27 Days | East Africa overflows with wildlife and cultural adventures
Journey through the heart of East Africa and be amazed by the astounding diversity of landscapes – verdant highlands, steamy rainforests, beaches and grasslands – home to some of the planet’s most amazing wildlife. Get closer to nature than you ever imagined in the parks of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar, and embark on game drives in search of the Big Five, plus the rare mountain gorilla deep in the rainforest. Along the way, meet with local village communities, spend time relaxing on the idyllic shores of Zanzibar, and learn more about the enduring cultures this region is known for. Experience the wonder of East Africa in 27 unforgettable days.
Trip overview
- Start
- Zanzibar, Africa
- Finish
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Theme
- Overland, Wildlife
- Destinations
- Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Basix
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 22
- Trip code
- YXOGC
- Take a trek through Uganda's steamy forests to seek out acclaimed mountain gorillas, getting the rare chance to spend an unforgettable hour in their presence.
- Head out on an early evening game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, well known for its rhino population, and explore the plains of the Serengeti in search of lions, leopards, elephants and giraffes.
- Spend a few days at your own pace in Jinja, which can be either a relaxing riverside retreat or an adrenaline-pumping adventure capital, depending on your style of travel!
- Meet with Maasai communities – known for their vibrant red dress and elaborate jewellery – and gain an insight into the culture and ancient ways of this proud East African community.
- Embark on a hike through the Usambara Mountains to the Irente viewpoint, then stop at a farm on the way back for a picnic lunch.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Gorilla Doctors. Donations help them care for injured mountain and Grauer's gorillas – contributing to the long-term sustainability of gorilla populations.
- This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent, occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities, and getting the best possible views of the Big Five. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/africa/overland
- At Usambara Mountains the group will do a hike to the beautiful Irente viewpoint.
- Camp in the Serengeti National Park itself without fences between you and the animals. Your leader will brief you on the safety measures the group will need to take for the two nights spent in the park.
- Tracking gorillas in the dense forest can sometimes be wet, muddy and uncomfortable. The terrain is by no means easy either, so it can be pretty strenuous and often humid. But the sheer thrill in coming across a habituated group of gorillas, dominated by a great male silverback, more than outweighs any difficulty. You need to be prepared and fit enough to walk up to 4 hours – up and downhill. A top tip is to pack some gardening gloves to assist in any uphill climbs. See https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/gorilla-trekking for more information.
- Some passengers on this trip will have been travelling together prior to the start of your trip. To see what you're missing out on check out our Vic Falls to Gorillas trip. Search trip code YXOFC on the Intrepid website for more information and to book.
- As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Itinerary
Inclusions
25 breakfasts, 17 lunches, 22 dinners
Overland vehicle, 4x4 Safari Vehicle, Ferry, Minibus
Hotel (3 night), Bunglow (2 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (2 nights), Camping (with facilities) (17 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (2 nights), Hotel with shared facilities (1 night)
- Irente - Lushoto hike
- Irente - Local lunch
- Ngorongoro Forest - Elephant Cave Trek
- Karatu - Home-Cooked Dinner
- Karatu - Coffee Farm Tour
- Ngorongoro Crater - 4x4 Game Drive
- Serengeti National Park - Morning 4WD Safari
- Mto Wa Mbu - Village walk & local dinner
- Lake Nakuru - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
- Lake Nakuru - Morning Overland Vehicle Game Drive
- Queen Elizabeth National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
- Bwindi National Park - Mountain Gorilla Permit & Trek
- Kericho - Tea plantation visit
- Masai Mara National Reserve - 4x4 Game Drive
- Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
- Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
- Stone Town Tour - Dharajani Market, Joseph's Cathederal, Palace Museum, Forodhani Food Market - USD20
- Zanzibar - Prison Island Tour - USD25
- Stone Town - Handicraft & Music Urban Adventure - USD50
- Zanzibar - Spice tour - USD25
- Zanzibar - Snorkelling - USD50
- Zanzibar - Dhow Trip - USD35
- Stone Town - Culinary Urban Adventure - USD29
- Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD745
- Nairobi - City Experience Urban Adventure - USD55
- Kalinzu Forest - Chimpanzee Trekking - USD205
- Queen Elizabeth National Park - Kazinga Channel boat cruise - USD30
- Kisoro - Golden Monkey Trekking - USD160
- Kisoro - Rwanda Day Excursion - From - USD75
- Kisoro - Batwa Village Visit - USD35
- Kisoro - Coffee Farm Tour - USD35
- Jinja - River Nile whitewater rafting (full day) - USD140
- Jinja - Nile Boat Cruise - USD40
- Jinja - Source of River Nile tour - USD45
- Masai Mara National Reserve - Balloon ride (from price) - USD625
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2.This trip requires a higher non-refundable deposit (AUD 1000, USD 1000, EUR 800, NZD 1250, GBP 650, CAD 1000, ZAR 8000, CHF 900) in order to secure the included gorilla permit. Please note that we need to confirm availability of a gorilla permit if you are booking within 45 days of departure. The additional deposit paid at time of booking will be credited to the final balance of your booking.
3. This trip starts in Stone Town on Day 1 at 2pm. This allows time after the welcome meeting to explore Stone Town.
4. Optional sunrise balloon rides in the Serengeti National Park and Masai Mara National Reserve are possible on this itinerary. Please inquire when booking your trip to book this optional activity.
5. This trip is a combination of YXON, YXOQ and YXOG our most popular itineraries. As such the make up of your group and your leader may change on days 4 and 12.
6. The Zanzibar portion of your itinerary may have a few more passengers than the maximum group size of 22 as we have a crossover of trips starting and finishing in Zanzibar.
7. This trip finishes upon arrival in Nairobi on Day 27. Please do not book any flights until after 10pm this evening.
8. Some governments currently have increased foreign travel advice around security in place for Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Please check your government’s foreign travel advice before departure and ensure your travel insurance covers all destinations and activities on your itinerary.
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