morning we enjoy an equally spectacular sunset over the Luangwa River this evening.

South Luangwa National Park is a world-class safari destination and we have a full day to explore the park in search of the variety of wildlife found in the park. This morning you can partake in an optional morning safari or during the dry season (April to December) you can join one of the iconic walking safaris on offer in the park. This afternoon we will enjoy a Sunset Drive in the park, enjoying a sundowner on the way. The unique opportunity to explore the park at night gives us a chance to spot the elusive nocturnal species that are rarely seen in the day.

Leaving the Luangwa Valley this morning we make a stop at Tribal Textiles. The Chipata area is a major producer of Cotton and this morning we get a taste of the creativity of the African culture. Those interested can enjoy a tour of their workshops (March to December) to see how these colourful fabrics are crafted. Our destination tonight is the small town of Petauke.

As an important link between Lusaka and neighbouring Malawi, the Great East Road winds through rural Zambia and we will cross the Luangwa River on our way to Lusaka. The route today is dotted with villages and subsistence farms and the landscapes serve as a stark contrast to the developed countries so many of us calls home.

Crossing the Southern reaches of Zambia we make our way to the adventure town of Victoria Falls. This afternoon we get our first look at the mighty Victoria Falls. Crossing the bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe we get a view of “Musi oa Tunya”, the Smoke that Thunders as the falls are known in the local language. Victoria Falls offers a host of optional activities and these can be booked on arrival in Victoria Falls. Your tour comes to an end upon arrival in Victoria Falls.