The 8 days Bwindi & Masai Mara Tour is one of the most popular combined East African Safaris offering chances of exploring Uganda’s top safari destination-Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as well as Kenya’s most spectacular safari destination-Masai Mara National Reserve. The 8-9 hours’ journey from Kampala to south-western Uganda leads you to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, for once-in-a-lifetime encounter of the mountain gorillas in their natural environment.
Visiting Masai Mara National Reserve means encountering the big five animals-lions, Rhinos, Buffaloes, elephants and leopards as well as Masai giraffes, Defassa waterbucks, serval cats, cheetahs, common elands and many other of Africa’s game species. If your tour falls within the right season, you will witness the Great migration where large herds of grant’s gazelles, wildebeests and zebras move from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park to this part of Kenya.
This extended East African Safari starts in Uganda, Entebbe International Airport and ends in Kenya, at Jomo Kenyatta Airport.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival in Uganda through Entebbe International Airport and transfer to a Hotel.
Pick-up from Entebbe International Airport on arrival and be driven to a Hotel in Entebbe Town for meals, overnight and relaxation as you wait for the start of your safari activities.
Day 2: All day Tour at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and night stay in Kampala.
Breakfast at the Hotel in Entebbe Town and be transferred to the jetty near Uganda Wildlife Education Center for a boat ride on Lake Victoria to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. During your tour, you will participate in Chimpanzee feeding and viewing from the raised platform. Take a break from your activities to have Lunch and undertake a short community visit/birding expedition and take the boat ride back to Entebbe, then be driven to Kampala for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in south-western Uganda.
On finishing your breakfast, prepare yourself for pick-up from your safari driver for a drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in south-western Uganda for your gorilla trekking experience. Drive through a number of Towns while enjoying views of rolling hills and banana plantations then take a break at the Uganda Equator.
Take a cup of coffee, snacks, stretch legs and take photos while experimenting how the Earth is divided into North and Southern Hemispheres. After this short relaxation continue with your journey and take another break at Agip Motel in Mbarara Town for Lunch and another relaxation.
The Lunch break lasts one hour and is followed by a non-stop drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where you will arrive in the evening for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Memorable Gorilla Trekking Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and optional cultural visit.
Breakfast will start off your gorilla trekking day in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is followed by a transfer (by vehicle or on-foot) to the Park Headquarters (within any of the four gorilla trekking sectors) for registration and briefing. At 8:00am start the adventurous walk through the jungles to search for the mountain gorillas and this will take 1- 5 hours.
Your hours of walking, jumping rivers, hiking hills and sometimes falling will pay off when you finally encounter the gentle giants and spend one hour in their presence. Get back to your Lodge for Lunch and in the evening opt for a cultural visit through Batwa communities, after which have Dinner and overnight stay at the booked lodge.
Day 5: Fly from Bwindi to Masai Mara National Reserve.
Have Breakfast and check-out of the Lodge for a transfer to Kihihi Airstrip, where you will take a flight to Masai Mara National Reserve within the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. On landing at this magnificent Safari destination, meet with your safari guide who will drive you through the Park to your booked place of stay for meals and overnight stay.
Day 6: All day Masai Mara exploration tour.
There is an extraordinary feeling and attachment you get when you visit the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and this stays with you even after you are long gone. Its vast savannah plains dotted with different wildlife species and the jaw-dropping views of the Great migration cannot be described in words.
A full day of exploring this African wilderness provides a totality of everything African offers and requires carrying packed Lunch and enough drinking water. Start the day with breakfast at the Lodge/or Tented Camp and be driven into the vast plains where large herds of zebras, wildebeests, Kobs, serval cats, elephants, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, Hippos, Grant’s gazelles, Jackson’s hartebeests, Cape buffaloes, lions, Masai giraffes, leopards and many others.
As the sun becomes hotter, you will also become hungrier and at this point you will take a break from your wildlife and bird exploration to have Lunch. Interact with fellow visitors and guides then continue with your wildlife viewing experience, then drive back for dinner and overnight stay at the same Lodge/ or Tented Camp.
Day 7: 2nd day of Masai Mara exploration.
This is another wonderful day of uncovering the raw beauty of Masai Mara National Park and begins with breakfast at the Lodge or Tented Camp. You will either undertake a walking safari to discover animals in their hideouts or Hot air balloon tour for the 360 degree views of the Park’s outstanding savannah Plains, the Mara River, wildlife and bird species. Enjoy your picnic lunch and head for a tour through Masai Village/community to discover their pastoralist culture and way of life.
Day 8: Half day game drive and drive to Jomo Kenyatta Airport. Departure.
Have breakfast and undertake your last game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve before departing for Jomo International Airport in Nairobi. From here you will continue to your next destination as you end this 8 days Bwindi & Masai Mara national park safari.
