Kenya & Uganda Gorilla Overland: Forests & Wildlife Spotting

Arrive at any time. Prepare for tomorrow’s early morning by checking out the hotel bar with your newest friends. Travelling can take a lot out of you so sit back, fill those food and drink needs, and spend a chill night becoming familiar with your group and CEO.

Included Experiences

• Connect With New Friends: Connect with new friends on your first night out in a new destination. Only available on 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours.
• Meet Your CEO and Group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Optional Experiences

• The Carnivore Restaurant: Feast on a range of familiar and exotic meats roasted over an open flame barbecue pit. Ever wanted to try ostrich or crocodile? Here's your chance to do so (at a world-renowned restaurant, at that). Price includes the price of a meal (without a beverage) and hotel pick-up.
• Bomas of Kenya Tour: This tour gives you a glimpse into the life of 42 different tribes of the country that make up Kenya's rich culture. Get a better understanding of village life by visiting homesteads and enjoy a display and sounds of folk dances performed. Entrance fee and hotel pick-up included.
• Karen Blixen Museum : Converted from the former home of pioneer coffee farmer and acclaimed writer Karen Blixen, this museum provides visitors insight into life of a Danish settler in pre-Independence Kenya. Take a walk through the home, and magnificent gardens that provide a stunning view of the Ngong hills. Hotel pick-up and entrance fee included. (34-75 USD per person)
• Railway Museum: Adjacent to the Nairobi railway station, this museum contains exhibits from the East African Railways opened in 1971. (6-34 USD per person)
• National Museum: Take a stroll through this museum to get a better understanding of Kenya's rich heritage through a range of cultural and natural-history exhibits. Learn more about the region's bird population at the Birds of East Africa exhibit, a huge gallery of at least 900 stuffed specimens. Get a refreshing take on Kenyan history counterpoint to colonial historiographies at the Historia Ya Kenya display. Entrance fee and hotel pick-up included. (53--3 USD per person)

Hit the road and journey through the Great Rift Valley today on the way to one of the most famous national parks in Africa and Kenya’s premier wildlife reserve. Stretch those legs and take in your surroundings before heading on a late afternoon wildlife safari drive with excellent chances of seeing the “big five”. This natural environment coupled with the park’s varied wildlife provides for a spectacular safari experience.

Included Experiences

• Safari Vehicle: Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.
• Maasai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive: Maasai Mara is one of the world’s top safari destinations, known for its abundance of big cats – cheetahs, leopards and lions – as well as the two million wildebeest, Thomson’s gazelles and zebra that migrate annually across the vast grasslands in search of water. Set off on safari with our driver/guide and keep your eyes and ears peeled for movement and memories. Watch elephants and giraffe grazing, photograph zebras and wildebeest and, with a little luck, you'll even spot animals feasting on a recent kill.

Grab those cameras and jump in the safari vehicle with your driver/guide to spot wildlife in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Listen to your guide describe the African bush as you traverse one of the world’s top safari destinations. Masai Mara is known for its abundance of big cats and wildebeest (see if you can capture a picture of one)!

Included Experiences

• Safari Vehicle: Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.
• Maasai Mara Wildlife Safari Drive: Maasai Mara is one of the world’s top safari destinations, known for its abundance of big cats – cheetahs, leopards and lions – as well as the two million wildebeest, Thomson’s gazelles and zebra that migrate annually across the vast grasslands in search of water. Set off on safari with our driver/guide and keep your eyes and ears peeled for movement and memories. Watch elephants and giraffe grazing, photograph zebras and wildebeest and, with a little luck, you'll even spot animals feasting on a recent kill.

Optional Experiences

• Maasai Mara Balloon Safari: The adventure begins just before dawn and lasts an hour in the sky. Fly over the Mara River, plains, and forests of the Maasai Mara. Toast your return to earth with a champagne breakfast, cooked wherever you land. Please note that while single passengers can book on this activity, the balloon will require a minimum of two passengers to take flight. In the rare case that this minimum is not reached by the time of your flight, passengers will be refunded for this activity. Additional fees will apply for passengers exceeding the 120 kg (265 lbs) weight limit.

