An 11-night wildlife adventure in Uganda and Kenya

Personalised journeys from start to finish

Every trip helps support Conservation

Every detail taken care of

  • Personalised journeys from start to finish

  • Every trip helps support Conservation

  • Every detail taken care of

Itinerary highlights

  • Watch the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat
  • Visit the elephant orphanage in Nairobi
  • Go in search of Africa's Big Five on game drives
  • Fly camp in the bush under the stars

What's included

  • Luxury accommodation throughout
  • All flights and transfers as mentioned
  • Two gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi Impenetrable Park
  • Full support from your Travel Designer and Concierge before, during and after your trip
Use this itinerary to inspire your bespoke journey

At a glance

Meet the mountain gorillas in a most spectacular and intrepid of destinations – Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda – before an adventurous safari in northern Kenya.

Start your trip in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which offers a more authentic and sometimes more challenging trekking experience than its Rwandan counterpart. You’ll spend two full days doing gorilla treks, sharing two precious hours with these humbling creatures in total. You’ll also learn about the inspirational work of the team here and their dedication to protecting these endangered animals and their astounding but at-risk ecosystem, seeing first-hand how your travel directly benefits the region.

Then fly to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, for a night and visit the orphan elephants and rhinos at The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. After that, it’s north to the green hills of Solio Reserve, a private sanctuary that is a haven for white and black rhino. Staying at the only lodge on the 45,000-acre ranch, spend your days in the shadow of Mount Kenya spotting big cats and pachyderms on safari, exploring on horse rides and treks, and fishing for trout.

From here, it’s a short hop into Samburu and the opulent Sasaab Lodge. Try and spot the ‘Samburu Special Five’ – the Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and Beisa oryx – on walking safaris and camel rides, get a glimpse into Samburu life, culture and tradition, or spend a night fly camping in the bush under the stars. Of course you can also relax at the luxurious spa, reflecting on your adventure.

Example trip itinerary

Days 1-2

Entebbe

Flights & transfers

Transfer

Meet and greet at Entebbe airport

Transfer

Private transfer to your hotel in Entebbe

Accommodation in Entebbe

One night in Entebbe

The pleasant town of Entebbe has a wonderful location on a northern peninsula of Lake Victoria. This tropical lakeside city is a more relaxed stop over destination than Kampala and as Uganda's main international airport is located here, it's a great base for exploring rest of the country.

Flights & transfers

Transfer

Private transfer to Entebbe Airport

Flight

Light aircraft flight to Bwindi

Transfer

Transfer to your lodge

Days 2-5

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Accommodation in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Three nights in Bwindi Forest

This is ‘the’ place to see the famous population of around 350 mountain gorillas in Uganda, but it is also a secretive home for other primate species, including black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s, red-tailed, blue and vervet monkeys. In addition, there are 79 mammal species including duiker, elephant, bushbuck, bush pig, giant forest hog and several small cat species that will keep you company as you explore the remote area. This is a very diverse region of Uganda, with a guide you will have time to explore the flora and fauna, as well as various species of birds and butterflies and other larger mammals, and perhaps visit local communities on the edge of park.

Two full days hiking and tracking to observe Mountain Gorillas

There are a total of 10 habituated gorilla families in Uganda, all located in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in the south west of the country. Each group receives a maximum of 8 visitors per day. About seven of the ten families reside in Northern Bwindi, and three in southern Bwindi; the ones you will be tracking will depend on the location of your lodgings. The gorillas cover large distances overnight, and they are never constantly in one area. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas’ habits and information from the previous day to locate the group’s whereabouts. For this reason, one group cannot be said to be easier to track than another. The time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously, from as little as half an hour to as much as 9 hours before returning to camp. The terrain can be extremely difficult, with steep slopes, and dense vegetation. In addition, the altitude means participants do need to be physically fit in order to enjoy the hike. Once the gorillas are located, your group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. This is to avoid causing the animals any undue stress or getting them overly used to human interactions. After this, you will return to the park headquarters and your camp. If for some reason you are unable to complete your excursion to the gorillas, you will either be able to return immediately to the base of the trail with a porter OR you will be asked to remain where you are with a porter until the group returns.

Flights & transfers

Flight

Flight from Bwindi to Nairobi via Entebbe

Transfer

Private transfer to your hotel in Nairobi

Days 5-6

Nairobi

Accommodation in Nairobi

One night in Nairobi

The capital city of Kenya is a busy one, and can be slightly overwhelming to behold. While the centre is hectic, suburbs such as Karen, named after Karen Blixen, is a wonderful place and there are attractions such as The Daphine Sheldrick Rhino and Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Centre, and the Nairobi National Park just outside the city.

David Sheldrick's Elephant Orphanage

Born from one family’s passion for Kenya and its wilderness, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is today the most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world and one of the pioneering conservation organisations for wildlife and habitat protection in East Africa. Located in a secluded area of the Nairobi National Park, the orphanage is open for visitors between 11am and 12pm when the the orphans arrive for their midday mud bath and feeding.

Flights & transfers

Transfer

Private transfer to Nairobi Wilson airport

Flight

Flight from Wilson airport to Nanyuki

Transfer

Days 6-9

Solio Reserve

Accommodation in Solio Reserve

Three nights in Solio Private Reserve

Set in the lush foothills of the Aberdares and close to Mount Kenya, this area is the premier place to see Black Rhino in Kenya and other types of game. Your travel designer will be able to inform you about the activities on offer in this area of Kenya.

Game drives

Enjoy peaceful morning, afternoon and evening game viewing. The wildlife here is abundant, making for easy and plentiful sightings. It also means there is no need to rush out first thing, unless you want to. Spend time with the prolific numbers of black and white rhino and look out for four of the big five. You won't see any elephants at Solio because they have been fenced out to preserve the vegetation for the black rhino. You may also spot reticulated giraffe, eland, waterbuck, lion, leopard and cheetah.

Cycling at Solio

There are mountain bikes available at Solio Lodge for adults and children to use at any time. Head out with a guide to discover more about the flora and fauna around you. It’s a great way to get some exercise whilst also appreciating the beautiful scenery of Solio Ranch. Although cycling takes place outside the core rhino sanctuary, there is still lots of wildlife to encounter. Depending on how energetic you are feeling, there are various length circuits to discover.

Flights & transfers

Flight

Private charter flight to Sasaab

Days 9-12

Samburu

Accommodation in Samburu

Three nights in Samburu

Enjoy the stunning wildlife and captivating cultural encounters with the local Samburu tribes in the Samburu region. Take bush walks in between your daily safari game drives (some at night), visits to the local Samburu villages, camel-back riding, evenings of sundowners, gourmet food and campfire stories, and all in the serene and sumptuous luxury of your lodge.

Camel riding and walking

Sasaab has four resident camels that are looked after and led by experienced Samburu herders. It can be great fun to explore the area around the lodge from up high. Guests usually enjoy camel rides in the cooler late afternoon hours. A popular choice is to embark on a leisurely ride down by the river and end up at the sundowner spot in time for an evening drink.

Flights & transfers

Transfer

Flight to Wilson Airport

Transfer

Private transfer from Wilson Airport to Nairobi International

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Bwindi Gorilla Trekking and Kenyan Adventure Safari

12-day example trip
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Every trip helps support Conservation.

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