Kenya to Rwanda: The Maasai Mara, Gorillas & Chimps
East Africa doesn't do small moments — and this trip proves it. Start in Kenya where safari drives through the Great Rift Valley and Lake Nakuru turn up Big Five sightings before Uganda and Rwanda take things deeper. Trek with chimps and gorillas in their natural habitat, cruise Queen Elizabeth National Park, and soak up landscapes this wild, this vast, and this alive.
Highlights
Safari through Lake Nakuru National Park in search of the Big Five, See Kenya's conservation story unfold across its sweeping landscapes, Share lunch with women running a G Adventures-supported craft initiative, Trek deep into the forest to meet a family of mountain gorillas, Set out on foot in Uganda to spot chimps swinging through the canopy, Keep watch for elephants and hippos in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accomodation
In Uganda and Rwanda, hotel accommodation will be in simple, but comfortable twin-share rooms. All rooms are equipped with adequate mosquito netting (with the exception of your hotel in Musanze, where mosquito nets are not needed due to high-altitudes). Tented accommodation will be in simple furnished tents on wooden platforms, with shared bathroom facilities. All tents are large, walk-in tents with mosquito-netting, two beds and provided linens. A sleeping bag or extra mosquito-netting is not needed for this tour. Please remember that this is a developing area and as such, accommodations/service may not be of similar standard to which you are used to in your home country. As well, interruptions in electricity and water can be common. We appreciate your patience and understanding as well as your sense of adventure.
Group Leader
For the safari portion of thisG Adventures group trip itinerary, you will be accompanied by one of our group leaders, otherwise known as a Chief Experience Officer (CEO). The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds. The CEO (Chief Experience Officer) will be the group manager and leader. He/she organizes the trip, and will be there to assist you when needed. He/she will take care of the small things so you can concentrate on enjoying your adventure. All of our CEOs in East Africa are experienced group leaders, with a broad knowledge base of the region’s history, cultures, and wildlife. Your leader will be from either southern or East Africa depending on which part of the tour you are on. During the trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, we use an experienced and certified tracking guide, and armed guards to accompany you for your safety. We also use local guides for some included activities where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting.
Group Size Notes
Max 14, avg. 8
Meals Included
13 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 8 dinners
What's Included
Your G for Good Moment: Amani Ya Juu Lunch, Nairobi
Your G for Good Moment: Nyamirambo Women's Centre, Local Lunch, Kigali
Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group.
Lake Nakuru sunset safari drive. Maasai Mara village visit and national park safari. Full-day Maasai Mara National Park Safari. Free time in Lake Nakuru National Park. Guest farm stay near Kibale National Park. Chimpanzee trek. Bigodi community lunch. Queen Elizabeth National Park wildlife safari drives. Guided gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Visit to Kigali Genocide Museum. All national park fees and trekking permits. Internal flight between Nairobi and Kampala. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
13 nights from $7,399 per person
Itinerary
Click here for Full Itinerary Details
Itinerary Details
G Adventures: Kenya to Rwanda: The Maasai Mara, Gorillas & Chimps
Day 1: Nairobi
Arrive at any time. Attend a welcome meeting in the evening where you will get to know our fellow group members and meet your CEO.
Day 2: Nairobi/Nakuru
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel in Nairobi then travel by private vehicle to Lake Nakuru National Park. Enjoy an included lunch at the lodge before heading out on a sundown safari drive inside the park in search of the area's wildlife. Return to the lodge in the afternoon, then join the group for dinner on the property.
Day 3: Nakuru
Rise early as the sun is just beginning to colour the sky and enjoy a morning safari drive into Lake Nakuru National Park. Return to the lodge for lunch before enjoying free time to explore the area. You can choose to embark on another safari drive into the park this afternoon or simply relax at the lodge property. Dinner is included at the lodge tonight.
