35 days – Wildlife & Spice Island

On our first morning we have the opportunity to visit the two famous animal conservation projects in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. At the Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage there is an informative introduction to all the work the trust is involved with, helping protect the African elephant and other affected species. At the Giraffe Centre, you can hand feed the world’s tallest mammal in the beautiful grounds of Giraffe Manor.

We have our departure meeting today, take time to get know our fellow travellers and have our first introduction to the Absolute tents.

Distance: 0 kms
Est. Drive Time: 0 hours
Meals: X1 Dinner

Included wildlife activity: The Giraffe Park

Optional excursion: Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage

An early breakfast today before the adventure begins on the big yellow truck. We head out on the dusty roads to a beautiful remote part of the Masai Mara.

We stop at Loita Hills, home to East Africa’s ancient tribespeople, where the Maasai give us a warm welcome with traditional singing and dancing.

We spend this afternoon with a walk in the hills with the Maasai warriors, learning about their culture and the surrounding nature. We visit the local hot springs and a women’s village. This evening the warriors show us how to light the campfire and we find out more about their fascinating culture.

Distance: 261 kms
Est. Drive Time: 7 hours incl. stopping at the Rift Valley Viewpoint and for shopping
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Up early and before we say goodbye to our Maasai hosts, we have time for “warrior training” and to visit the local Maasai children at their school. We then set off on the road to the Masai Mara, Kenya’s most famous game reserve.

Here, we have our first game drive in small 4x4s with a local guide, on the renowned stage of the wildebeest migration. We are on the watch for all the wildlife for which Africa is famous from elephant to lion, cheetah, zebra, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, gazelle and warthog.

We take our game drives by Landcruiser in this impressive National Park. A morning balloon safari can also be arranged.

Distance, Day 3: 60 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 3: 2 hours
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Included wildlife activities: Afternoon game drives in the Masai Mara (x2), Morning game drives in the Masai Mara (x1)
Vehicle for game drives: 4×4 landcruiser with pop up roof

Optional excursion: Balloon Safari

This morning we have our last game drive in the Mara. We then get back to the overland truck and head for our next camp at Lake Naivasha.

Lake Naivasha is famous for hippopotamus; by day the hippo wallow in the lake and at night they come out to graze on the lawns near our camp. We can take a ‘hippo cruise’ on the lake. A cycling safari can also be arranged in Hell’s Gate National Park. Here you can explore with a guide, see evidence of geological changes as well as a range of wildlife including gazelle, impala, eland and the fascinating and abundant bird and plant life of the region. The Maasai Cultural Centre in the park also allows us to discover more about the Maasai people and culture. Alternative options are to take a guided walk to the Crater Lake Game
Sanctuary, or enjoy high tea at Elsamere, the home of Joy Adamson of ‘Born Free’ fame, where we can also enjoy the antics of the black and white colobus monkeys on the lawns of the Conservation Centre.

Distance, Day 5: 258 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 5: 6 hours to Naivasha camp incl. lunch and shopping stop
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Included wildlife activity: Morning game drive, Masai Mara
Vehicle for game drive: 4×4 landcruiser with pop up roof

Optional excursions: Balloon safari, Elsamere for afternoon tea, cycling in Hell’s Gate National Park, guided walk to Green Crater Lake, hippo cruise.

Today we head further up country to camp near Nakuru National Park where we can enjoy a swim in the swimming pool.

A day of game drives in Lake Nakuru National Park take us through acacia forests, candelabra euphorbia stands and grasslands. The park is also a sanctuary for black and white rhino, Rothschild’s giraffe as well as waterbuck, reedbucks, zebra, warthog and Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelle. These in turn attract the resident carnivores: lion and leopard.

The park’s alkaline lake supports hippo and migratory waterfowl and waders, and particularly the beautiful greater and lesser flamingos, which can give the lake a pink appearance.

Distance, Day 7: 70 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 7: 3 hours incl. a stop for shopping
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Included wildlife activity: Full days game drives in Nakuru National Park
Vehicle for game drives: 4×4 minivan with pop up roof

We stop in Nakuru town for shopping before the steep drive through the Nandi Hills to Eldoret and Raj’s zany campsite.

The following day we head to the border crossing and enter Uganda. We camp in Jinja by the White Nile, just downstream from the source of the Nile.

We have a briefing on all that Jinja has to offer us over the next two days, with its many activities, somemore adventurous than others!

