9 Days Kenya Uganda Safari

9 Day Kenya Uganda Safari, Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration & Primates of Uganda, Bwindi Mountain Gorillas & Chimpanzees

The 9 days Kenya Uganda Safari, Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration & Primates of Uganda, Bwindi Mountain Gorillas & Chimpanzees, guarantees you the sightings of four of the Big Five animals. The Mara reserve is one of the best for big cats, but sightings of smaller Predators like a bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal, and spotted hyena also tend to be rewarding. You will also trek the forests searching for the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park.

Overview

The Masai Mara is Kenya’s flagship Park. Sightings of four of the Big Five are pretty much guaranteed. The black is more elusive, but can sometimes be spotted in the Mara Triangle. The reserve is one of the best for big cats, but sightings of smaller Predators like a bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal, and spotted hyena also tend to be rewarding. Antelope includes impala, reedbuck, Thomson’s gazelle, eland, and Topi, while buffalo, elephant, and giraffe are relaxed and easily spotted Wildlife Highlights The legendary wildebeest migration is one of the world’s most amazing wildlife encounters. Sometime in July and August, millions of animals leave the Serengeti and head into the Masai Mara around September. The crossing of the Mara River along the way is the most spectacular part of the migration. Around October, the migration slowly heads back into the Serengeti again. It should be noted that, although the pattern is well known, the exact timing of the migration is unpredictable as animals move with the rain looking for greener pastures. Best Time for Wildlife Viewing Wildlife viewing in the Masai Mara is good throughout the year. The best months for the wildebeest migration are September and October. June to October is relatively dry and offers the best general wildlife watching.

Lake Nakuru is Kenya’s most popular national park. The park’s main feature is a large, shallow lake supporting great birdlife, including big flocks of pelicans and variable flocks of flamingos. The lake was once famous for its flamingos, however, since 2012, conditions have become unfavourable for these birds and most have moved to other Rift Valley lakes.

Most big safari animals are present in Lake Nakuru NP with the exception of elephants. The park is known for its populations of black and white rhino. White rhino is particularly conspicuous, and different groups can be encountered throughout the day. Hippo, waterbuck, Burchell’s zebra and Thomson’s gazelle are common on the floodplains.

Lake Nakuru offers good wildlife viewing throughout the year, but the rains might interfere with your game drives in the wettest months, April and May. Although there is great birdlife at the lake, conditions in recent years have become unfavorable for flamingos, which used to be a real attraction here. As a result, the flamingos have moved to other lakes in the Rift Valley.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park, is a UNESCO world heritage site and home to over half of the worlds living mountain gorilla population. Located in the southwestern part of Uganda, this park is part of the Trans Virunga Massive. Trek the steep slopes covered by thick forests searching for the endangered mountain gorillas. After the gorilla Trek you will have a chance to visit the Batwa pygmies for a Tale of their lifestyle while they lived in the forest and the present-day life on the suburbs of the forest.

Kibale Forest National Park is home to about 13 primate species, usually referred to as the Primate capital of Africa for this reason. Chimpanzee, Colobus Monkeys, Bushbabies, baboons and many other species of primates which you would have a chance to encounter while on a chimpanzee tracking trip. Several bird species inhibit this forest, you will get a chance to visit the Bigodi swamp and also encounter local communities on a community/cultural walking experience.

The trip starts in Nairobi Kenya and ends in Entebbe Uganda.

Safari Highlights

Mau Escarpment
Masai Mara National reserve game drives
Masai Village Visit Sundowner
Air Balloon Safari with Champagne Breakfast
Lake Nakuru National Park Game drives
Bwindi Mountain Gorilla trek
Batwa Pygmies
Chimpanzee tracking
Bigodi swap and primate experience
Community experiences

Itenerary

Day 1: Arrival

Arrive in Nairobi meet and greet with our representative and transfer to the hotel, overnight in Nairobi. Dinner will be provided. Depending on flight arrival time, an option to be transferred to L. Nakuru hotel is open for an overnight stay. This will also incur an extra cost.

Approximate Distance : 25 Km (30 mins drive)

Meals : Dinner

Accommodation : Serena Nairobi

Day 2: Nairobi-Lake Nakuru National Park

You will be picked up at 8 am from your Nairobi hotel and depart for Lake Nakuru with a stopover at the Valley viewpoint to arrive for check-in and lunch. Rest briefly, enjoy the lodge facilities, followed by an afternoon game drive until sunset, and return to your lodge.

Approximate Distance : 179 Km (3 hours 30 mins drive)

Meals : Breakfast, lunch & Dinner

Accommodation : Sarova Lion Hills

Day 3: Lake Nakuru National Park -Masai Mara National Reserve

Early morning game drive and return to your lodge for breakfast. After that depart for Maasai Mara to arrive in time for check-in and lunch. Have a short rest followed by an afternoon game drive from 3 pm to 6:30 pm and return to your lodge to freshen up for dinner.

