Epic East Africa: Gorillas, Chimps & Game Parks — Self-Launched

Arrive into Entebbe International Airport and make your way to a budget guesthouse in town. Entebbe is a relaxed lakeside city on the shores of Lake Victoria — a great place to shake off jet lag. Stroll through the Entebbe Botanical Garden (free entry) or browse the Entebbe Craft Village for souvenirs. Head out for dinner at a local restaurant on Kintu Road where a meal costs around £4–6.

🚌Boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) or shared taxi from the airport to central Entebbe, ~£2–4. Avoid official airport taxis which charge a large premium.

🛏Boma Guesthouse or Entebbe Backpackers — dorm from £10/night, private room from £18/night.

• →Entebbe Botanical Garden walk (free)
• →Entebbe Craft Village browse (free)
• →Dinner on Kintu Road

Take an early shared minibus (matatu) from Entebbe/Kampala to Jinja, the self-styled adventure capital of Uganda sitting at the source of the Nile. The journey takes around 2–3 hours. Settle into your accommodation — several excellent budget camps sit right on the riverbank. Explore the vibrant Jinja Farmer's Market in the afternoon and grab dinner at one of the riverside bars.

🚌Shared matatu from Kampala taxi park to Jinja, ~£2–3. Take a boda-boda or tuk-tuk from your guesthouse to the taxi park, ~£1.

🛏Nile River Explorers Camp or Adrift Nile Camp — dorm tent from £10/night, private tent from £20/night.

• →Arrive and settle in
• →Jinja Farmer's Market visit
• →Evening by the Nile

Jinja is East Africa's adrenaline hub — enjoy a full free day choosing from whitewater rafting on the Nile (one of the best rafting runs in the world), bungee jumping over the river, zip-lining, tubing or a gentle boat cruise to the Source of the Nile. All activities can be booked directly on arrival at the Nile River Explorers or Adrift offices. Budget for at least one major activity.

🚌Activities are accessed directly from your riverside camp — no additional transport needed.

🛏Nile River Explorers Camp or Adrift Nile Camp — dorm tent from £10/night, private tent from £20/night.

• →Whitewater rafting full day — book direct with Nile River Explorers or Adrift (~USD 130–140)
• →OR Bungee jumping (~USD 115)
• →OR Nile boat cruise to Source of the Nile (~USD 35–40)
• →OR Cycling, zip-lining or tubing (~USD 20–60)

Rise early and grab a rolex (Uganda's beloved chapati-and-egg street food) from a roadside stall before hopping on transport west to Fort Portal, the gateway town for Kibale Forest. From Fort Portal take a short boda-boda or shared taxi to your accommodation near the park entrance. The journey is long (~7–8 hours total) but passes through beautiful rolling green highlands. Stock up on supplies in Fort Portal before heading to the park.

🚌Shared minibus from Jinja to Kampala (~£2), then onward bus from Kampala to Fort Portal (~£5, ~5 hours). Shared taxi or boda-boda from Fort Portal to Kibale (~£2–3).

🛏Kibale Forest Camp or Rwenzori Travellers Inn (Fort Portal) — budget banda/room from £20–30/night.

• →Street food rolex breakfast (~£0.50)
• →Arrive and settle near Kibale park gate
• →Optional evening walk around the lodge grounds

This is one of the highlights of the whole trip. Head to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) office at Kanyanchu to join the morning chimpanzee trek — book your permit in advance through the UWA website (ugandawildlife.org). Expert UWA rangers lead you into the dense rainforest to track habituated chimpanzee communities. Treks last 2–4 hours depending on chimp location. In the afternoon, walk to the nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary — a community-run ecotourism project with guided walks through papyrus swamps rich in birds (including the great blue turaco), monkeys and butterflies. Book directly at the sanctuary gate.

🚌Short walk or boda-boda to Kanyanchu UWA gate (~£1).

🛏Kibale Forest Camp or Rwenzori Travellers Inn — budget banda/room from £20–30/night.

