Kenya · Private safari
Maasai Mara & Lake Nakuru
Maasai Mara → Lake Nakuru
Proposed level: Midrange to luxury
Kenya · Uganda
Kenya & Uganda
Maasai Mara, Kibale & Bwindi
Open-plains wildlife followed by forest encounters. Combine a Kenya safari with Uganda’s chimpanzee and gorilla experiences.
Few combinations contrast so sharply: wide Mara grassland and big cats, then the enclosed green of Kibale and Bwindi for chimpanzees and mountain gorillas. It suits travellers who want both classic safari photography and an active forest experience in one trip.
The route
- Stop 1
Maasai Mara
- Stop 2
Kibale
- Stop 3
Queen Elizabeth
- Stop 4
Bwindi
Route order as travelled. This is a schematic of the sequence, not a scale map — driving times are given in the itinerary.
The route on a map
4 stops · drag and zoom to explore
Loading map…
- 01Maasai Mara
- 02Kibale
- 03Queen Elizabeth
- 04Bwindi
Pins mark the regions in travelling order, not exact camps or lodges. Driving times are given in the day-by-day plan above.
Day by day
11 days · 10 nights across 2 countries
Day01Arrive and settle into Maasai Mara / conservancyMaasai Mara · overnight Maasai Mara / conservancy
You are met on arrival and driven to your first camp. Depending on your flight time, there is a first evening drive or simply time to settle in. Full-day game drives across the Mara’s open grassland, following the wildlife wherever the morning takes you.
- Transfers
- Met at Nairobi (NBO), then a transfer of approximately 5–6 hours by road from Nairobi, or a short scheduled flight to a Mara airstrip.
- Meals
- Dinner
- Overnight
- Maasai Mara / conservancy
- Pace
- Light — settle in, with one short drive if your flight allows
From the safari desk: Send us your flight number before you travel. If you land after 15:00 we move any first drive to the following morning rather than rush you into the park tired.
Day02Maasai Mara — full dayMaasai Mara · overnight Maasai Mara / conservancy
Morning and late-afternoon drives with time back at camp through the heat of the day; plains game, big cats and raptors are all part of the search.
- Transfers
- No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Maasai Mara / conservancy
- Pace
- Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day03Maasai Mara — full dayMaasai Mara · overnight Maasai Mara / conservancy
A day in a private conservancy with guided walks and off-road viewing where the conservancy permits it.
- Transfers
- No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Maasai Mara / conservancy
- Pace
- Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day04On to Kibale ForestKibale · overnight Kibale Forest
After breakfast you travel on to Kibale. The afternoon is kept light: Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest with rangers, plus a swamp walk in the afternoon.
- Transfers
- approximately 5–6 hours by road from Entebbe, or 2–3 hours from Queen Elizabeth. Fly Nairobi to Entebbe, then continue by road to Kibale. Gorilla and chimpanzee permits are checked against your dates before the route is confirmed.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Kibale Forest
- Pace
- Half a day in the vehicle, then an afternoon drive
From the safari desk: Where the road allows it we plan the drive to arrive before lunch, so the afternoon is a proper game drive rather than a rushed arrival at dusk.
Day05Kibale — full dayKibale · overnight Kibale Forest
Chimpanzee habituation or a second forest walk, arranged in advance.
- Transfers
- No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Kibale Forest
- Pace
- Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day06On to Queen ElizabethQueen Elizabeth · overnight Queen Elizabeth
After breakfast you travel on to Queen Elizabeth. The afternoon is kept light: Game drives across the Kasenyi plains, then an afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
- Transfers
- approximately 2–3 hours by road from Kibale.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Queen Elizabeth
- Pace
- Half a day in the vehicle, then an afternoon drive
From the safari desk: Where the road allows it we plan the drive to arrive before lunch, so the afternoon is a proper game drive rather than a rushed arrival at dusk.
Day07Queen Elizabeth — full dayQueen Elizabeth · overnight Queen Elizabeth
A second day of drives in the Ishasha sector, looking for tree-climbing lion.
- Transfers
- No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Queen Elizabeth
- Pace
- Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day08On to Bwindi Impenetrable ForestBwindi · overnight Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
After breakfast you travel on to Bwindi. The afternoon is kept light: Gorilla trekking day: a permit-based trek with rangers, lasting from a few hours to most of the day depending on where the group is.
- Transfers
- approximately 8–9 hours by road from Entebbe, or a flight to Kihihi with a road transfer.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Pace
- Half a day in the vehicle, then an afternoon drive
From the safari desk: Where the road allows it we plan the drive to arrive before lunch, so the afternoon is a proper game drive rather than a rushed arrival at dusk.
Day09Bwindi — full dayBwindi · overnight Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
A recovery day around the lodge, or a community visit and forest walk if you would like one.
- Transfers
- No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Pace
- Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day10Bwindi — full dayBwindi · overnight Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Optional second gorilla permit, subject to availability, or a gentle village walk.
- Transfers
- No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Overnight
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Pace
- Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day11DepartureBwindi Impenetrable Forest · onward travel
Your guide sees you to the airport in good time for check-in. If your international flight leaves late in the day, a day room or an extra night can be arranged.
- Transfers
- A final morning at camp, then a transfer of approximately 8–9 hours by road from Entebbe, or a flight to Kihihi with a road transfer to Entebbe (EBB) for your onward flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Overnight
- Onward travel
- Pace
- Morning only, then onward travel
From the safari desk: We confirm your transfer time the evening before against the live flight schedule, and build in a buffer for road conditions. Late departures can keep a day room.
Crossing between countries
A scheduled flight connects Nairobi with Entebbe. Ugandan road transfers are long but scenic, with an optional domestic flight to the southwest.
Proposed level
Midrange to luxury accommodation, proposed rather than committed. Specific properties and rates are shared privately in your proposal.
Safaris we sell
Journeys on this route
Each can run on its own, or be joined into the full combination above.
Uganda · Private safari
Gorillas & Lakeside Days
Bwindi → Lake Bunyonyi
Proposed level: Midrange to luxury
Before you decide
- Gorilla and chimpanzee permits are date-specific and limited; they are quoted separately.
- Trekking days are physically demanding; a rest day can be built in.
- Uganda commonly requests yellow fever documentation — check current guidance for your nationality.
Questions about this combination
Can the order be reversed?
Yes. Some travellers prefer the forest first and the plains last, depending on flight prices and permit availability.
How many permits do we need?
One gorilla permit per person is included in the proposal where stated; a second trek is optional and subject to availability.
Is this suitable for children?
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking have minimum ages set by the wildlife authority. We will check current rules for your children’s ages.
