5 Days bwindi gorilla trekking and masai mara safari
This 5 Days bwindi gorilla trekking and masai mara safari which will see you explore some of the top tourist destinations in Uganda and Kenya. You will get to track the highly sought after endangered species of Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and view stunning savannah wildlife in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Park. This 5 Days bwindi gorilla trekking and masai mara safari starts in Uganda and ends in Nairobi, Kenya.
5 Days Bwindi & Masai Mara Safari Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe and Transfer to Bwindi National Park.
Upon your arrival at Entebbe International Airport, you will be met and picked up by your safari guide. You will then drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is located in the South-western part of Uganda, in Kanungu district. Bwindi national park is a top destination for gorilla trekking tours in Uganda, with the second option being Mgahinga national park. Bwindi is one of the smallest national parks in the country, covering an area of only 33.7 square kilometers. It was gazetted as a national park in 1991 and later named a UNSECO World Heritage Site in 1994. The national park is also home to about 120 mammals, 350 species of birds and 459 mountain gorillas.
The drive from Entebbe airport to Bwindi is quite long, taking about 8½ hours. The drive through Uganda’s countryside is filled with lots of stunning views, with a stopover and take some pictures at the equator monuments in Kayabwe. These two equator monuments mark the point where the equator runs through Uganda.
You will the Proceed to Igongo Cultural Centre for lunch. This epic cultural center is a good stop for many travelers on route to western Uganda and it is just 12 km from Mbarara Town. Igongo Cultural Centre was opened to the general public in 2010. While here, take a short tour of the center’s museum which has a lot to tell about western cultural history. You can also visit the Nkwanzi crafts and bookshop where you can purchase a few souvenirs for yourself.
After having a hearty meal, proceed to Bwindi where you will check into your accommodation, have dinner and your overnight stay. Accommodation will be at Silverback Lodge/Buhoma Haven Lodge/Ichumba Gorilla Lodge.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest & Transfer to Mbarara Town.
Today you get to track gorillas in Bwindi. Start your day in the wee hours of the morning, have your breakfast and head to the park headquarters, arriving there at exactly 7am. You will register at the reception then have a briefing by the head ranger at the park. At exactly 8am, you will begin hiking to trek gorillas and once you have located them, you will get to spend an hour with the gorillas. Make sure that you carry with you packed lunch and a camera on this day in order to capture the life long memories. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has a total of 15 habituated gorilla groups that are tracked from four trailheads. Of these 15 habituated gorilla groups, 3 are found in Buhoma area in the northwest part of the park; while 4 gorilla groups are situated in Ruhija in the eastern part of Bwindi and 8 gorilla groups in Nkuringo and Rushaga respectively, located south of Bwindi.
Each tracking group consists of strictly eight individuals with each group having a park guide and ranger. Tracking can take about 1- 6 hours depending how easily and quick the gorillas are spotted. Once you have located a gorilla group, you will be give exactly an hour with them; hence you should maximize your time well and don’t forget to take lots of pictures without using your camera’s flash. Also carry with you a good pair of hiking boots as the trekking trails are steep and slippery.
After your gorilla trekking activity, head back to the park headquarters to pick your tracking certificate and meet your guide. You will then drive to Mbarara town for dinner and an overnight stay at Lake View Hotel/ Triangle Hotel.
Day 3: Transfer to Entebbe and Fly to Masai Mara National Park.
Start your day with an early Breakfast at your hotel and later drive to Entebbe airport where you will board your flight to Masai Mara National Park in Kenya. Flights to Masai Mara national park from Entebbe leave at exactly 12 noon and take about 2½ hours. Upon your arrival in the national park, you will have lunch at your designated lodge. You can choose to spend the rest of your evening relaxing at your lodge. Alternatively, you can head out for an evening nature walk or game drive in the national park. Later retire back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Accommodation will be at Sarova Mara Lodge/ Mara Sopa Lodge/ AA Lodges.
Day 4: Full day Game Drive in Masai Mara.
Have your breakfast in the morning and head out for a full day game drive in Masai Mara National Park. This guided game drive will lead you to some of Africa’s largest lion prides, herds of zebra, antelopes, buffaloes, wildebeests, giraffes, cheetahs, and hyenas in the park. Masai Mara national park is a haven for savannah wildlife animals in Kenya, and the park is among one of the top destinations for wildlife safaris on the African continent. Return back to your lodge for lunch and rest for a while. Later head out for an afternoon game drive in the Masai Mara plains which are full of wildebeests especially during the migration season which is early July to September. You will also have an opportunity to see impala, topi, cheetah, jackals, and bat-eared foxes. If you are lucky, you will spot some black rhinos within the park; these rhino species are a bit shy and tend to isolated themselves from other wildlife animals in the park, which makes sighting them quite difficult. You will also drive along the Mara River, which has a large number of Hippos, as well as Nile crocodiles.
Later retire back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Transfer to Nairobi and Departure.
Unfortunately, today marks the end of your 5 days Safari with us. After having breakfast at your lodge, you will drive to Narok which is a famous Masai town near Masai Mara national park. You will get a chance to interact with the local Masai people living in this town and visit local craft shops where you can grab yourself and loved ones some souvenirs. Later proceed with your drive to Nairobi where your guide will either drop you off at the airport or to your hotel in Nairobi city. End of Tour.
Note: Depending on your departure times, you can have a short tour of Nairobi city where you can visit interesting places such as; the National Museum, Nairobi City Market, and the Snake Park among others. Do give us prior notice in case you want this activity added into your itinerary.
This tour package is inclusive of;
- Gorilla Trekking Permit
- Accommodation
- All meals as per your itinerary
- All park entrance fees and activities as per your itinerary.
- Mineral water while on safari
- Guide fees
- 4×4 wheel drive safari vehicle
- Nairobi city tour(optional)
Tour Exclusions
Alcoholic beverages
Tips
Porters fee
Personal expenses
Visa fees
International flights
