Meet the Rellies
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Overview
Swahili 101:
- Mambo vipi – how's things?
- Poa - things are cool.
- Asante sana – cheers, thanks a lot.
- Kale kakuku kadogo ka kaka kako wapi kaka? - where are your chickens, brother?
(Was Gorillas, Safari & Zanzibar)
Itinerary
Day 1-2 - Kigali - Ruhengeri
Kigali is probably the cleanest city you'll ever visit. Rwanda has banned plastic bags, and there's compulsory community service to help keep the streets tidy. You'll feel like a bit of a rock star when groups of singing, jumping, wriggling kids make a beeline for you. This does not mean you can start wearing acid wash jeans and trashing hotel rooms.
Day 1
- A pre-departure meeting will take place at approximately 6pm
- You may choose to eat at the hotel restaurant this evening or venture out to one of the nearby restaurants (own expense)
- It is vital to re confirm any flights in to Rwanda. These schedules change regularly and often by more than a few hours. These must be checked to save any problems with your arrival.
Day 2 (Approximate driving time: 2 hours)- Take in the Genocide Memorial, opened in 2004 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, and learn more about this harrowing part of Rwandan history
- Travel to the campsite and catch glimpses of the endless mountain ranges
- Camp on the outskirts of Ruhengeri, in the shadow of the volcanoes
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 3 - Parc National des Volcans (Gorilla Trek) - Kisoro
(Approximate driving time: 5 hours)
The trek can be tough (between 1-4 hours) but once you spot your first gorilla it will seem like a distant memory. Don't forget tissues if you're the emotional sort (we won't judge, we cried too), and be sure to grab one of the free walking sticks at the start of the trek.
- Check in at the headquarters of the Parc National des Volcans for the gorilla trek
- Take a brief safety talk and set off with the guide in search of the magnificent apes
- Get within metres of a gorilla family and spend an hour observing them
- Cross the border from Rwanda to Uganda
- Get an insight into rural Ugandan life and be greeted by waving children along the way
- Relive the days events over a well-earned meal and celebratory drink in Kisoro
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 4-5 - Queen Elizabeth National Park
(Approximate driving time: 6 hours; game drive times variable)
You'll find a few big name animals here including elephants, Ugandan kobs and maybe lions, but the boat ride on Kazinga Channel is the real highlight.
- Journey on to Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Embark on an afternoon game drive in search of some of the 100 different types of mammals and over 600 different species of birds
- Spend two nights camped in the Mweya area, located on the edge of the Kazinga Channel
- Spend a morning game driving
- Take a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel - a highlight for bird (and hippopotamus) watchers
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 6 - Uganda Wildlife Education Centre - Entebbe
(Approximate driving time: 8 hours)
It started out as an animal orphanage in 1952, then it was a regular zoo, and now it's a place where you can go to learn about animals - the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is awesome.
- Optional boat excursion to Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria
- Pause at the equator for a photo opportunity and to learn all there is to know about being equidistant from the earth's poles
- Visit a chimpanzee sanctuary - home to 39 orphaned chimpanzees
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 7-8 - Jinja
(Approximate driving time: 3 hours)
Our camp on the Nile River is a Geckos favourite. This is largely due to a bar overlooking the water. Don't be shocked if you hear screams - there's a bungee jumping tower 100m down the river.
- Spend two nights camped at Bujagali Falls, on the banks of the river Nile
- Camp near raging rapids, forested islands and an abundance of bird life
- Optional activities abound, including whitewater rafting, kayaking, horse riding and quad biking
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 9 - Kericho
(Approximate driving time: 8 hours)
Keep on trucking (literally) to Kericho, home to some of the world's best tea. Tea is one of life's simplest pleasures, so take a sip and relax.
- Drive 350km through astounding African landscapes
- Enjoy the opportunity to learn more about the tea industry in Kenya
- Camp in the midst of a tea plantation
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 10-11 - Kericho - East Africa Mission Orphanage (EAMO) - Lake Nakuru National Park
This is the best place to see rhinos, but there are also baboons and flamingos everywhere. Head to EAMO for a soccer match with the kids. NB: you don't stand a chance - even Messi would struggle to get one past these guys.
Day 10 (Approximate driving time: 2 hours)
- Head to the East Africa Mission Orphanage and camp on its grounds
- Meet the children and share dinner with them at the orphanage
- Answer the children's questions about the wider world
(Please note that the tea tour will be included this morning if time permits. Time may be reduced according to road conditions, hours of daylight (season) and tour times of the tea factory.)
Day 11 (Game drive times variable)
- Travel to the nearby Lake Nakuru National Park for a full day of game driving
- Perhaps spot populations of white and black rhino, Masai giraffe, Cape buffalo and the elusive leopard
- View flamingos on the lake, which sometimes resemble a moving carpet of pink feathers
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 12-14 - Lake Naivasha - Masai Mara
Depending on the time of year we might run into the world's biggest traffic jam - the wildebeest migration. Despite no horns, traffic lights or pedestrian crossings they're a surprisingly organised bunch.
Day 12 (Approximate driving time: 2 hours)
- Spend time with the children of the orphanage in their classrooms and sit in on some of their lessons
- Head to the freshwater Lake Naivasha and set up camp on the banks of the lake
- Perhaps choose to visit Elsamere, the former home of writer Joy Adamson of 'Born Free' fame
- Why not take a cycling tour into Hell's Gate National Park - a safari on two wheels
- Optional nature walk in Crescent Island Sanctuary, boasting encounters with giraffe, zebra and wildebeest
- Fall asleep to the sound of grunting hippos
Days 13-14 (Approximate driving time: 6 hours; game drive times variable)
- Spend two nights in the Great Rift Valley and the Masai Mara region
- Head out on a full day's safari
- Explore the park on morning and afternoon game drives
- Witness wildebeest, zebra, elephant, giraffe and gazelle, and with luck, even lions or cheetahs
- Perhaps choose to visit a local village, where you can experience Masai dancing and singing
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 15-16 - Nairobi - Arusha
Take a night off from camping and stay at a luxury hotel (by luxury we mean your own bathroom, clean towels, a bed and wi-fi). It's about a six hour drive to Arusha, but you'll get views of Kili along the way.
