35 days long East African safari is a magical safari that will allow you to explore East Africa’s top tourist destinations as you make visits to renowned African travel destinations namely Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. This 35 days long East African safari commences in Kenya for a city tour around Nairobi and proceeding to explore Kenya’s magical plains while viewing some of the world’s wonders ranging from Lake Nakuru historically known for its flamingoes, Lake Naivasha and Masai Mara National reserve a great spot for the world’s dramatic animal migration. Explore Tanzania’s wonders while visiting Serengeti National Park, Ngoro Ngoro conservation area, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park that harbors the largest elephant population in East Africa. Your safari will further take you to Rwanda the “Land of a thousand hills” and Uganda the pearl of Africa that share the Virunga region with Democratic Republic of Congo. The Virunga region is known for harboring the highest gorilla population in the entire world that will be encountered in their natural habitat. Expect to encounter several other primates, bird species, big nine animals and the world’s strongest waterfalls which will be seen along the world’s longest River.
Day 1: Arrival in Kenya and Nairobi city tour
A driver guide from Glory summit tours and travel will be waiting to receive you at the airport and drive you to your reserved hotel in Nairobi to have a meal before you proceed for a tour in Kenya’s largest capital. He will then brief you through your itinerary and immediately set off for a tour around Nairobi while making visits to Karen Blixen museum, Nairobi giraffe center, Nairobi National Park, Nairobi National museum, Sheldrick wildlife trust and many more depending on your time of arrival. You will be driven back to your hotel to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 2: Travel to Lake Nakuru National Park and game viewing
Have your early morning breakfast and set off for Lake Nakuru National Park with a stopover at the Thomson’s water falls which is a 74meter water fall on the Ewaso Ngi’ro River in Kenya’s central Rift valley a few kilometers from Nyahururu town. You will arrive at the Park to check-in at your lodge and later have lunch after which you will set off for game viewing while admiring the scenic beauty of the Rift valley escarpments and the manifoldness of its ecosystem. A variety of animals will be spotted in Park’s wooded and bushy savannah grasslands such as waterbucks, gazelles, zebras, impalas, hyenas, Rothschild giraffes, cape buffaloes, black and white rhinos to mention but a few. Lake Nakuru is famous for its pink flamingos and it’s therefore a breeding place for native birds as well as attracting several migratory birds. You will return to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Lake Naivasha and a boat cruise
Greet your intestines with a hefty breakfast and set off for your drive to Lake Naivasha that harbors over 1500 hippopotamuses and vast bird species. You will arrive at your lodge to check-in and have your days’ lunch after which you will head off for a boat cruise along Lake Naivasha. Variety of aquatic species will be encountered such as hippopotamuses, crocodiles and several water birds for example Egyptian goose, white-backed duck, hottentot teal, northern shoveler, northern pintail, tufted duck, coqui francolin, greater and lesser flamingos, red-eyed dove, black cuckoo, red-chested cuckoo, common swift, African rail, striped crake, long-toed lapwing and many more. Return back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 4: Transfer to Masai Mara National Reserve and evening game drive
Wake up to a hefty breakfast, checkout of your lodge and be driven through the verdant picturesque landscapes of the rift valley arriving to check in at a prearranged lodge in Masai Mara National reserve located along the Tanzania-Kenya border. Masai Mara National Reserve is famous for its all year dramatic wildebeest migration that involves millions of wildebeests, gazelles and zebras crossing from the Serengeti plains of Tanzania in search for pastures and water. You will have your days’ lunch after which you will head off for an evening game drive in the Masai Mara plains where you will see vast bird species and animals such as the big five namely lions, buffaloes, leopards, rhinos, elephants and other mammals like giraffes, cheetahs, zebras, aardwolf, banded mongoose, bat eared fox and many more. Return back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 5: Entire day Masai Mara and wildebeest migration
Have your morning breakfast and head off for an entire day game viewing in the Masai Mara plains where you will encounter the Reserve’s predators as they feed on their prey before a day’s sunrise. Vast animals will be spotted grazing in the Masai Mara plains such as coke’s hartebeests, bushbucks, common elands, crested porcupine, dwarf mongoose, Grant’s gazelle, honey badger, impalas, kirk’s dik dik, klipspringer, oribis, topis and many more. Return back to your lodge for lunch after which you will be driven to the Mara River to experience the dramatic wildebeest migration where you will see predators feast on zebras, gazelles, wildebeests and many more. Get back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 6: Transfer to Serengeti National Park Tanzania – Evening game drive
This beautiful day starts with a morning breakfast, checkout of the lodge in Masai Mara to be driven to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania crossing via Isebania border to arrive in the endless plains as described by the Masai language “Serengeti”. You will arrive in Park to check-in at your booked lodge and have lunch. After lunch, you will hit the Serengeti plains for wildlife viewing where you will witness several animals in their natural habitats for example the big fives, elands, zebras, gazelles, impalas, cheetahs, topis, dik dik and many more. Vast bird life will be sported in the Park’s plains such as common waxbill, grey-breasted spur fowl, painted snipe, rufous-tailed weaver, Kori bustard to mention but a few. Retire off the plains back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 7: Whole day Serengeti National Park
