16 DAYS UGANDA AND KENYA SAFARI

Embark on an exhilarating 16-day safari spanning across two stunning East African countries - Uganda and Kenya. Begin your journey in Uganda, where you'll head to Kibale forest national park for an unforgettable chimpanzee trekking experience. Explore the breathtaking Queen Elizabeth national park, home to diverse wildlife that you can witness up close during a game drive and boat cruise. Trek through the lush Bwindi impenetrable national park, where you'll have a rare opportunity to see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Discover the beauty of Lake Mburo National park, followed by an exciting adventure in Jinja, featuring thrilling white water rafting.

In Kenya, your adventure continues with an excursion to the world-renowned Masai Mara national reserve, where you can witness the majestic African wildlife in action. Visit Nairobi national park, and witness the heartwarming sight of baby elephants being raised at the elephant orphanage. Get your adrenaline pumping with exciting activities like cycling in Hell's gate, and rock climbing. Take a relaxed boat ride and walking safari through the idyllic Lake Naivasha, complete with stunning views and picturesque scenes.

Detailed itinerary

DAY 1: AIRPORT PICK UP AND TRANSFER TO ACCOMMODATION

Upon arrival at Entebbe International airport, our Twist African safaris tour guide/ driver will welcome you to Uganda the “Pearl of Africa” and drive you to your booked accommodation in Entebbe / Kampala to relax and prepare for your next day.

DAY 2: TANSFER TO KIBALE NATIONAL PAK AND CRATER HIKE

After having an early breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up by our tour guide to embark on your journey to Kibale National park. This drive will take you through the most fascinating country side landscapes with views of tea plantations, local homesteads and rolling hills. Arrive in Fort portal town

for lunch after which you will continue on a guided walk to the crater lakes in the South of Fort Portal that is donned with about 80 crater lakes. These crater lakes are a result of the many volcanic eeruptions that happened years ago. You will hike to these beautiful crater lakes which are shaped differently, surrounded by either forests or cliffs. Lakes Nkuruba and Nyabikere are some of the crater lakes in the region. You will have great views of Ndali and Kyaninga crates lakes with breath taking views. There after you will drive to Kibale forest to your booked accommodation for check-in, dinner and overnight.

DAY 3: BIGODI SWAMP WALK AND CHIMPANZEE TRACKING

Have breakfast and go on a guided Bigodi swamp sanctuary walk run by the community to support them. Expect to see butterflies, different bird species like the great blue turaco and other small animals. Have lunch and drive to the park head offices at for briefing about chimpanzee tracking. You will need to carry enough water from here then head to the forest following some trails. With the help of your ranger, you will come close to chimpanzees, view them swinging from tree to tree, others nesting in the trees and making pat hoots (Their way of communication). These chimpanzees are habituated and a bit comfortable with human presence but will go about their lives. You will spend one hour with them and then return to the accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

DAY 4: TRANSFER TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK AND KAZINGA CHANNEL BOAT CRUISE

Have your breakfast and leave Kibale for Queen Elizabeth National Park. On your way you will pass via Fort portal town, you will have great sights of the Rwenzori ranges and the local people that do their day to day activities near the road. Enjoy lunch along the way and proceed to the park which is bordered by Lakes; Edward and George that are also separated by the Kazinga channel which passes through the park. Drive to your booked accommodation for check-in and a short relaxation then get ready for a Launch/boat cruise on Kazinga channel. While on the boat your eyes will be nourished with amazing animal water species such as crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, hippos and also birds like the malachite kingfishers. Later after this activity, you may have a game drive in the Isasha sector in search for the famous Tree climbing lions. Expect to see over 4 to 6 lions chilling on fig trees an activity that happens only in Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda.

DAY 5: MORNING GAME DRIVE IN ISASHA AND TRANSFER TO BWINDI

Have breakfast and enjoy a game drive to Ishasha sector in search of the more wildlife species and the tree climbing lions. The sector has got a rich biodiversity and is home to a verity of wildlife such as buffaloes, elephants, and different species of birds among others. Start the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with an en-route lunch. This drive from the Southern Part of Queen Elizabeth National through Kihihi town then Buhoma takes about 2-3 hours. Free afternoon at leisure at the lodge as you prepare for the big event next morning.

DAY 6: GORILLA TREKKING AND CULTURAL TOUR.

Have an early breakfast before setting off for your gorilla trekking adventure, with your packed lunch you will drive to the park headquarters where briefing will take place about the code of conduct while visiting the forest. You will later be grouped into 8 individuals with the other people that will trek the same time and start the trek with the guidance of your ranger. This excursion will take between 30 minutes to 8 hours to encounter a habituated family of gorillas. When you come face to face with the habituated family, you will be allowed to be with them for 1 hour as you watch them feed, play, jump from one tree branch to another while you take memory pictures. Besides seeing gorillas, you will have a chance to see different bird species, butterflies, golden monkeys, during the trek. You will later have your picnic lunch and then go back to the park head- quarters where you will be rewarded a certificate for completing of a Gorilla trek in Uganda-Bwindi and drive back to hotel for relaxation. In the late afternoon you will have a guided community tour to visit the Batwa people who live in the Bwindi Forest. The friendly Batwa will take you through their background, their amazing cultural dances and songs.

