This route opens in Kenya with the Maasai Mara’s predators and Lake Nakuru’s flamingo-lined shores, then flies to Uganda for gorilla trekking in Bwindi and Big Five game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park — savanna wildlife first, forest primates second.
Detailed Itinerary
DAY 1
Your driver-guide meets you at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for the drive south-west, dropping off the Rift Valley escarpment near Maai Mahiu with a photo stop at the viewpoint, then on through Narok town before the final stretch onto reserve land. Afternoon game drive on arrival.
Arrive Nairobi, Transfer to Maasai Mara
Accommodation Options
BudgetEnchoro Wildlife Camp
Mid-rangeSarova Mara Game Camp
LuxuryAngama Mara
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
DAY 2
A full day across the Mara’s plains for lion, leopard and, in season, migrating wildebeest herds, split by a picnic lunch wherever the morning’s sightings take you.
Full Day Maasai Mara Game Drives
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3
The drive north-east climbs back up onto the Rift Valley floor, roughly three to four hours, arriving with time for an afternoon game drive around the lake’s alkaline shores for flamingos and the park’s dedicated black-and-white rhino sanctuary.
Transfer to Lake Nakuru
Accommodation Options
BudgetNaishi House
Mid-rangeLake Nakuru Lodge
LuxurySarova Lion Hill Game Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4
A transfer to Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for a regional flight to Entebbe, then a road transfer south-west to Queen Elizabeth National Park, arriving by evening.
Fly to Entebbe, Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP
Accommodation Options
BudgetSimba Safari Camp
Mid-rangeKatara Lodge
LuxuryMweya Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5
An early morning game drive followed by a late-morning boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, the narrow waterway linking Lakes Edward and George, reliably delivering some of the highest hippo and Nile crocodile density anywhere in Uganda.
Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise and Game Drive
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6
A drive south to Bwindi via the Ishasha sector, scanning the fig and euphorbia trees for the sector’s famous tree-climbing lions.
Transfer to Bwindi via Ishasha
Accommodation Options
BudgetBuhoma Community Camp
Mid-rangeEngagi Lodge
LuxuryBuhoma Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7
7:30am briefing at park headquarters, then the trek itself through dense rainforest — thirty minutes to six hours — followed by a strict hour with your gorilla family.
Gorilla Trekking, Bwindi
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8
A genuinely useful buffer day given how demanding the trek can be — a second gorilla trek with a different family is available for travellers who want it (booked and paid separately), or simply a day to rest and process the experience at the lodge.
Buffer Day or Second Trek, Bwindi
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 9
The drive back to Entebbe runs through Lake Mburo’s open grassland, Uganda’s smallest savanna park, with time for a stopover game drive if the schedule allows — zebra here are a genuine rarity, the only population in any Uganda park.
Transfer to Entebbe
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeLake View Hotel Entebbe
LuxuryBoma Guesthouse Entebbe
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 10
Transfer to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight.
Departure
Meals: Breakfast
Permits & Costs
| Maasai Mara conservancy/reserve fees | ~$100 per person per day |
| Lake Nakuru park entry | ~$60 per person per day |
| Queen Elizabeth NP entry & boat cruise | ~$70 per person |
| Uganda gorilla permit | $800 per person |
Who This Itinerary Suits
Travellers who want Kenya’s classic savanna wildlife first, treating Uganda’s forests and gorillas as the trip’s culminating experience rather than its opening act.Tour Includes
- All ground transport in 4×4 safari vehicles
- Kazinga Channel boat cruise
- Regional flight segments
- Professional English-speaking driver-guides in each country
- All accommodation per itinerary
- Meals as specified
- Park entry & gorilla permit
Tour Excludes
- International flights
- Optional second gorilla permit
- Visas
- Tips & gratuities
- Travel insurance