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Seven things we run, and what decides each one.
Each comes down to a permit, a season or a guide. The numbers that matter are listed under each one.
Gorilla trekking
One hour with a habituated mountain gorilla family, in Rwanda's Virungas or Uganda's Bwindi.
Eight trekkers go in per family per day, led by trackers who pick up the trail from the previous night's nests. Rwanda's permit is USD 1,500 and the trailhead is two hours from Kigali. Uganda's is USD 800, and the Bwindi sector you choose decides how hard the walk is.
More on gorilla trekking- Permit
- USD 1,500 Rwanda / 800 Uganda
- Time with the family
- 60 minutes
- Fitness
- Moderate to hard
Chimpanzee tracking
Track a habituated chimpanzee community on foot through Kibale in Uganda or Nyungwe in Rwanda.
Kibale has the strongest sighting record in Africa, so we build Uganda itineraries around it, with a four hour habituation option for anyone who wants longer than the standard hour. Nyungwe is quieter and steeper, and it pairs with the canopy walkway sixty metres above the forest floor. Treks start early, so we sleep close to the trailhead.
More on chimpanzee tracking- Permit
- USD 250 Kibale / 100 Nyungwe
- Time with the chimps
- 60 minutes, or 4 hours on habituation
- Fitness
- Easy to moderate
The Great Migration
About 1.5 million wildebeest circle the Serengeti and Mara on a loop set by the rains.
Calving runs around Ndutu in the southern Serengeti in February, and the Mara River crossings run from July to October on both sides of the border. The herds follow the rain, so we place camps against the forecast for your dates, and sometimes that means a mobile camp. Book early for August, when the best crossing camps fill first.
More on the great migration- Calving
- Feb, Ndutu
- River crossings
- Jul to Oct
- Suggested stay
- 4 to 5 nights with the herds
Big Five safari
Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino, found in Akagera, the Mara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Runs in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda
Rhino is the hard one. Black rhino odds are best on the Ngorongoro Crater floor, and Akagera now holds lion and rhino after both were returned to the park. Leopard comes down to a guide who knows which riverside tree it is using, so we ask about the guide before the lodge.
More on big five safari- Best rhino odds
- Ngorongoro Crater floor
- Hardest to see
- Leopard, then rhino
- Game drives
- Dawn and late afternoon
Birding
Shoebill at Mabamba swamp, Albertine Rift endemics in Nyungwe, and flamingos on Lake Nakuru.
Runs in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya
Uganda's list stands at 1,090 species, and the Mabamba swamp near Entebbe is one of the most reliable places in Africa to find a shoebill from a canoe. Nyungwe and Bwindi hold the Albertine Rift endemics, and Kibale gives you a chance at Green-breasted Pitta. Days start before dawn with a bird guide who calls species by ear.
More on birding- Uganda list
- 1,090 species
- Shoebill
- Mabamba swamp, by canoe
- Day start
- 5:30 am
Zanzibar and the reef
Three or four barefoot days on the Zanzibar coast, with a reef to snorkel.
Runs in Tanzania
Stone Town takes half a day on foot, through the market lanes and out to a working spice farm. The rest is the reef, with a boat out to Mnemba Atoll for snorkelling over coral and, with luck, turtles. We schedule it last, because a short flight from Arusha puts you on the sand the day you leave the bush.
More on zanzibar and the reef- Reef trip
- Mnemba Atoll, half day by boat
- Sea temperature
- 26 to 29 C
- Best months
- Jun to Oct, Dec to Feb
Culture and community
Intore dance in Rwanda, Maasai visits in Kenya and Tanzania, with fees paid straight to the community.
Runs in Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania
In Rwanda that means Intore drumming and dance near Musanze, and a coffee or tea farm where you pick and cup your own. In Kenya and Tanzania we arrange visits directly with the group manyatta, so the fee is agreed in advance and goes to the community rather than a middleman. For something longer, the Congo Nile Trail runs 227 km down Lake Kivu and can be walked in sections.
More on culture and community
- Maasai visit
- 1 to 2 hours, fee paid direct
- Rwanda
- Intore dance, coffee and tea farms
- Walking option
- Congo Nile Trail, 227 km
The permit, the season and the walk, in full.
Gorilla trekking permits, what they cost and how booking works
How much is a gorilla permit, and how do you get one?
Rwanda or Uganda for gorilla trekking
Which country should I trek gorillas in?
When to see the Great Migration
What is the best time to see the Great Migration?
What to pack for a gorilla trek
What do I need to take gorilla trekking?
How hard is gorilla trekking
How fit do I need to be to trek gorillas?
Maasai Mara or Serengeti
Should I go to the Maasai Mara or the Serengeti?
Planning a first safari in East Africa
How do I plan a first safari?
What an East African safari costs
How much does a safari cost?
Tell us the dates and who is coming.
We will tell you what is possible, which permits are still open and what it costs.
Plan your journey