Bucket-list Uganda gorilla tour & optional Kenya Big 5 safari

Unforgettable Uganda tour with gorilla tracking, plus an optional Kenya safari stay - includes breakfast, all travel and amazing experiences

Day 1: UK - Uganda/Kenya (night on board)

Head to your chosen airport ready for an overnight flight to Entebbe (seven-night tour) or Nairobi (14-night tour). If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early morning, please arrive at the airport the night before.

Day 2: Nairobi, Kenya (14-night tour only)

Say Jambo to Kenya as you touch down in Nairobi, the country’s bustling capital. Nicknamed the ‘Green City in the Sun,’ Kenya’s largest city is a kaleidoscope of culture and cosmopolitanism, and the perfect place to sample the country’s diverse offerings. After transferring to your hotel, spend the rest of the day at your leisure, exploring your surroundings, sampling flavourful Kenyan cuisine, or soaking up the atmosphere at a local bar or café. Be sure to rest up - your first safari adventure awaits on the morrow.

Day 3: Amboseli National Park (14-night tour only)

Say goodbye to the metropolis this morning, as you head south of Nairobi into Kenya’s vast wilderness. Look out for Mount Kilimanjaro rising in the distance along the four-hour journey, where you’ll travel through typical African savannah past local homesteads and Maasai communities. Arrive at Amboseli National Park and settle into your lodge before embarking on your first thrilling game-viewing drive, where you’ll go in search of the park’s famous elephant herds.

Day 4: Aberdare (14-night tour only)

After breakfast at the lodge, you’ll continue on towards the Central Highlands, enjoying the rural scenery during the six-and-a-half-hour drive to your lodge in Aberdare. Spend the rest of the day as you wish, perhaps making the most of the lodge’s range of activities including nature walks, horseback riding, mountain biking and more. For an extra adventurous night, upgrade to The Ark Lodge during the booking process to stay close to a waterhole in the Aberdare National Park - the spot is a favourite for elephants, buffalo, rhino, and even the occasional leopard or hyena.

Day 5: Lake Naivasha (14-night tour only)

Depart for the papyrus-fringed shores of Lake Naivasha today, stopping to visit the beautiful Thompson Falls along the way. The five-and-a-half-hour journey will see you descend into the dramatic landscapes of the Great Rift Valley, before arriving at your lodge in the afternoon. Spend the rest of the day relaxing after your trip, or head out for an optional game drive at the UNESCO-listed Lake Nakuru National Park, whose soda lake is known for its large flamingo and rhino populations.

Days 6-7: Maasai Mara National Reserve (14-night tour only)

Listen to the sounds of nature as you rise and enjoy breakfast at the lodge, before hitting the road bound for the world-famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. Soak up enchanting views of the surrounding savannah, and in the mid-afternoon, enjoy a bucket-list game drive through the world’s finest game-viewing area. Look out for the legendary Big Five - lions, rhinos, buffalos, elephants and leopards - as you venture through the reserve’s otherworldly landscapes, and watch in awe as the drama of everyday life in the animal kingdom unfolds before your eyes.

The following morning, enjoy more unforgettable wildlife-spotting as you grab a packed lunch and set off for a full-day game-viewing drive. Today you’ll get to explore the vast and diverse landscapes of the Maasai Mara in greater depth, and maybe even tick off all the Big Five! Be sure to bring that camera, and compare snaps with fellow travellers as you return to the lodge in the evening.

Day 8: Nairobi (14-night tour only)

Savour your final moments in the Kenyan wilderness at your leisure, or perhaps set off on an optional hot-air balloon safari, morning game drive or a visit to a local Maasai village. Come mid-morning, it’s time to head back to Nairobi, arriving in the afternoon with the evening to spend as you wish.

Day 2 or 9: Entebbe, Uganda

Today you’ll arrive in Entebbe, a charming Ugandan town on the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. Spend the day relaxing after your journey, or explore the town to get a taste of local living.

Days 3-4 or 10-11: Kibale Forest National Park

Venture into Uganda’s lush wilderness as you head for the Kibale Forest National Park, a huge protected rainforest known for its large primate population including chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabey.

The next morning, you’ll embark on an exciting Chimpanzee Tracking excursion in the Kibale Forest National Park, starting with a trek through the rainforest in search of our closest genetic relative. Look on as the rowdy chimps feed, climb and care for their young, while your expert guide offers insights into these fascinating creatures. In the afternoon, you’ll say goodbye to Kibale and head to your next stop: Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Day 5 or 12: Queen Elizabeth National Park

As the sun greets Uganda’s most famous national park, set off for a spectacular sunrise game drive for the best chance of spotting the region’s abundant wildlife, including lions, buffalo, elephants, hyenas and leopards, as beautiful morning birdsong filters down from the canopies above. Return to the lodge to enjoy a late breakfast and relax at your leisure, and in the afternoon, enjoy a scenic cruise on the Kanziga Channel, known for its hippos, Nile crocodiles and buffalo.

Days 6-7 or 13-14: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Today, you’ll drive south through the striking natural landscapes of Ishasha (look out for the famous tree-climbing lions), as you head towards the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Continue on to the southern sector of Bwindi, the home of the elusive and endangered mountain gorillas. Settle in at your lodge and spend the rest of the day at your leisure.

The following morning, a bucket-list Gorilla Tracking excursion awaits, which will see you head into the magical rainforest to find a specific family of gorillas assigned to you. Take in the colourful birds, butterflies and exotic species all around you as you head deeper into the dense vegetation, before watching in awe as majestic gorillas groom, feed and interact with each other. After this once-in-a-lifetime experience, you’ll trek back to base and return to your lodge for an overnight stay.

Day 8 or 15: Lake Mburo National Park

Say goodbye to Bwindi as you drive towards Lake Mburo National Park, which sits on the border of Tanzania and is home to savannah species such as lions, hyenas, zebras and giraffes, as well as water-loving animals like hippos and crocodiles. Enjoy fantastic game-viewing opportunities as you make your way towards the lodge, where you can rest up after your trip.

Day 9 or 16: Lake Mburo - Entebbe (night on board)

This morning, enjoy either a final game drive or an optional guided forest walk to get up close to local wildlife. After that, you’ll leave Lake Mburo and head to Entebbe, stopping at the Equator line for a unique experience of standing with one foot in either hemisphere. Upon arrival in Entebbe, you’ll transfer to the airport for your overnight flight home, with plenty of unforgettable memories to show for your travels.