This 6 Days Masai Mara and Bwindi gorilla Safari is a tour that includes game viewing in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve and gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Safari Highlights
Day 1: Pick up Nairobi – transfer to Masai Mara
Day 2: Hot air balloon and game drives
Day 3: Fly to Entebbe airport
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience – Buhoma Sector
Day 6: Drive to Entebbe/Kigali city
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up Nairobi – transfer to Masai Mara
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi, you will be meant by our company representative to start your journey to Masai Mara at your agreed time with your safari guide. It’s a 5 hours’ day drive from Nairobi on the road. The first part of the journey is a smooth tarmac road that leads you up to Narok. A short drive from the Narok town and a rough road welcomes you to enter Masai Mara national park. Connect to your lodge for relaxation for the evening. Dinner and overnight at Mara Simba lodge for mid-range/Mara Sopa lodge for luxury/Ol Moran Tented Camp for budget
Day 2: Hot air balloon and game drives
You will be picked from your lodge quite very early to connect for your hot air balloon safari that will take about 1 hour with great aerial views of the park and its habitats. After the balloon experience, you will receive certificate, enjoy bush breakfast then connect back to your lodge with en-route game drive for some of the animals.
Have lunch at your lodge then explore the Masai Mara plains for game drive that will get you quite close to different wildlife species in big numbers. From solitary buffaloes to copulating lions, birds and small game of all types; you will see it all on a game drive in Masai mara! Be keen enough as you observe the popularly known wildebeest migration from Serengeti crossing to Masai mara via Mara River. This migration only takes place in July to October. Animals such as the wildebeest, Zebras, Lions, Cheetah, Elephants, Hyenas, Thompson’s gazelle to mention but a few can be spotted. Later evening return to your lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 3: Fly to Entebbe airport
After early morning breakfast, your guide will transfer for your 8:45 am flight to Uganda. Aero-link Uganda operates daily flights from Masai Mara to Entebbe from 8:45 am to 11:30 am. Check-in for your flight and depart. Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, you will be picked up by your safari guide to transfer to your hotel in Kampala which is about 1 hours’ drive depending on the traffic. Arrive at the hotel and have your lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay Forest Cottages for budget/Cassia lodge for mid-range/Kampala Sheraton Hotel for luxury
Day 4: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
You will be picked up from your hotel in Kampala and transferred to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park located in the western part of Uganda with approximately 540km from Kampala by road. You will have a stopover at the equator for photography and the experiment and another stopover in Mbarara town for lunch. Proceed to Bwindi arriving in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay at Buhoma Community Rest camp for budget option/Buhoma Haven lodge for mid-range/Silverback Safari lodge for luxury
Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience – Buhoma Sector
After your delicious breakfast, drive to the park headquarters with your packed lunch, water and trekking gears for briefing about Mountain Gorilla trekking by the park officials who will provide expectations and non-expectations about trekking.
After allocation of gorilla groups, drive to the starting point where you will enter the forest to start trekking. This will take 2-8 hours depending on the location of the gorillas. On finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to view them and take pictures and videos. Thereafter, return to meet your guide and drive back to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above
Day 6: Drive to Entebbe/Kigali city
Wake up early, have breakfast and embark on your journey to either Entebbe or Kigali. It’s a 8-9 hours’ drive from Bwindi forest to Entebbe with en-route lunch. On arrival at Entebbe, you will either be dropped at the airport for your evening flight back home. Alternatively, you can drive to Kigali. It’s a 4-5 hours’ drive passing through Katuna border. Have en-route lunch in Kigali city. Depending on your flight details, you will dropped off at the airport for flight.
End of 6 Days Masai Mara and Bwindi gorilla Safari.
