Gorillas & Safaris

Nairobi to Nairobi (20 days)

Day 1 – 2

The day will start with an early morning pre-departure meeting were we will Welcome you to Africa and provide you with an overview of the day to day running of the trip.

After the pre-departure meeting we will start our expedition and travel through the Great Rift Valley on the way to Lake Naivasha. The Great Rift Valley is one the geologic wonders of the world and is part of an intra-continental ridge system that runs through Kenya from north to south. The East African Rift System (EARS) starts in Tanzania to the south and continues northward into Ethiopia. The Great Rift Valley varies in width from twenty to sixty miles (thirty to one hundred kilometers) and in depth from a few hundred to several thousand meters. The valley is bordered by escarpments to the east and west and the floor is broken by volcanos and a series of lakes.

At Lake Naivasha you will have the chance to cycle through Hells Gate National Park, have high tea at Elsamere or just relax in the grassy campsite and watch the hippos from a safe vantage point.

Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake and is part of the Great Rift Valley. The name derives from the local Masai name Nai’posha that means “rough water” because of the sudden storms that can arise on the Lake.

Hell’s Gate National Park is named for the intense geothermal activity within its boundaries and is a remarkable quarter of the Great Rift Valley. Spectacular scenery including the towering cliffs, water-gouged gorges, stark rock towers, scrub clad volcanoes and belching plumes of geothermal steam make it one of the most atmospheric Parks in Africa and the only game reserve in Kenya that you can cycle or walk through.

Elsamere, on the shores of Lake Naivasha in Kenya’s Rift Valley, has been conserving the environment for more than 50 years and is the former home of Joy and George Adamson. Today the Elsa Conservation Trust continues its life-long commitment to wildlife conservation and operates a wildlife retreat and education centre were you can relax, enjoy a delicious traditional style high tea and watch the Born Free documentary.

Day 3

We continue west and spend the night at Eldoret in one of the most unique campsites in Africa. You will be amazed.

Day 4 – 5

We cross the Kenyan / Ugandan border on our way to Kampala which is the capital and largest city of Uganda. Kampala is a good introduction to Uganda and is a dynamic and engaging city.

You have a spare day to explore what Kampala has to offer including cafes, nightspots and markets or why not take the opportunity to visit the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Centre located on one of the islands on Lake Victoria.

Ngamba, surrounded by the peaceful waters of Lake Victoria, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is home to 48 orphaned chimps rescued from throughout Uganda. The Island facilities offer day visitors an exceptional opportunity to closely observe and interact with these fascinating great apes in a unique setting.

Day 6 – 10

The journey continues to Lake Bunyoni which will be our base while we trek to see the Mountain Gorillas, the ‘highlight’ of this expedition.

On the way to Lake Bunyoni we pass over the Equator. Here you will be able to witness how the water flow changes direction from left to right depending upon whether you are in the northern or southern hemisphere.

While at Lake Bunyoni, waiting for your chance to trek to see the mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park, there are plenty of optional activities you may like to take part in. Bunyoni means “the place of little birds”.

Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on the border of Uganda and Rwanda. Virunga is Africa’s oldest national park and is also the continent’s most biologically diverse protected area. The park’s 7800 square kilometers (3000 square miles) includes forests, savannas, lava plains, swamps, erosion valleys, active volcanoes, and the glaciated peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains.

Virunga is home to about quarter of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas. The parks two other Great Ape species, the eastern lowland Grauer’s gorillas and chimpanzees, make Virunga the only park in the world to host three taxa of Great Apes.

Day 11 – 13

After experiencing what will probably have been one of the most rewarding experiences you will have in your life time, viewing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, we start our return journey to Kenya. Our first stop on the way is Jinja where you have the chance to find your perfect white water adventure, whether it be white water raft the Grade 5 rapids of The Nile river, kayaking or riverbank adventure activities.   There is also the opportunity to spend a day volunteering on a community project with Soft Power Education.

Soft Power Education is a British registered charity and Ugandan NGO. Since 1999 they have been working with communities in Uganda to improve quality of life through education. They are also tackling factors that contribute to poverty, including training children in transferrable life skills at the Amagezi Education Centre; supporting Special Educational Needs awareness; running various community development programs aimed at promoting entrepreneurship; tackling health issues by improving sanitation at schools and promoting environmental conservation through education.

Day 14 – 15

From Jinja we head to the Uganda / Kenya border and then continue on to Eldoret were we will spend the night again at Eldoret before continuing on to Nakuru.

Day 16

Our day starts on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland, with an early morning safari drive into the Nakuru National Park which is a bird watchers paradise.

The lake’s abundance of algae attracts the vast quantity of flamingos that famously line the shore. Other birds also flourish in the area, as do warthogs, baboons and other large mammals. Eastern black rhinos and southern white rhinos have also been introduced to the park. Nakuru means “Dust or Dusty Place”.

After our morning game drive we continue on our final leg of the expedition returning to Nairobi.

Day 17

We will visit a Giraffe Centre (included) that was established to protect the endangered Rothschild giraffe and you will have the opportunity to hand feed giraffe from the raised observation platform. We will also visit an Elephant Orphanage (included) run by the pioneering Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which works in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service and offers hope to any orphaned elephant fortunate enough to be found alive.

Day 18 – 20

You embark on your last safari of this expedition, heading into the Masai Mara, where there have been many viewings of the Big 5 – elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo and rhino.

Masai Mara situated in south-west Kenya is one of Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Reserves. Together with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania it forms Africa’s most diverse, incredible and most spectacular eco-systems and possibly the world’s top safari big game viewing eco-system.

It is globally famous for its exceptional population of Masai lions, African leopards and Tanzanian cheetahs. The annual migration of zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and wildebeest to and from the Serengeti every year is from July to October, known as the Great Migration.

We return to Nairobi after 3 days and 2 nights on Safari and it is time to have a quick shower and we will end our expedition with a group dinner at The Carnivore Restaurant which boasts an informal indoor/outdoor atmosphere, rhythms of Africa and exceptional snacks.

We hope you enjoyed your expedition and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.