Masai Mara and Gorilla Adventure

Overview

An epic adventure awaits you on this 12-day tour through Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. In the Masai Mara, you’ll embark on incredible wildlife safari drives to spot big cats (cheetahs, leopards, and lions) with opportunities to visit a Masai village and learn about this nomadic culture. Visiting G Adventures for Good projects like the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre and the Ubuntu Caf? gives you a grounded, well-rounded understanding of what makes this slice of the continent so special.

Day 1Nairobi

Arrive at any time.

There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.

?Your Welcome Moment:?Meet Your CEO and Group

Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterward. Don’t forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Accommodation

Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.

The Heron Portico (or similar)

Hotel

Day 2Nairobi/Masai Mara

Journey through the Great Rift Valley on the way to one of the most famous national parks in Africa. Enjoy a late afternoon wildlife safari drive in the hopes of spotting the “big five”.

Travel from Nairobi, through the Great Rift Valley on to Kenya’s premier wildlife reserve. In the afternoon, arrive in the area and get settled at the safari camp, our base for our time here.

Head out for a late afternoon wildlife safari drive with excellent chances of seeing the “big five” ? watch for lion, cheetah, buffalo, elephant and giraffe. The varied wildlife and natural environment come together to provide a spectacular safari experience.

Safari Vehicle

Nairobi ? Masai Mara7h386km

Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.

Masai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive

Masai MaraEvening

Masai Mara is one of the world?s top safari destinations, known for its abundance of big cats ? cheetahs, leopards, and lions ? as well as the two million wildebeest, Thomson?s gazelles, and zebra that migrate annually across the vast grasslands in search of water. Set off on safari with our driver/guide and keep your eyes and ears peeled for movement and memories. Watch elephants and giraffe grazing, photograph zebras and wildebeest, and with a little luck, you’ll even spot animals feasting on a recent kill.

Accommodation

Kenia Campsite (or similar)

Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 3Masai Mara

Enjoy an early wildlife safari drive when animals are most active. Opt to visit a Masai village, learn to dance like a warrior, stop in the manyatta (family compound) and learn about this nomadic culture.

Opt to go for a balloon safari for a new perspective over the beautiful landscape. Pre-book on the checkout page to include this optional activity on your tour or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.

Masai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive

Masai MaraMorning

Free Time

Masai MaraAfternoon

Explore the area with some free time.

Masai Mara Balloon Safari

Masai Mara

The adventure begins just before dawn and lasts an hour in the sky. Fly over the Mara River, plains, and forests of the Masai Mara. Toast your return to earth with a champagne breakfast, cooked wherever you land.

Please note that single passengers can book on this activity, the balloon will require a minimum of two passengers to take flight. In the rare case that this minimum is not reached by the time of your flight, passengers will be refunded for this activity.

Accommodation

?Kenia Campsite (or similar)

Campground

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 4Masai Mara/Nairobi

Enjoy a final wildlife safari drive before the journey back to Nairobi.

Enjoy one more safari drive in the Masai Mara.

Visit the G for Good supported Ubuntu Cafe for lunch, before heading back to Nairobi.

In Nairobi there’s some time to buy local handicrafts or check out a bit of the city.

Your G for Good Moment:?Amani 3 Course lunch

In the rural settlement of Maai Mahiu is the very special G Adventures for Good supported project, Ubuntu Caf?. A true social enterprise in the heart of Kenya, this initiative empowers the community, creating over 400 sustainable local jobs for mothers of children with disabilities, and supporting pediatric health and education programs in the region. Sit down to a delicious, organic farm-to-table lunch.

Safari Vehicle

Masai Mara ? Nairobi5h30m-6h30m245km

Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.

?Masai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive

Feast on a range of familiar and exotic meats roasted over an open flame barbecue pit. Ever wanted to try ostrich or crocodile? Here’s your chance to do so (at a world-renowned restaurant, at that). Price includes the price of a meal (without a beverage) and hotel pick-up.

Accommodation

?The Heron Portico (or similar)

Hotel

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 5Nairobi/Kampala

Travel from one bustling East African capital city to another. Relax in Kampala and await the second part of this epic adventure.

Plane

Nairobi ? Entebbe1h30m

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… yup, it is a plane, actually.