DAY 7: TRANSFER TO LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK

Have a leisurely breakfast and transfer to Lake Mburo National Park. You will have lunch along the journey arriving at your booked accommodation in the late afternoon. From here you will check-in, refresh and have an evening game drive in this park. Expect to see wildlife species like zebras, impala, topi, buffaloes, leopards, hyenas and jackal among others. Drive back to the accommodation to relax, dinner and overnight.

DAY 8: MORNING NATURE WALK AND TRANSFER TO KAMPALA

After breakfast, you will meet your ranger guide who will take you through a briefing and then go on a safari walk on foot. At this moment, it’s only in Lake Mburo where you can see wildlife on foot. Enjoy the experience and later check out of the accommodation to drive back to Kampala with lunch served on En-route to your booked accommodation

DAY 9: WHITE WATER –RAFTING

Have an early morning breakfast by (6:00am) and transfer to Jinja city. On your arrival at Jinja you will go straight to the meeting point for the briefing session about the safety training and how to behave during rafting after which you will get into the vehicle and drive to the starting point where you will be taken through a brief exercise to make you familiar with the rafting exercise and then get on your rafting boat to start the day activity from flat levels to the most chaotic and turbulent rapids. River Nile offers the best whitewater rafting experience in Africa rafting through some of the best grade five rapids with spectacular leaps and drops enjoying the scenery of forested islands and the roar of various waterfalls. You have opportunity to swim whenever you reach the spots where the water is placid before you start the rapids again. The rafting will end with BBQ and drinks then drive to your booked accommodation to relax, dinner and overnight.

DAY 10: TRANSFER TO ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Have a leisurely breakfast and drive to Entebbe international airport to catch your flight to Kenya. Upon arrival in Nairobi, you will be picked up by our tour guide and transfer to hotel for overnight.

DAY 11: NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK – ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE – LAKE NAIVASHA

Have your breakfast, meet our guide and drive to David sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi National Park. Spend an hour at the nursery viewing the baby elephants as they are fed and play in an open exhibition ground where you will watch the experience closely and have memorable pictures. Later transfer to Lake Naivasha for lunch and check-in to your accommodation. Refresh and have an afternoon Boat ride on Lake Naivasha that will give you an opportunity to see plenty of birdlife and hippos up close with a Crescent Island Walking safari where you will enjoy a guided walk viewing various animals like giraffes, zebras, water bucks, it is also common to spot hippos bathing or basking in the sun close to the island’s shores. Head back to the resort for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

DAY 12: HELLS GATE BIKING – GORGE TREKKING AND ROCK CLIMING

After breakfast, we transfer to Hell’s Gate National Park for a cycling safari experience in the wilderness of Hell’s Gate National Park. You can also opt to walk or drive. Hell’s Gate National Park is small and the only national park in Kenya that can be explored by foot or cycle. Resident wildlife include; Giraffe, Zebra, Impala, Grants Gazelle, Warthog and Buffalo. A bicycle ride with sightings of Zebras and Giraffesis a beautiful experience. After collecting half day memories we head to the Hell’s Gate Gorge where our guide will take you through the stories of the gorge and as you trek the mighty gorge. After trekking the gorge you will spend the rest of the day climbing on either Fischer’s tower or cliffs. We shall head back to accommodation for relaxation dinner and overnight.

DAY 13: TRANSFER TO MASAI MARA AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE

Have breakfast and transfer to Masai Mara National reserve. On arriving to the park you will be welcomed with wildlife views of zebras, warthogs, wildebeests, giraffes, and baboons. Reach your accommodation check in, have lunch and drive to the park entrance for an afternoon game drive where you will see various animals like elephants, giraffes, lions, wildebeests, cheetahs among others. Later drive back to the camp to relax, dinner and overnight.

DAY 14: FULL DAY GAME DRIVE AND A CULTUAL TOUR

Have breakfast and full day game drive in Masai Mara that will enable you to explore other areas of the Masai Mara National Reserve and the Mara Triangle to the Mara Bridge, which is at the border of Tanzania just next to the famous Serengeti National Park. You will make a few stops along the banks of the scenic Mara River as to allow you to stretch your legs during your game drive. With your packed lunch you will have a 1 hour’s snug picnic lunch break as you enjoy more of this park. Later have a guided community tour to the Masai village and experience the stable pastoral culture of the oldest inhabitants of East Africa, the Masai. You will be fascinated by the men who stand tall and proud with their culture. The Masai women are bejeweled with bright beaded earrings and adorned with the brilliant red, blue and purple patterns of the shukas and scarves they wear. This will all be a 2 hour’s activity full with Traditional songs, dances, cultural practices and a community walk. Return to the camp for relaxation dinner and overnight.

DAY 15: FULL DAY GAME DRIVE IN MARA

Have breakfast and enjoy another extensive game drive in the other sector of Masai Mara. This game drive will give you chances of viewing more wildlife in this park. After the long adventure drive back to the camp to relax, dinner and overnight.

DAY 16: TRANSFER ACK TO NAIROBI

Have a leisurely breakfast and transfer back to Nairobi with a lunch en route to the Airport to catch your flight back.