14 Days Masai Mara & Gorilla Trek Overland Camping Safari

Departing from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, this Masai Mara & Gorillas African Safari heads southwest to the legendary Masai Mara Game Reserve. This is the game-rich landscape where wildlife documentaries and films of untamed Africa are made – the quintessential African safari destination.

Travelling into the Great Rift Valley of East Africa we pass through scenic landscapes dotted with rural villages of the Maasai, the most famous tribe of Kenya. The semi-nomadic Maasai are best known for their brightly-coloured robes and fierce warriors, as well as their traditional dancing.

• Meals: Lunch & Dinner
• Overnight: Permanent tented rooms at Masai Mara Camp
• Activity Package: Kenyan Parks Highlights Trip

Activity Package:

This safari comes with a compulsory Activity Package which includes what are considered as “essential activities” on the tour. The tour price and itinerary include these activities. Contact African Budget Safaris for a detailed breakdown of what is included.

Today we explore the world-renowned Masai Mara Game Reserve, home to the highest concentration of wildlife in Kenya.

Located along the Kenya-Tanzania border the Masai Mara Reserve is best known for the great annual migration that takes place between its vast plains and the Serengeti Park in Tanzania. We spend the whole day game viewing in Masai Mara, one of the greatest game parks on earth, praised for its spectacular scenery. The rolling grasslands inhabited by an abundance of game make for excellent photographic opportunities and game sightings.

Our game drives take us in search of the Big Five, the big cats and the abundance of other interesting wild animals found in this beautiful 1500km² game reserve. We are almost guaranteed to see the Big Five of Africa – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo – in Masai Mara, as well as cheetah, hyena, giraffe and zebra. Masai Mara is also home to hippo, jackal, the bat-eared fox, wildebeest, baboon, warthog and numerous antelope species, such as impala and topi.

The Great Migration as the annual wildebeest migration is called is an awe-inspiring wildlife spectacle where thousands of wildebeest, zebra and Thompson’s gazelle stampede across the open plains dashing through the Mara River dodging the Nile crocodiles lying in waiting.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Overnight: Permanent tented rooms at Masai Mara Camp
• Optional Activities: Hot air balloon ride over Maasai Mara
• Activity Package: Kenyan Parks Highlights Trip

This morning we get up early for one more game drive in the magnificent Masai Mara National Reserve. Then we set off north from Masai Mara, making our way to Lake Nakuru. This Great Rift Valley soda lake is famous for the huge flamingo flocks that sometimes gather here. In the afternoon we head out into the savannah on a game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park.

This recently expanded 180km² game park is home to more than 25 black rhinos, one of the highest concentrations in Kenya, as well as about 70 white rhinos. Wild animals commonly sighted include impala, gazelle, warthog, waterbuck, resident hippos and large tree pythons. Lion, cheetah, buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffe, eland and leopard also inhabit Lake Nakuru Park. Originally established as a bird sanctuary this national park is home to a wide array of birds, with over 400 resident species as well as various migratory birds.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Overnight: Lodge in Lake Nakuru National Park (twin rooms with shared ablutions)
• Activity Package: Kenyan Parks Highlights Trip

Next we travel into Uganda, pausing to take photos at the equator.

Our first destination in Uganda is Jinja, well known for its variety of adventure activities, such as white water rafting. Jinja is located at the starting point of the Nile (officially called the Victoria Nile), where the river flows out of Lake Victoria. From here the famous river flows 6695 kilometres through Africa to Egypt and the Mediterranean in the north.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Overnight: Campsite (hot showers and shared ablution facilities) and pool.

On day five we head northwest to Murchison Falls National Park in the morning, making our way towards Lake Albert.

One of Uganda’s oldest national parks, Murchison is also one of the top safari destinations in the country. The national park covers some 3 840 km² (1 480 mi²) of wilderness in the Albertine Rift Valley, part of the western section of Africa’s Great Rift Valley. The Victoria Nile river runs through the national park, plummeting through a narrow gorge to form the spectacular Murchison Falls, after which the park is named. Also known as Kabaraga Falls, Murchison Falls, drops about 45m into the river after a series of rapids. Below the cascading falls the great Nile fans out into a broad and placid river flowing into Lake Albert.

After settling in at camp your safari guide will brief you on the activities for the next day in Uganda, the ‘Pearl of Africa’.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Overnight: Campsite (hot showers and shared ablutions)

Today we set off on a chimpanzee trek in Budongo Forest, East Africa’s biggest forest of Mahogany trees. Budongo is home to the largest population of chimpanzees in Uganda, hosting around 600 to 700 chimpanzees. The forest is also home to eight other primate species, along with an array of other species. This Mahogany forest is known for its incredible biodiversity, including 24 species of animals, over 360 bird species, 290 butterfly species, 130 species of moths, 465 tree species and numerous other plants and creatures.

In the afternoon we embark on a boat cruise in the Murchison National Park, looking out for the diversity of animals and birds inhabiting the park. Wildlife sightings in Murchison Park include four of the Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard), giraffes, antelopes and plenty of hippos and Nile crocodiles.

