Tour Code - GAG28

Duration - 28 Days / 27 Nights

Country - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Start Nairobi  Finish Da es Salaam

Price Euro €1425

Gorilla Permit  US $365

Take Zanzibar with its beaches, fabulous seafood and historical sites. Add the best game reserves in Africa stuffed with the Big 5. Mix in the world’s longest river, Africa’s largest lake, and a trek to view the magnificent gorillas. Get stirred up with wild adventure activities - and you have the perfect cocktail for the ultimate east African safari!

DAYS 1 - 7
From Nairobi, cross the Great Rift Valley, the enormous cleft in the Earth's surface that may be one of the places where early man developed and is regarded as the 'cradle of humankind'. The views over the valley are superb and on the floor of the valley, we camp in the Lake Nakuru National Park. This delightful park is home to rhino, leopard, warthog and abundant birdlife, particularly flamingos which feed in great numbers in the shallows of the lake. From Nakuru we head north via Eldoret and enter Kenya’s friendly neighbour, Uganda. From a base near the source of the Nile at Jinja there is the opportunity (subject to availability) to explore Africa’s longest and most famous river by wet and wild white water rafting. Or try walking or quad biking through the picturesque riverbank villages. From Uganda’s capital Kampala, there is an optional excursion to the Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary.

DAYS 8 - 14
Continuing to rural southwestern Uganda we pass through Mbarara and Kabale, before visiting one of the gorilla parks in the area. This region is home to roughly half of the world's remaining 700 Mountain Gorillas. After a guided trek through hilly jungle (the trek can be hard work at times!) we sit in the company of a family of gorillas in their natural habitat. Returning to Kampala, we cross back into Kenya and back down the Rift Valley to the bright lights and bustle of Nairobi.
Choose to celebrate your gorilla safari with
a night on the town at one of Nairobi’s top class restaurants.

DAYS 15 - 22
From Nairobi we travel to the Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya’s most widely known reserve. The ‘Mara’ is celebrated both for its breath-taking scenery and ample stocks of wildlife. The annual migration of wildebeest, zebra, and other grazing animals, which takes place between July and September each year is a particularly impressive sight. From the Mara we cross the border into Tanzania. The busy ‘safari capital’ of Arusha is our first stop - a chance to explore the bustling local markets and (perhaps) have your photo taken with an African snake at the Meserani Snake Park. Here, we change to a more suitable 4x4 vehicles and drive west to Olduvai Gorge before continuing to Tanzania’s premier wildlife reserve, the Serengeti National Park. Camping out in the open campsite is an exhilarating experience in itself. After game driving in the Serengeti, we move to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. Whereas the Serengeti is wide and open, the Ngorongoro is closed and magnificent. A world heritage site and containing a concentration of wildlife second to none.

DAYS 23 - 28
After returning briefly to Arusha, we continue to the balmy Indian Ocean coast and Tanzania's main commercial city, Dar es Salaam. Visit some of the local markets and prepare for exotic Zanzibar - the ‘spice island.’ We spend the last three nights of the trip here where the time is your own. Choose between idyllic palm fringed beaches, romantic winding alleys and lush tropical forest. Historically, Zanzibar was one of the most important cities on the East African coast. For centuries a centre for trade in spices and slaves and the base for the 19th century explorers Livingstone, Speke, Burton, Stanley and others, Zanzibar is one of the most interesting stops on tour. Explore Stone Town’s winding alleys and discover the bazaars, stalls, shops, mosques, palaces, courtyards and plazas of the old town. End your tour with some ‘serious’ relaxation on the sandy beaches and crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean. Finally we return to mainland where our tour ends.

          

NB Gorilla ViewingIn order to be sure of obtaining the required trekking permits for gorilla viewing we do not restrict ourselves to Uganda to see the gorillas. Gorillas have also been habituated (accustomed to viewers) for viewing in neighbouring countries and occasionally we may visit them there instead.

Travelling ‘overland’ is an adventurous and exciting way to see the sights, meet the cultures, and feel the soul and rhythm of Africa. In a self-sufficient vehicle, we carry everything with us including camping and cooking equipment and get off the beaten track to the real Africa. Travel with like-minded people in a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere and make life-long friends. Add this to special wildlife encounters, evocative landscapes, thrilling adventure activities, and nights camping out in the African bush, and you’ll have a memorable overland tour through Africa with Acacia...