• →Chimpanzee trekking permit — book via UWA (ugandawildlife.org), USD 200/person
• →Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary guided walk — book at gate, USD 10–15/person
• →Optional canoe ride on crater lake (~USD 25)

Start early for the long but spectacular drive south through Queen Elizabeth National Park — as you pass through, keep your eyes peeled for elephants and buffalo on the roadside (this counts as a free 'en route' game drive). Continue through the rolling hills, tea plantations and crater lakes of southwestern Uganda to Bwindi. Stop for lunch in a local village along the way. Arrive at Bwindi in the late afternoon — rest well, because tomorrow is the big day.

🚌Hire a private car or shared taxi for this route as public transport to Bwindi is very limited. A shared hire car split between 3–4 travellers costs approximately £25–35pp for the day. Ask your guesthouse to arrange this — meet other travellers at Kibale to share costs.

🛏Bwindi View Guesthouse or Trekkers Tavern (Buhoma village) — budget rooms from £25–35/night.

• →En-route wildlife spotting through Queen Elizabeth NP (free from vehicle)
• →Village lunch stop
• →Relax and prepare kit for gorilla trek

The undisputed highlight of the entire trip. Report to the UWA office in Buhoma by 7:30am with your gorilla permit (pre-booked months in advance via ugandawildlife.org — permits sell out fast). Expert rangers and trackers lead you through the dense, misty rainforest to find one of Bwindi's habituated gorilla families. You get exactly one hour with the gorillas — an utterly humbling experience. The trek can take 2–8 hours depending on gorilla location, so bring water, snacks and waterproofs. Hire a local porter at the gate (USD 20 + tip) — strongly recommended and supports local communities. Return to your lodge for dinner by the fire.

🚌Short walk or boda-boda to UWA Buhoma gate (~£1).

🛏Bwindi View Guesthouse or Trekkers Tavern — budget rooms from £25–35/night.

• →Mountain Gorilla Permit — book via UWA (ugandawildlife.org), USD 800/person
• →Optional porter hire at gate (~USD 20 + tip)
• →Optional Batwa cultural village visit (~USD 35)

Leave Bwindi behind and travel northeast to Lake Mburo — Uganda's smallest savannah park and a wonderfully underrated gem. The park is famous for its zebras (over 5,000!), impalas, hippos and elands. Unlike Uganda's other parks, Lake Mburo allows walking safaris, which are a fantastic and affordable way to experience the bush. Arrive mid-afternoon and take an evening boat ride on the lake to spot hippos and crocodiles at close range.

🚌Shared taxi or arranged hire car from Bwindi toward Mbarara, then onward to Lake Mburo (~£15–20pp split between travellers).

🛏Rwonyo Rest Camp (UWA-managed inside the park) — bandas from £20–30/night. Budget option: Rwakobo Rock or Eagles Nest nearby.

• →Walking safari in Lake Mburo NP — book at UWA gate (~USD 25/person)
• →Evening boat ride on Lake Mburo (~USD 30/person)
• →Optional game drive (~USD 45)

Rise early for a final morning game drive through Lake Mburo — the golden morning light is perfect for spotting zebra herds and impalas. After, begin the long drive back to Entebbe (approximately 5 hours). Arrive in the afternoon with time to relax, do laundry, repack and reflect on an extraordinary week in Uganda. Head out for a final Ugandan dinner — try the rolex, matoke or fresh Nile perch.

🚌Early morning game drive by UWA vehicle (~USD 45) then shared taxi or bus back toward Kampala and Entebbe (~£5–8).

🛏Boma Guesthouse or Entebbe Backpackers — private room from £18/night.

• →Morning game drive in Lake Mburo NP (~USD 45)
• →Return journey to Entebbe
• →Final Ugandan dinner

Transfer to Entebbe Airport for your flight to Nairobi (multiple airlines serve this route including Kenya Airways, RwandAir and Fly540 — book in advance for best prices). Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and take the modern Nairobi Expressway shuttle or public matatu into the city centre. Check into your accommodation in the Westlands or Lavington areas — safer and more traveller-friendly neighbourhoods. Use a money belt in Nairobi and avoid walking with valuables on display. Explore the lively Westgate area or head to the Carnivore restaurant area for dinner.

🚌Flight Entebbe to Nairobi — book in advance via Skyscanner, typically £60–120 one-way. Airport transfer by matatu or shuttle bus ~£2–5. Uber is widely available and reliable in Nairobi (~£5–10 to city centre).

