Take a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, where forest, open ground and lakeside habitats create a change of scenery from the wider savannah. Watch for wildlife as the route moves through this compact Tanzanian park.

Manyara is known in particular for its tree-climbing lions, although seeing them is a matter of luck. The contrast between dense greenery and the lake’s broad setting makes the drive rewarding beyond any single sighting.

Explore Nairobi National Park on an overland-truck game drive, looking for wildlife around its grasslands and waterholes. On some views, the city skyline appears beyond the protected landscape.

Few national parks offer such a close meeting of urban and wild environments. Sightings depend on where the animals move, but the contrast between savannah and city makes this a distinctive Nairobi safari. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore the Lake Manyara area on a night game drive, watching for wildlife once darkness changes the landscape. A guided drive after sunset offers a contrast with the park’s included daytime safari.

Nocturnal conditions can reveal different animal behaviour, although sightings depend entirely on wildlife movements. The optional night drive is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to local operating arrangements.

Choose a game drive in Tarangire National Park to search for elephants and other wildlife among its open country and riverine habitats. Keep your camera ready for the park’s characteristic silhouettes of large animals and ancient trees.

Tarangire is particularly associated with elephants and towering baobabs, two enduring features of northern Tanzania’s safari landscape. Animal sightings vary with the season and conditions. This optional drive is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Venture into Murchison Falls National Park after dark on a night game drive. Watch for movement beyond the vehicle lights and experience familiar savannah habitat when its daytime colours and sounds have changed.

A night drive offers a different window onto wildlife behaviour, including the possibility of seeing animals that are harder to spot in daylight. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the quiet roads and darkness make this a distinct safari experience.

Drive across the Ngorongoro Crater floor in search of the Big Five and the many other animals that inhabit its grasslands, wetlands and woodland. Look out across the crater’s enclosed landscape while watching for wildlife from the safari vehicle.

Formed from a vast collapsed volcano, Ngorongoro is one of East Africa’s most distinctive safari settings. Its steep crater walls and varied habitats frame every sighting, though particular animals can never be promised.

Choose another game drive in the Maasai Mara for an extra opportunity to search its plains for predators, grazers and other wildlife. Each outing brings different light, routes and animal movements, so it need not repeat an earlier sighting.

The reserve’s open grassland makes wildlife watching central to the experience, while sightings remain unpredictable. This optional extra drive is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Trek through Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with local guides and trackers in search of a wild mountain gorilla family. Forest trails can be steep or muddy, and the distance depends on where the gorillas are moving.

Once located, spend one hour observing the gorillas as they feed, rest and interact. This protected Ugandan forest shelters a significant share of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, making the encounter a direct connection with an extraordinary conservation effort.

Follow local guides along the trails of Kalinzu Forest, listening for chimpanzee calls and watching the canopy for movement. A sighting may reveal wild chimps climbing, feeding or travelling through the trees; monkeys and forest birds also inhabit the reserve.

This is a guided primate trek in a living forest, rather than an encounter with captive animals. The sounds, dense vegetation and unpredictability of wildlife give the walk its distinctive character.

Look for wildlife on a scenic drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park, with pauses for animal sightings and photographs. Elephants, buffalo and antelope may appear among its open savannah, while big cats are a possibility rather than a certainty.

Set in western Uganda, the park brings together grassland, wetlands and volcanic landscapes. Although this drive also crosses the reserve en route to accommodation, wildlife watching is part of the experience, not merely the journey.

Pause at the Equator marker near Kikorongo for a photograph at the line dividing the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It is a simple, memorable opportunity to stand with a foot on either side of one of geography’s most familiar boundaries.

The landmark sits amid western Uganda’s expansive scenery, making the stop more than a roadside sign. Mark your crossing of the Equator before continuing through the country’s varied landscapes.

Watch for animals on a transit game drive through Murchison Falls National Park. Giraffes, elephants, buffalo, antelope and warthogs may be visible from the vehicle as it travels through the park towards the overnight stay.

Uganda’s largest national park spans savannah, woodland and the Nile corridor. Even a drive through this protected landscape offers opportunities to stop for wildlife sightings and take in the scale of the country’s northern wilderness.

Head into Murchison Falls National Park at sunrise, when cooler temperatures often bring wildlife activity into view. Search the savannah for elephants, giraffes, lions and antelope, while keeping watch for less predictable sightings such as leopard.

Early light picks out the grasses and scattered trees of this vast reserve, creating prime conditions for wildlife observation and photography. As on any wild safari, the animals encountered depend on their movements that morning.

Cruise the Nile towards the base of Murchison Falls, watching the riverbanks for hippos, crocodiles and birdlife. From the water, the journey reveals a different side of the national park from its open-road game drives.

The river gathers force as it approaches the falls, where it is channelled through a narrow gap in the rock. Wildlife-rich banks and the sound of rushing water make this a distinctive way to experience Uganda’s best-known waterfall.

Visit the top of Murchison Falls to see the Nile forced through a narrow rock gorge before plunging below. Viewpoints offer a close perspective on the torrent, with spray, sound and turbulent water conveying its power.

This is the dramatic feature that gives the national park its name. Pause at the falls viewpoints to appreciate a landscape shaped by the river and capture photographs from above the cascade.

Track rhinos on foot at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary alongside experienced rangers, observing the animals from a safe distance in the bush. Your guides explain how they monitor and protect the rhinos as you move through their habitat.

Ziwa is central to efforts to restore rhinos in Uganda after their disappearance from the country’s national parks. The walk combines a close wildlife encounter with conservation insight, grounded in the work taking place at the sanctuary.

Visit Mirror of Hope in Nairobi’s Kibera neighbourhood and meet members of the team working with local women and children. Hear about their initiatives directly from the people involved, rather than seeing the neighbourhood only in passing.

This hosted visit offers insight into community-led work within one of Nairobi’s best-known urban areas. Approach it as an opportunity to listen, learn and understand the organisation’s work on its own terms.

Explore the Maasai Mara National Reserve on game drives, searching its grassy plains and rolling hills for lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and other wildlife. A picnic lunch in the reserve leaves more time to watch the landscape and its animals.

The Mara is also part of the wider ecosystem crossed by the Great Migration. Depending on the season and animal movements, you may see migrating herds; wildlife sightings and migration activity cannot be guaranteed.

Search for Amboseli’s elephants on game drives across the park’s open plains, with opportunities to spot other wildlife along the way. Some of the elephants here are known for their exceptionally long tusks.

On clear days, Mount Kilimanjaro rises beyond the savannah, creating Amboseli’s much-photographed wildlife backdrop. Cloud cover and animal movements vary, but the combination of expansive views and elephant habitat gives these drives their distinctive character.

Visit the Shanga Community Project in Arusha to see artisans at work across crafts such as weaving, glassblowing, beadwork, papermaking and metalwork. Observe the skills and processes behind pieces made at the workshop.

Shanga is a social enterprise that provides employment for people with disabilities. The visit brings local craftsmanship and inclusive employment into focus, offering a chance to understand the people and purpose behind the work.

Explore the Serengeti on multiple game drives, including drives in the morning and towards sunset. Search the open plains for big cats, elephants, giraffes and grazing herds, with time to observe the wildlife encountered.

The Serengeti’s name evokes its seemingly endless grasslands. If migrating wildebeest and zebra are in the area, their numbers can transform the view; the Great Migration follows shifting seasonal patterns, so its location and sightings vary.

Raft the Nile’s white-water rapids near Jinja on a guided river adventure. Expect an active experience on moving water, with splashes, teamwork and views of the riverbanks between rapids.

Jinja is a longstanding centre for Nile-based adventure activities, and rafting offers a more energetic alternative to a gentle river cruise. This optional activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour; participation depends on local operating conditions and applicable safety requirements.

Take a boat cruise to the Source of the Nile near Jinja for a relaxed view of the water and its shoreline. It is a gentler way to spend time on the river than rafting its rapids.

The source area is associated with the Nile’s outflow from Lake Victoria, a landmark long tied to the river’s geographical history. This optional cruise is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant nursery in Nairobi, where you may watch young elephants feed, play and bathe while hearing about their care and recovery.

The organisation’s work centres on rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants, with the goal of returning them to the wild when possible. This optional visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to visitor availability and the nursery’s operating arrangements.

Visit a Maasai village near the Maasai Mara to meet community members and learn about traditions shared by your hosts. The experience offers a cultural perspective alongside the reserve’s wildlife-focused activities.

Maasai communities have longstanding ties to the landscapes of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. Listen to local voices and engage respectfully with the customs presented during the visit. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Go white-water rafting in Sagana, an inland Kenyan adventure base known for its river activities. Work with your rafting crew as the current carries you through a sequence of moving-water sections.

This is a hands-on choice for travellers who want an active contrast to wildlife viewing, with the pace shaped by river conditions. The optional activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to local operating and safety requirements.

Try rock climbing in Sagana as part of the area’s selection of outdoor adventure activities. Focus on footholds, balance and the physical challenge of making your way up a climbing route.

The activity offers a different perspective on Kenya’s inland scenery and a satisfying alternative to time in a safari vehicle. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to the local operator’s availability and safety requirements.

Take part in an archery activity in Sagana, practising your aim and concentration at the area’s adventure base. Unlike the more strenuous river and climbing options, archery offers a measured, skill-based challenge.

It is an opportunity to try something different during the Kenyan leg of the journey, with each shot calling for steady focus. This optional activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to local availability.

Go ziplining in Sagana for an aerial adventure at the riverside activity base. The experience replaces the measured pace of a game drive with the sensation of moving through the open air above the surrounding terrain.

Sagana’s range of outdoor pursuits makes it a natural place to choose a more energetic activity. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to operator availability and safety requirements.

Join a Maasai village tour near Mto Wa Mbu to meet local hosts and learn about traditions they choose to share. This cultural visit provides a different perspective on the communities of northern Tanzania.

The area sits close to several celebrated national parks, but its living cultures are part of the region’s story too. Approach the conversation and customs with curiosity and respect. This optional tour is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore the Mto Wa Mbu area by mountain bike, choosing an active way to take in the surroundings beyond a safari vehicle. Cycling lets you experience the landscape at a more immediate pace.

Mto Wa Mbu is a lively gateway to northern Tanzania’s national parks, set beneath the Rift Valley escarpment. A ride adds movement and a closer sense of place to your time here. This optional activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Canoe on Lake Manyara for a water-level perspective on this distinctive Rift Valley setting. The slower pace offers time to notice the lake’s broad horizons and the atmosphere of its shoreline.

It is a different way to experience the Manyara landscape from a park game drive, with conditions on the water shaping the outing. This optional activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to local availability and suitable conditions.

• 18 Breakfast (B)
• 9 Lunch (L)
• 13 Dinner (D)
• 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. 
• Arusha: Support this social enterprise that employs local disabled people with artisanal skills. Watch weaving, glass blowing, beading, paper making and metal work. 
• Serengeti: Watch out for local wildlife as we head to our camp, which is bang in the middle of these endless plains. Could the location be any more epic? 
   
• Serengeti: Was that lion we heard last night? Let’s go find out. Take an incredible morning drive in search of the wildlife we heard throughout the night. 
• Serengeti: Cruise around the plains at sunset to explore new areas and spot a few more animals before they head off to bed. 
• Serengeti: Another day, another game drive, giving us the most amount of opportunities to see the wildlife that roams these plains.