Classic Kenya & Uganda Safari

14 days, 13 nights
Price Range: $13,171 – $30,409
(all-inclusive price per person, depending on dates & camps selected)

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A traditional Kenyan safari plus the mountain gorillas of Uganda—this is a well-rounded East Africa safari encompassing a wide variety of wildlife encounters in an array of habitats. Each is more exhilarating than the next, as you watch enormous elephants in Amboseli, track endangered rhinos at Lewa, marvel at lion prides in the Maasai Mara and – the ultimate finale – trek into the depths of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to meet the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas.

Photo of Ben Bressler

Our Expert Says

This route offers a great combination of experiences. The elephants of Amboseli, the rhinos of Lewa, the Big Five in the Maasai Mara, then culminating with the mountain gorillas in Uganda--it's the perfect well-rounded feel for what East Africa has to offer.

– Ben Bressler


Photo: Nairobi view image gallery

Day 1: Nairobi

A rough outpost amidst a highland swamp as the colonial capital of British East Africa in 1907, Nairobi today is the urban heartbeat of independent Kenya and one of Africa’s most important cities. Nairobi has long been a meeting point for adventurers and travelers from all over the world, and most Kenya safaris still originate here. Nairobi’s national museum and the historic home of Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa, are popular attractions.


Photo: Amboseli / Chuylu Hills view image gallery

Days 2-4: Amboseli / Chuylu Hills

Elephants abound in Amboseli, and to see these African icons against the backdrop of snow-topped Mount Kilimanjaro is a timeless image of the continent. This mosaic of dusty plains and swampy springs is also home to buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, impala, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah and a third of Kenya’s nearly 1,100 bird species. The nearby photogenic black lava Chyulu Hills are a captivating area of ancient craters, rolling grasslands and aromatic cedar forest.


Photo: Lewa / Laikipia view image gallery

Days 5-6: Lewa / Laikipia

The dramatic Laikipia region, wild and sparsely populated, has become a center for global conservation leadership. Much of Laikipia is comprised of privately owned ranches that have been combined by local communities to create vast conservancies, with free-ranging wildlife including elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and abundant plains game. Renowned among Laikipia’s sanctuaries is Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which has played a critical role in sustaining endangered rhinoceros, Grevy’s zebra and sitatunga.


Photo: Maasai Mara Nat'l Reserve view image gallery

Days 7-9: Maasai Mara Nat'l Reserve

The famed Maasai Mara is one of Africa’s most acclaimed wildlife reserves, renowned for its wildebeest migration, prides of lion and huge herds of plains animals. The Mara is the northern portion of the Serengeti Plains, and we find excellent wildlife viewing all year long in these grasslands. The reserve is named for the Maasai tribespeople, the traditional inhabitants of the area who graze cattle here, and the Mara River that runs through it.


Photo: Entebbe / Kampala view image gallery

Day 10: Entebbe / Kampala

Safaris in Uganda typically start and finish in Entebbe or nearby Kampala. Entebbe, on Lake Victoria, was a former British colonial administrative center. The National Botanical Gardens, laid out in 1898, are a must-see here. Uganda’s capital, Kampala, was established during the 13th century Buganda kingdom, one of the oldest in Africa. Built among lush hills and wetlands that were once royal impala-hunting grounds, Kampala today is a modern city of 1.7 million.


Photo: Bwindi National Park view image gallery

Days 11-13: Bwindi National Park

Named for the dense forests it encompasses, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to roughly half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Though the park is best known for its outstanding gorilla tracking, it also provides refuge to chimpanzees, monkeys, elephants and various small antelope. Bwindi is a key Uganda birding destination, with 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemics, including threatened species such as African green broadbill and Shelley's crimson wing.


Photo: Entebbe/Home view image gallery

Day 14: Entebbe/Home

Your safari adventure ends today in Entebbe, Uganda.


Notes

  • iSafari.com's Africa safari planner cannot precisely calculate the costs of air and land transfers to all camps and lodges as the locations and travel distances vary slightly. With this in mind, your final quote may increase or decrease by a small amount.
  • The estimated rates given for these itineraries are adult rates, but many properties offer reduced rates for children. Please contact our office for more information.
  • Holiday surcharges may apply for travel in late December and early January, and occasionally over the Easter holiday.
  • A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the trip fee per person is required upon booking to confirm your reservation.

Inclusions

  • All accommodation on a double occupancy basis
  • Meals at camps and lodges
  • Excursions and transfers unless listed as optional
  • Services of the lodge guides in Kenya and an NHA Safari Expedition Leader in Uganda
  • Relevant park fees
  • Alcoholic and soft drink beverages are included at some camps and lodges
  • Laundry service is available at most permanent camps/lodges and hotels; in some cases this service is included in the tariff quoted
  • Air transfers within countries as specified
  • Accommodation taxes, the applicable Tourism Levies and all relevant Value Added Tax (VAT) or Government Sales Tax (GST)

Exclusions

  • Travel to the start and end point of the route
  • Flights between countries
  • Generally lunch and dinner in city hotels
  • Alcoholic and soft drink beverages at some camps and lodges
  • Cancellation, baggage and medical insurance
  • Staff gratuities
  • Any newly-implemented government taxes, levies, fuel or industry increases which are beyond our control
  • Visa fees where relevant
  • International airport departure taxes applicable from manned airports only, which is to be paid in US$ cash on departure unless included in your ticket cost
  • Any items of a personal nature
  • Gorilla trekking permits ($600 per person per trek)