28 days self drive East Africa Safari including Zanzibar

The 28 days East Africa Safari including Zanzibar will take you through different east African countries like Uganda , Rwanda Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar, an island in the Indian Ocean. The safari will take you into a deeper exploration of the east African wilderness, for the diverse and rich biodiversity, nature, hospitable natives, cultural settings and infrastructural settings.

The safari will start in the land of a Thousand Hills with city tour then to , the home of the endangered mountain gorillas (Volcanoes National Park), a visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park for amazing tree climbing lions in Ishasha, the Kazinga channel cruise, visit the home chimps in Kibale Forest National Park, proceed to the thunderous Murchison falls, then to the source of Nile in Jinja, proceed to Kenya for more wonders in Lake Nakuru National park and Maasai Mara National park, cross to and Tanzania visit Serengeti National Park, Olduvai gorge Museum, Ngorongoro Crater Area, Arusha city, Dar es salaam, Saadan National Park, and finally to Zanzibar.

Tour highlights

Day 1: Arrive in Kigali and transfer to your hotel for relaxation.
Day 2: Kigali City Tour and transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Day 3 :Gorilla tracking and Ib’yiwachu cultural visit)
Day 4: Golden monkey trekking
Day 5:Transfer to queen Elizabeth National park – evening game drive
Day 6: morning game drive and evening boat cruise
Day 7: Visit Katwe salt mines and transfer to Kibale National Park
Day 8 ; Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 9 : Transfer to Murchison Falls
Day 10: Morning game drive – Boat cruise
Day 11: Hike to the top of the falls and transfer to Jinja
Day 12: Enjoy Horse back riding -relax at the source of the Nile
Day 13 :Transfer from Jinja to Lake Nakuru N P
Day 14: Morning game drive-Flamingo watching on the lake
Day 15: Transfer to Nairobi – city tour
Day 16: Transfer to Masai Mara – evening game drive
Day 17:Morning game drive – Maasai Cultural Visit)
Day 18: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
Day 19:Game drive in Serengeti
Day 20: Morning game drive and visit to the Olduvai Gorge Museum and transfer to Ngorongoro Crater Area.
Day 21:Full day game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater Area
Day 22: Morning game drive and – transfer to Arusha.
Day 23:Arusha City tour
Day 24:Transfer to Dar es Salaam (full day driving)
Day 25: Dar es Salaam city tour with a special visit to Kivukoni Fish Market and Kariakoo Market.
Day 26:Transfer to Zanzibar
Day 27:Explore Stone Town and Zanzibar beaches.
Day 28: Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Kigali and transfer to your hotel

On arrival in the Land of a Thousand Hills, you will be welcomed and greeted by our driver guide who will take you through the terms and conditions of the rental. This includes the car operation, and traffic rules in the different countries in which you are traveling. He will hand over the car to you with the necessary camping equipment if requested after signing the rental agreement. You will then transfer to your hotel to rest and prepare for the next day.

Day 2: Kigali City tour and transfer to Volcanoes National Park.

After breakfast, you will move out for a Kigali City tour where you will visit the genocide memorials, local markets, and the Kigali art museum. After lunch at the spot of your choice, you will set off for Volcanoes National Park. As you travel, enjoy the best views of the Rwandan rolling hills with amazing vegetation and beautiful cultivations. On arrival check into the accommodation.

Day 3: Gorilla Trekking and Ib’yiwachu Cultural Visit

This is a festive day of having miraculous interactions with human cousins. This is an activity that needs enough physique. The activity of gorilla trekking starts with an early morning briefing at the park headquarters. This means you must be there by 7:00 am. After the briefing, you will be led into the park jungles as you enjoy the beauty of the forest and its inhabitants.

On finding the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend one hour enjoying their way of life and take photos, then return to the accommodation. In the afternoon hours you will visit the Twa people who reside in the Ib’yiwachu cultural village to get immersed in Rwanda’s traditional cultural practices and values, and later return to the accommodation.

Day 4:Golden monkey trekking

This is yet another day in the Volcanoes National Park located within the Virunga massif. This activity also starts with a morning briefing at the park headquarters, after which you will start trekking along with other members in a group of eight like in gorilla tracking. The activity is commonly done in the bamboo forest zones, where they are commonly spotted jumping from one tree to another. Once you find them, you will spend one hour following them because they usually do not stay in one place like gorillas. This activity takes 2-6 hours, after taking interesting photographs though it may be difficult to take as they are always on the move. After the activity, return to the accommodation for relaxation in preparation for the next day.

Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park

This morning after breakfast, you will check out of the accommodation and set off for queen Elizabeth National Park. It’s a long journey that will take you over 7 hours through different districts in the southwestern part of Uganda. You will have a scenic drive through the Ishasha sector where you may luckily spot the tree climbing lions. In the evening hours, you will check into the accommodation for rest and overnight.

Day :6 Morning game drive and boat cruise.