Awake to the sounds of the bush as your alarm clock before jumping in your 4x4 safari vehicle. Today, the group is heading to Lake Nakuru, known for harbouring flocks of pink flamingos and a rich variety of bird species. Before reaching the safari lodge inside Lake Nakuru National Park, you’ll stop at the G Adventures-supported Ubuntu Cafe where you will meet up with the Lando, enjoy a meal, and have the opportunity to shop for locally and internationally sold products as memorable and impactful souvenirs. Later, the group will go on an afternoon wildlife drive through the area.

Included Experiences

• Safari Vehicle: Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.
• Café Ubuntu 3-Course Farm-to-Table Lunch: On this trip, you'll experience the warmth of Ubuntu Cafe, where every meal you enjoy contributes to a circle of empowerment and supports the creation of impactful souvenirs you'll treasure forever. Your visit also extends support to Ubuntu School, championing the rights and education of children with special needs through therapeutic and vocational training programs.
• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
• Lake Nakuru Wildlife Safari Drive: Search for, buffalo, impalas, hyenas, and even lions and leopards on the wildlife safari drive in this renowned national park. Head to the shores of Lake Nakuru to see pelicans and cormorants. The park is also rich in other bird life, including grebes, white winged black terns, stilts, avocets, and ducks.

Another day, another chance to see more wildlife and live your African safari dream. After your morning safari drive around Lake Nakuru keeping your eyes wide open in search of buffalo, impala, and the elusive leopard. The group will bump along in the Lando sharing photos of your day on the road to Eldoret.

Included Experiences

• Lake Nakuru Wildlife Safari Drive: Search for, buffalo, impalas, hyenas, and even lions and leopards on the wildlife safari drive in this renowned national park. Head to the shores of Lake Nakuru to see pelicans and cormorants. The park is also rich in other bird life, including grebes, white winged black terns, stilts, avocets, and ducks.
• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

It’s time to cross another country off of those travel lists as you cross the border from Kenya into Uganda. Drive along reminiscing on inside jokes and experiences from the trip before camping in Kampala (the country's capital) where you will arrive in the late afternoon.

Included Experiences

• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
• Border Crossing (Kenya - Uganda): Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

Even though you get to do something pretty awesome everyday you’re going to cross the equator today in the Lando (which we think is a pretty cool thing to be able to add to a travel resume) and head off to Lake Bunyonyi. The name Bunyonyi means ‘place of many little birds’ and it is undoubtedly the loveliest lake in Uganda. It’s winding shores encircle 29 islands and its surrounded by steep terraced hillsides that will have you wondering if you are somewhere in Asia. But the best part is that Lake Bunyonyi is a croc and hippo free lake (unlike many lakes in East Africa) so you can swim in its calm waters as much as you like… such bliss!

Included Experiences

• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Today’s the day that some of your dreams may just come true because you are going on a guided mountain gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (so insanely cool!) So get ready to embark on an unforgettable hike deep into the jungle through volcano forests alongside a park ranger to search for mountain gorillas. The treks can vary in length and difficulty so be prepared for a challenge, but know that if you spot these majestic creatures (we share 98% of our DNA with them) it will all be worth it. Note: Ugandan authorities are fiercely protective of this natural treasure, and currently permit only a maximum of eight people, per day, to visit a given gorilla family. The group will be split into different sub-groups for the trek, and depending on the number of travellers, different sub-groups may do their trek on different days.

