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This trip is a combination of 2 journeys: Chimps, Gorillas & Gameparks (ZNN) and East Africa Overland & Zanzibar (ZND). If it's wildlife you're after, this is as good as it gets - from game drives in Kenya's parks to camping in the Serengeti; from Uganda's magical chimpanzee sanctuary through to the incredible mountain gorillas of Rwanda. Africa is much more than just wildlife, however. The Usambara Mountains are Tanzania's hidden gem, and we'll stop in villages and meet people who rarely encounter visitors. Finally we head to the stunning island of Zanzibar, to explore atmospheric Stonetown, discover the unique cultural blend of the spice islands and relax on immaculate white sand beaches.

what's included?

Nights 1-3: Nairobi & Lake Nakuru

• Overnight in Kenya's capital city, Nairobi
• Get involved: hands-on work at Kariandusi School Trust Project
• Safari in Lake Nakuru National Park
• Venture overland across the highlands of Western Kenya

Nights 4 - 8: Kibale Forest, QEII NP & Lake Bunyonyi

• Journey through the Ugandan landscape
• 2 nights at a Kibale tea plantation to visit the Kibale Forest and for walks in the hills
• Forest walking expedition in search of chimps
• Big game safari in QEII National Park including boat trip on Kazinga Channel
• 1 night stay at the stunning and remote Lake Bunyonyi

Nights 9 - 11: Gorilla Trekking

• Visit to the genocide memorial in Kigali
• 3 night visit to the forests and mountains of northern Rwanda
• Mountain gorilla trek in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park

Nights 12 - 16: Lake Mburo, Jinja Region & Kalagala Camp

• Overnight camping and walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park
• Time at the campsite in Jinja spectacularly located on a cliff-top thirty metres above the swirling currents of the White Nile
• Overland through western Kenya and the Rift Valley
• Arrive back in Nairobi

Nights 17 - 21: Rift Valley Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater

• Overland through northern Tanzania via Arusha
• Visit to the Mto Wa Mbu Cultural Tourism Programme.
• 2 day Jeep Safari and wildcamp in Serengeti National Park
• Jeep safari in Ngorongoro Crater Reserve

Nights 22 - 24: Kilimanjaro & Usambara Mountains

• Overnight stay at Mt Kilimanjaro with time for an easy hike up to the gate of the national park
• Visit to the Amani street children's orphanage
• Visit Marangu Village Educational Project
• 2 night stay in the stunning Usambara Mountains with time for local community visits and hikes
• Half day moderate/easy hill trek to Irente Lookout and community visit to Irente villages

Nights 25 - 28: Dar es Salaam & Zanzibar

• Overnight on the white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean near Dar es Salaam
• 3 nights on the Spice island of Zanzibar
• Guided tour of Spice Plantations and local lunch
• Return to Dar by hydrofoil

what can I do on the way?

(Activities available at extra costs)

• Forest trekking for golden monkeys or community treks around Volcanoes National Park
• Go quad biking, white-water raft the White Nile at Jinja, horseriding also available.
• Balloon flight over the Serengeti National Park
• Scuba, snorkel and dolphin boat trips off Zanzibar

General Notes:

The likelihood of seeing gorillas is virtually guaranteed. However, they are wild animals and the chances of seeing them are not 100%.
To track gorillas you need a permit. In order to obtain this, we require a non-refundable deposit of GPB400 at the time of booking.
The Balloon Safari in the Serengeti must be pre-booked through the UK and is not always possible. Kitty does not cover food while staying in hotels and hostels.

Please note: South of Nairobi, Dragoman Overland runs this trip in conjunction with Intrepid Overland. Intrepid share our ethos for overlanding and have many years' expertise in adventure travel. Our departures are codeshared, with certain departures run by Dragoman in one of our vehicles, others by Intrepid (Intrepid Guerba Kenya) in one of theirs. This allows us to run many more departures so you have more choice when you want to travel.
You'll get the same itineraries, activities and accommodation on both Dragoman and Intrepid departures, and the vehicles of both fleets have been standardised to a common specification, so you won't be compromising on quality. All departures have three crew, including an African camp master. The only difference is that the Intrepid crew will all be African.

Alternative routes starting from Nairobi: