East Africa Itinerary

Phase 1: Uganda (Days 1–26: Dec 31 – Jan 25)
Day 1 (Dec 31): Entebbe Arrival
Drive: ~15 km (~30 mins)
Stay: Rooftop Tent / Campsite at Karibu Entebbe
Meals: Self-cooked camp dinner or local bistro
Activity: Vehicle pickup, 4×4 Land Cruiser inspection, SIM card setup, gear check, and Starlink testing. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 2 (Jan 1): Ziwa Rhinos ➔ Murchison Falls NP
Drive: 305 km (~6 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Red Chili Rest Camp / Murchison Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp breakfast, picnic lunch, self-cooked camp dinner
Activity: Early morning drive north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for an on-foot white rhino tracking safari. Continue through Masindi to enter Murchison Falls National Park and set up camp.

Day 3 (Jan 2): Murchison Game Drive & Falls Boat
Drive: ~50 km internal game tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Murchison Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Dawn game drive across the northern savannah loop for lions, giraffes, and elephants. Afternoon boat cruise to the thundering base of Murchison Falls. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 4 (Jan 3): Murchison Shoebill Delta Cruise
Drive: ~40 km internal game tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Murchison Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Morning boat cruise downstream into the Nile-Lake Albert Delta to spot rare, prehistoric Shoebill Storks and aquatic wildlife. Afternoon game drive along Buligi circuit.

Day 5 (Jan 4): Murchison Rest Day & Nile Perch Fishing
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Murchison Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals / Lodge lunch option
Activity: REST DAY (Krista). Neil takes a half-day specialized boat charter on the Victoria Nile to fish for monster Nile Perch at the base of the falls. Krista relaxes at camp.

Day 6 (Jan 5): Murchison ➔ Gulu Town
Drive: 150 km (~3 hours)
Stay: Churchill Courts Hotel (Gulu)
Meals: Self-cooked camp breakfast, hotel dinner
Activity: Leisurely morning drive out of Murchison Falls northward to Gulu Town to break up the long transit toward Kidepo Valley. Gear clean-out and resupply.

Day 7 (Jan 6): Gulu ➔ Kidepo Valley NP & Night Safari
Drive: 230 km (~4.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Kakine Public Campsite (Narus Valley)
Meals: Hotel breakfast, self-cooked camp dinner
Activity: Drive northeast into remote Karamoja to Kidepo Valley. Afternoon arrival and camp setup. Evening: Guided Monday Night Game Drive with a UWA ranger to search for hunting leopards, aardvarks, and servals.

Day 8 (Jan 7): Kidepo Wilderness Safari
Drive: ~60 km internal game tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Kakine Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Dawn predator tracking in the Narus Valley, home to Uganda’s largest buffalo herds and high lion density. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 9 (Jan 8): Kidepo ➔ Moroto
Drive: 220 km (~5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Kara-Tunga Safari Camp (Moroto)
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Scenic drive south through the rugged wilderness of the Karamoja region, skirting Mount Moroto near the Kenya border.

Day 10 (Jan 9): Moroto ➔ Sipi Falls
Drive: 170 km (~4 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Sipi River Lodge Campsite / Crow’s Nest
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Drive south into the Mount Elgon coffee highlands. Camp setup overlooking the cliffside waterfalls. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 11 (Jan 10): Sipi Falls Waterfall Canyoning
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Sipi River Lodge Campsite
Meals: Camp breakfast, lodge lunch, self-cooked dinner
Activity: Joint Adventure: Guided canyoning and 100-meter waterfall abseiling trip directly alongside the main Sipi Falls cascade.

Day 12 (Jan 11): Sipi Falls Rock Climbing
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Sipi River Lodge Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: REST DAY (Krista). Neil goes on a guided outdoor rock climbing session on Mount Elgon’s natural basalt crags. Krista rests and enjoys the mountain views.

Day 13 (Jan 12): Sipi Falls ➔ Jinja (Nile Riverfront)
Drive: 190 km (~4 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Nile River Camp / The Haven
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Drive down from Mount Elgon to Jinja on the shores of the Nile River. Set up camp directly overlooking the river rapids.

Day 14 (Jan 13): Jinja Rest Day & Nile Tubing
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Nile River Camp
Meals: Camp breakfast, river bistro lunch/dinner
Activity: REST DAY. Joint Activity: Afternoon relaxing flatwater/mild tubing excursion down the Nile River.

Day 15 (Jan 14): Jinja ➔ Kibale Forest NP
Drive: 340 km (~6.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Kibale Forest Camp
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Long transit drive west across Uganda’s central tea plantations to the edge of Kibale Rainforest. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 16 (Jan 15): Kibale Chimps & Bigodi Wetland
Drive: ~30 km local tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Kibale Forest Camp
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals / Lodge dinner option
Activity: Guided morning chimpanzee trekking inside Kibale Forest. Afternoon guided canopy walk through Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary for endemic primates and birds.

