Day 1 | KampalaArrive in Kampala any time and make your way to the joining point hotel. A brief departure meeting will be held in the hotel reception area in evening on Day 1 of your tour. Upon arrival look for information from your tour leader on the hotel bulletin board from regarding meeting time.
With a population nearing 1,210,000, Kampala is the largest city in Uganda. It is located in the district of Kampala at 3,900 ft (1,189 m) above sea level. Before the arrival of the British, the Buganda King, the Kabaka, had chosen the area that was to become Kampala as one of his favorite hunting grounds. The area was made up of numerous rolling hills and lush wetlands. It was an ideal breeding ground for various antelopes - particularly the Impala. When the British arrived they called the area the Hills of the Impala.
The Baganda, eager to adopt foreign words into the local language, translated "hill of the Impala" into Luganda as "kasozi k' Impala" (pronounced "ka Impala" and eventually "ka mpala"). So whenever the Kabaka left his palace to go to hunt his favorite game, royal courtiers would say "the Kabaka has gone to Kampala to hunt" and thus name stuck.
Day 2 - 3 | Queen Elizabeth National ParkTravel west towards Lake Edward to this famous park, with Uganda's largest wildlife populations. On day 3, enjoy a morning game drive, with hopes of catching glimpses of buffalo, hippo, elephant, lion, and even the elusive leopard. Choose from a number of optional activities, including chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura Gorge or walks in the Maramagambo Forest.
The 1,978 sq. km Queen Elizabeth National Park is characterized by open savannah, large areas of swamp around Lake George, the extensive Maramagambo Forest in the southeast, and the forested Kyambura Gorge along the border with Kyambura Game Reserve. In the park are more than 10 crater lakes
Over 95 mammal species has been recorded in Queen Elizabeth National Park. ENP. Ten primate species are present, including chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s monkey, spotted hyena, Defassa waterbuck, and vervet, blue, red-tailed, black-and-white colobus and olive baboon, the elusive semi-aquatic sitatunga antelope in papyrus swamps around Lake George. Buffaloes are present but are primarily restricted to Maramagambo forest. The park’s elephants display affinities with the smaller and slightly hairier forest-dwelling race of elephant found in the Congo. The Ishasha and Mweya form a sanctuary for the tree-climbing lions.
More than 606 bird species have been recognized as existing in the park, which believed to be the highest total of any national park in Africa, if not the world. The bird list includes virtually every water-bird species resident in Uganda. The park is a sanctuary to the rare and most sought-for shoebill. Other key species include: the African fish Eagle, martial eagle, and papyrus gonolek. Along the Kazinga Channel one is able to watch for resident African Mourning Dove, Swamp flycatcher, black-headed gonolek, grey-capped warbler, grey-headed kingfisher and Brimstone Canary. In the short grass towards the airstrip, the following birds are common: Temminck’s Courser, Collared pranticole and red-capped Lark.
Day 4 - 5 | Murchison Falls National ParkAfter a full day of travel through African plains and wildland, reach the cabins inside the park, and enjoy a sundowner overlooking the Nile River. On Day 5, cross the Nile by ferry and spend the morning on a guided wildlife drive. Take the afternoon to enjoy the optional activities available: choose a boat trip up the Nile to the Murchison waterfalls, passing hippo and crocs; or head straight to the top of the falls by land to experience up close (but not too close) the most powerful waterfalls in the world.
Murchison Falls, also known as Kabalega Falls and Kabarega Falls, is a waterfall on the Nile. It breaks the Victoria Nile, which flows across northern Uganda from Lake Victoria to Lake Kyoga and then to the north end of Lake Albert in the western branch of the East African Rift. At the top of Murchison Falls, the Nile forces its way through a seven metre gap in the rocks and tumbles forty metres down. The river drops 122 metres (400 ft) in three separate cascades and flows westward into Lake Albert. The outlet of Lake Victoria sends around 300 cubic metres per second (11,000 ft³/s) of water over the falls, squeezed into a gorge less than ten metres (30 ft) wide; the rest thunders over a wide escarpment.
