GORILLAS AND KENYA SAFARI – 12 DAYS
NAIROBI TO KAMPALA

Starting in Nairobi and ending in Kampala, this 12-day safari takes in the best of Kenya's northern game parks and a visit to see the rare mountain gorillas in their natural habitat of misty rain forests. Samburu Game Reserve is well known for elephant, while Nakuru National Park is home to abundant rhino and leopard and the lake is fringed pink by thousands of flamingos. Take the opportunity to sit with a gorilla on the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes before ending the trip in Uganda's attractive capital of Kampala

 

	Location:	NAIROBI TO KAMPALA	Dates:	Departs twice a month
	Fees:	£385 - 12 days USD 315 - Local Payment	Payment:	£180 deposit at time of booking – balance due 8 weeks before departure
	Reference:	AT013

General Information

Start and finish points: Nairobi to Kampala
Countries visited: Kenya and Uganda
Departure Point Nairobi: Hotel Boulevard, Harry Thuku Road
Check in time: 8.45am (departure 9.30am)
Pre-departure Meeting:   5.00 pm the day before at the departure point

Itinerary

DAY 1: Nairobi to Nanyuki

Leaving the hustle and bustle of Nairobi head north, crossing the equator, before reaching the market town of Nanyuki.  Founded in 1907 by English settlers, Nanyuki hosts the main base of Kenya’s Air Force.  It is popular amongst tourists because of it’s proximity to impressive Mount Kenya,

Kenya’s highest peak at 5199 m.  It is also home to the Mount Kenya Safari Club, now a hotel, but in the 60’s an exclusive club whose members included Winston Churchill, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. 

DAY 2: Nanyuki to Samburu National Reserve

Leaving this old frontier town, the group will head north-west through the Kikuyu area around Mt Kenya to the Samburu National Reserve.  Here the group will encounter the Masai’s distant relatives, the semi-nomadic proud Samburu, tending their cattle along the way.  The Samburu National Reserve is a relatively small reserve at just 104 km2.  It is a remote, hence unspoilt, reserve and attracts a wide range of animals because of the Ewaso Ng’iro River (brown water) that runs through it.

DAY 3: Samburu National Reserve

The Samburu National Reserve is made up of a mixture of scrub, desert and open Savannah plains interspersed with small rugged hills.  It is home to most of the Big 5 except the rhino, which has been decimated by poachers.  What makes this reserve unique is its populations of Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx,

Reticulated Giraffe and Somali Ostrich and the the day will be spent searching for these unique animals. 

DAY 4: Samburu National Reserve to Nakuru

Leaving the unique Samburu National Reserve, the safari will head west towards the Great Rift Valley and the 4th largest town in Kenya, the capital of the Rift Valley Province, Nakuru.  An overnight stop will be made here before entering Lake Nakuru National Park tomorrow. 

DAY 5: Lake Nakuru National Park

Today is the visit to the Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for the thousands of lesser and greater flamingo  that flock to this soda lake’s edge. The numbers vary depending on the water level, and when it’s low, the lake almost turns pink.  A truly spectacular sight!  The park was established as a sanctuary for black and white rhino, which are often seen. The day is spent searching for these pre-historic looking beasts as well as the elusive leopard, encountering buffalo, giraffe, various antelope and the occasional hippo along the way. 

DAY 6: Nakuru to Kampala

Crossing the border into Uganda and travelling via the lakeside town of Jinja (the Source of the Nile) Kampala is reached where an overnight stop is made.  Kampala is the capital city of Uganda, a small country of striking physical beauty.  Its landscapes vary from the fertile green areas around the northern shores of Lake Victoria to the snow-covered Ruwenzori Mountains in the west and the semi-desert parts of the north facing the border of Sudan. 