Day 17 (Jan 16): Kibale ➔ Queen Elizabeth NP (Kazinga Boat)
Drive: 110 km (~2.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at QENP Public Campsite / Tembo Safari Lodge
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Afternoon Kazinga Channel boat safari for hippos, crocs, and elephant herds. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 18 (Jan 17): QENP Kasenyi Lions & Craters
Drive: ~60 km internal game tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at QENP Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Early morning game drive on the Kasenyi Plains for lion and kob tracking, followed by a scenic drive through the Katwe Explosion Craters.

Day 19 (Jan 18): Ishasha Tree-Climbing Lions ➔ Bwindi Edge
Drive: 120 km (~3.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Ride 4 a Woman / Campsite near Buhoma Gate
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals, lodge dinner
Activity: Search for tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha Sector of QENP, then climb into the misty Bwindi Impenetrable forest edge.

Day 20 (Jan 19): Bwindi Gorilla Trek #1
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Haven Lodge Buhoma (Lodge Stay)
Meals: Lodge breakfast, trail lunch, full-board lodge dinner
Activity: First guided mountain gorilla trek in the Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable NP. Afternoon back at lodge.

Day 21 (Jan 20): Bwindi Jungle Edge Rest Day
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Haven Lodge Buhoma (Lodge Stay)
Meals: Full-board lodge dining
Activity: REST DAY. Total relaxation between gorilla treks, deep-tissue massage, gear cleaning, and reading on the rainforest deck.

Day 22 (Jan 21): Bwindi Gorilla Trek #2
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Haven Lodge Buhoma / Campsite return
Meals: Lodge breakfast, trail lunch, camp dinner
Activity: Second mountain gorilla trek to habituate with a different gorilla family group. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 23 (Jan 22): Mgahinga Golden Monkeys
Drive: 95 km (~3 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Scenic drive south to the Virunga Volcanoes. Guided morning trek to see endangered Golden Monkeys in the bamboo forests of Mgahinga.

Day 24 (Jan 23): Mgahinga ➔ Lake Mburo NP
Drive: 220 km (~5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Lake Mburo Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Transit east to Lake Mburo National Park. Afternoon savannah game drive among zebras, topis, and elands. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 25 (Jan 24): Lake Mburo Walking Safari
Drive: ~20 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Lake Mburo Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Early morning guided walking safari with an armed UWA ranger to get on foot next to zebra and impala herds. Afternoon boat trip on the lake.

Day 26 (Jan 25): Mburo ➔ Mutukula Border ➔ Speke Bay (Tanzania)
Drive: 240 km (~5.5 hours incl. border)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Speke Bay Lodge Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp breakfast, Lodge dinner at Speke Bay
Activity: Drive south across the Mutukula Border into Tanzania. Complete vehicle import paperwork (TIP) and arrive at Speke Bay on Lake Victoria.

Phase 2: Tanzania (Days 27–47: Jan 26 – Feb 15)
Day 27 (Jan 26): Speke Bay Rest Day (Lake Victoria)
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Speke Bay Lodge Campsite
Meals: Lodge dining / Camp cooking
Activity: REST DAY. Unwind by Lake Victoria, rest, laundry, and gear organization before entering the Serengeti ecosystem.

Day 28 (Jan 27): Speke Bay ➔ Central Serengeti (Ndabaka Gate)
Drive: 160 km (~3.5 hours to Seronera)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Seronera Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Enter the Serengeti through the Western Ndabaka Gate. Game drive through the Western Corridor into the central Seronera plains.

Day 29 (Jan 28): Central Serengeti Safari
Drive: ~60 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Seronera Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Full-day safari exploring the Seronera River valleys, famous for high concentrations of leopards and lion pride kopjes. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 30 (Jan 29): Central Serengeti River Loops
Drive: ~60 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Seronera Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Dedicated game drive tracking big cats along the Retima Hippo Pool and Maasai Kopjes circuits.

Day 31 (Jan 30): Central Serengeti ➔ Ndutu Plains
Drive: 90 km (~2.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Ndutu Public / Special Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Drive south out of Seronera into the Ndutu short-grass plains (Ngorongoro Conservation Area boundary). 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Days 32–33 (Jan 31 – Feb 1): Ndutu Calving Off-Roading
Drive: ~70 km daily off-road tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Ndutu Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Off-road tracking across the short-grass plains to witness hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebras during peak calving season. High predator action (cheetahs, hyenas, lions).

Day 34 (Feb 2): Ndutu Hot-Air Balloon Safari
Drive: ~30 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Ndutu Campsite
Meals: Champagne bush breakfast, self-cooked camp dinner
Activity: Pre-dawn pickup for a hot-air balloon flight over the Great Migration calving herds, followed by a champagne bush breakfast. Afternoon rest and game drive.

