You arrive at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and are met by our local guide, Nicholas who says Jambo! (“Hello!” in the local Kiswahili language) and transfers you to your boutique hotel in the leafy upmarket suburb of Karen. Should you wish and depending on your arrival time, Nicholas will happily commence your exploration of Nairobi this afternoon.  

Regarded as the major economic and transport hub of East Africa, Kenya’s sprawling capital of Nairobi is an unavoidable stopover on many travellers’ itineraries. While most wouldn’t choose to spend longer in the city than necessary, its temperate climate makes it a wise location to acclimatise and recuperate when first arriving in East Africa, which can take a day or two due to the long journey most travellers endure to get here. 

Nicholas transfers you to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport for your short flight to Kenya’s premier wildlife destination, the Masai Mara. The flight travels over the tribal homelands of the Masai before arriving at an airstrip on the fringe of the reserve, where you meet your camp guide and enjoy a game drive transfer to the camp. You stay here for three nights and your safari experiences include walking safaris and day and evening game drives – on one of your days you may wish to embark on a full day’s drive with a picnic lunch provided. Cultural visits to the nearby Masai village can also be arranged, as can a sunrise balloon safari (both at additional cost). 

The Masai Mara is Kenya’s most famous wildlife area, part of the Greater Serengeti ecosystem and home to the Great Migration of wildebeest. From predators like lion and cheetah to abundant grazers and dramatic river crossings, the Mara offers excellent year-round wildlife viewing. 

Your camp guide now transfers you back to the airstrip for your day’s journey to Uganda. You first fly to theUgandan hub of Entebbe, where you complete arrival immigration procedures before flying onwards to Kasese, located in a very picturesque region of crater lakes and the Kibale Forest. You are met at the airstrip by our driver who transfers you to your lodge in the park, where you stay for the next two nights. 

Kibale protects 776km² of pre-montane rainforest and is home to 13 primate species including chimpanzee, red colobus and L’Hoest’s monkeys. The surrounding landscape of crater lakes, forest, and plantations offers further exploration, while Bigodi Wetland is a community-run sanctuary rich in birdlife, primates, and butterflies.

This morning you enter ‘the jungle’ for an encounter with one of the national park’s chimpanzee families, accompanied by a knowledgeable park guide. Kibale National Park is one of the best places in Africa to view chimpanzees in the wild and your “Chimpanzee Tracking” experience promises a very high likelihood of quality viewing of our primate cousins. This afternoon offers  various activities and excursions that we can arrange for you (Additional cost), including another chimpanzee tracking (to a different family), a drive through the surrounding Crater Lakes region, or a guided walk through the bird- and primate-filled Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. Perhaps you prefer to simply enjoy an afternoon enjoying the forest views (and sounds) from your cottage. 

We now transfer you through spectacular mountainous and rural scenery – crossing the Equator along the way – to Buhoma, the village overlooking the “gorilla forest” where you arrive in time for lunch. One of your days here will include a gorilla trek while the other can include another gorilla trek (to a different family) or a guided nature/birding walk, focusing on the forest’s incredible plant and animal diversity (Additional cost). We can also include an afternoon of cultural immersion, visiting a number of community projects in the village. There’ll also be time to simply enjoy the ambience of being in the unique environment of Equatorial East Africa.  

Bwindi is one of Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse forests, home to more than half the world’s population of mountain gorillas. It also shelters a number of other primate species along with forest elephants and many endemic bird species.The village of Buhoma offers meaningful cultural engagement and the opportunity to support community-led initiatives.

This morning you are transferred through more of Uganda’s lush mountain scenery to Kihihi airstrip for your flight back to Entebbe and onward travels. For late evening or early morning departures, we can include a boutique day room in Entebbe and even a sunset cruise on Lake Victoria.