Gorillas and gameparks in Kenya & Uganda
| country: | Kenya, Uganda |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 1 Sep, 22 Sep, 20 Oct, 12 Nov, 16 Dec 2009: 19 Jan, 16 Feb, 16 Mar, 13 Apr, 18 May |
| price: | From £360 (19 days) excluding flights plus £170 local payment. Gorilla permits are not included, the trek is an optional activity and the permits cost £300. Permits are often in high demand, if we're unable to get them for Uganda then we get them for Rwanda. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Experience the Great Rift Valley in Kenya, with its soda and fresh water lakes abundant with bird and wildlife, travel to Uganda where you'll embark on Mountain Gorilla tours in the impenetrable rain forests of the Virunga Mountains, and white water raft near the source of the Nile River. Travel with us for a truly diverse and action-packed 19 days.
Please note that our trek to the Mountain Gorillas can take several hours, in high grass or thick vegetation and it could well rain. Once your guide has found the Gorilla family you will be allowed to view them for 1 hour. One group of six people per day is allowed to visit each Gorilla family.
You may see a variety of monkeys, chimpanzees and buffalo on the hike as well. While we wait for everybody in our group to see the gorillas, we may well have a spit roast one evening. If we visit Mgahinga National Park you may also have the opportunity to climb Mt. Muhavura, 4127 metres, as well as other smaller mountains and caves.
Please note that our trek to the Mountain Gorillas can take several hours, in high grass or thick vegetation and it could well rain. Once your guide has found the Gorilla family you will be allowed to view them for 1 hour. One group of six people per day is allowed to visit each Gorilla family.
You may see a variety of monkeys, chimpanzees and buffalo on the hike as well. While we wait for everybody in our group to see the gorillas, we may well have a spit roast one evening. If we visit Mgahinga National Park you may also have the opportunity to climb Mt. Muhavura, 4127 metres, as well as other smaller mountains and caves.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Our tour starts at 9 am driving north out of Nairobi into Africa's greatest natural feature, the Great Rift Valley. Stretching from the Dead Sea in Jordan down to Mozambique in Southern Africa, our first view is from the top of an escarpment. The valley floor seems to sweep on forever and is dotted with peaks and shimmering rivers and countless springs. Our journey takes us into the valley to Lake Naivasha. We camp near the lakeshore where Hippos sometimes feed at night! Here you can walk to Elsamere, the house of Joy Adamson of Elsa the Lion and Born Free fame, and enjoy a film of her life - and cream teas! You can also hire mountain bikes and cycle or walk through Hells Gate National Park - the only game reserve in Kenya in which you are allowed to walk. |
| Day 3-4: | We then continue west and travel to Uganda. A mountainous drive with spectacular scenery through the Nandi Hills brings us to our next stop at Eldoret. From here we cross the Kenya - Uganda border, and continue to Kampala. |
| Day 5-6: | Kampala has had a turbulent past, but these days is a friendly and safe city. We have a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots and get to know the local people, there is also the opportunity to spend the day visiting a local Chimpanzee Sanctuary and rehabilitation centre on one of the islands on Lake Victoria. The following day we have a long drive as we head west through swamps, patches of forest and fertile green countryside. As we travel through Uganda, we'll visit a number of small towns and villages; Mpigi, where you will see roadside stalls manufacturing and selling traditional musical instruments; Kyazanga, where we can buy fresh rotisserie and roasted meat and vegetables, as well as roasted bananas. We also stop at the spot where our route crosses the equator. |
| Day 7-10: | Next is the Virunga range of volcanic mountains and the rainforests on these mountain slopes are home to several families of Mountain Gorillas. Getting up close to these amazing creatures is a truly humbling experience and one of the highlights of the trip. We will visit the gorillas in either Uganda or Rwanda. If we view them from Uganda there is the opportunity to paddle out onto Lake Bunyoni in canoes and visit some of the nearby islands or hire mountain bikes to visit nearby villages & schools. From Rwanda there is also the chance to visit the genocide museum in Kigali, which is a moving and interesting experience. |
| Day 11-15: | We then return to Kampala and camp near Jinja. Here, on the edge of Lake Victoria, the Nile begins its 6700km journey to the sea. We spend the next few days at Bujagali Falls, just downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area, and with one kilometre of raging water below Bujagali Falls, a superb place to go whitewater rafting. We can also organise quad biking or a visit to a local school. |
| Day 16-19: | Re-entering Kenya we travel through hills covered in tea plantations. A days drive brings us to Lake Nakuru National Park. Nakuru is home to a wide variety of wildlife including Black Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and Giraffe. However, Nakuru is a soda lake and most famous for its pink inhabitants, a flock of almost a million Pink Flamingos. A few hours drive brings us back to Nairobi where we will visit a Giraffe centre before our trip finishes. Note: Departures in August & September will visit the Maasai Mara Game Reserve instead of Lake Nakuru Nat. Park giving the opportunity to view the amazing spectacle of the Wildebeest migration. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
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Visiting the mountain gorillas is one of the ultimate wildlife viewing experiences. There are thought to be only 700 of these magnificent creatures left in the world. They are essential to the tourist economies of both Uganda and Rwanda and somewhat controversially the tourist dollar is essential to the survival of the gorillas. The gorilla trek and permit money is used for anti-poaching programs and maintenance of the National Parks - the gorillas natural habitat.
Visits to the gorillas are very well controlled by the Parks Authority in order to minimise the potential negative impact on the gorillas. Group sizes are limited to eight; visits last for one hour (and there is only one visit allowed per day) and a distance of seven metres has to be maintained. Every effort is made to ensure that the gorillas are not exposed to human bacteria. Physical contact is not allowed and visitors are not allowed to trek if they are suffering from a cold. A tourist infrastructure has also built up around the gorilla trekking points - providing accommodation, food, transport and souvenirs-creating lots more local employment.  We also visit a number of other conservation /community projects en route that support local communities and conservation initiatives. In Uganda for example, our clients have the opportunity to visit the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary which cares for rescued or orphaned chimpanzees. In Kenya clients can visit Elsamere - the home of the Elsa Conservation Trust which has donated millions to wildlife and conservation projects and has an on-site conservation centre. On this trip we stay at small, locally run campsites and where possible buy our food in local markets, thereby directly supporting local communities. We use local companies to run all our excursions. Before commencing the tour all our clients are provided with detailed pre-departure info which includes information on Responsible Travel. This information is re-emphasised by our Tour Leader at the start of the trip - clients are, for example, advised about respecting local customs particularly in terms of dress and behaviour; water conservation; respecting and conserving wildlife and their habitats; purchasing of endangered species products and so on. Charities supported on this trip  We sponsor two charities on this trip. In Nairobi, we sponsor a baby elephant, Kamboyo, through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. In Uganda, we make a regular, monthly, financial contribution to Soft Power Education-an organisation that provides education to Ugandan children. We visit this project on our trip and some of our clients have returned to Uganda at the end of their trip to undertake voluntary work here. We also donate one pound to Tourism Concern for every booking made with us. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |