Gorillas and Masai Mara Safari takes in some of the natural wonders of the world - Mountain Gorillas, of which there are only 655 left in the World and the Masai Mara Game Park - named in December 2006 as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. These two main highlights are complimented with an array of activities to give you a true African experience.
Land Price: £380, Local Payment £200 * Although not guaranteed the Great Migration can occur from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara from between mid-July to beginning of September – 1 million Wildebeast crossing the Mara River. HIGHLIGHTS: Gorillas and Masai Mara Safari
ITINERARY: Gorillas and Masai Mara Safari Day 1: Our journey begins in Nairobi, the buzzing Capital of Kenya. From Nairobi we drive to Lake Naivasha at the bottom of the famous Rift Valley for High Tea at Joy Adamson's House - Elsamere. Joy and George Adamson became famous for their unique work with lions, the most famous being 'Elsa'. The movie 'Born Free' was about Elsa's life. We enjoy High Tea overlooking Lake Naivasha while Colobus monkeys try to steal scones from our plates! We camp on the shores of Lake Naivasha. It is not unusual for hippos to come onto the shore and graze at night. Day 2: We have the option to start the day with a gentle walking safari around the Green Crater lake. This is one of the very few game parks in Africa without predators making it safe to walk. A rare opportunity to get very close to giraffes, zebra, antelope, flamingos and warthogs to name a few. Day 3 - 4: Continuing our journey through the Kenyan western highlands, this area is famous for producing Olympic running champions. We make our way along the top of the Rift Valley, stopping enroute to take photos of the biggest Valley in the World (6,000km long). We spend the night in Eldoret before crossing the border to Uganda and the welcoming Capital, Kampala. Day 5: We continue our journey toward western Uganda, stopping enroute to enjoy freshly baked muffins and filter coffee at the Equator. Continuing along through the Ugandan highlands to our night stop at Lake Bunyoni, an ancient crater lake. We arrive in good time to enjoy sundowners overlooking the lake and the Mgahinga Volcanoes from our wooden platform. Day 6: A short drive to the base of the Mgahinga Volcanoes, the border to Congo and Rwanda. This is where we trek Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat. We have the afternoon to make our final arrangements and prepare for the trek. Day 7 - 8: Few people in the world get this unique opportunity to trek endangered Mountain Gorillas. The day starts early in the morning with an extensive briefing about the Mountain Gorillas and trekking protocol. We then board our 4x4 vehicles and head up into the mountains to the Base Camp from here we continue on foot through the rainforest. We are accompanied with professional guides and trackers on our trek. The trek can last between 1 hour and 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are at that time. We have 1 hour to sit and observe the gorillas in their natural environment. Most people explain the experience as a mix of disbelief and excitement in watching our closest relative in the wild. We return to our base, enjoy a locally prepared meal and chat about our day. We return to Lake Bunyoni and time permitting we have the afternoon free to hire dugout canoes, go bird watching or visit a local pygmy settlement. Day 8: We leave the rich rainforest area home to Mountain Gorillas for Entebbe, the former Colonial capital of Uganda on the shores of Lake Victoria. Day 9 - 11: Jinja, the Adventure Capital of East Africa. Jinja is situated at the source of the longest river in the World - the mighty Nile River. A perfect place to relax and enjoy a cold beer while overlooking the Nile. Jinja is a paradise for adrenalin junkies - white water rafting, quad-biking, bungee jumping and horse-riding. There is also the option to spend the day with Soft Power Community Project, an opportunity to explore the real rural Africa. Opportunities to help paint schools, teach football to the kids, or simply spend the day exploring and learning from these remarkable kids. We spend 3 nights in Jinja to ensure you have enough time to indulge in the activities you desire. Day 12 - 13: Crossing back into Kenya we take a relaxing game drive through Nakuru Game Park famous for white Rhino, leopard, and flamingoes. The park also has giraffe, warthogs, lions, buffalo, zebra, antelope, numerous bird species and baboons. The central point of the park is Lake Nakuru, littered with thousands of pink flamingoes – the perfect back drop for a group photo. Day 14: We arrive back in Nairobi in time to shower and pull our going out clothes out of our backpacks and get ready for a night of feasting and dancing at the world famous Carnivores Restaurant (followed by a mandatory visit to Carnivores Nightclub!). Day 15: We spend the day visiting the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. The baby elephants are allowed out to play every morning, an hour of entertainment watching the babies play in mud pools, kick a soccer ball around and slurp massive bottles of formula. This not a zoo but a place where orphaned elephants are bought and hand-reared before being re-educated and released back into the wild to start their own families. It is possible to adopt a baby elephant or rhino - the perfect gift for animal lovers back home. After lunch, how about hand feeding Rothschild giraffes at the Nairobi Giraffe Centre? Amazing photo opportunities from the custom built platform (eye level to the giraffes!). Rothschild Giraffes are rare in East Africa with only a few left in some of Kenya's northern parks. The centre not only boasts friendly giraffes but also an extensive education centre. Day 16-19: We pack our bags and board our 4x4 vehicles and head out across the Great Rift Valley to the Masai Mara - kenya's greatest concentration of game. The Masai Mara is Kenya's most famous park; bordering Tanzania and the Serengeti; it boasts the famous Migration and the well documented Mara River crossing of wildebeast and zebras seen between July and August each year. We spend 4 days on safari taking our time to stop and watch the animals as they cohabitate together. While game driving we will stop to photograph wildlife like: leopard, wildebeest, lion, rhino, warthog, cheetah, gazelle, zebra, giraffe, elephant, buffalo plus many more. At night we camp amongst the animals, nestled around the open fire we listen to the sounds of Africa and fall asleep under the great African skies. On the 4th day we depart the Masai Mara and head back to Nairobi. Day 20: The final day of safari is a free day to relax, wash our clothes or take in the city of Nairobi. For those who still want to see some African animals can visit Nairobi National Park and head out on the Safari Walk - a part of the park dedicated to house orphaned animals rescued from Kenyan game parks. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Gorillas and Masai Mara Safari
VISA COSTS Visas for Kenya are available at the airport upon entering; Uganda visa is available at the point of entry. Kenya: USD $50 Uganda: USD $50 Rwanda: varies on nationality (Sth African, Malaysian, Singapore passport holders are free for Kenya if staying 30 days or less. Irish, Malaysian and Singapore passport holders are free for Uganda; however these are subject to change without notice). TOUR MEETING INSTRUCTIONS: Gorillas and Masai Mara Safari The Tour starts 10am sharp on day of departure from: Indaba Campsite 16 Muiri Lane (just past Bomas of Kenya), off Langata Road, Nairobi, Kenya Contact details Manager: Eefje (speaks English and Dutch) tel: +254 (0)20 892217 or +254 (0)733 400 217 email: camp@indabaea.com The campsite is situated near Bomas of Kenya and Nairobi National Park. Muiri Lane is off Langata Road diagonally opposite Mobil Service Station. A taxi from the airport costs approx. 1,500 ksh (USD $25) and 1,000 ksh (USD $15) from the city centre. This is per taxi, not per person!!! An airport pickup and drop-off can be arranged in advance by contacting Debs with your flight details. An airport pick-up costs USD $30 per person. Note: Taxis do not have meters, it is essential to bargain over the price prior to getting into the taxi. |
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