Join an overland-truck game drive through Nairobi National Park, watching waterholes and open grassland for wildlife. The park offers the unusual sight of safari habitat with Nairobi’s cityscape visible beyond it.

As a protected area beside Kenya’s capital, it makes a distinctive urban-edge safari rather than a substitute for the wider plains of the Maasai Mara. Look for wildlife against the skyline; sightings vary. This optional drive is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Take a relaxed boat cruise to the Source of the Nile near Jinja, where water flowing out of Lake Victoria begins its long journey north. View the river setting from the boat rather than tackling the area’s white-water rapids.

This stretch connects one of Africa’s largest lakes with one of its most storied rivers. Enjoy the quieter pace on the water and take in the shoreline around Jinja. The cruise is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

• 3 Lunch (L)
• 7 Dinner (D)
• 10 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. 

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

Once located, spend one hour observing the gorillas as they feed, groom and interact. Bwindi’s dense montane forest protects one of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla populations, making this a closely managed encounter with an endangered species.

Follow local guides through Kalinzu Forest on foot, listening for chimpanzee calls and movement high in the canopy. The trails offer a chance to observe wild chimps in their natural habitat, though sightings and their distance from the path vary.

The forest is also home to other primates and rich birdlife. Pause beneath the dense canopy to watch and listen: the calls, rustling leaves and sudden movement overhead are as much a part of the experience as a sighting.

Travel through Queen Elizabeth National Park on a transit game drive, keeping watch for elephants, buffalo and antelope across its open savannah. The journey allows for wildlife sightings and photographs while crossing the reserve, rather than a dedicated extended safari.

Forest gives way to grassland and crater-lake scenery in this varied part of western Uganda. Scan the plains and roadside bush for whatever wildlife is active; sightings are never guaranteed, and larger predators can be particularly elusive.

Stand on the Equator near Kikorongo and take a photograph at the marked line, where the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet. It is a brief, specific sightseeing stop amid the landscapes of western Uganda.

The marker gives a geographic point of reference to a journey through changing forests, hills and savannah. Frame the classic two-hemisphere photo and take a moment to appreciate the location before continuing through the region.

Enter Murchison Falls National Park on a transit game drive and look for giraffes, elephants, buffalo and antelope while travelling through the reserve. Wildlife sightings and photographs turn the journey to your accommodation into a first look at Uganda’s largest national park.

The park’s savannah and riverine habitats support a wide range of animals. Watch the landscape for movement as the route crosses their territory, with sightings shaped by the weather, time of day and where animals choose to roam.

Set out on a sunrise game drive in Murchison Falls National Park, scanning the savannah for lions, elephants, giraffes and antelope. The cooler early hours offer a chance to observe wildlife as the plains become active.

Uganda’s largest national park combines open grassland with habitats shaped by the Nile. Watch for predators and grazing herds against the morning light; leopard and other harder-to-spot animals may appear, but no particular sighting can be promised.

Cruise the Nile towards the base of Murchison Falls, watching the riverbanks for hippos, crocodiles and birds. The water-level perspective reveals a different side of the national park from its savannah game drives.

As the boat approaches the falls, the river’s calm stretches give way to the sound and spray of water forced through a narrow gap in the rock. See the falls from below and appreciate the force that gives this landscape its name.

Visit the top of Murchison Falls for a close view of the Nile squeezing through a narrow rocky gorge before plunging downstream. Viewpoints reveal the speed, sound and spray of the river at its most dramatic point.

This is a distinct perspective from the boat cruise below: here, the river’s immense volume is concentrated into a small opening. Pause above the churning water to take photographs and see the natural feature at the heart of the national park.

Head into Murchison Falls National Park after dark for a game drive focused on the bush beyond daylight hours. Listen to nocturnal sounds and watch for animals that may be less visible on a daytime safari.

The same tracks and grasslands take on a different character at night, when sightings depend on what emerges into view. Experience the park’s after-dark atmosphere without treating a particular predator or other animal encounter as guaranteed.

Track rhinos on foot with experienced rangers at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Walk through the bush to observe these powerful animals from a safe distance while following the rangers’ guidance.

Ziwa plays an important role in efforts to restore rhinos to Uganda after their disappearance from the country’s wild populations. Learn about the sanctuary’s conservation work as you encounter the animals in a protected setting—an unusually direct perspective on wildlife protection and the habitat it requires.

Visit Mirror of Hope in Nairobi’s Kibera neighbourhood to meet the team and learn about its work with local women and children. The visit centres on the people and initiatives described by those involved, rather than viewing the neighbourhood simply as a sightseeing stop.

Kibera is a lived-in community with its own organisations, challenges and ambitions. Hear directly about community-led work and gain a more grounded understanding of Nairobi beyond its safari gateways and city skyline.

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

The Mara is part of a wider ecosystem known for its large herds and predators. At certain times of year, travellers may have a chance to see wildlife associated with the Great Migration, although its movements and all animal sightings remain unpredictable.

Raft the Nile’s white-water rapids near Jinja for an active way to experience the river. Join a guided rafting outing and feel the contrast between moving water and faster, more turbulent stretches.

Jinja is a centre for river adventure near the source of the Nile. Rapids and conditions vary, so the outing offers a very different choice from a relaxed boat cruise. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Visit the Sheldrick elephant nursery in Nairobi for a chance to watch young elephants play and bathe while hearing about their rescue and rehabilitation. The visit offers a close look at the care involved in supporting orphaned elephants.

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s work focuses on protecting wildlife and preparing rescued elephants for a future beyond the nursery. Learn the stories behind their recovery during this optional visit. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability.

Visit a Maasai village near the Maasai Mara to meet community members and learn about traditions they choose to share. The experience adds a human perspective to a region often described chiefly through its wildlife.

Maasai communities have longstanding cultural ties to the grasslands of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. Hear about local customs firsthand rather than relying only on accounts from outside the community. This optional visit is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Head out on an additional morning game drive in the Maasai Mara for another chance to look for wildlife across its plains. The outing suits travellers who want more time watching the reserve before leaving the region.

Animal activity changes from one drive to another, so familiar tracks can reveal different encounters in the early light. Scan for fresh movement across the grassland without expecting any particular sighting. This optional game drive is at additional cost and bookable on tour.