Overview
Mountain gorillas, Maasai and the Mara
A wonderful way to experience some of East Africa’s most incredible wildlife encounters and life-affirming cultural exchanges, staying in boutique lodges and camps that are both full of charm and doing inspiring community and conservation work.
Begin in Uganda, with a night in Entebbe before an unforgettable meeting with a troop of gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s ancient rainforest. You’ll also get a taste of life on the park edge and learn how people and these gentle giants can thrive in the same space.
Then fly across Lake Victoria to Kenya’s legendary Maasai Mara. Whether timed for the spectacle of the migration or the green season’s burst of new life, the safari here is some of the very best anywhere in Africa.
End in the green Chyulu Hills, taking in views of Mount Kilimanjaro while Maasai guides show you their wild homeland.
Highlights
Trip highlights
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Trekking with gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
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World-class safari in the Maasai Mara
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Epic Kili views and big tuskers in the Chyulu Hills
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Handpicked boutique lodges and camps
Inclusions
What's included
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Eight nights of luxury accommodation
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Gorilla trekking permits and safari activities
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Internal flights and private transfers
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Price per person based on two adults sharing
An unforgettable trip with a positive impact
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Community & Culture
Properties and experiences that uplift and empower local communities.
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Conservation
Supports wildlife projects, protected areas and ecosystem regeneration.
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Footprint
Lodges and camps chosen for their sustainability credentials and initiatives.
Days 1 — 2
Overnight in Entebbe
You’ll be met on arrival into Entebbe and driven the short distance to a charming guesthouse for a relaxing overnight before your adventure begins in the morning. Depending on when you land, there might be time to explore Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, and watch the sunset from a beach bar before dinner.
Days 2 — 4
Bwindi gorilla trekking
Return to the airport for a light aircraft for the short flight west, with the rest of the journey by road through verdant tea plantations to a village right on the edge of the aptly named Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, an ancient and incredibly important protected rainforest home to colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, colourful birds and, most famously, some 400 mountain gorillas, around half of the world's population. Learn about the park and village life during your first afternoon here in preparation for tomorrow’s trek.
Meet your guide and ranger team at the edge of the national park before venturing in on foot to the last known location of a nearby habituated family group of mountain gorillas. The hike can be strenuous through the thick jungle but the rewards are unforgettable. Watch as young ones play and roll through the undergrowth, mothers delicately eat bamboo and adolescent males show off. A proud silverback is always an impressive sight, especially so on foot in their home. An awe-inspiring wildlife experience.
Days 4 — 7
Maasai Mara safari
A pair of light aircraft flights will bring you across Lake Victoria to Kenya's Maasai Mara. The Mara hosts an astounding diversity and density of wildlife year-round, especially lions, leopards, cheetahs and elephants. Between July and October, millions of wildebeests and zebras cross from the Serengeti in Tanzania to create an awe-inspiring natural spectacle known as the Great Migration.
Based out of a safari camp in a community-owned conservancy, you’ll enjoy game drives without the national park’s crowds, as well as enjoying the freedom to explore on guided safari walks and night excursions to spot nocturnal species. It also means you are directly supporting local communities and conservation through your stay, and you’ll get to meet the Maasai who are sharing their land with you.
A classic canvas camp with just three tents in heart of the Maasai Mara’s iconic plains surrounded by wilderness with conservancy freedoms and privacy.
Offbeat Mara is a small, traditional safari camp situated within the Mara North Conservancy, which works closely with the local Maasai.
Days 7 — 9
The Green Hills
End your safari in the verdant Chyulu Hills on a vast and beautiful wedge of Maasai-owned land close to Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks. A model of collaborative conservation, protecting wildlife such as lions, cheetahs and the iconic bull elephants that are some of the last big tuskers in Africa while providing income for the community.
Explore the area on game drives with guides showing you their homeland, head out on foot for scenic sundowners or simply relax and reflect on your adventure. The views out to Kilimanjaro aren’t too shabby either.
Start your adventure here
Example trips
Get inspired
Browse our example trips and get in contact to start planning your very own adventure.
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Example trips
Get inspired
Browse our example trips and get in contact to start planning your very own adventure.
What makes us different
Why Niarra
Niarra Travel is a forward-thinking travel company headquartered in London born out of a passion to do things differently.
In Swahili, a Bantu language spoken by millions in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, the name Niara means "with utmost purpose" and our team are united by a passion for exploration and a belief that the right kind of travel can make the world a better place.
Our Travel Researchers are here to create incredible trips with a positive impact for you.
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Unforgettable experiences
Creating your trip is entirely collaborative and our Travel Researchers are here for every step.
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Positive impact
Curated sustainable experiences and accommodation that maximize the benefits to local people and place.
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Fairness and transparency
An open, competitive pricing structure that ensures more money goes to where it's needed in the destination.
