This 10 Days Masai Mara and Bwindi Gorilla Safari gives you the opportunity to venture into the famous rainforests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, situated in the southwestern part of Uganda. It is home to half of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorillas. You will also get an opportunity to engage in the cultural heritage of Uganda as you interact with the ancient cultures of the Batwa people who live near Bwindi forest national park.
Be a part of the Wildebeest Migration extravaganza during its season and monitor the famed Big Five in Masai Mara’s unspoiled wilderness.
Experience the golden hues of daybreak on a hot-air balloon safari, trek through the wilderness on guided bushwalks, and meet the Maasai on a cultural exchange.
Highlights for 10 Days Masai Mara and Bwindi Gorilla Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi and Visit Giraffe Center
Day 2: Fly to Masai Mara National Park
Day 3-5: Explore Masai Mara
Day 6: Fly to Entebbe- Visit Mabamba Swamp for Shoebill Tracking
Day 7: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 8: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi-Rushaga Sector
Day 9: Batwa Trail Experience
Day 10: Drive Back to Entebbe and Departure.
Detailed Itinerary for 10 Days Masai Mara and Bwindi Gorilla Safari.
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi and Visit Giraffe Center
When you walk off the plane at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the pleasant Nkuringo Safaris crew will meet you and handle your logistics. From there, it’s a straightforward ride to your comfortable accommodation, which will serve as the starting point for your spectacular Bwindi and Masai Mara Safari.
Nairobi is more than simply a layover; it’s a fascinating city full of energy. After you’ve settled into your hotel, you can opt to rest or explore the city’s distinct environment.
The Giraffe Centre is a must-see experience. You’ll get up close and personal with these gorgeous creatures, forming a bond that goes beyond merely seeing them. As you learn about the Centre’s conservation initiatives, you’ll feel good about helping to safeguard Kenya’s amazing wildlife. After a wonderful day, return to your accommodation. Rest up and dream about the adventures that await you the next day!
Day 2: Fly to Masai Mara National Park
Rise in expectation of adventure! Following a great breakfast, the next stage of your Kenya adventure begins with an exciting bush fly to the famed Masai Mara.
Transfer to Wilson Airport, where a tiny plane will transport you to the African bush. As you soar over the countryside, the magnificence of Africa unfolds beneath you: a mosaic of grassland and woods, hinting at the wonderful species that live there.
The next days offer a comprehensive study of the Masai Mara. Take exciting early morning and sunset game drives, with each twist and turn providing opportunities for amazing animal encounters. A guided walking safari provides a genuinely personal relationship with the land, allowing you to feel the beat of the nature beneath your feet.
Masai Mara lives up to its renowned status. Its enchantment whispers across the windswept grasses, the muscular strides of a lion, and the exhilarating sight of a pursuit. Each sunset fills the sky with flaming hues, reflecting the thrill in your heart. After a fantastic day of adventure, return to the comforts of your bush camp. Enjoy the lovely night, knowing that the next day would bring even more treasures to explore. Dinner and overnight stay at your lodge.
Day 3-5: Explore Masai Mara
During the following three days, you’ll be immersed in the rhythms of the wild, with exhilarating encounters and unforgettable memories. Your twice-daily game drives are like turning the pages of an epic novel, with each expedition revealing new characters and plot twists amid the Masai Mara’s immense terrain. Night drives reveal a new world, one in which nocturnal animals emerge from the gentle glow of the moon.
Exit the safari vehicle and explore the forest on foot. With your skilled guide, you’ll discover the bush’s hidden language, learning to read footprints, identify plants, and appreciate the complex web of life. These shared experiences foster strong relationships throughout your family, resulting in memories that will last a lifetime.
The Masai Mara provides unique experiences for young adventurers. Tailored guided sessions introduce youngsters to the Maasai way of life, including fire-making, archery, and traditional beading. Nature hikes around camp will pique their interest and encourage them to study the world more attentively. Even a baking session with the camp cooks provides a chance for learning and amusement.
A spectacular hot-air balloon flight (extra fee) is the ultimate Masai Mara experience. Ascend into the morning sky and take in the immensity of the countryside below. View wild animal life from a completely distinct perspective.
Dinner and overnight at your selected lodge.
Day 6: Fly to Entebbe- Visit Mabamba Swamp for Shoebill Tracking
Start your African trip with a substantial breakfast. Today, you’ll travel to the sky, leaving the famed Masai Mara behind and crossing into a new type of wild. You’ll take a picturesque bush flight to Kisumu Airport, from whence you’ll fly into Uganda to Entebbe International Airport.
As you arrive in Uganda, you are greeted with a warm hug from the ‘Pearl of Africa’ and a pleasant Explore Rwanda Safaris staff. Settle into your selected accommodation in Entebbe, and then ready for a genuinely unusual experience: a search for the enigmatic shoebill stork.
Follow a local guide for a relaxing boat trip along Lake Victoria’s serene beaches. Gently slip into the beautiful wetlands of the Mabamba Swamp, where time appears to pause. The prehistoric-looking shoebill, a compelling species with an aura of the old wild, takes center stage here. This wetland refuge is teeming with birds, which enhances the sight and sound experience.
Day 7: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Depending on your hotel in Entebbe, our driving guide will pick you up, inform you about the safari, and then begin the journey to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. On the way, you will stop for an en-route lunch before continuing your journey with stunning views of the countryside, gorgeous landscapes, Kigezi hills, terraced farmlands, plantations, and so on. When you arrive in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you will check into the lodge for supper and an overnight stay.
Day 8: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi-Rushaga Sector
After an early breakfast, you will bring a packed lunch and meet your driver guide to go to the park headquarters for a gorilla trekking orientation. Following the briefing, you will begin hiking into the forest, which will take between 30 minutes and 7 hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are situated. During the walk, you will be able to see additional primates, animals, many bird species, and plant and tree species, among others.
Once the gorilla family has been located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, where you will be able to observe them performing daily activities such as feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones, learning about their habits and behaviors, taking photos, and recording breathtaking moments. Later after having your packed lunch, head back to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9: Batwa Trail Experience
This day will progress at a slower pace than normal. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and appreciate the morning before meeting your walking guide for an overview of the day’s unique events. Later, take a stroll to Buniga Pocket Forest, a fragment of wildness that was formerly part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest but is now surrounded by towns.
At the forest’s edge, you’ll meet a Batwa Pygmy tribal elder and translator, who will lead you on a traditional forest path. Follow them into a little settlement hidden among the trees, where you will go back in time. As you stroll, the elder will tell you wonderful stories about how the Batwa people used to coexist peacefully with the forest and mountain gorillas. Learn about their old hunting and gathering practices, and see firsthand the talents that have maintained them through centuries.
When you get to the settlement, you will be met by other Batwa people. Watch as they perform traditional dances, telling stories and singing melodies that resonate through the woods. Immerse yourself even further by participating in a re-enacted hunt, where you may learn how to handle a bow and arrow and observe the old method of building fire with sticks. As the day ends, your guide will bring you out of the jungle and back to the warmth of your lodge.
Day 10: Drive Back to Entebbe and Departure.
On the final day of your safari, after a leisurely breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and meet your driver guide for the journey to Kampala. On the way, you will stop at Mbarara for lunch before continuing on to the Equator for photography and souvenir shopping. From the Equator, you will travel to Kampala, where you will arrive in the early evening. Upon arrival, your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe airport for your departure flight or at any other convenient location.
End of 10 Days Masai Mara and Bwindi Gorilla Safari!
