Safari Quick Facts

Leaving Lake Nakuru we head for Uganda and Kampala, via the Malaba border with its hundreds of transport trucks awaiting customs clearance. Scenery along the way consists of local villages, sugar and tea plantations, and as much of this drive is at altitudes around 2000 meters above sea level you will also see fields of pyrethrum, distinguishable by its white and yellow flowers. The juice from the pyrethrum plant is a natural insect repellent and is harvested commercially and used to treat materials such as mosquito netting and clothes.
After entering Uganda we cross the Nile River at its source near Jinja, on the shores of Lake Victoria.

See day 3 for Itinerary

See day 3 for Itinerary

From Jinja we head out to the western part of the country, where we see the gorillas. We set up camp at Lake Bunyoni and use this as a base for the gorilla visits. Lake Bunyoni is a great place to spend a few days swimming, walking, canoeing (in traditional dug out canoes, not as easy as it looks!), whilst looking forward to your trip to the gorillas or reflecting on the time you have spent with them. Please note: permits to see the gorillas are restricted which means that it will take a few days for everyone to see them.

See day 6 for Itinerary

From our base at Lake Bunyoni, passengers wishing to trek the Mountain Gorillas will transfer by small vehicle/minibus to the relevant national park. Please note that the transfers are not included in your gorilla permit or tour cost (cost U$50-100). Depending on the location of the trek, additional visas may also be required.
Gorilla permits allow visitors to spend up to one hour with a family of gorillas each day. In order to safeguard the gorillas, only 6-8 people may visit each day. In the interests of the gorillas, people with colds, flu or other contagious diseases will not be permitted to trek.
Gorilla trekking may be very strenuous and walking boots are recommended. The area is often shrouded in mist and frequent downpours are common at all times of year. A waterproof jacket can be very useful. Accompanied by your guides and trackers you will follow simple pathways into the cloud forest. The terrain is hilly and can be muddy and slippery, however the views of the Virunga mountain range are spectacular and more than make up for the tough inclines. As you walk, you may see signs and tracks of other animals as well as enjoying bird, monkey and insect sounds of the jungle.
Following their spore and night nests, your guides will lead you to the gorilla group. Some gorilla groups may be a 5 hour walk away from base camp, whilst other groups can be located within an hour. It is difficult to predict where the gorilla group might be and this adds to the excitement and unpredictability of the trek.
After encountering a gorilla family your guides will settle you down and enable you to watch the group interactions. Visitors are not allowed to get closer than 5 meters to the gorillas, but sometimes the gorillas themselves forget this and come very close indeed! Family groups are generally made up of several females, their playful young and one or two mature silverbacks. Young gorillas are extremely entertaining and enjoy showing off their climbing, tumbling and play-fighting antics. Mothers watch on and silverbacks generally maintain a respectful distance whilst keeping a protective eye on their family. Depending on their daily pattern, gorillas may be encountered resting in a sunny or shady spot or on the move as they travel from one feeding patch to another. Whatever else they are doing, gorillas are usually also eating and it is fascinating to watch them in the giant salad bowls which make up their habitat.
Photographing gorillas is allowed, but flash photography is prohibited. Anyone wishing to use a video camera must pay for a special permit. After your time with the gorilla group you will return to base camp and then rejoin the truck at Lake Bunyoni.
For up to date information regarding securing a permit and the current prices please contact your nearest Kumuka office.
Those who opt not to partake in the Gorilla trek will be based at Lake Bunyoni where, as noted on days 6-7 there are plenty of activities to keep you busy. As well as swimming, walking and canoeing there are village and craft centre tours available, visits to the nearby Pygmy Island, and bird watching, time to soak up the sites and sounds of Uganda.

See day 8 for Itinerary

Leaving Lake Bunyoni we head back to Kampala, the following day we take a short drive, (approx 3 hours) to Bujagali Falls near Jinja where we have the optional excursion of white water rafting on the Nile River, quad biking or taking part in the Soft Power Education Program. There are some excellent walks either by the Nile or in the local villages or just chill out and enjoy the view.

