This 18-day East Africa Safari offers you a lifetime opportunity to explore and experience the main East Africa. This is typical of a classic trip taking nature enthusiasts to the premier destination in East African region as they indulge in memorable adventures such as gorilla trekking, game drives, golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee tracking, wildebeest migration tour and cultural/community visits.
Top destinations to consider visiting on this magical East African vacation include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary & Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda).
Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda for golden monkeys and mountain gorilla encounters. Fly to Kenya to enjoy the wildebeest migration experience in the Maasai Mara National Reserve and cross by road to Serengeti National Park for yet another memorable wildebeest migration and big five game encounter.
East Africa Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Arrival, & pick up
- Day 2: Entebbe – Murchison Falls National Park
- Day 3: Full day excursions: Game drive and launch cruise (Murchison Falls NP)
- Day 4: Pick up & transfer to Kibale
- Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking & tour Bigodi wetland
- Day 6: Travel by car to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Day 7: Go game drive & drive to Bwindi national park
- Day 8: Gorilla trekking
- Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via Katuna border
- Day 10: Golden monkey tracking
- Day 11: Dian Fossey hike & transfer to Kigali
- Day 12: Pick up at the hotel & fly to Nairobi
- Day 13: Pick up & drive to Maasai Mara
- Day 14: Game drive plus wildebeest migration (Maasai Mara)
- Day 15: Drive from Maasai Mara to Serengeti NP (Isebania border)
- Day 16-17: Full Day Serengeti game safari
- Day 18: Depart for Arusha
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival, & pick up
This day is mainly dedicated for you to travel to Uganda for your vacation and pick up will be at Entebbe International Airport. After a warm welcome, and briefing, drive from the airport to the hotel for a relaxed evening and night stay.
Day 2: Entebbe – Murchison Falls National Park
Start your trip from Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park and this is after a hearty breakfast. It will take you about half day to get to the park, but en route, you will branch off to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to look for rhinos in their habitat.
Return and enjoy a delicious lunch before your private driver guide takes you to Kichumbanyobo gate where you will clear with Murchison Falls National Park officials. Drive straight up to the top of the falls to enjoy breathtaking views and taking photos.
Day 3: Full day excursions: Game drive and launch cruise (Murchison Falls NP)
Catch up with the morning game drive along the Northern circuit and this is where you will be searching for the park’s diverse animal species. The possible animal sightings today include elephants, waterbucks, lions, leopards, giraffes, warthogs, Uganda kobs, hartebeest and birds.
Get back to your lodge for a relaxed lunch and in the afternoon, depart for an unforgettable launch cruise. You will be exploring the Victoria Nile for 2-3 hours and this comes with higher chances for you to capture pictures of hippos, crocodiles and birds.
Day 4: Pick up & transfer to Kibale
Visit the popular Kibale National Park, a magical park with record of over 13 primate species which include 1500 chimpanzees. This renowned primate capital of the world offers unforgettable chimpanzee trekking adventures. You will drive via Hoima; connect to Fort Portal city and go to check in at your lodge.
Day 5: Chimpanzee trekking & tour Bigodi wetland
After the hearty breakfast, continue to Kanyanchu tourism centre for briefing about chimpanzee trekking guidelines. The park guides will be allocated to guests and by 8:00am, begin your search for chimpanzees through Kibale National Park. This primate adventure will go for 2-4 hours and includes an hour of up close and personal with chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
Walk back from Kibale Forest and have lunch at the lodge. Relax till in the afternoon when you will connect to Bigodi Wetland for a guided walk with an experienced local guide. A nature walk through Bigodi wetland allows you to search for plenty of primates, birds, plant species and other mammals.
Day 6: Travel by car to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Set off from Kibale National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park which is Uganda’s second largest park. Arrive at the right and lunch will be provided at the lodge. If your lodge is a bit far, you will be picked up early and you travel to Kazinga channel to catch up with the boat cruise. Look out for aquatic species, especially hippos, crocodiles and water birds.