Enjoy your tasty breakfast and head off to spend your entire day viewing Serengeti’s wildlife where you will be able to see nocturnal animals get back to their hide outs as you also capture the early risers of the jungle. You will have your lunch in the jungle as you enjoy the scenic beauty of the overlying plains with varying vegetation types from the north to the south. After lunch you will be driven to Northern Serengeti to witness one of the seven animal wonders in the world. You will see millions of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles around the Lamai triangle as they cross further in the north to Masai Mara National Reserve of Kenya. As the sun sets and time goes, you will be driven back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 8: Morning game drive and travel to Ngoro Ngoro conservation area
Today morning have breakfast and return to Serengeti’s savannah plains for game viewing to spot several animals that you could have missed out in the previous game drives. This lasts to about 4 to 5 hours after which you will be driven back to your lodge to have lunch. After your lunch, check out of the lodge in Serengeti National reserve to be driven to Ngoro Ngoro conservation area with a stopover at the ancient Olduvai gorge which is one of the most important paleoanthropological localities in the world where you will further understand the early human evolution. This site is registered as one of the National historic sites of Tanzania. You will proceed with your drive arriving in the late afternoon to check-in at your reserved lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 9: Full day crater tour and wildlife viewing
You will have your breakfast served as early as 6:00am and be driven down to the crater floor for Ngoro Ngoro crater tour where you will encounter several mammals. This area is also a perfect place to spot the big five of the jungle as well as viewing other wildlife. Animals that will be spotted include carnivores like lions, cheetahs, hyenas, jackals, leopards and many other more mammals like rhinos, hippopotamuses, elands, zebras, elephants, gazelles to mention but a few. On this day expect your picnic lunch in the jungle as you look out for several wildlife with birdlife inclusive. Get back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 10: Transfer to Lake Manyara National Park – evening game viewing
Today morning, have your breakfast and checkout to be driven to Lake Manyara National Park that is famous for its tree climbing lions in Tanzania. Lake Manyara National Park is also a perfect destination for wildlife viewing since it is a habitat to thousands of bird species. You will arrive at your lodge facility in Lake Manyara National Park to check-in and have lunch. After lunch you will proceed for an evening game drive where you will be able to see several animals like lions hanging in the tree branches, warthogs, impalas, klipspringers, giraffes, elephants, zebras and many more. Your eyes will as well be attracted to the Park’s bird species after which you will be driven back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 11: Morning game drive and Lake Manyara boat ride
Have your morning breakfast and return to the Park’s plains to see several other animals that you could have missed out in the previous game drive. Lake Manyara National Park has diverse habitats to vast wildlife species such as warthogs, klipspringers, hippopotamuses, tree climbing lions, giraffes, hyenas, impalas, bushbucks to mention but a few. You will return to have lunch at the lodge before you set off for a boat cruise on Lake Manyara. This is the best opportunity for you to encounter aquatic animals and several bird species which include crowned hornbill, little bee-eater, palm-nut vulture, pink-backed pelican, silvery-checked hornbill, hottentot teal, lesser flamingo, pied kingfisher, sacred ibis, African fish eagle, African spoonbill, crowned eagle and many more. Retire off the cruise to be driven back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 12: Travel to Tarangire National Park – Evening game viewing
Having had your morning breakfast, checkout of the lodge and embark on your drive to Tarangire National Park while you have your last glance at animals in Lake Manyara National Park. Tarangire National Park has a varied, beautifully rough and hilly terrain around a winding River where vast animals converge to quench their thirst. You will arrive at your reserved lodging facility to check-in and later have lunch after which you will head off for an evening game drive. Vast animals will be spotted for example gazelles, wildebeests, kudus, giraffes, lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, waterbucks, elands, impalas, warthogs to mention but a few. You will later on be driven back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 13: Nature walks in Tarangire and cultural visits to the Masai
Today morning have your breakfast and head off for wildlife viewing experience on foot and a closer encounter with natural surroundings. You will be accompanied by ranger guides to ensure your security while you follow different tracks in the Park’s savannah plains. Vast animals and bird species are spotted as well as viewing several plant species. You will later find your way back to the lodge to have lunch after which you will head off to mingle with the local people that live around the National Park. Tarangire National Park is surrounded by Masai villages that attract tourists to learn more about their cultural norms, traditions and values. The Masai people poses a unique culture for example their dressing code, marriage ceremonies, cultural performances and many more. Get back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 14: Travel to Kilimanjaro airport and Flight to Kigali airport Rwanda
Having had your morning breakfast, checkout of Tarangire National Park with an exit game drive to Kilimanjaro International airport to catch your flight to Kigali International airport Rwanda. This is 1hr and 30minutes flight with RwandAir arriving to be received by a driver guide or representative from Glory summit tours and travel. He will then drive you to your reserved hotel in Kigali for relaxation as you wait to have dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 15: Kigali City Tour Transfer to Akagera National Park