Distance over two days: 420 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 9: 5 hours incl. lunch and shopping stop
Est. Drive Time, Day 10: +/- 7.5 hours (depending on the border) incl. stops for lunch and shopping
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X1 Dinner

Enjoying a welcome break from travelling, we spend two days in Uganda’s adventure capital, Jinja Spend a day white water rafting or kayaking on the White Nile or feel the ultimate rush of the ‘Nile High’ bungee. Options to explore equatorial jungle by horseback, quad bikes or mountain bikes are also available.

Many also enjoy helping out in a local preschool or exploring the local area with a village walk. This is a good opportunity to catch up on laundry, relax and trying out the fare in small local restaurants or at the campsite restaurant.

Distance: 0 kms
Est. Drive Time: 0 hours
Meals: None

Optional excursions: Whitewater rafting, bungee jump, kayaking, boat trips and cruises, incl. fishing trips, sups, voluntary work in a local school, quad biking, horse riding, mountain biking.

Today we leave Jinja and head into the bush to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Uganda to see rhino.

There are options to go for a rhino trek on foot with a trained ranger in the afternoon, or do an early morning boat trip in the gorgeous swamps of the park particularly to see the prehistoric looking shoebill.

Distance: 225 kms
Est. Drive Time: 4 hours
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Included wildlife activity: Entry to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Optional excursions: Rhino trek, boat ride

We leave the rhinos and drive to Uganda’s capital, Kampala. On our journey roadside stalls sell fresh rotisserie meat such as ‘chix on sticks’. At Kampala we take the chance to catch up on emails and banking, and can also pick up some supplies.

Distance: 170 kms
Est. Drive Time: 3 hours
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

The next day we leave camp and head further into Ugandan countryside looking out for the impressive long horned “Ankole” cattle. It is here we stop for the famous “equator” pic and visit a craft and drum market.

We continue on to our camp by the hillside tropical forest of Kalinzu, on the edge of the Rift Valley and Queen Elizabeth National Park. In the early morning there’s an option to embark on some chimpanzee trekking in the Kalinzu Forest. Other primates can be seen, including the striking black and white colobus monkey.

In the afternoon we game drive whilst on transit through Queen Elizabeth National Park, stopping to board an open cruise vessel for a game cruise on the Kazinga Channel.

On the cruise, enjoy sightings of hippo and Nile crocodile from the safety of a boat. Watch kingfishers diving behind us to catch small fish disorientated by the slowly passing boat. There is a chance to spot buffalo, elephant, lion, hyena, leopard and an abundance of birdlife in the park.

Distance, Day 15: 230 kms
Distance, Day 16: 40 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 15: 8.5 hours incl. stops for lunch and photos at The Equator
Est. Drive Time, Day 16: 1 hour
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Included wildlife activities: Game cruise on the Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Conducted in open cruise vessel
Slow transit afternoon drive, Queen Elizabeth National Park
Vehicle for transit drive: Overland truck

Optional Excursion: Chimpanzee trek in Kalinzu Forest

Today starts with a final early morning game drive in Queen Elizabeth N.P. Look out for an antelope specific to this area, the Ugandan Kob, famous for their beautiful horns. These antelope return to the same grazing areas and water holes throughout their life. The Park is also home to over 600 species of birds so there’s lots to see.

We leave the park and head to Kisoro via Kabale, giving us a chance to get supplies.

The hostel in Kisoro is our new home for the next two nights surrounded the Virungas, home of the mountain gorillas. A visit to Lake Bunyoni can be arranged on the way to enjoy time on the lake.

Distance, Day 17: 218 kms
Distance, Day 18: 75 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 17: 7 hours incl. lunch stop
Est. Drive Time, Day 18: 3 hours
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Included wildlife activities: Morning game drive, Queen Elizabeth National Park
Vehicle for game drive: Overland truck

At altitudes of up to 3,500 feet, gorilla trekking through dense vegetation on the volcanic slopes of the Virungas is one of the trip’s high points. There are just about 1,000 mountain gorillas left and the worlds largest primates can only be found in Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. A male gorilla will eat about 50 pounds of vegetation a day and rarely drink water as they get much of their water from the plants they feed on. Families have up to 20 members and a baby weighs 4.5 pounds! Gorillas are always on the move and build a sleeping nest every evening. Mountain gorillas are incredible to visit.

For the remaining time, there are several excursions to consider: a trek in the lower part of the forest in search of the “golden monkey” – a cheeky monkey with striking colouring. A tour to the Batwa or pygmy, an indigenous people whom have sadly had to relocate from their traditional life in the forest and diversified in welcoming visitors and sharing their culture. Or enjoy the coffee tour and see where it’s grown.

Also a pygmy dance troupe can be invited to our camp to entertain with some traditional drumming.

