Tour Code - GEN14

Duration - 14 Days / 13 Nights

Country - Kenya, Uganda

Start Nairobi  Finish Nairobi

Price Euro €695 ( Plus Local Payment )

Gorilla Permit  US $365

Game parks, landscapes and culture. This safari gives a glimpse of East Africa’s enormously diverse scenery and some of its friendliest people. From the Great Rift Valley dotted with lakes, to the terraced hillsides of fertile Uganda, and a very special wildlife encounter - the opportunity to trek and view the magnificent gorillas in their fragile habitat is an unforgettable experience.

DAYS 1 - 2
Our safari begins in Kenya, one of Africa’s most welcoming countries, where the first words you hear are the Swahili greeting, Jambo! (Hello!), often followed by Hakuna matata! (no problem!) From Nairobi we cross the Great Rift Valley, an enormous cleft in the Earth's surface stretching north to the Red Sea and south to Mozambique. After stopping to admire the spectacular views over the Valley we continue to Lake Nakuru National Park, our first night’s camp. Rhino, leopard, warthog, baboon and numerous lesser animals inhabit the park, but Nakuru is best known for its wealth of birdlife, especially flamingos which feed in such numbers in the shallows that they form a pink 'fringe' around the lake shore. Leaving Nakuru we travel north through the highlands of Eldoret to the lush green hills of Uganda.

DAYS 3 - 6
Uganda (Winston Churchill’s 'Pearl of Africa') is a friendly and surprisingly green country. Our first stop is Jinja, near the source of the Nile River. Time permitting there are various activities available including white water rafting, guided walks, quad biking - or simply admire the world’s longest river from the camp. In Kampala, there is the opportunity to visit the Ngamba Island chimpanzees on Lake Victoria, an ideal opportunity to learn something of the complex nature of these primates.

DAYS 7 - 11
Continuing to rural southwestern Uganda we pass through Mbarara and Kabale, and stop at Lake Bunyoni, a picturesque highland lake. We then move on to visit one of the gorilla parks in the area for the most exciting part of the trip - the trek to see the gorillas.

This region is home to roughly half of the world's remaining Mountain Gorillas, and is one the few places where they survive in their natural habitat. Local guides lead us through thick mountain jungle. The trekking can be hard going at times but the hard work is forgotten once the gorillas have been located. We then have a one hour ‘audience’ with these gentle apes. Gorillas are very sociable creatures and live in families of 12-20 individuals, led by a dominant male (the so-called 'silverback') together with several adult females and numerous young. (NB: group sizes on trek are kept small to minimize the impact on the sensitive natural habitat, we may therefore spend several days here to allow all members of the group to view the gorillas.)

DAYS 12 - 14
From Uganda we return to Kenya, passing down the Rift Valley to the bright lights and bustle of Nairobi 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...