This is indeed the best of East African safari offering the best from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. You will start with an experience of Uganda’s primates in Bwindi Impenetrable forest for gorilla trekking and Kibale National park for chimpanzee trekking. These two prime parks house Uganda’s primates and prime trekking experiences. The tour will continue to Kenya and hopefully during the great wildebeest migration in the prime Masaai Mara reserve for a spectacular experience watching thousands of wildebeest along many other big mammals and the Big 5 in the park. The tour will continue to the fantastic Serengeti national park in Tanzania for a classic wildlife experience with its expanse, scenery and big numbers of wildlife. The Serengeti plains can not be described but only experienced. End your safari on the beautiful Zanzibar beaches – pure white sands beaches, laid back community, friendly locals and wholesome meals. This is a tour you want to experience the best of East Africa on safari.
East Africa Safari highlights
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Gorilla trekking
- Wildebeest migration
- Game drives
- Beach times
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe
On arrival at Entebbe international airport, a representative of Kagera Safaris will be waiting for you and transfer you to your hotel in the calm and beautiful town of Entebbe. This will be the official start of your Best of East Africa safari starting in Uganda, proceeding to Kenya and ending in Zanzibar – Tanzania.
Hotel No 5/ Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe
Day 2: Transfer to Kibale National park
After a breakfast, leave for Kibale forest – the primate capital of primates. The trip takes you through the countryside arriving at your lodge later that afternoon after stop over for lunch in the beautiful Fort portal. After you arrive at your lodge, you will have enough time to explore the area nearby or simply enjoy a coffee as you read a book.
If you take a flight, you will even more time at the lodge – where you can choose to take a walk in the village, take a swim, or simply take in the beauty of the area with a book in the lounge area of the lodge or at patio by your cottage.
Drive time – 5 hours Or Scheduled Flight – 1 hour 50 minutes
B, L & D
Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge
Day 3: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest
After an early breakfast, you will be transferred for briefing before you start your chimpanzee trek. Your experienced ranger guide will lead you through the tropical forest for an unforgettable and rewarding experience in search of man’s closest relatives the Chimpanzees. When you locate them, you are only allowed 1 hour with them before you start the hike out of the forest.
After lunch, you will take a Swamp walk in Bigodi community – proceeds from this help in community development. This walk through the wetland will bring you close to nature. You might have sightings of red tailed monkeys, Mangabeys, several bird species and butterflies. You will also have an opportunity to visit the community and have a coffee experience, banana brewing, basketry, and conversations with the medicine man.
PS: You have an option of a chimpanzee habituation experience. This activity allows you to spend more time in the forest learning more about the life of chimps, their habitat, food etc.
B, L & D
Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge
Day 4: Travel to Bwindi forest for a gorilla trekking safari
Your day will start after breakfast and you will embark on your gorilla safari southwards to Bwindi impenetrable forest. Depending on sector of Bwindi you will be trekking, you will use the main highway or drive through Queen Elizabeth national park.
Drive time – 8 hours Or Scheduled Flight – 1 hour
B, L & D
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp/ Bwindi Lodge/ Clouds Mt Gorilla Lodge/ Buhoma Lodge/ Gorilla Heights
Day 5 & 6: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest
Today early morning your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge and transfer you to the briefing point at 7am before you start your gorilla trek at 8 am. On arrival at the briefing place, you will be welcomed and given seats until time of briefing as your driver guide registers you with the ranger on duty to be allocated a gorilla family. You will eventually meet your ranger guide and start your gorilla trek in the jungles of Bwindi.
We advise you to hire a porter to carry your day pack because sometimes the gorillas could be located a distance far from the start of your trek, they can also help push or pull you along the steep slippery paths in the forest.
B, L & D
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp/ Bwindi Lodge /Clouds Mt Gorilla Lodge/Buhoma Lodge/ Gorilla Heights
Day 7: Transfer to Masaai Mara via Entebbe/Kisumu
After an early breakfast, your driver guide will transfer you to Entebbe international airport where you will connect to Masai Mara depending on the time of travel. You will have a stop in Kisumu for immigration and proceed to the airstrip and lodge in Masaai Mara.
