Itinerary
- Day 1
Nairobi to Lake Nakuru National Park
Head out from Nairobi early and drive down into the Great Rift Valley, stopping at scenic viewpoints along the way. When you get to Lake Nakuru National Park, you'll go on a game drive in safari vehicles looking for lions, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, and the flamingos that gather at the soda lake.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park in specialized safari vehicles
Landmarks Lake Nakuru National Park Great Rift Valley 
- Day 2
Lake Nakuru to Eldoret
Travel north to Eldoret, Kenya's fifth largest town. You'll cross the Equator with a photo stop at the line itself. After arriving, there's time to check out the nearby Sirikwa holes, which are ancient dwellings thought to belong to a tribe from hundreds of years ago.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Equator crossing stop with photo opportunities
- Visit to Sirikwa holes
Landmarks Equator (Kenya crossing) Sirikwa holes - Day 3
Eldoret to Kampala
Cross the border into Uganda, which Churchill once called the Pearl of Africa. The drive takes you through rolling hills, small tribal villages, and growing towns before reaching Kampala, where you'll spend the night in the capital city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Kampala 
- Day 4
Kampala to Chimpanzee Trekking Area
Leave Kampala and cross the Equator again as you head through green hills and thick forests. Along the way, you'll spot herds of Ankole cattle with their distinctive long, curving horns. Your evening is free, so you can walk around, relax, and get a feel for the local community.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Equator (Uganda crossing) - Day 5
Kalinzu Forest - Kyambura Gorge
You'll head out searching for chimpanzees in either Kalinzu Forest or Kyambura Gorge. Unlike mountain gorillas, chimps spend most of their time in the trees, so you'll be looking up into the forest canopy to spot these primates. They're our closest living relatives, and seeing them in their natural habitat creates a pretty special moment in the forest.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Chimpanzee trekking with expert guides in Kalinzu Forest or Kyambura Gorge
Landmarks Kalinzu Forest Kyambura Gorge - Days 6 - 8
Chimpanzee Trekking Area to Lake Bunyonyi
Head to Lake Bunyonyi, an area surrounded by lush forest, rolling hills, and dotted with scenic islands. Over the next three days you'll do a mountain gorilla trek split into smaller groups. On days when you're not trekking, boat trips to islands, bird-watching, village visits, or canoe paddling fill your time. Trek days involve hiking 30 minutes to 6 or 7 hours through Bwindi or Volcanoes National Park, then about an hour watching gorillas from a safe distance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bwindi National Park gorilla trekking with expert guides
- Boat trips to Lake Bunyonyi islands (optional days)
- Bird-watching (optional days)
- Local village visits (optional days)
- Canoe rental on Lake Bunyonyi (optional days)
Landmarks Lake Bunyonyi Bwindi National Park Volcanoes National Park - Day 9
Lake Bunyonyi to Kampala
Leave Lake Bunyonyi and head back to Kampala, going around the northern edge of Lake Victoria. Once you arrive, the evening is yours to explore the city, meet people, or try some local food.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- City exploration in Kampala
- Local dining experiences
Landmarks Lake Victoria - Day 10
Kampala to Jinja
Drive a short distance to Jinja on the banks of Lake Victoria at the source of the Nile River, which flows 5,584 kilometers through 11 countries to reach the Mediterranean. You'll camp beside the river with optional activities like quad biking, white water rafting, Nile cruises, fishing, mountain biking, or volunteering at a local school.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Quad biking
- White water rafting
- Nile cruises
- Fishing trips
- Mountain biking
- Local school volunteering (painting, plastering, or other labour)
Landmarks River Nile source Lake Victoria - Days 11 - 12
Jinja (Free Days)
Two full days are completely free beside the Nile. Do the optional activities if they appeal to you, take long walks along the river, or just relax at camp with a book and take in the surroundings.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Quad biking
- White water rafting
- Nile cruises
- Fishing trips
- Mountain biking
- Walking beside the Nile
- Relaxation at campsite
Landmarks River Nile - Day 13
Jinja to Eldoret
Leave Jinja and head back across the border into Kenya, then continue on to Eldoret for an overnight camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 14
Eldoret to Nairobi
Cross the Equator this morning and drive south to Nairobi, where you'll stay in the city for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Equator (Kenya crossing) 
- Day 15
Nairobi
This day is yours to spend exploring Nairobi city and the surrounding area however you like. If you want something more organized, there are optional excursions you can book locally, and they cover everything from wildlife spots to cultural sites. You can pick and choose what interests you most.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Visit the National Museum of Kenya
- Dine at Carnivore - a BBQ meat eater's paradise
- Safari at Nairobi National Park
- Visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery
- Visit the Giraffe Centre
- Visit the Karen Blixen Museum in Karen
Landmarks National Museum of Kenya Nairobi National Park Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Nursery Giraffe Centre Karen Blixen Museum - Day 16
Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve
Leave Nairobi early and head in specialized safari vehicles to Masai Mara National Reserve, which sits next to the Serengeti and ranks among the world's last great wildernesses. Go on morning and afternoon game drives searching for wildebeest, zebra, antelope, predators, and the Big Five plus rhinos, elephants, and giraffes. You'll sleep in pre-erected en suite tents at the edge of the reserve.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve
- Afternoon game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve
Landmarks Masai Mara National Reserve - Day 17
Masai Mara National Reserve
Keep exploring Masai Mara with morning and afternoon game drives in different areas of the park. Look for the Big Five alongside hyenas, vultures, warthogs, and endangered African wild dogs. Break for lunch midday before returning to camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve
- Afternoon game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve
Landmarks Masai Mara National Reserve - Day 18
Masai Mara to Nairobi
Leave Masai Mara and cross back over the Great Rift Valley to Nairobi for another night in the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Great Rift Valley - Day 19
Nairobi to Arusha
Say goodbye to Kenya and cross into Tanzania on the overland truck. Head to Arusha, Tanzania's safari capital located near the Serengeti and Mount Meru. Spend time browsing local markets and visiting a Maasai village before settling into camp for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Local market browsing in Arusha
- Maasai Village Walk with a resident guide
Landmarks Mount Meru Arusha - Day 20
Arusha to Serengeti National Park
Transfer to safari vehicles for a two-day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater trip. Drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, around the crater rim, and out onto the wildlife-rich Serengeti plains. After a game drive, you'll camp at an unfenced site where you can hear the sounds of the bush and watch for animals nearby.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Excursion in purpose-built safari vehicles with resident guide
- Game drive to campsite
Landmarks Ngorongoro Conservation Area Serengeti National Park 
- Days 21 - 22
Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha
Game drive out of the Serengeti searching for species you haven't spotted yet. Travel to Ngorongoro Crater and camp on the rim of this UNESCO-listed natural caldera. The next morning, drive down the steep road into the crater itself for a game drive where you can see every major African animal except giraffes. Return for lunch, then head back to Arusha.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Game drive in Serengeti on day 21
- Morning game drive in Ngorongoro Crater on day 22
Landmarks Ngorongoro Crater Serengeti National Park 
- Day 23
Arusha to Bagamoyo
Wake early and head south through Moshi toward Bagamoyo. If the weather cooperates, you'll have great views of Mount Kilimanjaro along the way. Bagamoyo is a historic port town founded in the late 18th century as an important East African trading post and is still known for dhow building. Stay on the outskirts near the palm-fringed beaches of the Indian Ocean.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks Mount Kilimanjaro Bagamoyo 
- Day 24
Bagamoyo to Dar es Salaam
You'll drive south along the coast from Bagamoyo to Dar es Salaam, a relatively short trip. The city functions as Tanzania's main seaport and commercial hub with tall buildings, colorful markets, and architecture influenced by Arab traders. After you arrive, you'll stay at a beach location just outside the city where you can head down for a swim if you feel like it.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Drive to Dar es Salaam
- Swimming at the beach
Landmarks Dar es Salaam - Days 25 - 27
Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar
Take the ferry to Zanzibar in the morning, leaving the truck behind on the mainland. Zanzibar has idyllic sandy beaches fringed with palms, romantic winding cobbled alleys, and lush tropical forests. The first day typically includes exploring Stone Town. The next two days are at a beautiful northern beach where you'll have free time to explore, relax, and snorkel in waters full of marine life. Optional activities include spice plantation visits, massages, yacht trips, or sunset dhow cruises.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Zanzibar return ferry ticket
Optional Activities
- Historic Stone Town exploration
- Spice plantation visit
- Snorkelling
- Massage
- Yacht trip
- Sunset dhow cruise
- Beach relaxation
Landmarks Stone Town Zanzibar 
- Day 28
Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam
Spend the morning doing any last shopping or taking one final swim before catching the ferry back to the African mainland and Dar es Salaam, where the tour ends.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Zanzibar return ferry ticket
Optional Activities
- Last-minute shopping in Zanzibar
- Final swim
Landmarks Dar es Salaam
