Ever thought of combining East Africa magical wildlife experiences in just one itinerary? Here you are! This 15 Days African Family Safari in East Africa commences from Nairobi city in Kenya, to the golden Savannah of the Maasai Mara in southern Kenya and Serengeti National Park to marvel at the Great Migration.
Then it moves on to Ngorongoro Crater, home of Africa’s Big five – lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo, as well as a host to numerous other animals before flying to the pearl of Uganda for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking experiences in Uganda’s teeming Bwindi and Kibale forests.
15 Days African Family Safari in East Africa
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi
Meet and greet with your safari guide on arrival for your 15 Days Adventure in East Africa at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Thereafter receive a short briefing about the entire safari to give you a vivid idea on the places you are going to visit, accommodation arrangements and activities to expect. Be driven immediately to your overnight hotel for dinner and relaxation in the heart of Nairobi city.
Day 2: Travel to Maasai Mara National Reserve
Finish breakfast by 08:30am on day 2 of your 15 Days Adventure in East Africa and drive for a 6 hours’ journey to the Maasai Mara reserve. Traverse the agriculturally rich central highlands of Kenya and a brief stop at the rift valley escarpments to spot the magnificent East African Great Rift Valley.
Descend to the floor of the escarpment and later proceed to the Maasai Mara region arriving in time for lunch. Relax and in the afternoon, go for your first game viewing experience to search for amazing animals till the sunset when you return to the camp for dinner and night stay.
Day 3: Full day of game drive
Maasai Mara reserve is Kenya’s finest wildlife hub; everything about it is outstanding. The wildlife is abundant and its gentle rolling grassland is home to amazing populations of animals that never go out of sight during game drives.
Bird life too is prolific, inclusive of migrant birds, 53 birds of prey and common bird species. Mara’s wildlife is far from being confined within the reserve boundaries and an even expanse area, particularly referred to as the ‘dispersal area’, extends north and east of the game reserve, all offering endless opportunities of game drives.
The massive herds of shuffling elephants browse among the rich tree-studded grasslands with an occasional sighting of an ill-tempered and solitary rhino, as well as 1000s of herbivores such as Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelles, Elands and Topis provide wide range of food options for the dwelling predators; such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs that all hunt in this pristine wilderness.
Day 4: Maasai Mara – Serengeti National Reserve
After breakfast, with your guide leave Maasai Mara and head towards Serengeti National Park, via the beautiful low lying Lake Victoria basin. Catching all the amazing scenery as it unfolds, soon you will descend into the heart of Africa’s wilderness – the Serengeti National Park with its endless plains, stretching into the distant horizons as far as the eye can see.
Depending on your place of accommodation, head to the central park region, known as the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park, which contains the Seronera River, and provides a valuable water source to this area, hence attracting wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s inhabitants.
Arrive just in time for lunch and later head out for an afternoon game drive in the Serengeti National Park until evening sets in when you will return to your tented camp for dinner and night stay.
Day 5&6: Game drives in Serengeti
Pre-sunrise game drive in Central Serengeti searching for overnight hunting predators, and other early risers, mammals and birds. Later return to the lodge for breakfast. depart thereafter with picnic lunch and drive towards the North Serengeti for another wildlife filled game drive.
If it’s the great migration season (late July to mid-October), you may be lucky to spot huge herds of gazelles and wildebeests crossing the famous Mara river to Maasai Mara reserve in Kenya and back to Serengeti national park. You also have high chances of seeing the migration crossing while the crocodiles in Mara river attack them.
Discover Northern Serengeti on the second day; a place filled with lots of big cats, giraffes, elephants, hippos, impalas and it is also an excellent spot to view the endangered black rhino. Late afternoon, you may check in at Serengeti Mbugani camp, based in the North Serengeti for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: To Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Leave Serengeti N/park with an enroute game drive, and head for Ngorongoro crater. A short stop at the gate for registration and drive up to the View point making another brief stop to get some of the most breathtaking sightings over the Crater floor and capture memorable photos.
Thereafter descend into the Ngorongoro Crater floor and undertake game drives for the rest of the day. Have lunch at the Ngorongoro picnic site by the hippo poolside and later proceed with game drives, later in the afternoon, drive up the Crater rim and out to Karatu for night stay at a lodge.
