Join a game drive through Nairobi National Park aboard an overland truck. Watch for wildlife around the park’s waterholes and grasslands, with the city skyline creating an unusual backdrop to the search.

Few capitals offer this contrast between urban views and protected savannah so close together. The drive is a chance to experience Kenya’s wildlife on Nairobi’s doorstep, although sightings vary. It is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit a Maasai village near the Mara for an opportunity to meet community members and learn about traditions they choose to share. Conversation and cultural exchange are the focus of this experience.

The Maasai have a longstanding connection to the region’s landscapes, and a hosted visit can add a human perspective to time spent wildlife-watching in the reserve. This experience is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour.

• 5 Lunch (L)
• 9 Dinner (D)
• 13 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Picnic Lunch (PL)

• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: Venture deep into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in search of mountain gorillas. With expert guides leading the way, you’ll trek through thick jungle before spending one incredible hour observing a gorilla family up close.
• Kalinzu Forest: Step into Kalinzu Forest with local trackers and listen out for the calls of wild chimpanzees. You’ll hike through dense jungle before watching these clever primates swing, climb and do their thing in the wild.
• Queen Elizabeth National Park: Our drive from Kalinzu Forest to our accommodation for the night means we get to do a scenic drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park. It may be a simple ride through the reserve, but there’s still plenty of opportunity to spot wildlife along the way, with stops made for animal sightings and photos as we journey through Uganda’s famous savannah landscapes.
• Queen Elizabeth National Park: Snap the classic Equator photo near Kikorongo and casually stand in two hemispheres at once.
• Murchison Falls National Park: Enter Murchison Falls National Park with a scenic transit game drive to our home for the next two nights. Keep watch for giraffes, elephants, buffalo and antelope as we roll through Uganda’s largest national park.
• Murchison Falls National Park: View the top of Murchison Falls – watch the Nile force its way through a narrow gorge before crashing below, with viewpoints that absolutely earn their place on the camera roll.
• Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary: Follow expert rangers through Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a seriously special encounter with Uganda’s only wild rhinos. You’ll learn how these legends are being protected, then spot them in the bush from a safe distance.
• Nairobi: Meet the dedicated team and see for yourself the work being done to help the women and children who live here in the Kibera slum.
   
• Maasai Mara National Reserve: Known for its grassy plains and rolling hills, home to lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and hippos, the Maasai Mara is a jewel in Africa’s wildlife crown, so don’t miss your chance to explore it from sunrise to the afternoon, with a picnic lunch in the wild. 
• Amboseli: Get that iconic wildlife shot with the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. 
   
• Amboseli: Get up early in search of the famous elephants in this iconic Kenyan National Park. 

Trek through Bwindi’s dense forest with local guides and trackers in search of a wild mountain gorilla family. Routes vary with the gorillas’ movements and can be physically demanding. Once the group is located, spend one hour observing the gorillas as they feed, rest and interact.

This protected Ugandan forest shelters one of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla populations. Seeing them in their natural habitat offers a rare insight into both their family lives and the conservation work that protects them.

Follow local guides through Kalinzu Forest, listening for chimpanzee calls and movement in the canopy. Walk shaded trails beneath the trees for a chance to spot wild chimps, along with monkeys and some of the forest’s abundant birdlife.

Kalinzu is one of Uganda’s notable primate habitats. The experience is a genuine wildlife search rather than a staged encounter: sightings depend on where the chimpanzees roam, and the forest’s sounds are part of the adventure.

Travel through Queen Elizabeth National Park on a transit game drive, watching the open savannah for elephants, buffalo and antelope. Stops for wildlife sightings and photographs make this more than a simple journey through the reserve.

The park’s landscapes contrast with Uganda’s forested southwest, opening onto broad grasslands and distant crater-country scenery. Big cats may also be present, though every sighting depends on the movement of wild animals.

Stand at the Equator near Kikorongo and take a photograph at the marked line separating the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It is a brief but distinctive stop in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park region.

The equatorial setting gives a geographic landmark a tangible place in the journey. Pause to take in the surrounding landscape as well as the novelty of standing with a foot on either side of the line.

Enter Murchison Falls National Park on a transit game drive, scanning the bush for giraffes, elephants, buffalo, antelope and other wildlife. The drive turns the route through the park into an opportunity for sightings and photographs.

Uganda’s largest national park encompasses varied habitats around the Nile. Its open stretches offer a different wildlife-watching perspective from the country’s forests, although sightings remain unpredictable and depend on the animals’ movements.

Search for wildlife on a sunrise game drive across Murchison Falls National Park, when the cooler hours can bring animals into view. Watch for giraffes, elephants, lions and antelope, with a chance of spotting the more elusive leopard.

Early light brings definition to the park’s grasslands and bush, while wildlife activity shapes the route and pace of the drive. No sighting is guaranteed, making each encounter part of a genuine safari.

Cruise the Nile towards Murchison Falls, watching the riverbanks for hippos, crocodiles and birdlife. The boat offers a water-level view of the park’s wildlife and brings you towards the base of its best-known natural landmark.