See day 10 for Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary Information

Detailed Itinerary Information

From Bujagali Falls/Jinja we head back to Kenya en-route to Naivasha, Lake Naivasha was briefly Kenya’s airport as flying boats from southern Africa stopped to refuel on their way north. At Lake Naivasha there are lots of optional excursions you can enjoy. You may wish to visit Elsamere named after the lioness in “Born Free”. This was the home of Joy Adamson who was the inspiration for the movie “Born Free” along with her husband George. You also have the option of going trekking or cycling in Hells Gate National Park, one of the few parks in Africa where it is possible to do walking safaris. For the less energetic, Crescent Island (actually the rim of an old crater still attached to the mainland) is a much more leisurely walk and you are almost certain to come within meters of giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and several species of gazelle.

See day 14 for Itinerary

From Lake Naivasha we head into the Masai Mara one of Africa’s premier game parks. The Masai Mara has large herds of plains game (gazelle, antelope, and giraffe), which in turn attract large numbers of carnivores (lion, cheetah, hyena and the ever elusive leopard). In the Masai Mara we do two game drives, one evening drive and one early the following morning. In most national parks it is forbidden to drive at night so all game viewing is done as early and as late as possible to get the best conditions. Looking for game in a National park is not always easy. This is one of the advantages of using a truck; it has superior height making it easier to see over the surrounding terrain. Game parks are places where the enthusiast tends to use a lot of film or extra memory so it’s advisable to have some extra on hand.

See day 16 for Itinerary

From the Masai Mara we pass back through Nairobi.
Members of the group only doing the gorilla section of the tour will be leaving the trip in Nairobi. There will, however, be new faces joining the truck to Victoria Falls.
We depart Nairobi and enter Tanzania and the town of Arusha. Our route to Arusha takes us through more Masai tribal lands and along the western slope of Mt Meru. On this route it is also possible to see Mt Kilimanjaro. Be warned, Kilimanjaro is regularly covered by cloud.

See day 18 for Itinerary

Arusha is situated on the southern slopes of Mt Meru and was originally a coffee town. Safaris have now taken over as the town’s big earner. In Arusha we transfer into smaller 4 wheel drive vehicles to transfer to Karatu, where we spend the night.
Karatu is a small trading town on the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation area. The following morning we head into the Ngorongoro Crater National Park. We descend onto the Crater floor for an early morning game drive in one of the most stunning natural wonders of the world. At 19Kms across and 600m deep this is the 5th largest crater in the world. It is a world heritage site and boasts a unique ecosystem. The crater itself reflects a mini rift valley. It has a soda lake with flamingos, fresh water, open plains, and a forest area. There is a high concentration of animals here, and it is also a home to a small population of black rhino. We spend around 4½ hours game driving around the crater. We use smaller vehicles to visit the park, as the walls of the extinct volcano that form the crater are too steep to be negotiated by large vehicles. After the Game drive we head back to Arusha.

See day 20 for Itinerary

From Arusha our journey takes us to Dar es Salaam (Swahili for ‘haven of peace’) on the Indian Ocean. The trip will either be one big day on the truck or broken down into 2 shorter drives. Whichever way it is done we get another chance to Kilimanjaro and will also see a changing landscape en-route to the coast.

See day 22 for Details

We travel to Zanzibar by ferry from Dar es Salaam and this journey can take up to 3 or 4 hours. Conditions are usually smooth but beware the occasional day with rolling seas.
Zanzibar is known as the Spice Island, which comes from the many different spices that were grown there by the original Omani settlers. A lot of spices are still grown on the island and make up a large part of the economy of the island. The island does have a more sordid past in that it was once a major slave trading port; and it is still possible to visit the site of the old slave trading markets. The town centre still shows a lot of its Arabic origins in its architecture. It’s fascinating to walk around the labyrinth of old buildings and walled streets. For the beach lovers you can go out of the town and spend some relaxing time on the isolated beaches. There are spice tours that take in all manners of exotic fruits and spices and you can sample many of the tastes and smells first hand. Just off the coast of the old town is Prison Island, where there is a population of giant land tortoises who are happy to share their stretch of beach.
We generally spend 3 to 4 days on the island. We recommend that you budget around U$200-$300 for your stay on Zanzibar to cover food, transport around the island, optional tours, accommodation upgrades, drinks and souvenirs. Please note that this is a recommendation only as different passengers have widely differing spending patterns.