DAYS 7 - 8: Kampala to Kisoro

After an early morning departure from Kampala a drive west is made into the depths of Uganda to the base in Kisoro, from where the optional Gorilla trek is made.   Dependant on where trekking permits are available, the trek will be in the Magahinga or Bwindi National Parks in Uganda, the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or the Ruhengeri National Park in Rwanda.  The prices of trekking permits fluctuate and may change without prior notice – currently they are priced at US$500 depending on the trek.   There is a local transport fee of US$20 to US$25 per person.  For trekking in the DRC or Rwanda, it will also be necessary to purchase an additional visa to enter either country, as well as renewing the Ugandan visa upon re-entry.  Please budget accordingly.  Trekking Procedures: the mountain gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Berengei), of which there are only about 700 remaining, are one of man's closest living relatives.  A visit to these gentle giants in their natural environment is a unique and wonderful experience - one that will never be forgotten. The park rangers monitor the gorillas on a daily basis and have a fairly good idea of where they are.  However, they are free roaming animals, and their sighting cannot be guaranteed.  In the unlikely event of these creatures managing to completely elude the group,  the authorities usually allow a second opportunity to trek them.  However, this is purely at their discretion and subject to the availability of permits, and they will not confirm this in writing. As the gorillas share much of man's DNA, anyone with even the slightest cold or transferable illness will not be permitted to trek.  Trekking is also only open to people aged 16 years and above.   Departure from camp is very early in the morning  and after border formalities the group will transfer to a ranger’s station where the trek commences.  The rangers will lead through the cultivated lands and then into the dense rain forest and on to a gorilla family.  Trekking can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 8 hours and it can be quite strenuous, so a reasonable level of fitness is required. To ensure the gorillas do not get too used to the presence of humans and because they share many of man's genes (and therefore able to catch our diseases), the maximum time permitted to spend with them is one hour.  However this is plenty of time to watch their activity and to take photographs. The rangers will be able to provide a background to the gorilla family visited.   Once the hour is up, the group will trek back out of the rain forest to the meeting point.  It is not necessary to feel that any exploitation of these animals is taking place. The ever-growing number of tourists trekking them each day plays a vital role in their survival. For years they have been ruthlessly hunted for their hands and heads, which have been sold as ashtrays and lampshades!  In addition, large numbers have been killed whilst trying to stop poachers stealing the babies for sale to zoos, where they have never lived long.  One hundred percent of the gorilla permit cost is used to by the parks authorities to finance patrols that are instrumental in protecting the gorillas from poachers and their lethal snares and on promoting these wonderful animals.  

DAY 9: Kisoro to Lake Bunyoni

A short drive through arguably some of the most picturesque scenery in Africa brings the group to Lake Bunyoni.  Lake Bunyoni is the deepest Crater Lake in Africa and is home to a large number of bird and fish species. 

DAYS 10 – 11: Lake Bunyoni

The next two days are spent at leisure to enjoy the beauty of Lake Bunyoni. There are the options to swim, canoe, hike, visit the local villages or just sit back, relax and enjoy the tranquil surrounds. Well deserved rest days! 

DAY 12: Lake Bunyoni to Kampala

After enjoying the peaceful surrounds of Lake Bunyoni the group drives to Kampala. Today the equator is crossed for the second time and there will be ample opportunity for photos at this crossing. On arrival everyone will  exchange addresses and part ways, having just experienced a trip of a lifetime! 

Optional excursions 

Uganda, Jinja - Softpower Community Project - $25

Uganda, Jinja - White Water Rafting on The Nile - $125

Uganda, Jinja – Quad Bike (2 Hour) - $60

Uganda, Kampala - Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary -$50

Uganda, DRC or Rwanda - Gorilla Trekking Permit - $500

All prices are in US dollars.  For a more comprehensive list of things to do before, during or after the trip, please email or call Amanzi Travel on 0117 904 1924. 

Please Note - these prices are approximate and are subject to change, and where activities occur away from the base, there may be an additional transfer cost. 

Support

Support and advice is available from the Trip Guides whilst on the expedition and from the UK Amanzi Travel Team.
Find out more about Amanzi Travel support.

Orientation

An information pack will be sent upon booking your expedition and our staff are always on hand to offer further advice and information via telephone and email before departure.  An optional pre-departure meeting is provided the evening before which is a great way to meet your trip companions. 

Accommodation and Meals

These are camping trips, and spacious 2-person tents with sewn in ground sheets and a separate fly sheet are provided.  Most nights will be spent in organised campsites which usually have hot water showers and extra facilities such as a bar or swimming pool.  Increasingly these places have simple roomed accommodation, so on occasion there may be the choice, at extra cost,  to upgrade to a bed if wished.   Occasionally, when it is not possible to drive any further or when there is no local campsite available, it may be necessary to bush camp.  The vehicles used are completely self-sufficient for this and camping out in the middle of the African bush can be a memorable experience.

 

The safari cook does all the cooking on the trip, although it may be necessary to participate in the preparation of the meals on a rota basis.  Meals and menus vary depending on what is available locally, but three good meals a day will be provided.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are purchased from market stalls supported by a bulk buy of goods prior to departure.  In the towns and cities there is the optional alternative of sampling the local restaurants.

Getting There

The most convenient airport to fly into for this trip is the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and participants should ensure they arrive in plenty of time to allow for flights delays.  Help with organising local accommodation can be given.  There may be a number of ways to reach your destination airport – for further information or advice please contact Amanzi Travel.
Let Amanzi Travel arrange your flights for you

Project Fees

What is included

• Fully equipped expedition truck/vehicle

• All cooking and camping equipment

• Meals

• Game park fees and excursions as detailed in the itinerary

• Trip leader and safari cook

What is excluded

• Sleeping bag and mat

• Personal travel insurance

• Visas

• Items of a personal nature

• Optional excursions

• Restaurant meals and drinks