Saturday. Nairobi - Masai Mara. Welcome to Nairobi! We’ll be there to collect you at Nairobi Airport. Your first night will be spent at our pre expedition hotel in the centre of town. On day 1 there will be a pre departure meeting at 17:00. West from Nairobi on day 2, we reach possibly Kenya’s most famous natural attraction - the Masai Mara National Reserve. The Kenyan section of the wildly beautiful Serengeti Plains teems with wildlife. The highlight of the Mara is no doubt the annual wildebeest migration, when literally millions of these beasts plus zebra and Thomson’s gazelle stray north from the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania in search of lush grass on the savannah plains. Elephant, lion, cheetah, giraffe and a multitude of hooved herbivores also inhabit the reserve. A morning and evening game drive through the Mara gives us the chance to spot the Big Five. During our stay we can also opt to visit a local Masai tribe. Overnight - Nairobi (1), Masai Mara (2) (B:1, L:2, D:2)

Masai Mara - Kisumu - Kampala. Leaving the Masai Mara early in the morning, we pass through the scenic tea plantations of Kericho before descending the Rift Valley Plateau, on our way to Kisumu - Kenya’s harbour town on the banks of Africa’s largest lake, Lake Victoria. We replenish our supplies and overnight here. On day 5 we cross the border into Uganda and overnight in the capital city, Kampala. Uganda is a small country of striking physical beauty. Its landscapes vary from the fertile green areas around the northern shores of Lake Victoria to the snow capped Ruwenzori Mountains in the west and the semi desert region in the north. Overnight - Kisumu (1) , Kampala (1) (B:2, L:2, D:2)

Kampala - Lake Bunyoni. From Kampala we drive to Lake Bunyoni, the deepest Crater Lake in Africa and home to a large and varied number of beautiful birds, which is the base from which the optional Gorilla trek takes place. Whilst in Lake Bunyoni there will be plenty of time to hike, partake in water activities or just chill-out in this region of amazing beauty. Dependant on where trekking permits are available, we trek in the Magahinga or Bwindi National Parks in Uganda, the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or the Ruhengeri National Park in Rwanda.

Winding our way through arguably some of the most picturesque scenery in Africa, we head to the town of Kisoro where we spend the night (should we be trekking in Rwanda our overnight will be in Ruhengeri). The following morning, after packing our picnic lunch, we are transferred to a ranger’s station where the trek commences. Your rangers will lead you through the cultivated lands and then into the dense rain forest and on to a gorilla family. Trekking can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 8 hours and it can be quite strenuous, so a reasonable level of fitness is required. To ensure the gorillas do not get too used to the presence of humans and because they share many of our genes (and therefore able to catch our diseases), the maximum time permitted to spend with them is 1 hour. You will have plenty of time to watch their activity and to take photographs. The rangers will be able to provide you with a background to the gorilla family you are visiting. Once our hour is up, we trek back out of the rain forest and transfer back to the Lake Bunyoni campsite. Overnight - Lake Bunyoni (3), Kisoro (1) (B:4, L:4, D:4)

Lake Bunyoni - Kampala - Jinja. Heading back to Kampala, crossing the Equator for the second time we stop for the classic “one foot in each hemisphere” photo opportunity. We overnight in Kampala and have the opportunity to sample its night life! On day 11 we have the option of visiting the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary or transferring to Jinja for a selection of adventure activities including white water rafting, quad biking or volunteering at a community project. Spend the afternoon relaxing on the banks of the river. Overnight - Kampala (1), Jinja (1) (B:2, L:2, D:2)

