Masai Mara & Gorilla Adventure
12 days, Nairobi to Kigali
When arranging your transportation, such as flights, please take into consideration the below time restrictions for joining and departing from your group. With these times, we have taken into account travel time to/from the airport in the given destination and required time for check-in or baggage collection/immigration.
Itinerary
Day 1Nairobi
Arrive at any time.
There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.
Your Welcome Moment: 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 afterwards. 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.
Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow
Bomas of Kenya Tour
120USD per personThis tour gives you a glimpse into the life of 42 different tribes of the country that make up Kenya's rich culture. Get a better understanding of village life by visiting homesteads and enjoy a display and sounds of folk dances performed. Entrance fee and hotel pick-up included.
The Carnivore Restaurant
130USD per personFeast 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.
National Museum
53--3USD per personTake a stroll through this museum to get a better understanding of Kenya's rich heritage through a range of cultural and natural-history exhibits. Learn more about the region's bird population at the Birds of East Africa exhibit, a huge gallery of at least 900 stuffed specimens. Get a refreshing take on Kenyan history counterpoint to colonial historiographies at the Historia Ya Kenya display. Entrance fee and hotel pick-up included.
Karen Blixen Museum
34-75USD per personConverted from the former home of pioneer coffee farmer and acclaimed writer Karen Blixen, this museum provides visitors insight into life of a Danish settler in pre-Independence Kenya. Take a walk through the home, and magnificent gardens that provide a stunning view of the Ngong hills. Hotel pick-up and entrance fee included.
Railway Museum
6-34USD per personAdjacent to the Nairobi railway station, this museum contains exhibits from the East African Railways opened in 1971.
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.
Hotel Boulevard (or similar)
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
Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.
Maasai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive
Maasai 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 Safari Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 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.
Maasai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive
Maasai 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.
Free Time
Explore the area with some free time.
Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow
Maasai Mara Balloon Safari
The adventure begins just before dawn and lasts an hour in the sky. Fly over the Mara River, plains, and forests of the Maasai 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 Safari Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 4Masai Mara/Nairobi
Travel back to Nairobi today with a stop along the way at the G for Good supported Amani ya Juu. Enjoy lunch here with the group and learn about how this initiative is empowering the local community. After lunch the group will resume the drive back to Nairobi.
Breathe in the fresh morning air as you begin the drive back to Nairobi. Stop in the rural settlement of Maai Mahiu and visit the G for Good supported Amani ya Juu for lunch. This initiative has created income for local women and helped them achieve economic independence for them and their families. In Nairobi there's some time to buy local handicrafts or check out a bit of the city.
Your G for Good Moment: Amani Ya Juu Lunch
In the post-colonial era of East and Southern Africa, Kenya found itself as a refuge for many women who were seeking safety. As a result, a very special G Adventures for Good supported project, Amani ya Juu, was created. Amani ya Juu serves as a community where many of these women can learn entrepreneurship and engage in fair trade activities that allow them to create opportunities for themselves and their families. By creating unique handicrafts symbolic of their cultures, the women can express themselves and receive an impactful income, leading to economic independence. Here you’ll enjoy a locally sourced lunch prepared by women and youth of the community, engage in conversation to learn of their history, and build a greater connection with this incredible program.
Safari Vehicle
Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.
Optional Activities - Day 4 HideShow
The Carnivore Restaurant
130USD per personFeast 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
Hotel Boulevard (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 5Nairobi/Kampala
Travel from one bustling East African capital city to another. Relax in Kampala and await the second part of this epic adventure.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Accommodation
Canary Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 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
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Kluges Guest Farm (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 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
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 behaviour.
Bigodi Community Lunch
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 hosts describes how the ingredients used in the dishes are grown, harvested and prepared.
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
Bigodi Swamp Walk
20USD per personTake 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. Walking poles are provided, subject to availability. If you require poles, we suggest bringing your own.
Accommodation
Kluges Guest Farm (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 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.
Tonight's accommodation is located on a hill, on the border of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It offers spectacular views of Lake George and the savannah plains.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Wildlife Safari Drive
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
Simba Safari Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 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
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.
Free Time
Don't waste a minute— start exploring.
Optional Activities - Day 9 HideShow
Kazinga Channel Cruise
30USD per personTake a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, a waterway inside Queen Elizabeth National Park that connects Lake George and Lake Edward. Look out for a variety of wildlife who are drawn to the channel shores. Spot birds, crocodiles, hippos, and reptiles.
Accommodation
Simba Safari Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 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
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Rushaga Gorilla Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 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.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four areas; Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija. Depending on permit availability your group could be tracking gorillas from different areas of the park, it is all still part of Bwindi.
Mountain Gorilla Trek
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 on 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 travellers, different sub-groups may do their trek on different days.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four areas; Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Ruhija. Depending on permit availability your group could be tracking gorillas from different areas of the park, it is all still part of Bwindi.
Free Time
Depending on when you get back from your gorilla trek, you may have some time to explore more of the area.
Optional Activities - Day 11 HideShow
Porter Hire
20USD per personHire a local porter to carry your day pack throughout the trek, giving you more ease on your journey.
Accommodation
Rushaga Gorilla Camp (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 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.
The tour ends following lunch at Nyamirambo Women's Centre. Please book onward flights no earlier than 6pm.
Border Crossing (Uganda - Rwanda)
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
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Kigali Genocide Memorial Visit
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.
Please note that content at the Memorial Centre shows the harsh reality of the genocide.
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.