Included Experiences

• Mountain Gorilla Trek: Take an unforgettable guided trek (1-6 hrs) deep into volcano forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a wildlife encounter of a lifetime, and meet a family of mountain gorillas. One of Africa's major highlights, a close encounter with these amazing animals is simply breathtaking. Get prepared before heading out: bring plenty of water and waterproof clothing (it can rain on only a few minutes’ notice), and be sure to bring protective bags for cameras and film. Dress in layers with long sleeves and long pants to protect against stinging nettles found in the forests. The trek’s often chilly, at first, until you start trekking. Note: Ugandan authorities are fiercely protective of this natural treasure, and currently permit only a maximum of eight people, per day, to visit a given gorilla family. The group will be split into different sub-groups for the trek, and depending on the number of travellers, different sub-groups may do their trek on different days. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four areas; Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Ruhija. Depending on permit availability your group could be tracking gorillas from different areas of the park, it is all still part of Bwindi.

Let’s give Lake Bunyonyi some love today. Explore this magical place as the morning mist rises off of the gently lapping waters. With tons of optional activities to choose from like, swimming, hiking, canoeing, bird watching, a motorboat tour of the lake, or a scenic drive across the border to Kigali, Rwanda, there’s no time to be bored. Then relax together at the lodge in the evening talking about your group gorilla experiences.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Get out and do as much or as little as you'd like around Lake Bunyonyi.

Optional Experiences

• Swimming: Jump in and enjoy the water and magical surroundings.
• Canoe Rental: Get in a boat and enjoy paddling around the many islands of Lake Bunyonyi.
• Day Trip to Kigali: Take a scenic drive across the border and through the rolling hills to Kigali, Rwanda. Visit the Genocide Memorial Museum, the site where UN Belgian peacekeepers were killed, and pass by Hotel Rwanda. Take some time for lunch in the vibrant capital city and visit a local craft market. You will be crossing a border today, so we recommend applying for the East Africa Tourist Visa, which allows smooth travel between Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya without additional border fees.
• Nature Walk: Set out and discover the incredible landscape of the Lake Bunyoni area on foot, visiting villages and meeting local communities along the way.
• Motorboat Tour of Lake Bunyonyi: Relax on a boat tour around the peaceful waters of Lake Bunyonyi and learn about the history of the surrounding islands.
• Bird Watching Walk: The word “Bunyonyi” means "the place of little birds" in the local language. Accompany a professional bird guide along the shore and view the wide range of bird species that inhabit the area around this lake. This is a can't-miss for birding lovers.

Sit back, relax, and watch the Ugandan countryside slip past on today’s journey to Kalinzu Forest Reserve further north in the country. The forest reserve is adjacent to Queen Elizabeth National Park and is characterized by open savannah, large area of swamp around Lake George, and the extensive Maramagambo Forest in the southeast. There’s a lot of landscapes to experience so what are you waiting for? Get started!

Included Experiences

• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Optional Experiences

• Kansenene Hill Hike: Experience a 2 hour hike to the summit of Kansenene Hill, also known as the "Hill of Grasshoppers", with a local guide. Starting from Craters Campground, this 4km round trip offers stunning views of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mt. Rwenzori, the Kazinga Channel, and beautiful sunsets.
• Local Coffee Tour: Explore the entire coffee-making process on this immersive community walk. Travellers can get hands-on with every step, from harvesting and roasting to pounding and brewing.

You know that saying, “the early bird gets the worm” well in this case the early bird gets to see chimpanzees. Get up early for an included chimpanzee tracking excursion and explore the verdant Kalinzu Forest Reserve with a ranger while being on the lookout for these chimpanzee families. Afterwards, the group will visit a tea plantation before setting off to Lake Mburo. Once you arrive there you can choose to book an afternoon boat cruise on the lake, or explore the local area on foot.

Included Experiences

• Chimpanzee Tracking Excursion: Enjoy a chimpanzee tracking excursion through the scenic Kalinzu Forest Reserve. Trek along the ridges and valleys of the Rift Valley escarpment to visit chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Follow forest trails, which offer amazing views over the Rwenzori Mountains, Lake Edward, the Kazinga Channel, and the Congo. The Kalinzu Forest Reserve is steeped in mystery and rich with local legends. Learn about the folklore and uses of the forest from a local guide.
• Tea Plantation Visit: Walk through a tea plantation with a local guide. View multiple varietals of tea, and learn about the process of growing tea plants from the harvesting stage to what goes into making the best cup of tea.
• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!