Wakeup to grab yourself a cup of coffee and set off for a tour around one of Africa’s cleanest cities while making visits to historical sites, cultural sites, local markets and religious sites. You will make visits to Gisozi genocide memorial, Nyamata church, Presidential palace museum, Kant House museum, campaign against genocide museum and many more where you will have an insight into Rwanda’s culture and what transpired during the 1994 genocide when the Tutsis brutally killed by the Hutus. You will have lunch in the city center after which you will set off for your drive to Akagera National Park where you will arrive in the evening to check-in at your reserved lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 16: Morning game drive and Lake Ihema boat cruise
Today morning have your breakfast and proceed for wildlife viewing in the Park’s savannah plains. Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only Savannah National Park where game drives can be conducted. It is divided into two sectors namely the Northern and Southern sector that offer different experience on their circuits during game drives. It is the only place in Rwanda where the Big five animals can be seen as well as other animals for example oribis, waterbucks, roan antelopes, duikers, klipspringers, cape elands, impalas and many more. Get back to your lodge to have lunch after which you will proceed for a boat cruise on Lake Ihema. Lake Ihema is rich in biodiversity that is to say, it is a haven to large numbers of hippopotamuses, crocodiles as well bird species such as the elusive shoebill stork, papyrus Gonolek, double toothed barbet to mention but a few. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 17: Transfer to Nyungwe forest National Park
Today morning have your morning meal and checkout of the lodge to be driven to Nyungwe forest National Park with a stopover for lunch in Butare the current Huye. You will make a visit to Ethnographic museum formally known as the National museum of Rwanda where you will get to know more about Rwanda’s history and culture. You will proceed with your drive to Nyungwe forest National Park arriving to check-in at your booked lodge where you will have dinner and a night stay.
Day 18: Chimpanzee trekking and Canopy walk
Have your morning breakfast and be driven to the Park headquarters for a briefing about chimpanzee trekking. Ranger guides will lead you with machetes into Nyungwe forests to trace the where abouts of our closest cousins. Trekking the chimpanzees may take 1 to 4 hours depending on their movements in search of wild fruits and other foods. An hour will be allowed as you watch them feed and play from one tree branch to another. Return to your lodge for lunch before you proceed to have an exhilarating perspective on the ancient tree tops and wildlife. You will walk along a 160meter long and 70meter high suspended bridge with the guidance of an experienced tour guide as you spot various bird types, primates, butterflies, tree species and the scenic beauty of the surrounding areas like Lake Kivu. Get back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 19: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Today morning, wake up to a hefty breakfast and checkout of the lodging facility in Nyungwe to be driven further to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda’s northern region. Enjoy the winding roads and the beautiful scenery of “the land of a thousand hills” driving along Lake Kivu with several stopovers for example to have lunch and at the ethnographic museum to have an insight about Rwanda’s past. Volcanoes National Park is the only home to the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda and a home to five out of the eight Virunga volcanoes. Arrival will be in the late afternoon to check-in at your reserved lodge as you wait to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 20: Gorilla trekking and Gorilla Guardians village
Have your morning breakfast and be driven to Kinigi headquarters for a briefing about gorilla trekking. Here you will be allocated the gorilla family that you will go trekking in the jungle which lasts to about 1 to 6 hours depending on their movements. Other primates will be seen loitering the forests as you enjoy an hour in the presence of the gorillas after which you will be driven back to your lodge to have lunch. After lunch you will head off to have a taste Rwanda’s unique cultures and traditions centered in one cultural village known as the Gorilla Guardians village situated at the edge of Volcanoes National Park. Have an experience of a living museum, thunderous drumming and energized dances before you return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 21: Golden monkey trekking and transfer to Mgahinga
This day starts off with breakfast and return to Kinigi Park headquarters to catchup with a briefing about golden monkey trekking. You will hike into the Virunga slopes with the guidance of ranger guides to find these knotty monkey species in their natural habitat. Tracing the golden monkeys may last to about 30minutes to 4hours depending on their movements in the bamboo forests where an hour is allowed as you closely watch them go by their routine duties. Descend back to be driven to your lodge for lunch and immediately checkout to be driven to Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. This driving distance takes to about 1hr and a half to 2 hours through Cyanika border arriving to check-in at your pre-arranged lodge in Mgahinga to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 22: Mount Sabyinyo hike
Today morning have your breakfast and be driven to the Park headquarters to undergo a briefing about Mount Sabyinyo hike. Mount Sabyinyo is an extinct volcano found within the Virunga ranges shared amongst three countries namely Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Its name was derived from a local language phrase “Sabyinyo” which means the old man’s teeth due to its rugged summit that looks like worn out teeth. Mountain Sabyinyo stands at 3,669meters above sea level with its summit acting as a border to the three Virunga countries. The hike to its summit lasts for the entire day to and from where porters are always available to assist you carry your belongings at an extra cost. Mount Sabyinyo hike is so interesting because once one is at its summit he has his feet stepped in Uganda, Rwanda and DRC while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the surrounding areas. Get back to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and an overnight.
