UGANDA
Days 1 – 8
From here after a few relaxing days we travel through to Lake Victoria and the option to take a Sesse canoe over to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Lake Victoria. This 100 acre forested island provides a safe haven for the 32 orphaned chimpanzees that roam free on the island. The focal point of the visit is the opportunity to get close to the chimps at the supplementary morning feeding. A raised walkway allows easy viewing. Following this we enjoy a traditional meal including locally caught fish. Returning by mid afternoon we drive through to Kampala, to spend a fun night in Uganda’s capital.
Leaving Kampala early we stop over at the equator for photos, and to shop in the drum markets, before driving to camp in the wilds of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here we experience our first game drives and enjoy a cruise on the Kazinga Channel. The Channel is famous for its hippo population and a wide variety of bird life. Travelling to the beautiful Lake Bunyoni, set in the steep, terraced Mfumbiro Hills, we can relax after our adventure in the African bush, swim and take canoes out on the lake.
RWANDA
Days 9 – 17
Stopping over in Kigale we visit the Genocide Memorial Centre built on a site where over 250,000 people are buried. The memorial highlights the tragedy of the 1994 genocide in a series of exhibitions, the graves standing as a clear reminder of the tragic cost of ignorance and man’s inhumanity to man.
The Volcanoes National Park is dominated by the string of volcanoes after which is named. On our approach they can be seen in the mist as we head out early morning for our trek to come face to face with its famous inhabitant, the mountain gorilla, which dwells here in the forest at altitudes 2,100 to 3,650 metres.
Once found we spend an hour with the gorillas. During our visit they usually continue just to carry on with their daily activity, eating, sleeping and playing the day away. Gorillas are gentle creatures that live in the most stable social groups of all the great apes. Their days are spent in what is known as a giant “salad bowl” of edible plants, (through which you will trek!). There is little competition between group members for food and they can afford to have large families, and forage over relatively small areas, covering about a kiiometre a day.
Returning from our trek we have a night out on the town enjoying a local meal with traditional dancing. We can also spend time in a local pre-school and orphanage.
Optional excursions: Genocide memorial donation, mountain gorilla trek, golden monkey trek, visit to Dian Fossey’s grave, orphanage and preschool visit.
Days 18 - 24
We cross the border of Rwanda into Tanzania at Rusumo Falls on the Kagera River. We are now on a true overlanding safari through the back roads below Lake Victoria heading towards Arusha, the gateway to the world famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater which we visit in customised land cruisers, the drive allowing us to see some of the most stunning scenery on route.
The Serengeti National Park makes up some 14% of Tanzania’s land area, a conservation record that few other countries can match.
Here on the vast grassy plains The Maasai, have grazed their cattle for millennia, and across these plains the famous wildebeest migration occurs following the rains, using the the Serengeti ecosystem with its mosaic of grasslands and savannas to their advantage. Every one who has the opportunity to see nearly two million animals including wildebeest and zebra on the move in the famous migration has been touched by the wonder of this place. Even so the wildebeest looks a bit like a clown and, according to an African legend, has been put together by God using left over spare parts! Nevertheless the ungainly creature is still superbly fit and well adapted for the extraordinary journey it makes each year.
The Migration
For more information including
Here in what is often called called ‘Africa’s Eden’ we set off early morning for our next game drives, to view large herds of zebra, buffalo and wildebeest grazing while nearby sleeping lions laze in the sun. The Crater has in fact the densest known population of lion. At dawn, the endangered black rhino regularly returns to the thick cover of the Crater forests after grazing on dew-laden grass in the morning mist. Flamingo can be found on Lake Magadi alongside hippo. Elephant can be found in the Lerai Forest. The park also has a growing cheetah population. Just outside the Crater’s ridge, Maasai still herd their cattle and goats over green pastures through the highland slopes, living alongside the wildlife as they have for centuries, Europeans not arriving in the Crater until 1892.
During our time in the region we also stop to visit in a local Maasai village and returning to Arusha stopover in the markest for opportunities to shop for spears, bead work and ebony carvings.
Optional excursions: Game drives in The Serengeti National Park, camel safari.
Leaving Maasai lands our drive takes us past Kilimanjaro, south to Dar es Salaam, “the house of peace”, a fun and friendly bustling city situated on the Indian Ocean Coast.
From here we can take the ferry over to the legendary spice island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar exudes a mysterious charm you cannot escape. We head over on day one and usually stay a day to explore Stone Town and some of the history of the island on a spice tour. Enjoy mixing with the locals as you select your fresh seafood at the evening Food Markets that night and drinks at sunset at Africa House watching the ancient dhows sail into harbour. From here we travel north to picture-perfect beaches to relax in the sun on the stretches of palm-lined white sand.
The beach cottages at Kendwa Beach are very popular, with fun beach bars as well as fresh seafood to enjoy in the local restaurants on the beach. Enjoy beach volleyball, a massage whilst you relax under blue skies, and a sunset cruise at the end of the day. Diving and snorkelling at Mnemba Atoll amongst tropical corals is world class. Another highlight to be enjoyed on Zanzibar is snorkelling trips off Prison or Changuu Island, a coral islet situated 3 and a half miles off the coast of Zanzibar, famous for its giant Aldabran tortoise population, numbering over 100 strong, as well as its role as a detention centre for rebel slaves at the height of the slave trade during the 1860’s. Swimming with the dolphins is also popular as are walks in Jozani Forest to view the red colobus monkey.