Scheduled Flight – 1 hour 45 minutes to Entebbe and 2 hours 15 minutes
Bateleurs Camp / Kichwa Tembo / Mara plains camp / Little Governors / Sanctuary Olonono / Angama Mara
Day 8 & 9: Full Day Game drives
Breakfast in the mornings will prepare you for a full day of game viewing in the famous Masai Mara National reserve. You will carry packed lunch from the lodge and then head out in to the reserve for a whole day of spectacular game viewing. Look out for wildlife – big herds of lions, leopards, elephants, the elusive cheetah, Thomson’s gazelle, wildebeest, buffaloes, impalas, topis, spotted hyenas, zebras, baboons and the graceful giraffes. Your day will end in the evening as you will be transferred back to the lodge for dinner.
Visit a Masaai homestead on one of the days to experience life of this amazing tribe that co-exists with wildlife.
Optional Activity – Hot Air balloon Safari
B, L & D
Bateleurs Camp / Kichwa Tembo / Mara plains camp / Little Governors / Sanctuary Olonono / Angama Mara
Day 10: Transfer to Serengeti national park
After breakfast you leave the lodge and transfer to the airstrip for a flight to Serengeti national park in Tanzania. This is helpful as it cuts out the drive time from Masai mara to Arusha and then Arusha to Serengeti. If you take a morning flight you will have a brief game drive as you are transferred to your lodge for check in where you will choose to spend the afternoon taking in the environment around you or an evening walk or game drive.
Scheduled flight – 2 hours
B, L & D
Ole Serai Luxury Camp / Kleins Camp/ Nomad Lamai Serengeti/ Four Seasons Safari Lodge/ Sayani camp
Day 11 & 12: Full Day Game drive
Spend a full day exploring the vast Serengeti plains. You will rise early to enjoy an early morning game drive. At sunrise, you may encounter animals grazing in the beautiful light of sunrise and predators may still be busy hunting before retiring to rest for the day. Sunrise on the Serengeti is not to be missed and extraordinary photographic opportunities will abound at this magical time of day. You have the option to return to your accommodation for a hot lunch or to opt for a packed lunch which can be enjoyed at one of the various picnic sites found in the Serengeti. After lunch, you will continue on a game drive. Around the time of dusk be on the lookout for lions.
Cheetah can also be spotted on the plains in the early morning and late afternoon when temperatures are not too high. They rely on daylight and speed to catch their prey. Hippo pods can be seen in the bigger pools and rivers while crocodiles can be seen sunning themselves on the riverbanks.
B, L & D
Ole Serai Luxury Camp / Kleins Camp/ Nomad Lamai Serengeti/ Four Seasons Safari Lodge/ Sayani camp
Day 13: Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater
Drive to Ngorongoro crater with views of several wildlife and beautiful scenery enrolee. En-route you will visit a Maasai Boma where you will get the chance to see the Maasai performing their traditional dances, you can choose to join in! You then proceed your lodge in the Ngorongoro conservation area.
Drive time – 2 hours
B, L & D
Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge/ Ngorongoro Tented Camp / Ngorongoro Crater Lodge / The Manor at Ngorongoro Crater
Day 14: Game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater
After an early breakfast, your guide will pick you up and drive to the Ngorongoro crater. You will descend down 600 meters into the crater for a full day game drive experience. Supported by all year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro crater supports a vast variety of animals including wildebeests, zebras, buffalos, elands, warthogs, hippos, and giant African elephants. Another big draw card to this picturesque park is its dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard etc. Visit the Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually be seen here.
B, L & D
Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge/ Ngorongoro Tented Camp / Ngorongoro Crater Lodge / The Manor at Ngorongoro Crater
Day 15: Transfer to Arusha – Zanzibar
Afternoon transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport/Arusha Airport for your flight to Zanzibar.
Flight time – 1 hour 20 minutes
B, L & D
Kono kono Beach Resort / Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort / Zuri Zanzibar / Kilindi Beach Resort / Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Day 16 – 19: Zanzibar Beach & Water experiences
Spend the days at leisure at the your resort. You can also choose to take on some of the different water activities offered by the resorts depending on your interests. This would be settled privately by you.
B, L & D
Kono kono Beach Resort / Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort / Zuri Zanzibar / Kilindi Beach Resort / Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Day 20: Departure
Today after breakfast and depending on the time of your flight, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home.
B & L