This morning you will embark on a game drive in the vast savanna grasslands of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasenyi sector. During this drive, you will luckily spot different animals moving out of the places they spent the night to their feeding grounds and water sources. You may also spot some nocturnals moving to their hideouts.

In the afternoon, take a cruise on the Kazinga Channel that connects Lake Edward to Lake George. This is a memorable experience that offers an opportunity to have a sight of Africa’s largest hippo population. In addition to these are birds and mammals that come to the shores to quench their thirst. In the late evening, we return to the accommodation.

Day 7: Visit Katwe Salt Mines and transfer to Kibale National Park.

After breakfast, you will check out of the accommodation and move out for a visit to Lake Katwe Salt Mines. This is an expedition that will take you through the traditional process of salt mining that has been used for several years. The local guides will provide information about the mining process and get to interact with the locals. After the visit of 2-3 hours, you will set off for Kibale Forest National Park. on arrival drive to the accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Chimpanzee tracking and Bigodi swamp walk.

You will wake up in the morning and head to the park headquarters. You will go for passport registration and presentation of your chimpanzee tracking permits. You will join others for a briefing about the rules and regulations of the chimpanzee tracking activity. This forest park is one of the best places in the world with the highest concentration of primates. You will trek for about 2-4 hours in groups of eight, with the leadership of game guides. You are allowed to spend one hour with the chimps as you observe their behaviour and reaction to human presence as you take some memorable photos. After the activity, return to the accommodation for lunch. In the afternoon go for a guided Bigodi swamp walk for the best bird-watching and botanical explorations.

Day 9: Travel to Murchison Falls National Park

After morning breakfast, having packed lunch and water, embark on a full-day drive from Kibale Forest National Park to Murchison Falls National Park through the scenic Kaniyo Pabidi forest.

On arrival after a 10–11-hour drive, move to the accommodation for dinner and a night stay.

Day 10:Morning game drive and boat cruise on the Nile)

On this day after breakfast, move out for a morning game drive in the park where you will have chances of having close observation of different animals commonly found in the savanna vegetation. Like leopards, giraffes, antelopes, and elephants among others.

After lunch, take a boat cruise on the river Nile. The cruise takes you to the bottom of the falls where you will spot hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of birds. After the cruise, return to your accommodation.

Day 11:Hike to the top of the falls – transfer to Jinja

Hiking to the top of Murchison Falls is another rejuvenating activity that helps you to stretch your joints. The hike is too easy to be done by anyone. It takes less than an hour to reach the top but on reaching there, you feel it breathtaking. You will hear the thundering masses of water trying to squeeze through a narrow gorge and hit the rocks most magnificently, thus a true reflection of the nature and beauty in the pearl of Africa. After the hike, travel to Jinja.

Day 12: Horseback ride – relax at the source of the Nile.

This is an interesting activity that gets you on horseback and travels along the shores of the river Nile. The trails used to lead you through different communities and plantations of the rural natives. You might spot wildlife like monkeys, birds, and several plant species. the ride takes 1-2 hours depending on your choice as the payment varies. After this, have lunch and sail to the spot where John Speke stood and spotted Lake Victoria as the source of the Nile.

Day 13: Transfer from Jinja to Lake Nakuru.

This day after breakfast, travel from Jinja to Lake Nakuru National Park. The journey takes 5-6 hours plus the time to spend at the border. you can either use the Malaba or Busia border post where you will have to present your travel and identification documents. from the border proceed through Kakamega, Kisumu then to Lake Nakuru National Park.

Day 14:Morning game drive in Nakuru National Park – Flamingo watching

Early this morning in another African country, wake up for a tasty morning breakfast after which you have a scenic game drive through the park. expect to have the best views of the eastern Rift Valley escarpment and various vegetation types. The park not only houses flamingos, but also more wild animals found in the vast savanna grasslands and the forested areas. Some of the animals here include Impalas, Gazelles, Leopards, Bat-eared foxes, hyenas, wild cats, colobus monkeys, black and white rhinos, and waterbucks among others.

After lunch, drive to the shores of Lake Nakuru to see the pink flamingos and other bird species, both endemic and migratory. Travel to the accommodation for dinner and a night’s stay.

Day 15: Transfer to Nairobi- Nairobi city tour

Enjoy a relaxed morning as you travel to Nairobi. You will have a chance to stop at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint where you will get more information about the formation of the Rift Valley. From here, proceed to the city. Upon arrival, check into the accommodation for lunch and relaxation. If time is by your side, visit the Nairobi National Museum for historical adventures or the Nairobi Snake Park for more wildlife ventures. Return to the lodge for the overnight.

Day 16: Transfer to Masai Mara National Park – afternoon game drive

This is another day for exploring another important park in Masai Mara. Early in the morning, after breakfast, pack your lunch then continue with your expedition to Masai Mara National Park. the drive to the park is 5:30 hours. After your lunch at the spot of your choice, you will drive at your pace through the vast savanna grasslands where you will luckily spot animals like gazelles, buffalos, wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, African Bush elephants, Rhinos among others. Make sure you have reached the camp or lodge by 6:30 pm.