For larger safari groups, your tour group may be split into smaller groups for chimpanzee trekking, thus you may end up taking the boat cruise in the morning and trekking in the afternoon, vice versa.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Overnight: Campsite at Murchison Falls (hot showers and shared facilities)
• Included Activity: Boat Cruise in Murchison Falls Park
• Activity Package: Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest

On the morning of day seven we go to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where we take a bush walk in search of highly endangered rhinos. This 7000 hectare sanctuary is part of the rhino conservation program run by a non-profit called Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU). Rhinos are bred here for release back into the national parks of Uganda.

After our Rhino Walk (included in the Activity Package) in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, we drive south to Kampala, the capital of Uganda. This afternoon you can explore the biggest city in Uganda, enjoying the leafy, upmarket neighbourhoods and jam-packed city centre of this interesting and modern African city.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Overnight: Twin rooms with en-suite bathrooms at a hotel in Kampala
• Activity Package: Ziwa Rhino Walk
• Optional Activity: Dinner out in Kampala

Today we leave Kampala driving southwest to scenic Lake Bunyoni, dotted with 29 islands. Picturesque Lake Bunyonyi serves as the base for gorilla trekking excursions in the nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda.

This small steep-sided lake set in the Ugandan highlands hosts an abundance of birdlife, with the name Bunyoni meaning “place of many little birds”. The crater lake is known for its scenic mountainous surroundings and numerous birds, as well as otters. The lake is safe for swimming and is a popular spot for watersports.

We stay at a lovely resort on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi taking in the beautiful scenery, before our exciting trek to the mountain gorillas.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Overnight: Camp at a Lake Bunyonyi resort (hot showers and shared facilities)

From Lake Bunyonyi we set off on our thrilling gorilla trekking expedition, in groups of a maximum of 6 people. African Mountain Gorillas are critically endangered, with only around 800 wild mountain gorillas remaining in the world. By visiting the gorillas you will be directly supporting the efforts to protect these highly endangered primates. The money spent on trekking permits is used to help ensure the future of these rare mountain gorillas.

Community development work is essential to gorilla conservation in East Africa. Organizations are working with local communities to help shift attitudes towards wildlife, changing the relationship between people and gorillas from one of poaching to protecting the primates.

Gorilla Trekking permits are extremely limited, which calls for flexibility in our tour itinerary and the exact location that we trek in. The mountain gorillas’ habitat spans across the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The Bwindi National Park in Uganda, is our intended gorilla trekking destination, but this is subject to the availability of permits. If permits for Uganda’s Bwindi Park are not available you will be informed beforehand and we will travel to neighbouring Rwanda or the DRC for mountain gorilla trekking.

On day that you don’t go gorilla trekking (usually day 10) we take a motorized boat to Nyombi Village. On our village visit we encounter the Pygmy people of Uganda and gain insight into their culture and way of life (included in Activity Package).

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (x 2)
• Camp at Lake Bunyonyi. Facilities include bar, internet, shared ablutions,laundry and shop.
• Optional Activity: Gorilla Trekking & Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi
• Activity Package: Pygmy Village Visit (including motorboat transfer)

Please note: The Gorilla Trekking permit is not included in the tour price and costs between US$630 and US$730 per person. Only one day is spent trekking the gorillas, even though there are 2 days set aside. This allows time for obtaining permits and visiting the gorillas in smaller groups if there are more than 6 people on the tour.

On day 11 of this budget Masai Mara & Gorilla Trekking Safari we leave the peaceful shores of Lake Bunyoni and travel the long road back to Kampala.

We spend the night relaxing in Kampala after our long drive from the Bwindi area to the capital. You have the option of eating out in Kampala and this evening your guide briefs you on the optional activities available in Jinja.

• Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
• Overnight: Hotel in Kampala (twin rooms with en-suite bathrooms)
• Optional Activity: Dinner out in Kampala

In the morning we drive from Kampala to Jinja, Uganda’s second largest city, arriving in time for lunch. This afternoon you are free to unwind at the resort in Jinja or embark on some optional adventure activities, including quad biking and kayaking. The most popular activity in Jinja is Nile River white water rafting, available as a half day activity.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Overnight: Camp (hot showers and shared facilities)
• Optional Activities: Nile River White Water Rafting (Half Day), Quad biking & Kayaking

We make our way back to Kenya visiting the city of Eldoret. Established by a post office on a local farm in 1910, today Eldoret is the 5th largest city in Kenya.

Eldoret lies at a cool 2100 m above sea level in a farming area of the Great Rift Valley.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Campsite (shared facilities) at Naiberi River near Eldoret. Facilities include a bar, hot showers and swimming pool.

On the last day of our camping Masai Mara & Gorilla Trekking Safari we drive south east to Nairobi, where our journey of a lifetime started.

Most groups choose to meet for an optional dinner to share stories and exchange contact details with fellow travellers.

• Optional Activities: Dinner out in Nairobi
• Meals: Breakfast & Lunch