🛏Upper Hill Campsite & Hostel or Milimani Backpackers — dorm from £12, private room from £25.

• →Arrive and orientate in Nairobi
• →Optional: Nairobi National Museum (~£4)
• →Dinner in Westlands area

Depart Nairobi early, stopping in Narok town for supplies. Travel southwest into the remote and rarely visited Loita Hills — the traditional heartland of the Maasai people. This region sees very few tourists and offers one of the most authentic cultural encounters in East Africa. Arrive at a Maasai community camp and be welcomed with traditional warrior songs and dances. A community elder delivers a talk about Maasai history, customs and land rights. Visit a traditional manyatta homestead and see where cattle are kraaled at night. Spend the night camping under a vast starlit sky.

🚌Hire a shared 4WD or join a shared shuttle from Nairobi to Narok/Loita Hills (~£15–20pp). Narok is accessible by public matatu from Nairobi (~£4), but onward to Loita Hills requires a 4WD. Ask at your Nairobi hostel to connect with other travellers to share costs.

🛏Loita Hills Community Camp — basic tented camping with meals (~£20–25pp all-in with community fee).

• →Maasai village cultural visit (community fee ~USD 35–50pp)
• →Traditional warrior dance and elder talk
• →Night under the stars in the bush

Travel from Loita Hills to the Maasai Mara National Reserve — one of Africa's most iconic wildlife destinations. The vast open plains, thorn trees and enormous herds of zebra and wildebeest make this a photographer's paradise. Check into a budget camp just outside the reserve boundary (inside is expensive), then join an afternoon 4WD game drive in search of the Big Five. As a self-guided traveller, book your game drives directly with your camp or via GetYourGuide/direct operators — rates are significantly cheaper than those bundled into group tours.

🚌Shared 4WD transfer from Loita Hills to Mara camps (~£15–20pp). If starting from Nairobi instead, shared shuttles depart from hotels in Westlands (~£25pp, 5–6 hours).

🛏Mara Explorers Camp or Keekorok area budget camps — camping from £12/night, budget banda from £25/night.

• →Afternoon half-day 4WD game drive — book direct at camp or via GetYourGuide (~USD 60–80pp)
• →Sundowner at camp

A full day in the Mara — Africa at its most cinematic. Your full-day game drive covers different zones of the reserve searching for lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and (in season, July–October) the Great Wildebeest Migration. Pack a picnic lunch from your camp. For an unforgettable splurge, consider an optional hot air balloon safari at sunrise — this must be pre-booked directly with Governors' Balloon Safaris or Mara Balloon Safaris (USD 450–500). Return to camp for a campfire dinner under the stars.

🚌Full-day game drive in shared 4WD — book at your camp or directly. Cost is typically USD 60–90pp including park fees if sharing with others, or USD 150–200 for a private vehicle split between 3–4 people.

🛏Mara Explorers Camp or budget camp — camping from £12/night.

• →Full day 4WD game drive (~USD 60–90pp)
• →Optional sunrise hot air balloon safari — book direct with Governors' or Mara Balloon Safaris (~USD 450–500)
• →Bush picnic lunch
• →Campfire dinner

Cross the Kenya-Tanzania border today and make your way to the shores of Lake Victoria near Musoma — Africa's largest lake and the world's largest tropical lake. This is a long travel day (10–11 hours including border crossing formalities), so stock up on snacks and water before departure. Arrive in the late afternoon with time to watch the sunset over the lake with a cold Kilimanjaro beer. A basic campsite or guesthouse in Musoma sits right on the lakefront.

🚌Shared matatu or arranged 4WD from Mara camps to the Tanzania border at Isebania (~2 hours, ~£8). Obtain your Tanzania e-visa in advance at evisa.go.tz (~USD 50). Shared bus from border to Musoma (~£5, ~2–3 hours).

🛏Musoma lakefront guesthouse (e.g. Tembo Beach Hotel or similar) — basic room from £15–20/night.

• →Kenya-Tanzania border crossing
• →Sunset over Lake Victoria
• →Stock up at Musoma local market

Travel from Musoma to the western gate of the Serengeti — Tanzania's most celebrated national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The road is smooth and the journey takes 3–4 hours. Once inside the park, your vehicle doubles as a game drive — keep eyes peeled from the moment you enter. The Serengeti's vast golden plains stretch to the horizon dotted with acacia trees, kopje rock formations and enormous wildlife populations. Arrive at your campsite by late afternoon.

