Gorillas & Masai Mara - Camping Reverse

Marvel at the endangered mountain gorillas of Bwindi and spot magnificent safari animals in Kenya

Embark on the animal-watching adventure of a lifetime, visiting the wildlife hotspots of Uganda and Kenya. It starts in spectacular fashion, trekking through Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to spend time with a family of gorillas, then through Kalinzu Forest in search of chimpanzees. We then head to the Masai Mara in Kenya, home to lions, cheetahs and the Maasai people, who we meet to learn firsthand about their culture and traditions.

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate) with a Wildlife Rating of Four. For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page or our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife Ratings. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

The moderate grading applies specifically to the gorilla trek and chimpanzee tracking. The rest of the itinerary is graded as leisurely in relation to the Activity Level only (however, this is not a leisurely trip in relation to the early starts and long drives).

Gorilla trek: Owing to the terrain and need to explore to find gorillas, the trek doesn’t always follow a path in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; instead, the guides cut a route through the undergrowth. Expect a minimum of three hours of hiking on irregular terrain, with the possibility of climbing up to 8,550ft (2,607m); steep ascents and descents over muddy slopes are the norm. Strong footwear is essential and we recommend hiring a local porter to help you carry your bag/camera equipment and provide a steady, supportive hand (porters are arranged and paid for locally on the day).

Journeys: Transport is in a specialist overland vehicle with good visibility and 4×4 vehicles in the Masai Mara. There are several early mornings where we start before sunrise, especially to view the wildlife, and several long drives. Although the distances are not always very long, some of the roads are quite poor and bumpy, especially after the rainy season. We include breaks for toilet facilities, shopping, photos and meals. There are a few days where the journey time (including stops) can be more than seven hours and the longest drive can take approximately nine hours. The spectacular scenery and glimpses of village life make the journeys enjoyable, as do the chances to get to know your travel companions. Come with a sense of adventure and fun and you’ll have the trip of a lifetime.

Travel restrictions: Certain areas in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda are not recommended for travel on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office website. Please note, we do not visit any of these areas on our itinerary and continually keep abreast of changes to FCDO advice.

Booking conditions: A minimum of £900 (or equivalent in booking currency) non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking to cover the cost of the gorilla permits. If for any reason we must cancel the trip, you receive a full refund.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Kenya

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, polio, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, rabies, tuberculosis and yellow fever. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest you seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic about which to take. Additionally, dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Methanol: The FCDO warns travellers to be cautious of methanol poisoning when travelling in destinations visited on the trip.

Rwanda

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, rabies, tuberculosis and yellow fever. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you have travelled from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Malaria is also a known risk. Please seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic on the best course of action for all the above.

Additionally, dengue and zika (mosquito-borne viral diseases) are known risks. No vaccines or prophylaxes are available, so we recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Uganda

Vaccination against yellow fever is necessary and you must bring a valid certificate of vaccination. You may also want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, polio, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, rabies and tuberculosis. Malaria prophylaxis is essential. Please seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic on the best course of action for all the above.

Additionally, bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or rivers visited on this itinerary, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim. Zika fever, a mosquito‐borne viral disease, is also a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Methanol: The FCDO warns travellers to be cautious of methanol poisoning when travelling in destinations visited on the trip.

Visa

Kenya

Travellers from the UK, US and EU need an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) to enter Kenya. Please note, requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required eTAs/visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on entry requirements for their citizens. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/kenya
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/kenya
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/kenya/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Kenya.html

You can apply for your eTA, which costs US$30, on the official website for the Kenyan government. You will need the following before you make your application:

• Valid passport
• Recent passport picture OR a selfie picture taken during application process
• Contact details (home address, telephone, email)
• Travel information and flight itinerary (arrival flight number, date of departure of initial flight in case of connecting flights)
• Proof of booking for the hotel you will be staying at (if staying with friends, a letter of invitation is accepted)
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate if coming from endemic countries (please check the World Health Organization website for the updated list of countries)
• Credit/debit card information for payment, if applicable

Rwanda

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Rwanda. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/rwanda
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/rwanda
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/rwanda/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Rwanda.html

Uganda

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Uganda. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/uganda
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/uganda
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/uganda/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Uganda.html

You can apply for your visa (or find out more information) at www.visas.immigration.go.ug. The decision taken on the application will be sent electronically through the email provided by the applicant. If approved, an approval letter will be sent as an attachment to the email provided. Print it out and present it together with a valid passport/travel document at the port of entry. The cost of a standard single-entry visit visa is US$50 and can be paid online.

Please note: Currently, the single-entry visa is only valid for three months from the issue data. Please ensure your visa is valid for your travel dates.

Food & Drink

Virtually all meals are included and are prepared for you by our chef and crew. They are adept at catering for large groups of hungry travellers!

Breakfasts usually include cereal, toast and hot food such as porridge or eggs. Lunches tend to feature a range of sandwich options plus a fruit selection. Dinners usually feature soup, a main (a mix of local and international cuisine) and dessert (typically fruit salad). All cooking equipment is loaded onto the overland vehicle and so our crew are ready to prepare food wherever we stop – don’t worry about going hungry on this trip! You also have time to stock up on snacks and drinks along the journey.

For meals not included, it would be a good idea to allow a further US$100 to cover these.

Weather

Although this part of East Africa lies in the tropics, the temperature depends more on altitude than on season. Kenya has temperatures of 18C-28C (64F-82F) in March and 15C-21C (59F-70F) in August. The long rains, during which we do not operate these tours, occur in April and May, and there are intermittent short rains between November and early December, though these normally have no great effect on the safari.

In western Uganda, the rainy season is also in April and May, with intermittent rains during November and December, and daytime temperatures of 15C-25C (59F-77F). Parts of Uganda are very wet and rain can fall at any time.

In Rwanda, the rainy season is also in April and May, with intermittent rains during November. December to February is quite dry, and June through October is the driest season. Temperatures do vary, in the southern parts of Rwanda the temperatures are 18C-30C (64F-86F), while in the northern part, temperatures are 12C-28C (54F-82F).