Distance: 0 kms
Est. Drive Time: 0 hours
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Optional excursions: Mountain gorilla trek Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda). Golden monkeys trek or orphanage visit. Batwa (Pygmy) village visit or coffee tour. Lake Mutande.

Today we leave Uganda to enter Rwanda “the Land of a Thousand Hills”. Our next camp is involved in very simple community based projects including basket weaving and banana beer making.

Alternatively a cycle tour in the local area can be arranged.

Distance: 51 kms
Est. Drive Time: 3 hours (depending on the border)
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Optional excursions: Golden monkey trek, banana beer making, basket weaving, bike tour.

Those wishing to head out on the steep trek to see Dian Fossey’s grave spend time today in the Rwandan forest. On the trek you can also see Digit’s grave – one of her favourite gorillas – and the Karisoke Reseach Centre. Dian is world famous for her research work and passionate commitment to the mountain gorillas’ survival.

If you are not trekking we head off early, making our way to the capital Kigali, a very European style city.
For those trekking a transfer is arranged for later in the day through to Kigali.

We spend the next two nights in Kigali, the modern capital of Rwanda. A country that has had a turbulent history, Rwanda has now moved rapidly forward in an attempt to put their past behind them. We honour and reflect on this past during a visit to the Genocide Memorial in the capital Kigali. Some also take time to visit the Nyamata Church Memorial, a Women’s Centre, Hotel des Mille Collines (well known from the movie Hotel Rwanda) or wander in the local markets.

Distance, Day 21: 115 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 21: 3 hours
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Optional excursions: Trek to Dian Fossey’s grave, Visit to the Genocide museum and memorial, Nyamata Church Memorial.

Leaving beautiful Rwanda we cross the border into Tanzania. For the next two days we see a little of the “real Africa”, travelling off the beaten track.

Our first night in Tanzania, we stay in a small local guest house in Nyakanazi, away from Western comforts. We eat locally and there is time on our journey to mingle in the village markets and kick a football with the local kids.

Next day’s adventure finds us on back roads heading for the south side of Lake Victoria to our camp in the city of Mwanza which we reach by ferry. Tonight we camp by Lake Victoria.

Distance over two days: 535 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 23: +/- 10.5 hours (depending on the border) incl. lunch stop
Est. Drive Time, Day 24: 9 hours incl. ferry journey, lunch and shopping stop
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Reaching Bunda we prepare for the next exciting part of the tour, our entry and drive across the world famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, ecosystems boasting the Big Five. There is time this afternoon to stretch our legs on a hill walk near camp offering wonderful views.

The next morning we pass through the Grumeti Reserve en route to Ikoma Gate where we enter The Serengeti in our overland truck for game drives. The famous migration regularly passes this area year in, year out in search of fresh grazing anytime from late April through to August.

The Serengeti is Tanzania’s oldest national park. On our slow game drive through the park this afternoon we regularly have wonderful viewing including of the big cats and much other wildlife. Home to The Big Five, Serengeti is famous for the annual migration when more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek. Even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti is home to resident large herds of buffalo and elephant as well as giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle. Hippo pods can be found in the pools, and there is fabulous birdlife with
favourites such as ostrich and secretary birds. The park is as well famous for its “big cats” – lion, leopard and cheetah.

Distance to Bunda, Day 25: 156 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 25: 3 – 4 hours incl. lunch stop
Distance to Ikoma Gate, Serengeti, Day 26: 160 kms
Est. Drive Time, Day 26: 5 hours to Ikoma Gate incl. slow transit through Grumeti.
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Included wildlife activity: Afternoon game drive, Serengeti National Park
Vehicle for game drive: Overland truck

Optional excursion: Hill walk

Up early, we head out on morning game drives in the Serengeti National Park. A balloon safari can be arranged in advance. Watching the sun rising, hearing the roar of the burners and then the silence. The ultimate vantage point to experience the iconic Serengeti plains.

By lunchtime we enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area gradually making our way to camp. On the way we pass Olduvai Gorge. The Museum can be visited depending on timing and road conditions en route.

Semi-nomadic Maasai tribespeople can be found as well throughout this region still living their traditional lifestyle around the Crater rim, shunning modern ways. They continue to dye their hair with ochre and live on a diet of milk and blood obtained from their cattle. They can be regularly seen herding their cattle dressed in their distinctive check blankets. Another visit to a Maasai boma is arranged time permitting.

Our landscape changes as our drive takes us above Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest extinct volcano. Our camp has sweeping views across the Crater, another camp in the wilds under African stars, listening to the buffalo grazing just outside the tent.