Here, the Nile gathers force as it approaches a narrow rock gorge. The journey pairs unhurried wildlife observation with the sight and sound of the river that defines this part of northern Uganda.

Visit the top of Murchison Falls to see the Nile squeeze through a narrow gorge before plunging into the river below. Take in the viewpoints and feel the force of the water from above.

This is a different perspective from the river cruise: the falls’ scale becomes clear in the spray, noise and speed of the current. The viewpoint is one of Uganda’s most dramatic places to pause for photographs.

Explore Murchison Falls National Park after dark on a night game drive. Look out across the bush for wildlife that may be harder to see by day, while familiar safari landscapes take on a quieter, less visible character.

A night drive reveals another side of the park, shaped by limited light and the sounds of the wilderness. Wildlife remains unpredictable, but the change in perspective makes this a distinct experience from the daytime safaris.

Track rhinos on foot with experienced rangers at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Follow the guides through the bush for a chance to observe the animals from a safe distance and learn how they are monitored and protected.

Ziwa plays a central role in efforts to restore rhinos in Uganda. Walking, rather than watching from a vehicle, lends the encounter a particular immediacy while keeping the rangers’ safety guidance at its heart.

Pause beside Lake Victoria on the Kenyan shore and take time to look out across its broad waters. This scenic stop offers an opportunity to stretch your legs and photograph one of East Africa’s defining landscapes.

Shared by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by area and a vital part of life around its shores. The visit is a relaxed lakeside pause rather than a guided tour or boat excursion.

Meet the team at Mirror of Hope in Nairobi’s Kibera neighbourhood and hear about their work supporting local women and children. The visit centres on the people and initiatives shaping opportunities within the community.

Kibera is a lived-in neighbourhood, not simply a sightseeing destination. Listening to those involved in the organisation offers a more grounded perspective on Nairobi and the community-led work taking place there.

Explore the Maasai Mara on an extended game drive, searching its grassy plains and rolling hills for lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and other wildlife. A picnic lunch in the reserve keeps the focus on time in the landscape.

The Mara’s open terrain makes it one of Kenya’s best-known safari areas. At certain times of year, there may also be a chance to witness the Great Migration, but its timing and all wildlife sightings depend on nature.

Search Amboseli’s plains for elephants on game drives, including an early outing when the park comes to life. Keep your camera ready for wildlife in the open landscape and, when skies are clear, Mount Kilimanjaro on the horizon.

Amboseli is especially associated with its elephants, including the possibility of seeing large-tusked individuals. Clouds can conceal Kilimanjaro and animals choose their own paths, so the celebrated wildlife-and-mountain photograph is an opportunity, not a promise.

Raft the Nile’s white-water rapids near Jinja for an active way to experience Uganda’s adventure hub. Paddle with your group through moving water and take in the river scenery between the faster sections.

Jinja’s stretch of the Nile is known for river-based adventure, making this a choice for travellers who prefer a physical, splash-filled experience to a gentler cruise. This is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour; availability and participation requirements may apply.

Take a boat cruise to the Source of the Nile at Jinja, choosing a gentler way to spend time on the water. Look out over the river and its shores from the boat as you visit the area traditionally associated with the Nile’s departure from Lake Victoria.

The source has long held a place in the history of Nile exploration. This is an alternative to the Jinja rafting activity and is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit the Sheldrick elephant nursery in Nairobi for a chance to watch young elephants play and bathe while hearing about their care and recovery. The visit focuses on animals receiving specialist attention rather than a safari sighting in the wild.

Learning their individual stories gives the experience a conservation context and shows the work behind rehabilitating orphaned elephants. This visit is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability.

Head back into the Maasai Mara for another game drive, giving yourself more time to search for wildlife across its plains. Look for fresh activity and changing light rather than expecting the same sightings as on an earlier drive.

Every safari outing unfolds differently as animals move through the reserve. This extra drive suits travellers who want to devote more of their time to the Mara’s landscapes and wildlife. It is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Choose a white-water rafting adventure in Sagana, paddling through river rapids for an active contrast to the safari experiences. The emphasis is on being out on the water and taking part, not simply viewing the landscape from shore.

Sagana is a Kenyan base for outdoor activities, with its rivers providing the setting for this option. Rafting is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour; availability and participation requirements may apply.

Try rock climbing in Sagana as part of the area’s choice of outdoor activities. Test your footing and balance on a climb rather than spending the day on the river or at camp.

This hands-on option offers a different kind of challenge from game drives and wildlife treks, with the focus on the climb itself. Rock climbing is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour; availability and participation requirements may apply.

Try archery in Sagana, taking aim as part of the area’s selection of outdoor activities. It is a more measured challenge than rafting or ziplining, centred on focus and technique.

The activity gives travellers a way to take part in Sagana’s adventure programme without heading onto the water. Choose it on its own or alongside other available activities. Archery is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability.

Go ziplining in Sagana for a fast-paced outdoor activity that offers a different perspective from the ground. The ride is a short, active choice for travellers keen to add height and speed to their time in the area.

Sagana’s adventure setting makes it possible to pick activities according to your interests rather than follow a fixed programme. Ziplining is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour; availability and participation requirements may apply.