Day 7: Go game drive & drive to Bwindi national park
Leave your lodge early and drive through Kasenyi plains, but before you start your game drive get registered with the park authorities. Your morning game search will include sighting animals such as buffaloes, elephants, Uganda Kobs, and birds.
Return from the game drive and check out, then proceed to Ishasha sector for a brief game drive mainly to enjoy sight of the tree climbing lions. From Ishasha, continue up to Bwindi National Park to check in at the lodge to retire for a night.
Day 8: Gorilla trekking
Get up early to prepare for your long day trek to see mountain gorillas. After breakfast, transfer to the park offices for briefing and to be assigned a gorilla family to track in a group of 8 visitors. Leave the park offices for your actual search for gorilla families allocated to you and take about 2-6 hours which includes one hour of a close encounter.
After the up close and personal with mountain gorillas, walk back to the lodge to be served lunch. Your next activity will be visiting the Batwa pygmies’ community for a thrilling and memorable cultural experience. Meet the original occupants of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, discover their unique hunting and gathering techniques as well as get entertained by their dances.
Day 9: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park via Katuna border
A hearty breakfast will be served to you and afterwards, check out of the lodge at Bwindi. Set off from Bwindi, driving via Kabale town up to Katuna where you will cross to Rwanda. Continue to Volcanoes NP after clearing with border authorities.
Day 10: Golden monkey tracking
With an experienced Volcanoes National Park guide, start your 2-4 hours’ guided golden monkey tracking adventure. This primate adventure starts at 8:00am and you will be looking for the strikingly spectacular golden monkeys. Aside from taking pictures, you will be in position to observe the daily behaviors of golden monkeys, and their body gestures.
In the afternoon, meet with the local guide ready for a cultural visit at Iby’Iwacu village. Learn the various traditions, cultures and practices from the locals as well as enjoy their traditional dances/music performance.
Day 11: Dian Fossey hike & transfer to Kigali
After breakfast, join other visitors for briefing about Dian Fossey graveyard hike and the guide will be allocated to lead you. Start your trek early and your visit will have you exposed to Dian Fossey’s gorilla conservation legacy. Later, you will return to the lodge to have lunch till and check out of the lodge. Set off from Volcanoes NP to Kigali where you will have a city tour in the afternoon -visit Kigali memorial center, Kimironko market and nearby craft centers then proceed to your accommodation.
Day 12: Pick up at the hotel & fly to Nairobi
Enjoy a hot cup of tea/coffee and later meet your driver for transfer to Kigali International Airport (KGL). Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and meet Kenya guide for transfer to the hotel. At leisure, you will enjoy lunch and you will proceed with a city tour or pay a brief visit at Nairobi National Park (optional).
Day 13: Pick up & drive to Maasai Mara
Transfer from your hotel in Nairobi to Maasai Mara National Reserve, about half -hour drive. You will continue up to the reserve for relaxation as you prepare yourself for the next day’s activities and exploring the Masai Mara diverse animal species.
Day 14: Game drive plus wildebeest migration (Maasai Mara)
Maasai Mara National Reserve is a stunning nature reserve, endowed with not only the big five game but also several other wildlife species. Get a chance to see different wildlife such as cheetahs, lions, buffaloes, zebras, elephants, leopards, and watch the wildebeest migration. Enjoy a delicious lunch in the wilderness and proceed with more game viewing and later, connect to the Maasai village.
Day 15: Drive from Maasai Mara to Serengeti NP (Isebania border)
You will connect via Isebania border, clear with authorities and proceed to your safari lodge/camp for evening chilling.
Day 16-17: Full Day Serengeti game safari
Enjoy 2-day guided game viewing experience through Serengeti National Park in the Northern circuit of Tanzania. Expect to spot a number of animals including the big game (buffaloes, leopards, lions, rhinos, and elephants), cheetahs, zebras, elands, giraffes, and wildebeest plus several bird species.
Day 18: Depart for Arusha
A hefty breakfast early in the morning and after, start driving to Arusha. Get dropped off at the airport for departure back home and today brings to an end the 18-Day East Africa safari.
End of safari
Plan for the great wildebeest migration by contacting our migration safari companies or inquire with us below to plan for your safari tour with us.
