22 Days Discover East Africa Safari
Savor our 22 days Discover East Africa Safari starting in Kampala (Uganda) and ending in the City of Arusha (Tanzania). This thrilling blockbuster safari takes you to the top safari destinations in Rwanda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania to experience the highs of Virunga Mountains and Bwindi for gorilla trekking tours to the savannah plains of Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison, and Lake Manyara National Park as well as Masai Mara Reserve, majestic landscapes and breathtaking sceneries along the way.
Day 1: Arrive in Uganda (popularly known as the “Pearl of Africa”)
Welcome to beautiful Uganda, where every inch of a safari destination is as magical and breathtaking as you have been imagining. Orientation will be on arrival at the Airport of Entebbe before being transferred to the Hotel in Kampala.
Day 2: Kampala – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary-Murchison Falls National Park (2 nights)
Following a comfy night’s sleep and breakfast at the Hotel in Kampala, depart for Murchison Falls National Park. Declared a National Park in 1952, Murchison Falls National Park is surprisingly the heartbeat of Uganda’s tourism and therefore a must-visit destination for most safaris.
The journey to this park starts at 8:00 am and goes through the Towns of Mattuga, Luwero, and Nakasongola where you will have time to track the Rhinos in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, then lunch at Masindi Town. Go on with the drive to the booked Lodge and settle in to rest and have dinner.
Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park, game viewing, and boat ride
This day is about unearthing the diversity of Murchison Falls National Park and kicks off with breakfast at the Lodge. Start driving through its savannah plains dotted with acacia and River banks where hartebeests, lions, Cape buffaloes, warthogs, Hippos, leopards, Oribis, spotted hyenas, Olive baboons, African bush elephants, kudus, Vervet monkeys, bushbucks, Defassa waterbucks, and Uganda Kobs are frequented spot. A delicious and hot lunch will be served at the Safari Lodge.
In the afternoon treat your adventure side to a rewarding boat ride down the scenic Victoria Nile, where you will spend 2 hours browsing the banks for Hippos, Nile crocodiles, African bush elephants, and Cape buffaloes as well as birds. An optional evening cultural performance will be offered with bonfires, before retiring for the night.
Day 4: Murchison Falls National Park – Kibale Forest National Park
This is the day we leave the majestic Murchison Falls National Park behind and continue to another exciting destination for our 22 days Discover East Africa Safari. The journey to Kibale Forest National Park is long (about 7-8 hours) and therefore we leave early but expect lots of en-route sceneries of the countryside, huge plantations, and many other landscapes. Settle for lunch in Fort Portal Town and at your place of lodging in the evening.
Day 5: Trekking the endangered chimpanzees in Kibale forest & guided walk in Bigodi Wetland
Kibale Forest National Park is often ranked one of Uganda’s best places to trek for the endangered chimpanzees. On this day we join other travelers in searching for these Great Apes in their natural habitat, and this starts by 8:00 am after briefing and lasts 1-4 hours. It’s not just a chimpanzee’s affair because other animals, several birds, butterflies, and tree species will be spotted along the way but after all the patience, commitment, and hard work, the chimpanzee troop will be found and one hour is the time you have to observe and take photos.
After lunch served at the Lodge, the afternoon visitors got another treat in the swamp jungle-Bigodi wetland Sanctuary to see different primate species and wetland-inhabiting birds such as papyrus gonolek, great blue Turacos and Papyrus canary among others. Dinner is a perfect way to close your day and this is served at the Lodge before a well-deserved rest.
Day 6: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park
In and around Queen Elizabeth National Park, we depart Kibale Forest National Park this day after a lovely breakfast treat. Referred to as the medley of wonders, Queen Elizabeth National Park is where you will find over 95 mammal species (second highest in Uganda) and 600 bird species (the highest so far in Uganda), thus ranked among the best tourist destinations in the region. Lunch will be served on arrival after a 3-4 hours journey.
