Ultimate East Africa Safari

A very important feature of our trips is the limited group size, as safaris are best experienced with smaller numbers of travelers, for more intimate wildlife encounters and personalized interpretation from our guides.

As with all of our adventures around the world, our focus is on wildlife and nature viewing and in Africa a big portion of that is performed during our wildlife drives. Our vehicles truly enhance your safari experience!

Our vehicles in Uganda were specially designed with two goals in mind: offering comfort during overland drives on sometimes-rough roads, and providing excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. We use Toyota Land Cruisers and depending on our group size, we may use a vehicle that seats seven or five passengers, plus a driver, and each traveler will always be guaranteed a window seat. All have 4-wheel-drive and are fitted with high-quality imported tires to ensure that we can press on through rough spots. Vehicles are outfitted with umbrellas and bean bags upon request for avid photographers. Each vehicle was designed with an environmentally friendly oil bypass filtration system that allows for an extended engine service period. This limits the amount of waste oil that must be disposed of, as Uganda does not yet have oil-recycling facilities.

We explore the wilds of Kenya and Tanzania in custom-built, durable 4x4 Toyota Land Cruisers or Land Rovers. In our vehicles, all travelers have a window seat. On safari, we use open-sided vehicles with a canvas roof, offering an open field of view and protection from the elements. Built to withstand the rigors of rough roads, they provide a comfortable ride and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Reinforced suspension systems and spacious interiors enhance the safari experience. Amenities available in each vehicle include bean bags for camera stability, and Maasai shuka blankets for added warmth on cool morning and evening drives. With no travelers in  middle seats, there is plenty of room for gear and extra leg room.

Refrigerators/ice boxes keep drinks cool for our guests and an onboard library of bird and mammal books offers insight into the region’s natural history.

• Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s), local guides and camp staff, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through lunch of final day, some alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, airport transfers on Day 1 and final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.
  

• Internal air cost includes: All light aircraft flights within the itinerary (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).

• Permit fee includes: Two mountain gorilla treks in Uganda

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, some alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees (if any), optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, airport and departure taxes (if any), required medical evacuation insurance, optional travel protection insurance.

Moderate to Difficult
Trekking in search of mountain gorillas is, more often than not, a strenuous activity. This challenging hike through the rainforest to locate the gorillas usually takes between two and five hours, but it can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as eight hours (on infrequent occasions, we’ve had a few treks take even longer than that). Travelers must be prepared for a full day outside in humid and/or rainy conditions, as the exact distance to locate the gorillas is impossible to determine ahead of time. The terrain is often uneven as we traverse the forest floor and usually involves a gradual ascent, but we will travel at a pace to accommodate all hikers with a designated porter to assist each traveler. Travelers are not required to participate in all activities and are welcome to forego any portion of the trip program, but in order to take full advantage of the itinerary, and in order to view the primates, guests must be able to participate in the hikes. Travelers should be aware that if they turn around due to fatigue, illness or any other reason, the remainder of the group will go on. The returning traveler will be escorted by a local guide.

To participate in this trip, you must be able to walk unassisted at a steady pace for at least one mile over uneven terrain, climb steps to get into and out of our raised safari vehicles, and be able to tolerate daily outdoor excursions that may last 4-5 hours or even a full day at a time, sometimes in humid, dusty, hot, windy and/or rainy conditions. Wildlife drives pose a particular type of physical demand on the body, as they require long hours of sitting and take place over terrain that is often very rough and bumpy, including dirt roads with many ruts and potholes. Travelers with back or neck problems, or other health issues that could be exacerbated by such conditions, should take this into consideration. Travelers must be able to walk unassisted to and from the vehicle to our camp accommodations, sometimes walking over uneven ground or pathways. Days spent on safari are often long, as mornings typically start before daybreak and evening meals are served after sundown. Safari accommodations and vehicles are not climate-controlled and, depending on the season, temperatures can range from quite cold to extremely hot, so it is critical that travelers come prepared. We recommend that travelers have an adventurous spirit, as you will often enjoy the closest animal encounters.

On custom or private departures with smaller groups, our ability to accommodate varying levels of physical abilities or interests is limited, since these trips are staffed with a single Expedition Leader who may be assisted, pending availability, by local guides.

This comprehensive itinerary is designed to show travelers the very best wildlife destinations these three countries have to offer. To maximize our time on safari, the adventure will begin in Entebbe, Uganda and finish in Arusha, Tanzania with internal flights and border crossings during mid-points of our trip to connect these three wildlife gems.

Please plan to arrive in Entebbe, Uganda by 5 pm on Day 1 in order to attend a 7 pm welcome dinner. You are free to depart Arusha, Tanzania anytime after 5 pm on the final day.

We can best serve you if our Natural Habitat Adventures Travel Desk makes your reservations, as we are intimately familiar with the special requirements of this program and can arrange the most efficient travel. Please call us at 800-543-8917. Note that while we offer you the best possible rates available to us on airfare and additional nights' accommodations, you may find special web rates or better fares online.