See day 24 for Itinerary

See day 24 for Itinerary

See day 24 for Itinerary

See day 24 for Itinerary

From Zanzibar we cross southern Tanzania into Malawi. The route takes us through the Mikumi National Park. This is not an excursion but the road actually passes right through the centre of the park, which is a bonus, and it is possible to see numbers of giraffe, antelope and elephants. It is interesting to note that these elephants are very small in stature, which is attributed to the decimation of their gene pool due to poaching.

See day 29 for Itinerary

Malawi is a small country in central southern Africa and is dominated by water and mountainous regions. More than 30% of the country’s landmass comprises of Lake Malawi. On our trip through Malawi we visit a number of the small bays along the lakeshore. Snorkelling and diving are available, or people can just swim and laze about on the beaches. There is also ample time to visit local villages and the local markets which abound with woodcarvings, the most famous of these being large carved chairs. These chairs have proved very popular with our clients over the years, only becoming a problematic purchase when the time comes to send such a large object home.

See day 31 for Itinerary

See day 31 for Itinerary

See day 31 for Itinerary

This period is spent travelling from Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi, to Livingstone, stopping off in Lusaka, Zambia, en-route. Livingstone is a small town on the Zambian side and not surprisingly was named after David Livingstone, the explorer who discovered Victoria Falls.

See day 35 for Itinerary

Victoria Falls, known locally as ‘Mosi oa Tunya’, ‘the smoke that thunders’, is one of the world’s natural wonders, though they are neither the highest nor the widest of the world’s waterfalls. They do, however, create a visual spectacle as they cut a massive gorge in the earth and crash 111 meters to the river below. This gorge actually forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and the initial part of our stay we spend on the Zambian side. Here we have the option to do an evening river cruise on the Upper (above the falls) Zambezi River, which takes about 3 hrs with drinks included.
On the Zimbabwe side there are a wide variety of optional activities, the most famous being white water rafting on the Lower Zambezi. This excursion takes a full day and has 14 plus rapids none below grade 4 (rapids are graded from 1 to 6). Please note that at certain times of the year the rafting may be restricted or even closed due to high water levels (March – May). Bungy jumping is also an option for all those who wish to throw themselves 111 meters head first off a perfectly good bridge. Another optional activity is Jet Boating, imported and improved on from New Zealand. Various flights are on offer including light fixed wing aircraft, helicopter, microlight and ultralight, all offering wonderful viewing of the falls. Other optional activities include horse riding, elephant riding and canoeing, not to mention a walk to the falls themselves. Videos and still photographs are available for purchase of most activities, and are a great reminder of your adrenaline filled visit to the mighty Victoria Falls and Zambezi River.
NB Please note that entrance (approximately 20 USD) to Mosi oa Tunya (Victoria Falls) National Park is not included in your tour price.

See day 37 for Itinerary

See day 37 for Itinerary

See day 37 for Itinerary

See day 37 for Itinerary

See day 37 for Itinerary

Leaving the falls we go into Botswana and visit the Chobe National Park on the Chobe River. Here we do a morning game drive (3hrs) and an afternoon boat cruise on the river. This river cruise is very good for seeing all the aquatic animals that are not normally seen during a game drive. Both the boat cruise and the game drive give us great game viewing opportunities in one of the largest parks in southern Africa.