Day 7: Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park – wildlife viewing and Boat Cruise
Undertaking a guided game drive and Kazinga Boat cruises are the best ways of unearthing the beauty of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The day begins with breakfast and orientation at the Lodge, before boarding the safari vehicle for a full-blast game drive with the hope of seeing several cats, spotted hyenas, lions, Defassa waterbucks, leopards, Oribis, warthogs, mongoose, Hippos, Cape buffaloes, duikers, Uganda Kobs, African bush elephants and so much more. While there are countless opportunities for game viewing, the activity will take about 3-4 hours before you return to the Lodge for Lunch.
An exhilarating boat cruise on Kazinga Channel is planned for the afternoon and for this adventure, high concentrations of Hippos and Crocodiles will be seen wallowing in the waters while elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes will be bathing and drinking along the shallow banks. Numerous birds can be seen during this cruise but the day ends by sunset, with dinner and overnight is relished at the Lodge.
Day 8: Trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha sector
On this day you say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth National Park as you take a 5-hour drive into the great Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Simply jaw-dropping is the most fantastic way to describe this exhilarating safari destination where verdant forests and rugged terrains offer unforgettable experiences.
Take some time to drive through the savannah to spot more game species before leaving and arriving at your final destination in the evening. Lunch is at Savannah Resort while dinner and rest are at Bwindi.
Day 9: Trekking the marvelous mountain gorillas in the Bwindi forest
After a good night’s sleep and hearty breakfast, the endangered mountain gorillas will await you in the jungles today. First, attend the mandatory briefing at the park Headquarters then off you go into the jungles, under the guidance of a professional Ranger guide, and find the giant apes after 1-5 hours of careful walking. The face-to-face encounter with these creatures is one of the must-do moments during a Uganda safari and our trip will make it possible to achieve this ambition.
Having enjoyed lunch and rested so well, you continue into the community to learn the different cultures and traditions that make them stand out. Head back to the Lodge with fresh memories from the gorilla trek and community tour, dine, and later rest.
Day 10: Cross the Uganda-Rwanda Border (Katuna or Cyanika) to Volcanoes National Park
An early rise and vibes from the previous day sets moods high and therefore you pack your bags for the journey to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Cross the border via Cyanika or Katuna and properly settle in at the Lodge for dinner and overnight rest.
Day 11: Tracking the frisky Golden Monkeys and visit the Gorilla Guardians Village
Delve into the jaw-dropping forest of Volcanoes National Park on this day with a guided visit to one of the habituated troops of Golden monkeys, making occasional stops for photography as well as spotting birds along the way. But first, you will have breakfast at the Lodge and attend a briefing at the Park Headquarters.
The trek is shorter compared to gorilla trekking because the frisky golden monkeys live on the lower slopes of Virunga Volcanoes. One hour is still the time allowed for briefing and photography.
Lunch is at the Lodge and no Volcanoes National Park tour would be complete without a glimpse into the culture and traditions of Rwandans, through the visit of Gorilla Guardian Village. Have the best evening with unforgettable memories, then retire for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Hike to the Dian Fossey Tomb and visit Twin Lakes
We hope you didn’t get so exhausted from yesterday’s jungle adventures because you will have to return for another thrilling activity. Have breakfast before joining the briefing at Kinigi Park Headquarters and follow the guides to follow Dian Fossey’s gorilla conservation footsteps.
In the afternoon you should be hungry for breathtaking sceneries because that’s what you will feed on during the tours of Twin Lakes-Burera and Ruhondo. Later freshen up, have dinner, and overnight at the Lodge.
Day 13: Scheduled flight to Arusha Airport, Tanzania from Kigali
You will have to say a sad Goodbye to Rwanda today and start saying hello to the “tourism Capital of Tanzania, Arusha because that’s where we head next. Tanzania is one of the top safari destinations in Africa and therefore impossible to miss during any African safari. Before you embark on the flight, you will first be treated to a City excursion with stops at Genocide Memorial Sites, the local market, Craft shops, and others. Your dinner and overnight will be at the reserved Hotel in Arusha.
Day 14: Arusha to Tarangire National Park
The Tanzanian leg of this 22 days Discover East Africa safari officially starts today with pick-up from the Hotel in Arusha Town and transfer to the first safari destination, after a briefing from the private safari driver. The journey is approximately 150 kilometers/2.5 to 3 hours. Arrive on time and begin a game drive through this outstanding Protected Area where cheetahs, gnu, Masai giraffes, African bush elephants, impalas, lions, giant elands, Cape buffaloes, and leopards are sighted. Make your way into the evening, and head over to the Safari Camp for overnight and dinner.