Optional excursion: Free time to travel over to Zanzibar island. Talk with us as to the special arrangements we can make for your accommodation and other arrangements on the Island staying in beach cottages and in the exotic capital, historic Stone Town, with a spice tour.
Other options to budget for include snorkeling excursions to Prison Island, famous for its giant tortoise as well as Mnemba Atoll, dolphin boat trips, Jozani Forest hike to see the red colobus monkeys, scuba diving.
Days 25 – 30
With reluctance we say good bye to East Africa’s stretches of white beaches and world famous game parks for the drive south west through Tanzania’s southern highlands to Malawi. Our journey takes us through the 60 kilometre strip of Mikumi National Park with elephant, giraffe, zebra, gazelle, impala and buffalo regularly emerging from the bush either side of the road. From here we drop down into Baobab Valley packed with the haunting baobab tree. We stop over in the quiet town of Iringa, overlooking the Little Ruaha River, the market offering a colourful scene of traditional African culture.
Into Malawi we travel past numerous tea plantations before camping beside the famous Lake which is sometimes called the calendar lake being 365 miles long and 52 miles wide. The lake covers over 20% of the total area of the country, and at points drops below 210 metres below sea level. Its tropical waters teem with more fish species than any other lake on earth, the colourful cichlid fish particularly being popular in the aquarium trade.
Staying at popular beach campsites we enjoy water sports and time with the local villagers. The local kids are always up for a game of football. Market shopping and a traditional meal with dancing with the locals is also part of the fun. Scuba diving and snorkelling are popular as is horse riding in the lake.
If you want to stretch your legs a days hike up Livingstonia Plateau takes you through woodlands and past waterfalls allowing you to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the country with views down across the Lake. Malawi also offers wonderful shopping in its famous carving markets. It is a time to relax and experience the charm of rural Africa. We also organise a pig spit regularly whilst staying by the lake.
Optional excursions: Visit the witch doctor, Livingstonia Plateau hike, water sports, horse riding, school visit.
ZAMBIA
Days 30 – 41
Heading west into Zambia, from June to September we travel some true African bush roads for two nights in South Luangwa, a 9,050 square metre national park, with the Luangwa River providing its life blood. South Luanga is unique for its night game drives. At night we often spy leopard by spot light. Hippo come out at night to graze. The park also contains some of the largest concentrations of elephant in Africa. Elephants also frequent the popular campsite where we stay, and can be regularly found along the river banks in large herds. Lion, Thornicraft giraffe, zebra, buffalo and lion all can be found here as well as different antelope including impala, sitatunga, and the puku which is rarely seen outside Zambia, as well as waterbuck and bushbuck. South Luangwa is also a dream come true for birdwatchers, with over 400 species recorded.
From here we are on the way to Lusaka, the modern capital of Zambia, to stock up for our houseboat stay. The houseboat allows us two nights away from camping and truck life. We relax on beautiful Lake Kariba. We enjoy sleeping in a bed again and have our meals prepared for us by the houseboat staff. Chill in the splash pool and watch wildlife by the waters edge, fish from the tender boat and take game walks on Chete Island or in Matusadona National Park. The sunsets over the lake create a rich backdrop of colour for the stark silhouettes of the fossilized hard wood trees standing sentinel in the lake. Here we can enjoy nature at its best, the Lake being home to crocodile, hippo and rich in bird life, with antelope and elephant on view by the lake shore.
Our last days are spent by the Zambezi at the Victoria Falls - white water raft the grade 5 rapids, bungee or gorge swing, tandem sky dive, canoe, jet boat and enjoy a sunset cruise. Take a Flight of the Angels in an ultra light for breathtaking views over the Falls. Lion walking, elephant rides, horse riding, the fun of interactive drumming, and much more.
The mighty Mosi O Tunya - 'the smoke that thunders' is an exciting and beautiful destination to finish your safari.
Optional excursions: Evening game drives, Luangwa (seasonal), Houseboat on Lake Kariba, lion walks, horse and elephant rides, rhino treks, whitewater rafting, riverboarding, jet boating, canoeing on the Zambezi, “Flight of the Angels”, bungee jump, abseil/gorge swing, interactive drumming, township tour, evening sunset cruise and many other activities.
Note this safari can finish in Victoria Falls on either side of the Zambezi River in Livingstone, Zambia or Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Do note extra visa and transfer costs apply if you need to cross the river to fly out.
Please note safari itineraries are given as a guide only. A safari is a journey and true journeys in Africa unfold and are of an adventurous nature, the unexpected can arise, so do allow for this. Do note some entry to some game parks particularly South Luangwa is seasonal. Feel free to give us a call about your safari plans. We look forward to your further enquiries.
Any queries? Call our office on +44 (0) 208 742 0226, email us at
absaf@absoluteafrica.com or skype us on skypeabsoluteafrica