Jinja - Lake Nakuru. Today we head back to Kenya, stopping for lunch and supplies en route. We overnight in Nakuru, Kenya’s 4th largest town and capital of the Rift Valley Province. After stocking up on supplies on day 12 we begin our exploration of the Lake Nakuru National Park - famous for the thousands of lesser and greater flamingos that flock to this soda lake’s edge. The numbers vary depending on the water level, and when it’s low, the lake almost turns pink. A truly spectacular sight! The park was established as a sanctuary for black and white rhino, which are often seen. We spend the day searching for these pre-historic looking beasts as well as the elusive leopard, encountering buffalo, giraffe, various antelope and the occasional hippo along the way. We overnight at a bush camp within the Park. Overnight - Lake Nakuru (B:2, L:2, D:2)

Lake Nakuru - Lake Naivasha - Nairobi - Arusha. Moving further east, we head to Lake Naivasha, home to a multitude of bird life At 1880 m, this is the highest of the Rift Valley lakes. Time permitting; we spend the afternoon enjoying optional excursions like Elsamere (former home to Joy & George Adamson of Born Free fame), a boat ride to the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary or a bike ride around Hell’s Gate National Park. Overnight at a lovely campsite overlooking the lake before heading back to our Nairobi on day 15. We cross the border into Tanzania on day 16 and stay at a campsite in Meserani on the outskirts of Arusha - the gateway to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Overnight - Lake Naivasha (1), Nairobi (1), Arusha (1) (B:2, L:3, D:2)

Arusha - Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti (optional excursion). Arusha is a pleasant town situated at the base of Mount Meru and is the starting point for the optional 3 day excursion to Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti (see optional activities). For those not opting to visit the Ngorongoro Crater or Serengeti National Park, the next days are spent at leisure enjoying the Meserani reptile park, Masai Cultural Museum and the surrounding villages and craft markets. Alternatively the town of Arusha is close by to explore.

The Optional Ngorongoro/Serengeti excursion takes us via the Masai town of Mtu Wa Mbu (Mosquito River) that lies adjacent to the Lake Manyara National Park and up the Rift Valley Escarpment to the higher lying village of Karatu. campsite in Karatu. The following morning we depart early for the Ngorongoro Conservation area and head into the wildlife rich Ngorongoro Crater. This World Heritage Site boasts some of the best game viewing in Africa – including the elusive Black Rhino. After our game drive in the Crater,we head down the Crater rim and past the ‘Cradle of Mankind’ on our way to the Serengeti National Park. We cross the vast plains as we game drive through the southern and central areas in the park. Tonight we camp in the bushveld surrounded by the sounds of the African wilderness. In the morning, we head off for another game drive and explore the landscape in search of the resident game. With some luck, we may see some of Africa’s ‘Big 5’! Overnight - Arusha (3) or optional: Karatu (1), Serengeti (1), Arusha (1) (B:3, L:3, D:3)

Arusha - Pangani - Dar es Salaam. Today we head south towards Dar es Salaam. On the way weather permitting; we may catch a glimpse of this Mt Kilimanjaro’s snowy summit - a photo opportunity not to be missed! We pass through vast sisal plantations surrounded by The Usambara and Pare Mountain ranges, before reaching our lovely campsite nestled between these mountains, midway between Arusha and Dar es Salaam. The following day we continue on to our lovely seaside campsite in Dar es Salaam where we prepare for our departure to Zanzibar the next morning. Overnight - Pangani (1), Dar es Salaam (1) (B:2, L:2, D:2)

Dar es Salaam - Zanzibar (optional). A ferry from Dar Es Salaam takes us to ‘Spice Island’, where we have the option to spend the next three nights.* Zanzibar is steeped in history and offers a wealth of experiences. Wander the streets of Stone Town, take an excursion around a spice plantation or simply laze on one of the pristine white sandy beaches, the choice is yours! Accommodation is not provided on Zanzibar, allowing you the freedom to choose where you spend your time on the island. Your trip leader can arrange accommodation for you locally should you wish.

* For those opting not to visit Zanzibar, the 3 days can be spent at leisure at the beach campsite or exploring Dar Es Salaam. Overnight - Zanzibar (B:1)

Zanzibar - Dar es Salaam. Tuesday. This morning we return to the mainland and Dar Es Salaam where our tour ends.