Day 15: Tarangire National Park: whole day wildlife viewing experience
Relish an iconic breakfast at the Safari Camp before heading into the wilderness for a proper, more informative, and rewarding game drive where more of the impalas, giraffes, gnu, African bush elephants, giant elands, ions, Cape buffaloes, cheetahs, Defassa waterbucks, leopards, and many others. At this point, you have to be hungry for the wilderness because the rich diversity of Tarangire National Park will defeat even the most passionate nature lovers.
Day 16: Journey to the jaw-dropping Lake Manyara National Park
Leaving Tarangire National Park behind, you will head to the stunning Lake Manyara National Park for another remarkable wildlife viewing experience. Almost two-thirds of this Park is dominated by the extraordinary Lake Manyara, drawing most of the Park’s wildlife and birds.
A delicious wilderness lunch will be served on arrival, to allow you to undertake the game drive where spotted hyenas, lions, Defassa waterbucks, hartebeests, African bush elephants, Hippos, and Cape buffaloes among others. This activity ends by sunset when you have to drive back for dinner and rest at the same Lodge.
Day 17: Lake Manyara game drive and transfer to Serengeti National Park
Waking up with a high wilderness spirit have breakfast and the day is entirely dedicated to exploring Lake Manyara Park, heading to renowned game spots with sights of lions, warthogs, hartebeests, Cape buffaloes, hartebeests, Elephants, and bushbucks.
The highlight of this park is seeing the tree-climbing lions. If the verdant wetlands and calm waters of Lake Manyara are of interest to you, why not board a boat for a ride through the outstanding Lake? Led by an experienced Ranger guide, spot Hippos, African fish eagles, beautiful pink flamingos, and others as you cruise the calm waters. The afternoon is when you take a ride to Serengeti National Park, with packed lunch.
Day 18 & 19: Full day in Serengeti National Park
Visiting the wilderness of Serengeti National Park two mornings, you will get the chance to discover the giants and smallest of attractions that make this Tanzanian Protected Area stand out during African safaris. Synonymous with the Great annual migration, you are likely to see millions of wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras migrating across its vast plains to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. Not to be monopolistic, you will have a range of activities for exploring this African wilderness.
On the first day, you will have a half-day game drive plus a visit to Masai village/community while on the second day get a chance to view the Park’s landscapes via a hot air balloon or enjoy a walking safari. Giant Elands, Topis, Kongoni, jackals, Masai giraffes, impalas, lions, cheetahs, leopards, Black Rhinos, bushbucks, yellow baboons, Aardvarks, Aardwolves, mongoose, and serval cats are some of the animals to expect during these activities.
Day 20: Serengeti – Masai Mara National Reserve
Waking up to a new and beautiful day, this morning we have a short game drive while exiting Serengeti National Park for the Masai Mara National Reserve. The border crossing between Kenya and Tanzania is in Isebania.
Day 21: Day Adventure in Masai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, you will venture deeper into the African wilderness with a game-viewing tour in Masai Mara National Reserve. Covering an area of 1510 square kilometers, this Reserve also offers the Great annual migration and most interestingly the jaw-dropping Mara river crossings involving wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras fighting for their lives with crocodiles and patrolling lions along the banks.
Expect more animals during this game drive in the form of Masai giraffes, Black Rhinos, bushbucks, African bush elephants, Hippos, Cape buffaloes, cheetahs, Aardvarks, Bat-eared foxes, Defassa waterbucks and so much more. Finally, you will return to the reserved Lodge where dinner and overnight will be relished.
Day 22: Departure: through Jommo Kenyatta International Airport
After getting hooked on the big five, mountain gorillas, numerous bird species, and remarkable cultural experiences and memories still fresh, the 22 days Discover East Africa Safari comes to an end this day. Be prepared to say “Kwaheri” (goodbye) with a last-game drive. Depart back home or better still extend your stay in East Africa for more days. This will mark the end of your 22 Days Discover East Africa Safari.
