8 Day Masai Mara and Uganda Safari

Itinerary Summarised for you

Experience the ultimate 8 Day Masai Mara and Uganda Safari, immersing yourself in the thrill of encountering Uganda’s majestic Mountain Gorillas and exploring Kenya’s renowned Masai Mara National Park. Embark on an adventure like no other as you witness captivating wildlife during a game-viewing excursion at Masai Mara Game Reserve, one of the most prestigious national parks globally. The vast plains of Masai Mara are teeming with a multitude of African wildlife, including Africa’s Big Five. Discover why Masai Mara is famous for its stunning landscapes, incredible wildebeest migration, and thriving populations of magnificent big cats.

  • Day 1: Masai Mara to Nairobi Africa
  • Day 2: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
  • Day 3: Masai Mara to Eldoret – Kenya
  • Day 4: Eldoret to Jinja, Uganda
  • Day 5: White Water Rafting and Transfer to Kampala
  • Day 6: Kampala to Bwindi National Park (Uganda) – Uganda
  • Day 7: Gorilla Trekking and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi
  • Day 8: Departure and Transfer to Kampala

Detailed Itinerary: 8 Day Masai Mara and Uganda Safari

Day 1: Masai Mara to Nairobi Africa

Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, is the starting point of our eight-day safari. At 7:00 H, our knowledgeable guide will come to your lodging and take you to the Masai Mara National Reserve. Alternatively, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport may be the place of pick-up, depending on your itinerary; however, you will need to arrange a flight that arrives in Nairobi early in the morning.
The Masai Mara National Reserve may be reached from Nairobi by car in six hours. Before you set out on your eight-day guided safari to Africa’s largest wildlife reserve, you will receive a briefing. Relish breathtaking drive-through vistas of the Rift Valley lowlands, gorgeous savannah grasslands, and Nairobi suburbs. Soon after we stop for photographs at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, you will carry on to the park. We check you into your accommodations at the Park right before lunch. Following the refreshments, you will head out for an evening game drive where you can witness a variety of animals, such as giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, gigantic elephants, and hippopotamuses, among many other species.
Accommodation: Top-notch lodges/ Camp

Day 2: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Spend the next 6 to 10 hours engaging in game viewing at Kenya’s renowned Masai Mara National Reserve. Enjoy both a morning and an afternoon game drive, complete with a specially arranged bush breakfast, as you seek out the Big Five and other fascinating wildlife such as Masai giraffes, baboons, warthogs, wildebeests, buffaloes, zebras, jackals, spotted hyenas, topi, impala, hartebeests, bat-eared foxes, crocodiles, and hippos along the Mara and Talek Rivers.
If your visit falls between July and September, prepare for the exhilarating spectacle of the Great Wildebeest Migration. This natural phenomenon involves the migration of over 4 million grazers from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, making it a prime time for many visitors.
Note that there’s an optional cultural excursion to the Maasai tribe community within the park. This visit offers you the opportunity to delve into the Maasai culture, traditions, and way of life, and experience their cultural dance.
Following an incredible full day of game viewing, we’ll transfer back to the lodge or camp for a delightful dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 3: Masai Mara to Eldoret – Kenya

In the early morning, we depart from the Masai Mara Game Reserve, having enjoyed an incredible wildlife experience. Leaving the Mara, we drive through the picturesque tea estates of Kericho, situated to the west of the spectacular Rift Valley. Descending from the lush highlands, we reach the Rift Valley Floor. Subsequently, we proceed to Eldoret, one of Kenya’s rapidly growing towns located south of the Cherangani Hills in western Kenya. Dinner and an overnight stay await us at a hotel in Eldoret.

Day 4: Eldoret to Jinja, Uganda

In the morning, we cross the western border of Kenya and enter the “Pearl of Africa,” Uganda. Our destination is Jinja, known as East Africa’s Adventure City, where we will spend our first night in Uganda. We explore the source of the River Nile on a sunset cruise, witnessing the birthplace of the mighty Nile River. Here, water flows rapidly from Lake Victoria on its journey to the Mediterranean. It’s worth noting that only a small percentage, estimated to be no more than 5%, of the water here will eventually reach Egypt. Dinner and overnight accommodations are provided at a hotel in Jinja.

Day 5: White Water Rafting and Transfer to Kampala

Commencing early in the morning after breakfast, we set off for an exhilarating white-water rafting adventure on the rapids of the majestic River Nile. White water rafting in Jinja offers an immersive experience of navigating through turbulent and chaotic rapids. The rapids along the Nile in Jinja are graded 4 and 5, providing one of the most thrilling whitewater rafting experiences in Africa. Following this exciting activity, we visit Itanda Falls for a scenic encounter before embarking on a 3-hour drive to Kampala, making a stop at Ssezibwa Falls along the route.

Day 6: Kampala to Bwindi National Park (Uganda) – Uganda

Rising early to a hearty breakfast, we embark on a road journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The 8-hour drive takes us through the suburbs of Kampala city, with a brief stop at the Equator point. Continuing our journey, we traverse through stunning landscapes of terraced hills and gentle valleys in western Uganda. Late in the afternoon, we arrive at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, where we check into our accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.Mountain Gorillas | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park|8 Day Masai Mara and Uganda Safari

Day 7: Gorilla Trekking and Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi

After a fortifying breakfast, we pack a picnic lunch and head to a ranger’s station, the starting point for our gorilla trekking adventure. Led by knowledgeable guides, we venture into the thick rainforest to observe a gorilla family. The duration of gorilla trekking can vary from 45 minutes to 8 hours, depending on the ease of locating the gorillas. Trekking can be moderately strenuous, requiring participants to be reasonably fit. After spending a maximum of one hour with the mountain gorillas, we return to our accommodation, check out, and transfer to Lake Bunyonyi for a relaxing dugout canoe cruise, reaching our booked accommodation overlooking the lake.

Day 8: Departure and Transfer to Kampala

Following the extraordinary gorilla trekking experience and enjoying the serenity of Lake Bunyonyi, we return to Kampala. Along the way, we cross the Equator once again, pausing for the classic “one foot on each side of the equator” photo. Our Overland Camping Safari concludes upon arrival in Kampala. This evening, you have the option to savour the local nightlife after the safari.

End of 8 Day Masai Mara and Uganda Safari

 Safari Inclusions

  • Lunch
  • Bottled Water
  • Accommodation (5-nights)
  • Safari 4×4 Vehicle
  • Gorilla permit and park fees
  • English speaking guide

Safari Exclusions

  • Visas and International flights
  • Tips