MFNP has abundant Flora and Fauna to delight the visitor. From rolling savannah and tall grasslands to thick bush and woodlands, the diversity of this park never ceases to amaze. On game drives, search for Cape buffaloes, Rothschild's giraffe, Uganda kob, hartebeest and waterbuck. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, shy sitatunga, bush duiker, warthog and bushpig. Do not forget large carnivores include lion, leopard and spotted hyena. Chimpanzees head the list of six species of primates found in the park. Crocodile and hippo will be seen along the banks of the Nile. Some of the more common birds that can be included Goliath heron, Egyptian geese, pelican, bee-eaters, kingfishers, hornbill, cormorant, saddle-bill stork and the rare shoebill stork. A boat cruise to the delta is a highlight for the avid birdwatcher.
Day 6 - 8 | Jinja & The Nile RiverHead south to the shores of Lake Victoria and renowned as the “Source of the Nile”, Jinja is fast becoming the thrill-seeker's capital of Africa. Fill your days rafting or kayaking down the Nile River, mountain biking in the Mabira Forest, volunteering with a local project, or just enjoying the relaxed vibe of Jinja.
Jinja, the second largest commercial centre in Uganda, was established in 1901. Lying in the south east of Uganda, 87 km north east of Kampala, it is located on the shores of Lake Victoria near to the source of the White Nile. The city is the chief town of Jinja District, and is considered the capital of the Kingdom of Busoga.
The resident population of Jinja is approximately 106,000 with the majority being Bantu in origin. Lusoga and Luganda are the main local languages.
North of Jinja is Bujagali Falls, which is located downriver from Owen Falls Dam. Bujagali Falls is a world-class spot for kayaking and white water rafting, and also a popular weekend picnic area for local Ugandans. However, the Falls are under threat from the construction of a proposed new 250 MW hydroelectric facility.
Day 9 - 10 | Kisumu & Local CulturesTravel past banana plantations and rural villages as you cross into Kenya. Spend your time in Kisumu at your leisure; we recommend a visit to the active local market, the local musuem, or even embark on an optional boat ride along the shores of Lake Victoria.
Kisumu literally means a place of barter or trade "sumo". Set 15 miles south of the Equator, Kisumu has moderate temperatures because of its elevation 5,000+ ft. above sea level. Have a rest and visit the bustling local market, where you can now bargain with ease after practicing in Nakuru. You may also try to squeeze in a visit to the local museum, visit the impala sanctuary, or take a boat trip on Lake Victoria, to try your luck at hippo spotting and bird watching.
A port city in western Kenya with population nearing 400,000, Kisumu is the third largest city in Kenya and capital of the Nyanza Province. In 1901 it became the administration centre of the area with the completion of the railway line from Mombasa. Although trade stagnated in the 1980s and 90s, it is again growing around oil exports. Lake Victoria ferries have operated from the port linking the railway to Mwanza, Bukoba, Entebbe, Port Bell and Jinja.
Interestingly, most people in Kisumu are trilingual. Apart from English, they are also fluent in the national language of Swahili and the local tongue of the Luo tribe, Kenya’s 2nd largest tribe to which 90% of Kisumu residents belong.
Day 11 - 12 | Masai Mara National ReserveAfter breakfast, will be met by smaller 6-7 seat safari vehicles, and we depart for the world famous Masai Mara Game Reserve. With its vast open plains and distinctive flat-topped acacia trees, no visit to Kenya would be complete without a visit here! In the afternoon we will arrive in the area, and get settled at our permenant tented camp, our base for our time here. We make our way into the reserve for an afternoon game viewing drive in our safari vehicles, whose pop-up roofs are designed to offer premier game viewing opportunities.
You will have excellent chances of seeing the "Big 5" - lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino, among the rest of the reserve's fantastic array of wildlife.
Day 12 starts with an early morning game drive, since the best time to spot wildlife is in the early hours of the morning. The day continues with more game viewing as you criss-cross the rolling hills of the African savannah. You will also have a chance to try the optional balloon safari, in addition to stopping at a Masai village to learn about, and interact with, the local Masai people.
The Masai Mara (also spelled Maasai Mara) is a game reserve in south-western Kenya, which is effectively the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Named for the Masai tribes people, who are the traditional inhabitants of the area, and the Mara River, which divides it, the reserve is famous for its exceptional population of game and the annual migration of the wildebeest every September and October, a migration so immense to be called the Great Migration. Thousands of wildebeest die in the crossing due to crocodile attacks. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving an immensity of herbivores: some 1,300,000 wildebeest, 360,000 Thomson's gazelle, and 191,000 zebra.