Private Vehicle

Entebbe ? Kampala1h30m-2h50km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Optional Welcome Meeting for Travellers on Combos

You may be a seasoned pro at group travel by now, but there will likely be some new travellers joining the group. Sit in on the welcome meeting to meet the newest members of your group and learn about the next leg of your tour.

Accommodation

Forest Cottages (or similar) Hotel

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 6Kampala/Fort Portal

Take the scenic route to Fort Portal at the edge of Kibale National Park. Spend the night on a guest farm listening to the sounds of monkeys and birds.

Accommodation in Fort Portal is on a farm in simple furnished tents with shared bathroom facilities.

Private Vehicle

Kampala ? Fort Portal4h-6h297km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Accommodation

?Kluges Guest Farm (or similar) Lodge

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 7Kibale National Park

Explore the evergreen rainforest and trek to spot chimps in the morning or afternoon. Enjoy a traditional lunch in the Bigodi Community.

Opt to venture deep into the wetlands to spot more wildlife on a guided walk through the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary.

Chimpanzee Trek

Kibale National Park1h-2h

Embark on a chimp trek with a park ranger/guide. See more than just chimpanzees in their natural environment. Learn about the ecosystem and keep an eye out for other animals. Although chimp sightings are not guaranteed, visitors stand a good chance of hearing and seeing our distant cousins as they are not bothered by humans watching their daily behavior.

Bigodi Community Lunch

Kibale National Park ? Bigodi1h-1h30m

Sit down to a traditional buffet-style lunch prepared with fresh, organic local ingredients. Guests dine in a grass thatched hut and learn about Bigodi dining etiquette. Your local host describes how the ingredients used in the dishes are grown, harvested, and prepared.

Take a guided walk through the Bigodi wetlands. On your tour, you will likely see several kinds of monkeys including black and white colobus, red colobus, mangabey, red tail, vervet, and L?Hoest. Other wetlands mammals include baboons, sitatunga (an increasingly endangered swamp antelope), bush pigs, civet cats, mongooses, bush bucks and an occasional chimpanzee. The area also boasts an incredible bird population.

Accommodation

?Kluges Guest Farm (or similar) Lodge

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 8Kibale NP/Queen Elizabeth NP

Continue on to Queen Elizabeth NP, stopping at the equator. Head out on a wildlife safari drive in the afternoon. Keep your eyes peeled for warthogs, elephants, buffalo, five different species of primates, and hippos.

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.

Accommodation in Queen Elizabeth NP is in simple furnished tents with shared bathroom facilities.

Private Vehicle

Kibale National Park ? Queen Elizabeth National Park3h115km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Queen Elizabeth National Park Wildlife Safari Drive

Queen Elizabeth National ParkAfternoon

Enjoy a wildlife safari drive inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is home to Uganda’s largest wildlife populations. Keep an eye out for buffalo, elephants, hippos, hyenas, lions, warthogs, and the elusive leopards.

Accommodation

?Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (or similar)

Lodge

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 9Queen Elizabeth National Park

Take an early morning wildlife safari drive and enjoy lunch inside the park. Opt for an evening cruise along the Kazinga Channel.

Enjoy a wildlife safari drive with possible sightings of buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, leopards, hyenas, giant forest hogs, and elephants.

?Queen Elizabeth National Park Wildlife Safari Drive

Queen Elizabeth National ParkMorning

?Free Time

Queen Elizabeth National ParkAfternoon

Don’t waste a minute? start exploring.

Accommodation

Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (or similar) Lodge

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 10Queen Elizabeth NP/Bwindi Impenetrable NP

Enjoy the scenic drive south, with views of forests, volcanoes and lakes. Spend the night on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Accommodation at Bwindi Impenetrable NP is in simple furnished tents/rooms with ensuite bathroom facilities.

Private Vehicle

Queen Elizabeth National Park ? Bwindi Impenetrable National Park5h-6h200km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Accommodation

Rushaga Gorilla Camp (or similar) Lodge

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 11Gorilla Trekking

Rise early for the tour’s main highlight ? gorilla trekking!

Head into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to meet the park ranger/guide for orientation. Embark on the trek, which can vary in length and difficulty, depending on the location of the gorilla family that’s being visited. Spend 1 hr (max) observing these beautiful and endangered creatures, a truly privileged experience. Trek back and return to town. Enjoy free time in the afternoon.

Mountain Gorilla Trek

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park1h-6h

Take an unforgettable guided trek (1-6 hrs) deep into volcano forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a wildlife encounter of a lifetime, and meet a family of mountain gorillas. One of Africa’s major highlights, a close encounter with these amazing animals is simply breathtaking.

Get prepared before heading out: bring plenty of water and waterproof clothing (it can rain at only a few minutes? notice), and be sure to bring protective bags for cameras and film. Dress in layers with long sleeves and long pants to protect against stinging nettles found in the forests. The trek?s often chilly, at first, until you start trekking.

Note: Ugandan authorities are fiercely protective of this natural treasure, and currently permit only a maximum of eight people, per day, to visit a given gorilla family. The group will be split into different sub-groups for the trek, and depending on the number of travelers, different sub-groups may do their trek on different days.

Free Time

Bwindi Impenetrable National ParkAfternoon

Depending on when you get back from your gorilla trek, you may have some time to explore more of the area.

Porter Hire

20USD per person

Hire a local porter to carry your day pack throughout the trek, giving you more ease on your journey.

Accommodation

Rushaga Gorilla Camp (or similar) Lodge

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 12Bwindi/Kigali

Cross the border into Rwanda, then head to the capital city, Kigali. Visit the genocide museum to learn more about the dark history of this fascinating country. Enjoy lunch at the G Adventures supported Nyamirambo Women’s Centre. Tour ends on arrival at hotel.

Border Crossing (Uganda – Rwanda)

Gatuna Border Post1h-1h30m

Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

Private Vehicle

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park ? Kigali4h30m-5h30m175km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Kigali Genocide Memorial Visit

Kigali2h

Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, which serves as a permanent memorial to those who fell victim to the genocide in 1994. The centre opened on the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, in April 2004, and was built on a site where more than 250,000 people are buried.

Your G for Good Moment:?Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, Local Lunch

Located in Nyamirambo, the largest and most vibrant township in Rwanda, the centre provides women and girls from a diverse range of backgrounds, the opportunity to support each other and succeed, through education and training programs. Enjoy lunch prepared by women employed at the centre, allowing us to try local foods and popular dishes. After lunch, take some time to browse the centre’s shop, which features handmade, high-quality crafts and clothes, made by some of the women at the shop, as well as other women’s cooperatives throughout Rwanda. Proceeds from the meal and shop help support the centre?s education and training programs, including a community library.

Departure Day

?Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure

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Price Start From

starting from $4479 Per Person

Duration
12 Days
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch
Group Size:
4-14

Masai Mara and Gorilla Adventure

Overview

Day 1Nairobi

Accommodation

The Heron Portico (or similar)

Day 2Nairobi/Masai Mara

Safari Vehicle

Masai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive

Accommodation

Kenia Campsite (or similar)

Meals included:

Day 3Masai Mara

Masai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive

Free Time

Masai Mara Balloon Safari

Accommodation

Meals included:

Day 4Masai Mara/Nairobi

Your G for Good Moment:?Amani 3 Course lunch

Safari Vehicle

Accommodation

Meals included:

Day 5Nairobi/Kampala

Plane

Private Vehicle

Optional Welcome Meeting for Travellers on Combos

Accommodation

Forest Cottages (or similar) Hotel

Meals included:

Day 6Kampala/Fort Portal

Private Vehicle

Accommodation

Meals included:

Day 7Kibale National Park

Chimpanzee Trek

Bigodi Community Lunch

Accommodation

Meals included:

Day 8Kibale NP/Queen Elizabeth NP

Private Vehicle

Queen Elizabeth National Park Wildlife Safari Drive

Accommodation

Meals included:

Day 9Queen Elizabeth National Park

Accommodation

Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge (or similar) Lodge

Meals included:

Day 10Queen Elizabeth NP/Bwindi Impenetrable NP

Private Vehicle

Accommodation

Meals included:

Day 11Gorilla Trekking

Mountain Gorilla Trek

Free Time

Optional Activities – Day 11Hide

Porter Hire

Accommodation

Rushaga Gorilla Camp (or similar) Lodge

Meals included:

Day 12Bwindi/Kigali

Border Crossing (Uganda – Rwanda)

Private Vehicle

Kigali Genocide Memorial Visit

Your G for Good Moment:?Nyamirambo Women’s Centre, Local Lunch

Departure Day

Personal Details

Trip Information

Price Start From

Duration

Meals:

Group Size:

Members and Affiliations