Day 8: Full day in Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, usually referred to as the “Eden of Africa” and the world’s largest unbroken caldera. It also doubles as an unparalleled hub in terms of wildlife concentration. Your drive will be in constant contact with other guides/drivers to locate the best sightings of animals and with a little luck you will be able to encounter all the big 5 inside the Crater. Enjoy a delicious lunch at the picnic site and later in the evening, return to the Crater rim for sunset views and then drive back to the lodge at Karatu.
Day 9: Ngorongoro – Arusha & fly to Kampala
After breakfast you will head straight to Arusha for lunch after a short stop on a traditional Maasai village along the way. After lunch visit the Maasai market for curio shopping (if interested), then you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro airport for your connecting flight to Entebbe.
Day 10: Kampala – Kibale Forest NP
The Ugandan safari leg will start from your Kampala hotel where you will be received by the assigned driver/guide after breakfast and depart for Kibale Forest NP. This popular park is a remarkable hub for amazing primate population – up to 13 different species, including the famous chimpanzees, colobus and red-tailed monkeys.
Arrive in the late afternoon (evening) and check into your accommodation, refresh, or take a relaxed walk to the nearby crater lakes and later enjoy your dinner plus the overnight stay (awaiting the next day’s activity).
Day 11: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi wetlands visit
Have breakfast and head to the rangers’ station where you will receive some briefing on the dos and don’ts to observe during chimp trekking. Thereafter, you will continue to trek chimpanzees within the misty Kibale Forest. An experienced ranger guide will take you chimp tracking amidst Kibale Forest and you will be fascinated by the sights of primates here. Once you locate the chimpanzees, you will have a full hour in their presence.
Return to the lodge for lunch after which you will head to Bigodi wetland sanctuary. Interact freely with the locals, nature walk within Bigodi Wetland & see birds like the great blue turaco, African hobby, Black kite, Scarlet-chested bird, Swamp flycatcher, Herons, Grey-crowned crane, Weaver birds & many more. Later in the evening, return to the lodge for relaxation & enjoy your evening in a serene atmosphere.
Day 12: Transfer to Bwindi NP
Breakfast and a leisurely morning, you will transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park through the Southerly Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park (optional) ; and this tour will offer you opportunities to sight the elusive tree climbing lions as this is the only place where they can be found in Uganda and second to only Lake Manyara national park in Northern Tanzania. Have an en route lunch, and continue to Bwindi forest; arrive and check in at the lodge for dinner & stay at leisure to recuperate from the journey.
At 331 sq. km, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to 50% the world’s endangered mountain gorillas, more than 346 bird species, 202 species of butterflies, 63 tree species, 400 plant species, 120 mammal species & 27 amphibian species. There is also a golden opportunity to meet and interact with some of the world’s shortest people (Batwa) who live next to the mountain gorillas.
Day 13: Gorilla trekking and overnight at Lake Bunyonyi
After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for briefing at exactly 8:00 am and tracking will commence in the next 30 minutes after registration and briefing by the ranger guides. Gorilla tracking is a very captivating and unforgettable experience which more than repays the effort needed to reach Bwindi. This starts at 8:30 am and can last a few hours to a whole day depending on where the gorillas were left the previous day. After the gorilla tracking experience, return to the lodge and have your lunch with a storytelling campfire at night.
In the evening you may travel to the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, located only 8km out of Kabale town. A night stay and dinner at one of the scenic located either on the banks of the lake or perched at one of the 29 islands.
Day 14: Full day at Lake Bunyonyi
Spend their day exploring Africa’s second deepest lake and home to over 29 islands, including the some with rich history, including Akampene (Punishment) and Sharp’s/leprosy islands, etc. With a canoe ride or motor boat cruise, visit all these islands and learn about their rich history, also mix and mingle with local communities and fishermen while casting their nets for a day’s catch.
Day 15: Lake Bunyonyi – Kampala & departure
After an early breakfast, depart Lake Bunyonyi for Kampala City. You may have a lunch stop-over (optional) in Mbarara at either Hotel Triangle or Igongo country hotel & proceed to Mpigi stopping at the equator; for a photo opportunity.
After the equator, proceed to Kampala city where upon arrival check into your hotel & spend the rest of the evening at leisure or undertake a night life in the bustling city of Kampala.
End of 15 Days African Family Safari in East Africa.