Day 23: Transfer to Lake Bunyonyi and community visits
Have your morning breakfast, checkout of the lodge and meet your driver guide to be transferred to Lake Bunyonyi while you capture the beautiful scenery of the Switzerland of Uganda. Lake Bunyonyi is a Crater Lake and Africa’s second deepest Lake Tanganyika dotted with over 29Islands each with history attached to it. The journey to Lake Bunyonyi lasts to about 2 and a half hours arriving to check in at your booked lodge after which you will have lunch before you proceed to mingle with the locals as you make visits to communities around Lake Bunyonyi. You will make hikes through lush green vegetation and banana plantations arriving at communities of the Batwa and Bakiga that were introduced to this area due to their eviction from Bwindi and Mgahinga. Learn about their ancient cultural norms, traditions and beliefs before you return to have dinner at the lodge and an overnight.
Day 24: Full day Lake Bunyonyi exploration
Wake up to a scrumptious breakfast and be driven to Lake Bunyonyi where you will spend the entire day exploring its Islands and other physical features. You will set off with parked lunch on a boat to explore Lake Bunyonyi while making visits to its Islands that all have mythical stories and history attached to them. Your guide will be readily available to fully explain the history attached to the Islands for example the Akempene Island also known as the Punishment Island, Kyahugye Island, Bwama Island, Bacuranuka Island, Bushara Island and many more. You will spot several animals like impalas, zebras, waterbucks and many more living in Islands like Kyahugye. Enjoy Lake Bunyonyi’s bird species as you capture the beautiful sunset reflected on the Lake’s waters. Return back to your lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 25: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable and Batwa cultural experience
You will have your breakfast in the early morning and checkout to be driven to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This is a 3 and a half hours’ drive via Muko-Bufundi road arriving in the midday to check-in at your pre-arranged lodge after which you will have lunch. After your lunch head off for the Batwa cultural experience where a local Batwa guide will lead you through the Bwindi forests while he explains how they survived in the forests and lived in harmony with the gorillas. He will as well lead you into their communities where you will mingle and interact with the locals as you learn about their life style, how they hunted down animals for food, collected wild fruits and honey, prepare their local meals, enjoy their cultural performances and many more. You will retire off the Batwa communities to be driven back to your lodge for dinner an overnight.