See day 43 for Itinerary

From Chobe we will drive along the edge of the Makgadikgadi pans to the town of Maun. We will stop in town to restock and prepare for our trip into the Okavango Delta.
The Okavango Delta is formed by the Okavango River, which flows into the desert and disappears as it fans out to form the Delta. We go into the ‘the Delta’ for 3 days (2 nights) and camp in the bush usually on the banks of one of the many fresh water channels that give life to the flora and fauna. Our method of transport is 4 wheel drive vehicles and Makoro (meaning ‘dug out canoe’ in Setswana). The Makoros are traditionally made of wood but as they come to the end of their serviceable life, fibreglass canoes are now replacing them. These are not quite as authentic but building the old canoes uses a whole tree and the environment is beginning to suffer. Each makoro is piloted by a ‘poler’, who helps set up camp & take guided bush walks. He/she will always be ready for a chat and a cup of tea with you around the fire. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend an extended amount of time with people who were born and grew up in this part of the world. We take all our own equipment and food and bring it all back out (including the rubbish), showing our understanding of the fragility of the Delta. The Okavango Delta region is one of the world’s last remaining true wilderness areas and is home to a vast amount of animals. It is possible to take some walks to try to see them or, if you are lucky, they will wander pass close to camp. As you retire to your tent for the night, the sounds and smells of the African bush will leave an indelible mark on your senses like no other.

See day 45 for Itinerary

See day 45 for Itinerary

After returning from the watery wilderness of the Okavango Delta we will continue our journey along the edge of the Kahlahari desert and into Johannesburg. These are quite long driving days, however the roads are good and this is the perfect opportunity to relax and watch the scenery go past or to catch up on some postcard writing. Our route will also pass through the Makgadikghadi Pans area, a region of desolate white salt pans and an almost lunar like landscape. This area has also seen an increase in animal numbers over the recent years so we might get lucky and spot some wildlife en route!

See day 48 for Itinerary

Next we travel to the world-renowned Kruger National Park, home to a staggering amount of wildlife and birds. We camp for the night within the park and there is an option of a night safari. Kruger is one of the few places in Africa where it is possible to observe nocturnal wildlife and this makes a unique experience. On our final morning we will take an early game drive when the animals are at their most active.
Crossing the border into Mozambique and on to Maputo, a whole new country awaits to be discovered. Maputo is a lively city with tree-lined streets, ocean views and interesting Portuguese colonial architecture. We overnight in a lodge in Maputo.

See day 50 for Itinerary

See day 50 for Itinerary

Next we travel further north along the palm-fringed coast to Inhambane – a small town with a colourful market and friendly atmosphere. We camp at the idyllic Ponta da Barra for a couple of nights and enjoy relaxing on the beach, or walking along the peninsular where there are more opportunities for snorkeling, scuba diving, whale watching or quad biking.

See day 53 for Itinerary

For the next two days we will be based in Vilanculos in order to enjoy a Dhow safari to the islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago – classed as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding natural beauty. Other activities to enjoy are horse riding along the beaches or interacting with the locals whilst visiting some of the volunteer and community projects in the area.

See day 55 for Itinerary

See day 55 for Itinerary

Leaving the beautiful coastline behind us, we camp on the shores of picturesque Lake Chicamba or cross into Zimbabwe and stay near Mutare. Next we depart for a relaxing day at the Antelope Park where you will have the rare opportunity to take a walk with some lion cubs, go horse riding, a boat cruise, or even ride and swim with an African elephant. The two full days driving will be quickly forgotten once the contrast of scenery, culture and animals of land-locked Zimbabwe become apparent.

See day 58 for Itinerary

See day 58 for Itinerary

From Antelope Park we will travel to Bulawayo, the second city of Zimbabwe and join a full day tour to Matopos National Park, home to a large population of white rhino and the site of Cecil Rhodes grave.

Departing Bulawayo after breakfast our day is spent travelling from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls. The road travels through the conservation area surrounding Hwange, a National Park the size of Wales, home to Zimbabwe's largest elephant population and wild dogs. We will arrive in Victoria Falls for a late lunch and have time to plan for an evening activity and any adventures on final day of the tour.

NO accommodation included on Day 63.