ITINERARY: African Gorillas and Beaches Safari

Day 1:
Our journey begins in Nairobi, Kenya. From Nairobi we drive to Lake Naivasha at the bottom of the famous Rift Valley and Joy Adamson's House - Elsamere. We camp on the shores of Lake Naivasha.

Day 2:
Option to start the day with a gentle walking safari. A rare opportunity to get very close to giraffes, zebra, antelope, flamingos and warthogs to name a few.

Day 3 - 4:
Continuing our journey we make our way along the top of the Rift Valley, we spend the night in Eldoret before crossing the border to Uganda and the Capital, Kampala.

Day 5:
We continue toward western Uganda, stopping enroute at the Equator. Continuing through the Ugandan highlands to our night stop at Lake Bunyoni.

Day 6:
A short drive to the base of the Mgahinga Volcanoes, the border to Congo and Rwanda. This is where we trek Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat.

Day 7 - 8:
Few people in the world get to trek endangered Mountain Gorillas. The day starts with an extensive briefing about the Mountain Gorillas and trekking protocol. We then head up into the mountains on foot through the rainforest. We have 1 hour to sit and observe the gorillas in their natural environment.

We return to Lake Bunyoni and time permitting hire dugout canoes, go bird watching or visit a local pygmy settlement.

Day 8:
Our journey from Nairobi to Zanzibar now leads us away from the home of Mountain Gorillas.

Day 9 – 11:
Jinja is situated at the source of the mighty Nile River. white water rafting, quad-biking, bungee jumping and horse-riding or spend the day with the Soft Power Community Project to help paint schools, teach football to the kids, or simply spend the day exploring and learning.

Day 12 - 13:
Crossing back into Kenya we take a relaxing game drive through Nakuru Game Park famous for white Rhino, leopard, and flamingoes. The park also has giraffe, warthogs, lions, buffalo, zebra, antelope, numerous bird species and baboons.

Day 14:
We arrive back in Nairobi pull our going out clothes and get ready for a night of feasting and dancing at the world famous Carnivores Restaurant.

Day 15:
We spend the day visiting the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. This not a zoo but a place where orphaned elephants are bought and hand-reared before being re-educated and released back into the wild.

After lunch, the Nairobi Giraffe Centre? Amazing photo opportunities from the custom built platform (eye level to the giraffes!).

Day 16 - 19:
Our African Gorillas and Beaches Safari continues, crossing into Tanzania.

The following morning we pack our bags and depart in small 4x4 vehicles on safari to the Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater.

We spend 3 days in the wild savannah plains amongst the African Big 5 wildlife in two of the most famous game parks in Africa.

Day 20:
Our overland safari continues from Arusha to Dar Es Salaam, We reach Dar Es Salaam early evening, we set up camp and enjoy a soft cool breeze coming from the Indian Ocean.

Day 21 - 24:
The overland truck remains in Dar Es Salaam while the group boards the ferry to spend 4 nights on the famous Spice Island of Zanzibar.

Day 25:
After a lazy morning we say goodbye to Zanzibar and white tropical beaches and return by ferry to Dar Es Salaam. Alternatively you can arrange a flight from Zanzibar back home at your leisure.
Zanzibar is the perfect location to complete our overland in Africa: African Gorillas and Beaches Safari.