Gorillas & Gameparks Wildlife Tour (19 Days) Nairobi to Nairobi

Enjoy the beauty of some of the best gameparks in East Africa, containing soda and fresh water lakes abundant in bird and wildlife.

Trek through rainforests of the Virunga Mountains in search of the protected Mountain Gorilla. Why not try your hand at quad biking, kayaking and whitewater rafting - making this an action packed and diverse adventure trip.

Itinerary

Days 1 to 2
After our pre departure meeting - our trip departs Nairobi and heads north into one of Africa's greatest natural features, the East African Rift Valley. Stretching from the Dead Sea in Jordan down to Mozambique in Southern Africa, our first view is from the top of a steep escarpment. Overland trips through East Africa will allow you to experience some of the most dramatic scenery in the world, and the Rift Valley is a definite highlight. The valley floor seems to sweep on forever and is dotted with volcanic peaks, shimmering lakes and countless springs.

We camp near the lake shore where Hippos sometimes feed at night! Here you can walk to Elsamere, the house of Joy Adamson - of Elsa the Lion and Born Free fame, and enjoy a film of her life - and cream teas! You can also hire mountain bikes and cycle or walk through Hells Gate National Park - the only game reserve in Kenya in which you are permitted to do so. Or for a less active but equally enjoyable game viewing experience - visit the Crater Lake Game Sanctuary. 

Days 3 to 4
We then continue west and travel to Uganda. A mountainous drive with spectacular scenery through the Nandi Hills brings us to our next stop at Eldoret. From here we cross the Kenya - Uganda border, and continue to the capital Kampala.

Days 5 to 6
Kampala has had a turbulent past, but these days it is a friendly and safe city. We have a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots - where you can get to know the local people. There is also the opportunity to spend the day visiting a local Chimpanzee Sanctuary and rehabilitation centre on one of the islands on Lake Victoria. The following day we have a long drive as we head west through swamps, patches of forest and fertile green countryside. As we travel through Uganda, we'll pass through a number of small towns and villages; Mpigi, where you will see roadside stalls manufacturing and selling traditional musical instruments; Kyazanga, where we can buy fresh rotisserie and roasted meat and vegetables, as well as roasted plantain bananas. We will also be able to make a photo stop where our route crosses the Equator.

Days 7 to 10
The Virunga range of volcanic mountains and the rainforests on these mountain slopes are home to several families of highland Mountain Gorillas. Getting up close to these amazing creatures is a truly a once in a lifetime experience and one of the highlights of the trip. We will visit the gorillas in either Uganda or Rwanda. If we view them from Uganda there is the opportunity to paddle out onto Lake Bunyoni in canoes and visit some of the nearby islands - or hire mountain bikes to visit nearby villages & schools. From Rwanda there will also be an opportunity to visit the genocide memorial in Kigali, which is a moving and humbling experience.

Days 11 to 15
We then return to Kampala and camp near Jinja - Uganda's adventure playground. Here, on the edge of Lake Victoria, the Nile begins its 6700km journey to the sea. We spend the next few days at Bujagali Falls, just downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area, and with one kilometre of raging water below Bujagali Falls, a superb place to go whitewater rafting or kayaking. You can also organise quad biking , horse riding or a visit to a local school.

Days 16 to 19
Entering back into Kenya we travel through hills covered in tea plantations and rural scenery. A days drive brings us to Lake Nakuru National Park - home to a wide variety of wildlife including Black Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and Giraffe. However, Nakuru is a soda lake and most famous for its pink inhabitants, a flock of almost a million Pink Flamingos which feed noisily along the shoreline. A few hours drive brings us back to Nairobi where we will visit Langata Giraffe centre, you will also have the opportunity to visit the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, where Oasis sponsor Kamboyo, an orphaned elephant.