Approximate Distance : 207 Km (3 hours 50 mins drive)

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation : Serena Mara

Day 4: Masai Mara National Reserve

A full day will be spent in the Maasai Mara with morning and afternoon game drives in search of the wildlife found in the reserve and relax and enjoy the lodge facilities in between game drives. You can also opt for a full-day game drive with packed lunch from 8 am to 4 pm.

Approximate Distance.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation : Serena Mara

Day 5: Mara – Entebbe – Bwindi Impenetrable N.P.

An early morning air balloon safari with Champagne Bush breakfast, then a transfer back to your lodge for a morning transfer to the airstrip to board the Airkenya flight to Entebbe. The flight goes via Kisumu for immigration processes. At Entebbe international airport, connect with a local light weight flight to Bwindi gorilla park, our representative from the lodge who will be waiting for your arrival, meet and greet then transfer to the Bwindi gorilla park.
Check in at you lodge, lunch and relax at the lodge contemplating on the Gorilla Trekking adventure the next morning.

Approx. Distance : 4hr flight & 45 Kms, 1hr 15 Minutes’ Drive

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation : Mahogany Springs Lodge,

Day 6: Bwindi N.P Gorilla Trek Experience

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is located in south-western Uganda edge at the edge of the great east African Rift Valley. It is a home to over 400 species of mountain gorillas about half of the world’s population. Many of these are habituated in families that are daily visited by tourists. The forest is also a home to over 350 species of birds and 400 flora species.

Gorilla trekking starts at 8am after a briefing at the park headquarters, you will trek through the dense steep forest searching for the gorillas depending on where they were seen making nests the previous evening. The trekking can last 2-7 hours depending on how soon you find the Gorillas, this is influenced by the location they stayed overnight. Trekking can be a tasking adventure, but coming to a facial close-up with these close relatives to human is a reward worthy to earn. After gorilla trekking, in the afternoon time permitting you will go for a community walk and visit the Batwa pygmies.

Approx. Distance.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation : Mahogany Springs Lodge,

Day 7: Transfer to Kibale forest national park.

Morning breakfast and a relaxed drive Northwards to Kibale Forest national park, just before you arrive to the chimp-land, a stopover by the crater lakes for scenic views. A visit to the Kasenda Craters is amazing and rewarding. You will have lunch en-route before heading to Kibale Forest Park.

Distance : Approx. 125 Kms, 3hours’ Drive

Meals Plan : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation : Ndali Lodge

Day 8 : Chimpanzee tracking, Bigodi swamp and community experience

Afternoon visit Bigodi swamp, this is a community project aimed at improving the livelihoods of the local people, a local guide will lead you on a developed 4.5km trail through the swamp for approximately 3 hours where you can find several bird species including the great blue Turacos, Hornbills Kingfishers and also Black and White Colobus, Red Colobus, Red Tailed Monkey, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, L’hoest Monkey, Vervet Monkeys can be spotted.

Morning Chimpanzee Tracking adventure; Kibale forest has over 1,450 individuals (Chimpanzees) protected within the park. At Kanyanchu, a community of chimpanzees has been habituated since 1991, allowing visitors an outstanding opportunity to Track these apes in their natural Habitat. Tracking starts at 7am with a briefing at Kanyanchu Park headquarter where you will be allocated rangers to take you to the forest. An advance team already in the forest keep tracking the chimps and communicates with your ranger on the radio call, tracking can last for 2 to 4 hours depending on how far the chimps could be feeding.

Day 9, Transfer back to Entebbe and connect with your departure flight.

After a morning breakfast at the lodge, start a gentle drive through tea plantations and beautiful sceneries with a lunch stopover en-route arriving Entebbe late afternoon in time to check in for your flight back home.

Approx Distance : 350kms, 6hours’ Drive

Meals : Breakfast and Lunch En-route

Accommodation : None

End of Safari.

Includes & Excludes

Package Includes

Accommodation and meals as indicated above or similar deepening on availability at the time of booking
Transportation in a 4×4 Safari Vehicle
Round airport and airstrip private transfers or non-private by the lodge Vehicle where applicable
Services of a professional experienced English-speaking driver-guide
1 x Gorilla trekking permit Bwindi Forest ($700 per person)
1 x Chimpanzee tracking permit Kibale Forest ($200 per person)
Park entrance fees for None residents
Bigodi swamp walk
Community visits and experiences
Batwa experience
Crater lakes visit
Local light-weight flight Mara – EBB-KHX (15kgs luggage in soft bags)
A liter of drinking water person per day in the car
AMREF Emergency evacuation insurance (You need medical insurance)
All applicable government taxes