Why this journey is different.
Our flagship East Africa journey. Big cats and, in season, the Migration in the Maasai Mara, then west into Rwanda for a Volcanoes gorilla family, and on into Uganda for tree-climbing lions, the Kazinga Channel and a second gorilla trek in Bwindi. One East Africa Tourist Visa covers all three countries and we handle every border and charter.
Moments you will remember.
- 1★ Two gorilla permits, Volcanoes and Bwindi
- 2★ Three nights in the Maasai Mara with a private 4x4
- 3★ Kazinga Channel cruise and Ishasha tree-climbing lions
- 4★ All borders, charters and visas handled by our team
Your itinerary.
12 chapters, each with the exact landscape you will be standing in that day.
Sign in to your guest account to print your name and travel dates on the cover and every page header. One personalisation per account, so your document stays uniquely yours.
- 1. Nairobi
- 2. Maasai Mara
- 3. Kigali
- 4. Entebbe
- 5. Queen Elizabeth
- 6. Bwindi
Day 1Nairobi and the road, arrival and transfer Nairobi arrival
Meet-and-greet, boutique hotel and a full trip briefing over dinner.
Day 2Maasai Mara, golden hour game drive Nairobi → Maasai Mara
Scenic flight to the Mara, afternoon game drive across the plains.
Day 3Maasai Mara, sundowners on the plains Maasai Mara
Full day tracking lion, leopard and cheetah, with a bush picnic and a hilltop sundowner.
Day 4Maasai Mara balloon, sunrise balloon flight Maasai Mara
Optional balloon safari at dawn, Migration river crossings in season, Maasai village visit in the afternoon.
Day 5Maasai Mara, light aircraft transfer Mara → Nairobi → Kigali
Flight back to Nairobi and on to Kigali, with a Genocide Memorial visit and dinner in the city.
Day 6Maasai Mara, golden hour game drive Kigali → Musanze
Drive north into the Virungas, afternoon at leisure at your lodge.
Day 7Maasai Mara, golden hour game drive Rwanda gorilla trek
Kinigi briefing and your first gorilla family, afternoon golden monkey option.
Day 8Maasai Mara, golden hour game drive Musanze → Queen Elizabeth
Cross into Uganda at Cyanika, continue to Queen Elizabeth for an evening game drive.
Day 9Maasai Mara, dawn game drive Kasenyi & Kazinga
Sunrise plains drive and an afternoon Kazinga Channel launch cruise.
Day 10Nairobi and the road, arrival and transfer Ishasha → Bwindi
Tree-climbing lions, then the forest-edge transfer to Bwindi.
Day 11Maasai homestead, guided walking safari Uganda gorilla trek
Your second gorilla family, in a different forest and a different mood. Batwa cultural walk in the afternoon.
Day 12Diani Beach, light aircraft transfer Bwindi → Entebbe
Light aircraft flight to Entebbe and connection home, or extend to Zanzibar or Diani.
- Two gorilla trekking permits
- Nairobi to Mara and Bwindi to Entebbe flights
- All border assistance
- Private guided game drives and forest transfers in a 4x4 Land Cruiser
- All park, forest and conservancy entry fees
- Airport meet-and-greet and all ground transfers
- Full board accommodation, meals and drinking water throughout
- English-speaking licensed driver guide throughout
- 24/7 in-country concierge on WhatsApp
- International flights
- Visas and the East Africa Tourist Visa (we help you apply)
- Personal travel insurance
- Gratuities for guides, trackers and lodge staff
- Optional helicopter transfers and spa treatments
Scenes from this journey.
Photographs from our own guests and guides on this exact route. Tap any image to view full-screen, swipe to browse.
Safari Packing Essentials
What to carry on the 12-Day Kenya, Rwanda & Uganda, Gorillas and the Big Five
The same preparation brief we send every confirmed guest, written from fifteen years of running these parks ourselves. Read it now and you already know exactly what your safari asks of you.