With an area of 1510 km sq., the Masai Mara is not the largest game park or reserve in Kenya, but it is probably the most famous. The entire area of the park is nestled within the enormous Great Rift Valley that extends from the Mediterranean Sea to Mozambique. The terrain of the reserve is primarily open grassland, with clusters of the distinctive acacia tree in the south-east region. The western border is the Esoit Oloololo Escarpment of the Rift Valley, and wildlife tends to be most concentrated here, as the swampy ground means that access to water is always good. The easternmost border is 224 km from Nairobi.
The Masai Mara is perhaps most famous for its lions, though the other members of the "Big Five" (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhinoceros) are as well found. This said, the population of black rhinoceros is severely threatened, with a population of only 37 recorded in 2000. Hippopotami are found in large groups in the Masai Mara and Talek Rivers, and many cheetah, zebra, impala, gazelles, hartebeest, warthog, ostrich, topi, the Masai giraffe, among other mammals, all consider the “Mara” their home territory. As well, the large Roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, rarely present elsewhere in Kenya, can be seen within the reserve borders. Like in the Serengeti in Tanzania, the wildebeest are the dominant inhabitant of the Masai Mara, and their numbers are estimated in the millions. Around July of each year these animals migrate in a vast ensemble north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October. These numerous migrants are followed along their annual, circular route by a block of hungry predators, most notably lions and hyena.
The Masai Mara is a also major research centre for the spotted hyena. Additionally, over 450 species of birdlife have been identified in the park, including vulture, marabou, secretary bird, hornbill, crowned crane, ostrich, long-crested eagle, and pygmy falcon.
Day 13 | NairobiEnjoy one final morning game drive before travelling through the Great Rift valley on to Kenya's capital for a final evening with your group.
The name Nairobi is derived from the Masai word for cool waters, which the Masai people gave to a water hole known as Ewaso Nyirobi. In modern times, the sprawling, cosmopolitan city of Nairobi combines the first-world glamour of reflecting-glass skyscraper buildings with abject developing-world poverty. It originated in 1899 from a handful of shacks that marked the end of the railhead during the building of the Uganda railway. Due to big game hunting bringing tourists from Britain, the city expanded dramatically in the early 1900’s. A large number of British nationals settled in the area, prompting more growth and this angered both the Masai and Kikuyu people, as they were losing hunting ground due to the expansion of the city limits. The friction increased and, eventually led to the Mau Mau uprising, which saw Jomo Kenyatta, the future president jailed. Kenya was granted independence from Britain in 1963, with Nairobi as the capital.
Apart from being Kenya’s capital and the main centre of government and commerce, Nairobi is the most significant city in East Africa and an important player on the pan-African stage. It is the diplomatic base for many counties in Africa, with its broad spectrum of international embassies and headquarters for the United Nations, multi-national companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and press correspondents. It’s also the center of the growing safari business of East Africa.
Day 14 | Depart from NairobiToday is the final day of the tour and you are free to depart anytime. You may also choose to spend the day at your leisure, to enjoy some of what Nairobi has to offer.
Wander the streets of central Nairobi, taking in old colonial architecture and the brightly coloured crowds to get a feel for urban Kenya. The city’s best attraction is the National Museum, home to most of the great prehistoric finds made by the Leakey family in East Africa, from Ethiopia to the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. It also has sections on wildlife, art, geology, local history and a snake park.
West of the city, the suburb of Karen is named after Karen Blixen, author of “Out of Africa”. Her house is now the Karen Blixen Museum, complete with a garden and tea house, it tells the history of the famous author. Also in Karen is the African Butterfly Research Institute , a large magical greenhouse alive with native butterflies.
South of Nairobi, in Langata, are a number of the city's best attractions. At the Giraffe Centre, you'll have the option of hand-feeding the rare Rothschild giraffes, plus embarking upon a nature walk with 160 species of bird. The Sheldrick Animal Orphanage cares for young, orphaned elephants. The Bomas of Kenya is a living open-air museum of the tribes of Kenya, including regular dance performances. The Nairobi National Park is just south of the city, and covers 114 sq km. It has over 400 bird species of and populations lions, leopards, and one of the country’s few thriving populations of black rhino.
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