Optional Experiences

• Lake Mburo Boat Safari: Come face to face with crocodiles and hippos in their natural habitat, as well as many other animals as they come to the lake to drink. Keep a look out for the many water birds, including kingfishers, the Africa Fish eagle, and the rare shoebill stork.
• Nature Walk: Set out to discover the incredible landscape of the Lake Mburo area on foot with a guide. Witness zebras, warthogs and various species of birds in their natural habitats as you stroll through the valley.

Head back across the equator today in the Lando; Uganda is one of the few countries in the world where you can cross this imaginary geographical line on land. Observe how water swirls in opposite directions on either side of the equator and then stop to enjoy a meal at the G Adventures-supported AidChild Equation Café & Gallery. With full stomachs and even more full hearts the group will continue on to Jinja, the adventure capital of Uganda.

Included Experiences

• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
• AidChild Cafe & Gallery: Make a stop at AidChild’s Equation Café and Gallery, located at the equator. Surrounded by paintings and other crafts made by local artists, you'll enjoy a meal made with traditional Ugandan ingredients, with a modern twist. Your lunch here directly supports AidChild, a non-profit that provides support, medical care and education to children and youth living with HIV in Uganda.

Get out there, get active, and have some fun! Explore Jinja today solo or with your group by participating in the plethora of outdoor and adventure activities they have to offer. Choose to raft down the White Nile River, break a sweat mountain biking up and down the hills surrounding the town, or for a more laid back day check out the local market. Keep your eyes ready to spot monkeys and other wildlife that can wander to the outskirts of this town.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Get out and enjoy the adrenaline capital of Uganda.

Optional Experiences

• Nile River Kayaking: Ride the whitewater of the Nile on a kayaking trip. Take an introductory whitewater kayaking course or dive right in with a tandem kayaking trip with an experienced guide. (140-160 USD per person)
• Quad Biking: Get ready for lots of fun on this exhilarating quad biking tour safari. Ride along the banks of the Nile River through forests, farms and villages.
• Bungee Jumping: If adrenaline is your thing, strap in and leap off for a fantastic experience.
• Nile River Sunset Cruise: Nothing beats an African sunset over the Nile. Salute the end of another great day with good company, good food, and an ice cold cocktail.
• Jinja River Rafting: Looking for a change from wildlife to simply something wild? Wake up early and head out on the Nile River for a full-day navigating the whitewater. Enjoy an exciting day testing your paddling skills in the rapids while waves crash over into your eight-person raft. This activity is suitable for rafters of all experience levels. Enjoy an included meal and drinks with your group after conquering the rapids.
• Mabira Forest Mountain Biking: Take to two wheels to see a different side of Jinja and the surrounding area. Cycle through villages and agricultural plantations to get a real of taste of rural Uganda before heading to the main forest in search of monkeys.

Today is a bit of a travel day but you won’t mind because you could use the rest. The group will be leaving Uganda and crossing over into Kenya and travel to Eldoret. Hang out together as a group and enjoy a nice evening camping under the stars.

Included Experiences

• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
• Border Crossing (Uganda - Kenya): Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.

After your adventurous experiences yesterday you’ll be glad to have a more low key travel day to replenish your energy before the journey home. So sit back and enjoy the ride as the group transfers through to the Kenyan countryside to Nairobi. We’re thinking naps, story time, and then maybe a mini dance party in the Lando to get you through the day. (Toto’s Africa song anyone?) Tour ends on arrival in Nairobi. Not ready to leave Africa just yet? (Yeah, we don’t blame you) talk with your CEO about extending your adventure and get to know Kenya or beyond!

Included Experiences

• Lando: Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!