Day 4: Nakuru/Masai Mara
After breakfast at the lodge the group will travel to Masai Mara National Park and arrive around lunch time. Head out on a visit to Masai Village and then an afternoon safari drive outside of the Maasai Mara National Park on a private concession to search for giraffe, zebra, hyena, antelope, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos & elephants as you enjoy the beautiful scenery. Return to the lodge, relax, and have dinner in the evening.
Day 5: Masai Mara
This morning choose to pre-book an early morning safari drive or a hot air balloon safari over the plains of Masai Mara. Then, set out on a full day safari drive. Search for wildlife and enjoy this beautiful part of Kenya. Gather for a packed lunch before arriving at your tented camp area in the later afternoon. Spend the night in this tented camp amid the sounds of the plains.
Day 6: Masai Mara/Nairobi
In the morning leave camp and begin to travel back to Nairobi on a route that allows you to spot some wildlife as your exit the area. Stop along the way for lunch at a G Adventure-supported community project. Arrive back to Nairobi and attend an optional group dinner this evening at a nearby local restaurant.
Day 7: Nairobi/Kampala
Catch a flight this morning from Nairobi to Kampala. Enjoy free time to become settled and explore the city on your own before the next part of the adventure begins tomorrow.
Day 8: Kampala/Fort Portal
Take the scenic route to Fort Portal at the edge of Kibale National Park. Spend the night on a guest farm listening to the sounds of monkeys and birds.
Day 9: Kibale National Park
Explore the evergreen rainforest and trek to spot chimps in the morning or afternoon. Enjoy a traditional lunch in the Bigodi Community.
Opt to venture deep into the wetlands to spot more wildlife on a guided walk through the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary.
Day 10: Kibale NP/Queen Elizabeth NP
Continue on to Queen Elizabeth NP, stopping at the equator. Head out on a wildlife safari drive in the afternoon. Keep your eyes peeled for warthogs, elephants, buffalo, five different species of primates, and hippos.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is characterized by open savannah, large areas of swamp around Lake George, the extensive Maramagambo Forest in the southeast, and the forested Kyambura Gorge along the border with Kyambura Game Reserve.
Day 11: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Take an early morning wildlife safari drive and enjoy lunch inside the park. Opt for an evening cruise along the Kazinga Channel.
Enjoy a wildlife safari drive with possible sightings of buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, leopards, hyenas, giant forest hogs, and elephants.
Day 12: Queen Elizabeth NP/Bwindi Impenetrable NP
Enjoy the scenic drive south, with views of forests, volcanoes and lakes. Spend the night on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Day 13: Gorilla Trekking
Rise early for the tour's main highlight – gorilla trekking!
Head into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to meet the park ranger/guide for orientation. Embark on the trek, which can vary in length and difficulty, depending on the location of the gorilla family that's being visited. Spend 1 hr (max) observing these beautiful and endangered creatures, a truly privileged experience. Trek back and return to town. Enjoy free time in the afternoon.
Day 14: Bwindi/Kigali
Cross the border into Rwanda, then head to the capital city, Kigali. Visit the genocide museum to learn more about the dark history of this fascinating country. Enjoy lunch at the G Adventures supported Nyamirambo Women's Centre.
Featured Destinations
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Bwindi National Park)
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a national park located in southwestern Uganda, at the junction of the plain and mountain forests. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a biodiversity hotspot that is believed to hold the greatest number of tree species for its altitude in East Africa as well as almost half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. It is also home to many types of butterflies and birds, as well as endangered species.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Explore the dramatic backdrop of Queen Elizabeth National Park's famous volcanic cones and deep craters, tropical forests and grassy plains. The park is known for one of the highest biodiversity ratings in the world, and visitors can spot tree-climbing lions, elephants, buffalo and antelopes on safari game drives.
Kibale National Park
The star attractions of Uganda's Kibale National Park are the 13 species of primates, including some 1,500 chimpanzees, the most recorded in any African forest. Kibale contains varied tropical forest with patches of grassland and swamp, containing over 375 species of birds and 351 tree species. Kibale National Park adjoins Queen Elizabeth National Park and is one of the most wildlife-filled and rewarding destinations to visit.