Day 35 (Feb 3): Ndutu Marsh & Plains Safari
Drive: ~60 km off-road tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Ndutu Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Full day exploring the Ndutu Marsh and Lake Masek edge for flamingos, hippos, and hunting big cats.

Day 36 (Feb 4): Ndutu Birthing Boom Safari
Drive: ~60 km off-road tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Ndutu Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Deep tracking into the calving grounds during the height of wildebeest birthing. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 37 (Feb 5): Ndutu ➔ Ndutu Safari Lodge Oasis
Drive: ~20 km
Stay: Ndutu Safari Lodge (Lodge Stay)
Meals: Full-board lodge dining
Activity: Move from camp into the lodge oasis for dust clean-out, equipment maintenance, and comfortable rooms.

Day 38 (Feb 6): Ndutu Lodge Oasis Rest Day
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Ndutu Safari Lodge (Lodge Stay)
Meals: Full-board lodge dining
Activity: REST DAY. Relax at the lodge deck overlooking Lake Ndutu. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 39 (Feb 7): Ndutu ➔ Ngorongoro Crater Floor Safari
Drive: 75 km (~2 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Simba Public Campsite (Crater Rim)
Meals: Camp breakfast, crater picnic lunch, camp dinner
Activity: Early morning descent 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater floor for black rhino, elephant, and lion tracking. Ascend to rim for camping.

Day 40 (Feb 8): Empakaai Crater Walk ➔ Karatu Highlands
Drive: 70 km (~2.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Kudu Lodge & Campsite (Karatu)
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals / Lodge dinner option
Activity: Morning hike along the rim of Empakaai Crater with an armed ranger, then drive down into the Karatu coffee estates.

Day 41 (Feb 9): Karatu Coffee Estate Rest Day
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Kudu Lodge & Campsite
Meals: Camp breakfast, lodge farm-to-table dinner
Activity: REST DAY. Rest by the pool, enjoy coffee plantation walks, laundry, and downtime.

Day 42 (Feb 10): Karatu ➔ Tarangire NP & Night Safari
Drive: 110 km (~2 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Tarangire Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Drive to Tarangire National Park. Afternoon game drive along the baobab circuits. Evening: Guided Monday Night Game Drive for bush babies, leopards, and nocturnal wildlife.

Day 43 (Feb 11): Tarangire Baobab & Elephant Safari
Drive: ~70 km internal game tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Tarangire Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Full-day game drive exploring the Silale Swamp circuits, famous for massive elephant herds and tree-climbing lions. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 44 (Feb 12): Tarangire ➔ Lake Manyara NP
Drive: 70 km (~1.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Lake Manyara Public Campsite / Panorama
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Drive to Lake Manyara. Safari through groundwater forests, flamingo lake shores, and baboon troops.

Day 45 (Feb 13): Lake Manyara ➔ Arusha Hub
Drive: 115 km (~2.5 hours)
Stay: Arusha Town Hotel / Campsite (e.g., Meserani)
Meals: Self-cooked camp breakfast, town restaurant dinner
Activity: Scenic transit drive to Arusha town. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 46 (Feb 14): Arusha Rest & Resupply
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Arusha Town Hotel / Campsite
Meals: Town restaurant dining
Activity: REST DAY. Vehicle health check, resupply, gear organization, and preparation for crossing into Kenya.

Day 47 (Feb 15): Arusha ➔ Namanga Border ➔ Sagana (Kenya)
Drive: 360 km (~7 hours incl. border)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Rapids Camp Sagana
Meals: Camp cooking / Camp bistro
Activity: Drive north across the Namanga Border into Kenya. Bypass Nairobi traffic northbound to the Sagana river camp.

Phase 3: Kenya (Days 48–68: Feb 16 – Mar 8)
Day 48 (Feb 16): Sagana Canyoning & Whitewater
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Rapids Camp Sagana
Meals: Camp meals / Bistro
Activity: Joint Adventure: Guided canyoning, waterfall abseiling, and whitewater rafting excursion on the Tana River in Sagana.

Day 49 (Feb 17): Sagana ➔ Ol Pejeta Conservancy & Night Safari
Drive: 110 km (~2.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Sweetwaters Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Transit to Ol Pejeta Conservancy at the foot of Mount Kenya. Afternoon visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Evening: Guided Monday Night Game Drive in search of lions and striping hyenas.

Day 50 (Feb 18): Ol Pejeta Rhino Safari
Drive: ~50 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Sweetwaters Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Safari focusing on the world’s last remaining Northern White Rhinos (enclosure visit) and black rhino tracking. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 51 (Feb 19): Ol Pejeta ➔ Lake Nakuru NP
Drive: 160 km (~3.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Makalia Falls Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Drive west into the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park. Afternoon rhino sanctuary drive.

