12 Days Kenya Big Five & Uganda Gorilla Safari | East Africa Wildlife Adventure

Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi – Welcome to Kenya

Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by our safari representative and transferred to your hotel in Nairobi.

Depending on your arrival time, relax at the hotel or enjoy optional excursions around Nairobi including visits to the Giraffe Centre or Karen Blixen Museum.

Accommodation Options

• Luxury: Hemingways Nairobi
• Mid-Range: Tamarind Tree Hotel
• Budget: Ibis Styles Nairobi

Meals Included

• Dinner

Day 2: Nairobi – Amboseli National Park

After breakfast, depart for Amboseli National Park, famous for its large elephant herds and breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Arrive in time for lunch followed by an afternoon game drive across the park’s open plains and wetlands. Wildlife sightings may include elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and numerous bird species.

Accommodation Options

• Luxury: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge
• Mid-Range: Ol Tukai Lodge
• Budget: AA Lodge Amboseli

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Full-Day Safari in Amboseli National Park

Spend the day exploring the spectacular landscapes of Amboseli National Park with morning and afternoon game drives.

The park offers exceptional photography opportunities with wildlife roaming beneath the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro. Visit observation points overlooking the swamps where elephants, hippos, and buffaloes gather throughout the day.

Optional cultural visits to Maasai villages can also be arranged.

Accommodation

• Same as previous night

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Amboseli – Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast, depart for Lake Nakuru National Park via the scenic Great Rift Valley.

Arrive in time for lunch before embarking on an afternoon game drive in search of rhinos, Rothschild giraffes, lions, leopards, zebras, and flamingos along the lake shores.

Lake Nakuru is one of Kenya’s best rhino sanctuaries and an excellent destination for bird lovers.

Accommodation Options

• Luxury: The Cliff Nakuru
• Mid-Range: Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge
• Budget: Ziwa Bush Lodge

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Lake Nakuru – Masai Mara National Reserve

After breakfast, continue to the world-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve, one of Africa’s greatest wildlife destinations.

Arrive for lunch followed by an evening game drive across the endless plains of the Mara. The reserve is home to the Big Five alongside cheetahs, hyenas, wildebeests, zebras, and countless antelope species.

Accommodation Options

• Luxury: Mara Serena Safari Lodge
• Mid-Range: Zebra Plains Mara Camp
• Budget: Enkorok Mara Camp

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Full-Day Safari in Masai Mara

Enjoy a full-day game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve with picnic lunch in the wilderness.

Search for lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, and cheetahs while exploring the rich ecosystems of the reserve. Between July and October, travelers may witness the spectacular Great Wildebeest Migration crossing the Mara River.

Optional hot air balloon safaris are available at sunrise for an unforgettable aerial view of the savannah.

Accommodation

• Same as previous night

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Masai Mara – Nairobi – Flight to Uganda

After breakfast, return to Nairobi and transfer to the airport for your flight to Entebbe.

Upon arrival, meet your Ugandan safari guide and transfer to your hotel for relaxation and overnight stay.

Accommodation Options

• Luxury: Protea Hotel Entebbe
• Mid-Range: 2 Friends Beach Hotel
• Budget: Airport Guesthouse Entebbe

Meals Included

• Breakfast & Dinner

Day 8: Entebbe – Kibale National Park

After breakfast, begin your scenic drive to Kibale National Park, known as the primate capital of East Africa.

The journey takes you through beautiful countryside landscapes, tea plantations, crater lakes, and local villages. Arrive in the evening for dinner and overnight near the forest.

Accommodation Options

• Luxury: Kyaninga Lodge
• Mid-Range: Turaco Treetops
• Budget: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Chimpanzee Tracking – Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, head into the tropical rainforest of Kibale National Park for an unforgettable chimpanzee tracking experience.

Guided by experienced rangers, search for habituated chimpanzee families while learning about the forest ecosystem and other primates such as red colobus monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys.

Later, proceed to Queen Elizabeth National Park for an evening game drive.

Accommodation Options

• Luxury: Mweya Safari Lodge
• Mid-Range: Buffalo Safari Lodge
• Budget: Pumba Safari Cottages

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Queen Elizabeth National Park – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Enjoy a morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park in search of elephants, lions, buffaloes, antelopes, and leopards.

Later, enjoy a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, famous for its high concentration of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, and water birds.

In the afternoon, continue to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to the endangered mountain gorillas.

Accommodation Options

• Luxury: Buhoma Lodge
• Mid-Range: Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge
• Budget: Rushaga Gorilla Camp

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11: Gorilla Trekking Experience in Bwindi

After an early breakfast, report to the park headquarters for a briefing before embarking on the once-in-a-lifetime gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Accompanied by experienced rangers, trek through dense rainforest in search of a habituated gorilla family. Once found, spend one magical hour observing these gentle giants in their natural habitat.

This unforgettable wildlife encounter is considered one of Africa’s greatest safari experiences.

Accommodation

• Same as previous night

Meals Included

• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12: Bwindi – Entebbe Departure

After breakfast, begin your journey back to Entebbe with scenic countryside views and optional stopovers at the Equator crossing for photography and souvenirs.

Depending on your flight schedule, transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your onward journey home, marking the end of your remarkable East African safari adventure.

Meals Included

• Breakfast & Lunch

• This safari can be enjoyed year-round, though the best wildlife viewing seasons are from June to October and December to February. Gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking are possible throughout the year.