Distance: 161 kms
Est. Drive Time: 5 hours
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Included wildlife activity: Morning game drive, Serengeti. Afternoon slow transit drive, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Vehicle for game drive: Overland truck

Optional excursions: Balloon safari, Maasai boma visit, Olduvai Gorge Museum depending on road conditions.

Please note if you wish to visit Olduvai Museum you must let the office know prior to the tour departure.

After an early breakfast, we transfer over to 4×4 landcruisers with special pop up game viewing roofs to descend 2,000 feet into the Crater. Now we can view rhino, hippo, lion, elephant, hyena, buffalo, zebra, impala, wildebeest, cheetah, monkey, ostrich and flamingo.

After our morning game drives in the Crater and a picnic lunch, we travel to Arusha. There is usually time to purchase traditional beads, carvings and special artwork at a market stall on the way. This evening we enjoy a great barbeque and share our amazing experiences of the East African parks we have seen.

Distance: 195 kms
Est. Drive Time: 3 – 4 hours
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Included wildlife activity: Morning game drive, Ngorongoro Crater
Vehicle for game drive: 4×4 landcruiser with pop up roof

We spend the morning in Arusha to shop and explore the town. After lunch we travel to Marangu at the foot of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

The next day there is the option for a day hike in Kilimanjaro National Park to Mandara hut along the start of the Marangu route. This is a beautiful walk through tropical forest and on clear days there are exciting views of both the Kibo and Mawenzi peaks of the mountain.

Alternatively take a day tour of the Marangu area to visit the village to learn more of local life, to visit a coffee plantation and a nearby waterfall.

Distance, Day 29: 120 km
Est. Drive Time, Day 29: 3 hours
Meals: X2 Breakfasts, X2 Dinners

Optional excursions: Kilimanjaro day hike, Marangu day tour

We head south today parking up on the coast.

We make final preparations this evening for our break from truck life to spend four days on the exotic Swahili spice island of Zanzibar. The core arrangements for the visit to Zanzibar Island are made well ahead of time so we are assured our groups are comfortable in the popular beach cottages to the north of the island at Kendwa and for a night in a local lodge in the traditional capital.

We sleep well tonight lulled to sleep by the sound of the nearby waters of the Indian Ocean and the breeze in the coconut palms.

NB: Alternatively for those who want to get to Zanzibar a day earlier there is the option of flying today straight on to the island where we can collect you from the airport to transfer you to beach accommodation a day early.

Distance: 485 (545 if to Dar) kms
Est. Drive Time: 9 – 10 hours incl. lunch stop (11 – 12 if to Dar es Salaam)
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Optional excursion: For those who want to get to Zanzibar early there is the option of flying to Zanzibar today with an extra night at the beach. Note that this needs to be pre booked as early as possible. Contact us for prices and more information.

On day 32 we leave camp for the ferry port in Dar es Salaam and take the ferry to Zanzibar. The tour leader travels over to the island with the group to ensure that all runs smoothly during our stay.

Swim and snorkel in the crystal clear, coral waters, relax on the long white beaches and enjoy the fresh local seafood during our beach cottage stay. Scuba diving can be arranged from the dive centre near the beach cottages, as well as fishing trips. Otherwise book a snorkelling trip to Prison Island famous for its giant Aldabra tortoise, or to Mnemba Atoll, or visit the turtle sanctuary visit or trek in Jozani Forest to see the red colobus monkeys amongst beautiful scenery on the mangrove walkway.

On the final day – day 35 – we explore the ancient capital of Stone Town.

Stone Town has a lot to offer with its maze of winding streets, incredible architecture, iconic wooden doors and coral brick houses. The fish market, spice stalls and bazaars ignite all the senses. A spice tour provides some history of the island centred on the slave and spice trades. Tonight we stay in a lodge in the centre of town.

The day after the trip ends, we can arrange the ferry back to Dar es Salaam for you should you fly out from there or you can fly out from Zanzibar or spend more time on the island. Contact the office for more information as to arrangements at the end of the tour.

Distance, Day 32: 60 kms Bagamoyo to Dar es Salaam
Est. Drive Time, Day 32: Up to 2 hours Bagamoyo to Dar es Salaam
Meals, Day 32: X1 Breakfast

Optional excursions: City tour, snorkeling, scuba diving, Mnemba Island, Turtle Sanctuary visit, Prison Island with a visit to the Aldabra tortoise, Jozani Forest to view the red colobus monkeys

Please note safari itineraries are given as a guide only. A safari is a journey and true journeys in Africa unfold and are of an adventurous nature, the unexpected can arise, so do allow for this.