Day 52 (Feb 20): Lake Nakuru Wildlife Safari
Drive: ~50 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Makalia Falls Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Full-day safari around the lake, lion tracking, and Rothschild giraffe watching. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 53 (Feb 21): Lake Nakuru ➔ Hell’s Gate NP (Naivasha)
Drive: 90 km (~2 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Fisherman’s Camp (Lake Naivasha)
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals / Camp restaurant
Activity: Transit to Lake Naivasha. Joint Activity: Guided cycling safari inside Hell’s Gate National Park among zebras and gazelles.

Day 54 (Feb 22): Hell’s Gate Rock Climbing
Drive: ~20 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Fisherman’s Camp
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: REST DAY (Krista). Neil does guided rock climbing on Fischer’s Tower volcanic plug in Hell’s Gate. Krista rests by Lake Naivasha.

Day 55 (Feb 23): Lake Naivasha Rest Day & Boat Fishing
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Fisherman’s Camp
Meals: Camp cooking / Lake restaurant
Activity: REST DAY. Neil takes a morning motorboat fishing charter on Lake Naivasha for Black Bass and Tilapia. Krista relaxes lakeside.

Day 56 (Feb 24): Lake Naivasha ➔ Maasai Mara
Drive: 230 km (~5.5 hours)
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Oloololo / Talek Public Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Drive southwest into the world-famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. Set up camp in the wild savannah.

Day 57 (Feb 25): Maasai Mara Big Cat Safari
Drive: ~70 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Mara Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Full-day big cat tracking along the Talek and Mara River circuits. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 58 (Feb 26): Maasai Mara River Loops
Drive: ~70 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Mara Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Dedicated game drive targeting pride lions, cheetahs on termite mounds, and hippos along the Mara River.

Day 59 (Feb 27): Maasai Mara Plains Safari
Drive: ~60 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Mara Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Safari across the open plains of the Mara triangle. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 60 (Feb 28): Maasai Mara Big Cat Tracking
Drive: ~60 km internal tracks
Stay: Rooftop Tent at Mara Campsite
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals
Activity: Extra day dedicated to following leopard territories and wildlife photography across the reserve.

Day 61 (Mar 1): Maasai Mara Conservancy Walk
Drive: ~40 km
Stay: Rooftop Tent / Tented Camp
Meals: Self-cooked camp meals / Lodge option
Activity: Guided walking safari with Maasai warriors in a private Mara conservancy.

Day 62 (Mar 2): Maasai Mara Luxury Tented Camp Rest Day
Drive: 0 km
Stay: Luxury Tented Camp (e.g. Mara Serena / Ashnil)
Meals: Full-board lodge dining
Activity: REST DAY. Transition to a luxury tented camp to unwind, massage, pool time, and gear clean-up.

Day 63 (Mar 3): Maasai Mara ➔ Nairobi (Karen Suburb)
Drive: 250 km (~5.5 hours)
Stay: Boutique Hotel / Wildebeest Eco Camp (Karen, Nairobi)
Meals: Lodge breakfast, restaurant dinner (Karen)
Activity: Drive back out of the Mara into the quiet, leafy suburb of Karen in Nairobi.

Day 64 (Mar 4): Nairobi Wildlife Sanctuaries
Drive: ~30 km city driving
Stay: Boutique Hotel in Karen
Meals: Hotel breakfast, cafe lunch, hotel dinner
Activity: Visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphan feeding and the Giraffe Centre. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 65 (Mar 5): Nairobi Go-Karting Finale
Drive: ~40 km
Stay: Boutique Hotel in Karen
Meals: Hotel breakfast, trackside lunch, restaurant dinner
Activity: Joint Adventure: High-speed Go-Karting race session at Whistling Morans karting track.

Day 66 (Mar 6): Nairobi Maasai Market & Shopping
Drive: ~20 km
Stay: Boutique Hotel in Karen
Meals: Hotel breakfast, cafe lunch, restaurant dinner
Activity: Souvenir shopping at the open-air Maasai Market and local art galleries. 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening (6:00 PM EAT).

Day 67 (Mar 7): Nairobi Wrap-up & Farewell Dinner
Drive: ~20 km
Stay: Boutique Hotel in Karen
Meals: Hotel breakfast, Farewell Dinner at The Talisman
Activity: Relaxed morning packing, vehicle return inspection with the rental outfitter, and a celebratory farewell dinner at The Talisman restaurant.

Day 68 (Mar 8): Departure from Nairobi (NBO)
Drive: 30 km (~1 hour)
Stay: None (Flight Home)
Meals: Hotel breakfast
Activity: Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) for your flight home.