Day 17: Morning game drive and Masai Cultural Visit

Wake up in a cool park environment and go for an early morning game drive as this is the time when most animals are very active. You can easily spot the big five, especially the carnivores like the lions, leopards, and hyenas trying to spot their prey and other nocturnal mammals moving back to their hideouts. The herbivores will be already grazing. If you visit the park from July to October, don’t miss the great wildebeest migration across the Mara River.

In the afternoon, pay a visit to the Masai village and enjoy more African traditional practices and values that are largely untouched by modern-day civilization. These cultural practices mainly originate from their nomadic way of life. You will enjoy their art and craft, beautiful jewellery and wears of Shuka’s you may also participate in their dancing and jumping entertainment. After the visit, return to your camp.

Day 18: Transfer to Serengeti National Park

After an early breakfast, you will proceed to another famous national park in Tanzania. The park is spectacular with endless plains. It is another best place to watch the great wildebeest migration, together with zebras, gazelles, and antelopes. Arriving in the park will be after a six-hour drive from Masai Mara, and it involves crossing from Kenya to Tanzania using the Isebania or Namanga border.

You will have an afternoon game drive in this park then proceed to the accommodation.

Day 19: Full day in Serengeti National Park.

On this day, you will be in Serengeti National Park. You may choose to have a morning game drive, return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation, and then go back for the evening game drive, or you can do a full-day game drive with picnic lunch.

Day 20 :Morning game drive and Visit to the Olduvai Gorge Museum and transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Waking up for an early morning game drive on this day will give you the opportunity to see the animals in their most active moments and some nocturnals like lions,hyenas, leopards and bush babies can be spotted moving back to their hideouts. After this rewarding early morning experience, you can return to the lodge for your morning meal then drive to the Olduvai Gorge Museum.

The Olduvai Gorge Museum is a paleoanthropological site that displays the early stone age discoveries of early man by Dr Leakey and stone age tools. the museum also provides a detailed history and influence of the human revolution and other cultural information..

From the Museum, drive towards the Ngorongoro conservation area.

Day 21:Full day drive in Ngorongoro Conservation area

We will start the day very early and descend into the crater floor for an incredible morning of wildlife in one of the most stunning places in the park. It’s one of the rare locations in the whole continent where you can witness the black rhino. The concentration of African wildlife is the greatest in the continent. The crater has a river, several swamps, a soda lake with a great concentration of flamingos, a forest, and vast open plains.

Day 22: Morning game drive and transfer to Arusha

After an early morning breakfast, start on a morning game drive towards the crater rim. The close forest is home to a large population of elephants, leopards, lions, reedbucks, hyenas, rare wild dogs, and cheetahs. After a drive of 2-3 hours, travel to Arusha, one of the major cities in Tanzania. On arrival, go to the lodge for rest. Dinner and overnight.

Day 23: Arusha City tour

After many days of driving in different parks for wildlife experiences, on this day, you can have brief visits to the local markets, visit a school, church, or a cultural center where you can relax and interact with the locals as you observe the busy streets of the city, enjoy lunch at a local eatery. In the evening hours, sit at a local pub for a refreshment.

Day 24: Transfer to Dar es Salaam

Wake up so early, have breakfast, pack your lunch, and set off for the long drive to Dar es Salaam.

The voyage takes 10 – 11 hours. On arrival go to the accommodation rest, dinner, and overnight.

Day 25: Game drive in Saadani National Park

On the 25th day of your self-drive safari, you will get up early morning for breakfast, with a picnic lunch, and drive north of Dar es Salaam to Saadani National Park for more wildlife experiences.

On arrival at the park, you are advised to start the game drive with an experienced game guide. During the game drive, expect to spot an array of animals including elephants, giraffes, lions, and many others, and possibly those you might have missed in the previous parks. Later have your picnic lunch at one of the cool sand beaches then have an afternoon game drive driving at your pace as you travel back to Dar es Salaam.

Day 26: Transfer to Zanzibar

After breakfast, check out of the lodge and connect to the coast to board a ferry to Zanzibar. The sailing takes two and a half hours. On arrival, go to the lodge and spend the day relaxing as you enjoy great views of the island. Dinner and overnight.

Day 27: Explore Stone Town and relax on Zanzibar’s beaches.

Early morning after breakfast, take a leisurely walk on the Zanzibar streets and do some shopping for memories of your safari. Tour Stone Town for an experience of the original Arabian culture and history. After lunch, you can go for the Dolphin excursion, or swimming or snorkeling around the beach. Enjoy the evening on the beautiful sandy beaches in Zanzibar. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 28: Departure

On the last day of your trip, depending on your flight schedule, wake up at your leisure, have breakfast, check out of the lodge, and travel to the airport for your flight back home.

End of the safari.