Day 26: Gorilla trekking
Today morning have your breakfast and proceed to be driven to the Park headquarters for a briefing about gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You will be led into Bwindi’s misty forests to embark on the search the gentle giants in their natural habitat. Trekking these endangered primates lasts for about 1 to 6hours depending on how far they could have moved. Your eyes will be attracted to several other primates like red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons to mention but a few as well as vast bird species. You will enjoy an hour amidst the gorillas as you closely watch them nature the little and feed. Get back to your lodge for lunch. relaxation as you wait to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 27: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth via Ishasha and evening game drive
Have a scrumptious breakfast, checkout to be driven to Queen Elizabeth National Park with a lunch en-route along the way. You proceed with your drive via Ishasha sector in the southern parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park where you will be able to spot several tree climbing lions hanging in tree branches. Your eyes will as well be attracted by several animals grazing along the trails arriving to check-in at your pre-arranged lodge to check-in after which you will head off for an evening game drive in the Park’s plains where you will see vast animals grabbing their evening meal before the sun sets. Various animals will be seen for example lions, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, topis, oribis to mention but a few. You will be driven back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 28: Morning game drive and Kazinga boat cruise
This day, have your morning breakfast and head off to explore the Park’s savannah plains while having your eyes on several animals for example giant forest hogs, lions, elephants buffaloes, waterbucks, topis, warthogs, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, hyenas to mention but a few while you capture the great views of the sunrise. This game viewing lasts to about 3 to 4 hours after which you will return to have lunch at your lodge. After lunch you will head off for a boat cruise along the Kazinga channel while you sail amidst schools of hippopotamuses as you have yours attracted by concentrations of crocodiles sunbathing along the channel banks. Vast animals will be seen wallowing and quenching their thirst along the Kazinga shores after which you will get back to lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 29: Travel to Kibale National Park and Bigodi wetland sanctuary
Have your morning breakfast and checkout to be driven to Kibale National park a haven to over 13primate species. Kibale National Park has one of the highest diversity and concentration of primates in the entire Africa as well harboring several bird species. This is a 2 hours’ drive where you will arrive to check in at your pre-arranged lodge as you wait to have lunch. After lunch you will head off for a nature walk in the jungle swamp that is aimed at preserving nature and has a lot to offer for example viewing a variety of birds like the great blue turaco, superb sunbird, yellow-billed barbet, among others. You will as well encounter several mammals and primates loitering and feeding with in the swamp. Get back to your lodge to relax as you wait to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 30: Chimpanzee trek and travel to Murchison Falls National Park
Today morning have your breakfast and be driven to Kanyanchu visitors’ center to catchup with a briefing about chimpanzee trekking. After the briefing you will be led into the forests to embark on the search of the chimpanzees as you your eyes are taken away by other primates and bird species that call these forests their home. Trekking the chimpanzees may last for about 1 to 4 hours depending on their location within the forests after which you will spend an hour in their presence as they go by their routine duties. Get back to your lodge for lunch after which you will checkout to embark on 4 hours’ drive to Murchison Falls National Park where you will arrive to check-in at your pre-arranged lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 31: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Today morning have your breakfast and head off for game viewing with in the plains of Murchison Falls National Park where you will be able to spot vast animals like lions, giraffes, warthogs, elephants, leopards, waterbucks, oribis, hartebeests, hyenas to mention but a few. Various bird species will be spotted for example the Abyssinian ground hornbill, Denham’s bustard, Senegal thick-knee to mention but a few after which you return to have lunch at your lodge before you head off for a cruise to the bottom of Murchison falls as you sail through schools of hippopotamuses while you spot several crocodiles lying along the River banks. Several bird species will be spotted roaming the River after which you will retire off the cruise to be driven back to your lodge to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 32: Victoria Nile delta cruise and transfer to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
You will have your breakfast served today morning and return to the Nile for a Nile Delta cruise downstream to Lake Albert. This boat cruise starts from Paraa and sails slowly following the Nile waters down the stream where the River splits to create numerous floating Islands of papyrus zones where the most sought after pre-historic shoebill stork can be spotted. This is the best opportunity for you spot several bird species for example the giant kingfisher, swamp fly-catcher, African jacana, saddle-billed stork, red winged grey warbler to mention but a few. Return back to lodge for lunch after which you will checkout to be driven to Ziwa rhino sanctuary located in Nakasongola where you will arrive to check-in to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 33: Rhino tracking and depart for Kampala
Today morning have your breakfast served and report to the sanctuary headquarters for a briefing about Rhino tracking. You will set off to be driven closer to the whereabouts of the rhinos after which you will be guided by well-trained ranger guides through the bushes to find the rhinos. This adventure will offer you the opportunity to watch these endangered magnificent creatures in their natural habitat as you learn more about their behaviors. Get back to your lodge to have lunch after which you will checkout to catch your drive to Kampala arriving to check-in at your reserved hotel in the city center to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 34: Whole day Kampala city tour
Have your morning breakfast and set off to explore Uganda’s capital city as you make visits to cultural, historical and religious sites. You will make visits to Kasubi tombs, Lubiri Kabaka’s palace, Rubaga catholic cathedral, Namirembe protestant cathedral, Gadhafi mosque after which you will have your lunch in the city center. After lunch, you will proceed to the Uganda museum, Namugongo Martyrs shrine where the Uganda martyrs were killed between 1885 and 1887 by kabaka Mwanga of Buganda and the Bahai temple. Get back to your hotel to have dinner and an overnight.
Day 35: Departure
Today morning have your last safari breakfast and checkout of your hotel in the city center to be driven to Entebbe international airport to catch your flight back home.