Packed for 12-Day Kenya, Rwanda & Uganda, Gorillas and the Big Five: Nairobi and the road, Maasai Mara and Maasai Mara balloon
Equator sun is unforgiving
We also keep a pair per vehicle
200mm or longer for big cats
Charging points onboard too
Hell's Gate, Crescent Island
Keeps the cabin uncluttered
What to wear on safari
Neutral, breathable fabrics photograph better and keep wildlife relaxed. Skip bright white, neon and anything camouflage, camouflage is restricted in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Long trousers2 to 3
One zip-off pair is ideal for long game drives
- Shorts2
Knee-length, for warm midday hours
- Long-sleeve shirts3
Your best defence against sun and insects
- T-shirts2
Quick-dry fabric, our laundry turnaround is same-day at most lodges
- Fleece or light jacket1
Mara and Amboseli mornings start cold in an open roof 4x4
- Windbreaker1
Waterproof if you travel April, May or November
- Hat, beanie or scarf1 each
Beanie for dawn, wide-brim hat for the equator sun
- Walking shoes1 pair
Closed and comfortable for Hell's Gate and Crescent Island walks
- Sandals1 pair
For camp, lodge decks and pool time
The small pouch that saves the whole trip
Pack it once, forget about it, and let your guide handle everything else on the road.
Stay well, so nothing interrupts the wildlife
Our vehicles carry a stocked first-aid kit and every guide is first-aid certified, but personal medication is yours to bring.
- Repellent with DEET or picaridin
- Long sleeves for evenings around the fire
- Calamine or hydrocortisone cream
- Anti-malarial tablets, started before you fly
- Prescription medication for the full trip, in original packaging
- Painkillers, allergy tablets, plasters, antiseptic
- Rehydration sachets, the equator sun is deceptive
- Motion sickness tablets for murram park roads
- Eye drops, sanitiser, tweezers
Paperwork we double-check before you board
Once your dates are confirmed we send a personal checklist and verify your visa and park-entry requirements ourselves.
- Passport valid 6+ months beyond travel
- Kenya or Tanzania e-visa, we send the exact link
- Vaccination certificate where required
- Travel insurance including medical evacuation
- Emergency contact list, ours included
- Photocopies plus a cloud backup
- USD notes printed after 2009, small bills for tips
- Split your cash across two secure places
- Leave heavy jewellery at home, travel quietly
- M-Pesa and card work in Nairobi, carry cash for the parks
- Save your insurer's 24/7 line in your phone and on paper. We keep a copy in the vehicle file too.
We plan around the youngest and the eldest guest
Tell us who is travelling and we adjust drive lengths, seating and meal timing before you arrive, not on the road.
- Daypack with snacks, wipes, sunscreen and games
- Offline films and music, lodge Wi-Fi is limited
- Child-safe insect repellent
- Enough nappies and formula, stock up in Nairobi
- Tell us allergies early, we brief the lodge kitchens
- Extra prescriptions and a spare pair of glasses
- Tell your guide about mobility needs, we reseat and shorten drives
- A portable cushion or cane travels well
- Hydrate often, we pause in shade through midday
We supply the rest: refrigerated drinking water on every drive, binoculars in each vehicle, charging points, a stocked first-aid kit, and a guide who has driven these parks for over a decade. You bring the list above, we bring everything else.
Read us where it counts.
Good to know.
How do I secure my booking?+
A 30% deposit confirms your dates and your gorilla permits. The balance is due on arrival, before your safari begins. Permits are limited and released in date order, so early booking matters more here than anywhere else in East Africa.
Are gorilla permits included?+
We reserve them for you and show the exact permit cost separately so you always see what you are paying for. Permits are non-refundable once issued by the wildlife authority.
How fit do I need to be for gorilla trekking?+
Reasonably fit. Treks run from one to six hours over steep, muddy forest terrain. Porters are available at every trailhead and we book one for you on request.
Can we combine countries on one trip?+
Yes. The East Africa Tourist Visa covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda on one document, and we handle border crossings, charters and vehicle changes so you keep one point of contact.
Can the itinerary be tailored?+
Every trip is designed one to one. Extend nights, upgrade lodges, add Zanzibar or the Kenyan coast, or split into two vehicles for a larger family.