🚌Shared 4WD hire from Musoma to Serengeti Western Corridor gate, then into the park. Cost split between 3–4 travellers is approximately £20–30pp. Serengeti entry fee: USD 82.60/person/24 hours (pay at gate — bring USD cash or card).

🛏Public campsite in Serengeti (book via Tanzania National Parks — tanzaniaparks.go.tz) — ~USD 40/person/night. Bring your own tent or hire at the gate.

• →En-route game drive entering Serengeti
• →Arrive and set up camp
• →Evening wildlife spotting from camp

A full immersive day in the Serengeti. Morning game drives are best for predator sightings — lions are often active at dawn, and cheetahs hunt on the open plains. The central Seronera area is excellent year-round. An afternoon drive offers different sightings as animals head to waterholes. The Serengeti is home to around 1.5 million wildebeest, 500,000 zebras, and all of the Big Five. In the evening, sit outside your tent and listen to lions roaring across the plains.

🚌Use your shared 4WD for all game drives within the park. Serengeti park fees continue from Day 15.

🛏Public campsite in Serengeti (~USD 40/person/night).

• →Morning Big Five game drive
• →Seronera Valley hippo pool visit
• →Afternoon game drive to waterhole
• →Optional balloon safari over the Serengeti — book via Serengeti Balloon Safaris (serengetiballoon.com, ~USD 599)

Drive east from the Serengeti, crossing the boundary into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area — a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing the world's largest intact volcanic caldera. The 19km-wide crater floor is home to an astonishing concentration of wildlife including all of the Big Five (one of the few reliable places to see black rhino in the wild), flamingos on the soda lake, and enormous lion prides. Descend into the crater this afternoon for a game drive. The views from the rim are spectacular — don't rush through without stopping.

🚌Shared 4WD from Serengeti to Ngorongoro rim (~3 hours). Ngorongoro Conservation Area fee: USD 82.60/person/24 hours plus crater service fee USD 295.60 per vehicle/day (share between 4–6 people to reduce cost).

🛏Simba Public Campsite on the Ngorongoro rim — USD 40/person/night (book via tanzaniaparks.go.tz). Bring warm layers — the rim is cold at night.

• →Drive through Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• →Afternoon descent into the crater for game drive
• →Rim sunset views
• →Night camping under the stars

A full day descending into the Ngorongoro Crater — the wildlife highlight of Tanzania for many travellers. The crater floor covers 260 sq km and is essentially a self-contained ecosystem. Spend the morning searching for black rhino in the Lerai Forest and watching lions hunt on the short-grass plains. The hippo pool at Mandusi is a must-visit. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the crater floor (compulsory — no leaving the vehicle except at designated spots). Return to the rim for your final night camping in Tanzania.

🚌4WD required within the crater — use your shared vehicle. Crater descents are only permitted in 4WD vehicles with a registered guide/driver.

🛏Simba Public Campsite on the Ngorongoro rim — USD 40/person/night.

• →Full-day crater game drive
• →Search for black rhino in Lerai Forest
• →Hippo pool at Mandusi
• →Picnic lunch on crater floor
• →Flamingo viewing at Lake Magadi

Drive from the Ngorongoro rim down to Arusha — the safari capital of Tanzania and your final destination. The journey takes around 3 hours on a good tarmac road, passing through the lush Arusha region with Mount Meru rising in the distance. Arusha has a great selection of cafes, restaurants and souvenir markets — the Cultural Heritage Centre and Maasai Market are excellent for last-minute gifts. Celebrate the end of an epic 19-day journey with a cold Kilimanjaro and a proper sit-down meal. From Arusha, Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is 45 minutes away for onward flights.

🚌Shared bus or arranged transfer from Ngorongoro to Arusha (~£8–12pp, ~3 hours).

🛏Arusha Backpackers Hotel or Arusha Naaz Hotel — dorm from £10, private room from £22.

• →Morning drive to Arusha
• →Maasai Market souvenir shopping
• →Cultural Heritage Centre visit
• →Celebratory farewell dinner in Arusha