Kampala
Set just a few miles/kilometers north of Lake Victoria in the heart of Buganda, Kampala is the capital of Uganda and the country's largest city.
It's a hilly, congested town, and the scars of war that dominated in the early 1990s have long since been repaired or replaced by bright malls and high-rises. Traffic can come to a honking standstill in the city center with bikes balancing bunk beds, boda bodas loaded with 400-lb Nile perch and pedestrians all jockeying for position.
Also, take an excursion to Lake Victoria and visit Namugongo Martyrs' Shrine and the massive, thatch-domed Kasubi Tombs, burial place of several kabakas of Buganda. Although their works are not intended for tourists (and may not be for sale), students at the Makerere University's School of Industrial and Fine Arts create fascinating pieces of art, many of which reflect the challenging conditions of Ugandan life.
In the middle of city at the bottom of Nakasero Hill, look for the market with its colorful display of fresh produce and the matatu (minibus) park stuffed to the gills with vehicles.
Maasai Mara
The Maasai Mara National Reserve (Masai Mara) is Kenya's finest and most outstanding wildlife sanctuary where gentle rolling grassland ensures animals are never out of sight. The climate is gentle, rarely too hot and well spread rainfall year round. The sensation of the great wildebeest migration between July and October is unparalleled. The wildlife is far from being confined within the Reserve boundaries and an even larger area extends beyond the game Reserve. Centuries of close association with the wildllife has resulted in an almost symbiotic relationship where wildlife and Masai people live in peace with one another. The first sight of this park is breathtaking. There is nowhere else on earth to compare with this wildlife marvel. The combination of a gentle climate, scenic splendour and untold numbers of wildlife makes the Maasai Mara National Reserve Kenya's most popular inland destination.
Nairobi
Nairobi is Kenya's capital and one of Africa's most modern and fastest growing major cities. The original center retains Asian influence in its older buildings with glassy modern buildings. Visit City Market with local produce and handicrafts. Other attractions are: National Museum, displaying ethnographic, paleontological and ornithological exhibits; the Arboretum, with an excellent collection of East African flora; the University, known for its unique architecture; the excellent Kenya Railway Museum; and Nairobi's landmark, the extraordinary Kenyatta Conference Center, the country's most monumental building, visible from miles outside the city. There are casinos at Safari Park Hotel and Inter-Continental, and there's Sunday-afternoon horse-racing. Visit Karen Blixen Museum, where some action of the book and film Out of Africa took place. The beautiful forested Ngong Hills is a spiritual place for the Maasai and an excellent area for hiking and enjoying views of Nairobi and the Rift Valley. Nairobi National Park is a wildlife game reserve.
Vacation Details
Valid Date Ranges
01/10/2027 -
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$7,399 per person
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$7,399 per person
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Prices Start At
from $7,399 per person
Air City
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Vacation Rating
Moderate
Moderate facilities have modest enhancements to amenities and décor. These hotels or resorts are dependable, comfortable and some may offer standard features, such as select business services, Continental breakfast or coffee service and may have a swimming pool or small fitness center on-site. Guestrooms are comfortable, moderately spacious, in-room telephones, televisions and limited amenities. Moderate establishments provide suitable accommodations and service for budget-minded travelers.
Remarks
Pricing is per person, land only, in US dollars and based on double occupancy. For specific validity dates, discount amount and tour information, please return to the promotion in question. Promotion valid on G Adventures small group tours excluding Independent, MS Expedition or National Geographic Journeys, unless otherwise stated. Promotion applicable to new bookings only and cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Does not apply to airfare (unless otherwise stated), pre-/post-accommodation, 'My Own Room' or 'My Own Tent', transfers, theme packs, insurance, polar kayaking & camping excursions or other in-country services. G Adventures reserves the right to withdraw this offer from sale at any time. Itinerary and map subject to change.
Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you view a final copy of your Trip Details a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
OFFER ID
1703951
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