Day 15 (Approximate driving time: 7 hours)
- Bid farewell to fellow travellers who are ending their safari today in Nairobi
- Another pre-departure meeting will take place at approximately 6pm for those who are travelling to Tanzania
- Perhaps have dinner at the hotel restaurant or venture out to one of Nairobi's fine restaurants (own expense)
Pleast note: For those of you who will be saying goodbye, your tour finishes upon arrival at our downtown hotel in Nairobi in the early evening. Flights out of Nairobi tonight should not be booked before 9.00pm.Transfers to Nairobi Airport and/or post-tour accommodation is available at an additional cost.
Day 16 (Approximate driving time: 8 hours)
- Cross the border from Kenya to Tanzania at the Namanga border post
- Traverse the 'wildlife corridor' between Nairobi and Arusha, also known as the 'safari capital' of Tanzania
- Set up camp on the outskirts of town and enjoy the surrounds
- Visit the Meserani Snake Park and Masai Museum
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 17-18 - Serengeti National Park
You'll probably knock the Big Five off your list after a trip to the Serengeti (if you haven't already). Good on you, sport.
Day 17 (Approximate driving time: 8 hours; game drive times variable)
- Stop on the top of the Rift Valley escarpment for an incredible view out over Lake Manyara
- Game drives within the Serengeti National Park
- Spend two days exploring the plains on game drives as well as checking out the rocky outcrops, or 'kopjes' - a favourite for predators
- Enjoy two nights camping inside the park - and be serenaded by the sounds of the African savannah
Please note: There are no fences surrounding the campsites and wildlife is free to roam at leisure - which adds to the incredible experience. The toilets are basic flush toilets and there is limited water for cold showers or for washing up. As a result the water tank on the vehicle will be required for cooking. You will need to purchase bottled water at your own expense for this part of the tour.
Day 18
- Start around sunrise for a morning game drive and follow that up later on with an afternoon game drive
- Return to camp during the hotter hours of the day, where you can and enjoy a hearty meal, relax and perhaps take a siesta
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 19 - Ngorongoro Crater - Mto Wa Mbu
(Approximate driving time: 8 hours; game drive times variable)
The crater is a bit like being in Jurassic Park without the dinosaurs (or Jeff Goldblum). You'll get really close to the animals here and one of our staff even had a lion pee on her truck.
- Transfer into 4WD vehicles and head down to the crater floor
- Spend the morning exploring this outstanding wildlife sanctuary - be lucky to see the rare black rhinos
- Leave the crater and return to the campground in Arusha
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 20-21 - School of St Jude's - Dar es Salaam
Day 20 (Approximate driving time: 2 hours)
Swing by the School of St Jude, which was founded by an Aussie, Gemma Sisia, and educates over 1500 of Arusha's poorest kids. Escape the heat with a Kilimanjaro beer in one of the local pubs.
- Visit The School of St Jude in Arusha, a school for orphans and very poor children of the area
- Take time to visit children in class, before joining them for lunch
Day 21 (Approximate driving time: 12 hours)
- Travel past Mount Kilimanjaro
- Head toward Dar es Salaam - the former capital of Tanzania
- Spend a night at a beachside camp in Dar - and experience this large African city
- Take time to relax in the campsite pool and the beach bar
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 22 - Stone Town
(Approximate ferry sailing time: 1½ hours)
Don't get embarrassed if you get lost in the maze-like streets. Even Bear Grylls would find himself going in circles. Make your way to the open-air food market for enormous avocados, elephant garlic and all your big name spices.
- Catch a ferry to the famous spice island of Zanzibar
- Spend a night in the evocative and historic Stone Town
- Take in the cobbled laneways, amazing architecture, the famous Zanzibar doors, and the colourful markets
- Perhaps set off on an optional spice tour which takes in the historical sights in Stone Town, before visiting the Slave Museum, the ruins of the Sultan’s Palace and the famous spice plantations
- Enjoy an optional trip out to Prison Island on a local motorised dhow
- The night market offers a great (and cheap) dining experience – the Zanzibari pizzas are quite unique and the banana and chocolate pizza is a real treat
BreakfastDay 23-24 - Nungwi
(Approximate driving time: 1 hour)
After a few days you'll be convinced that all of life's great activities can be conducted from a hammock - eating, drinking, chatting, sleeping and working on your tan.
- The next two days are spent on the idyllic north coast at the beachside village of Nungwi
- Relax on white sandy beaches and in the warm, tropical sea
BreakfastDay 25 - Dar es Salaam
(Approximate driving time: 1 hour. Approximate ferry time: 1½ hours)
When it comes to getting around, Tanzanians life by the rule of "Mungu akipenda, tutafika," which means: "If God wants it, we shall arrive." So make sure you look both ways when crossing the road.
- Spend a final morning on the beach before catching the afternoon ferry back to the mainland
- The trip finishes on arrival back in Dar es Salaam at the ferry terminal
- Please do not book flights out of Dar es Salaam prior to 9pm
Please note: Geckos is unable to book transfers from the ferry terminal to DAR Airport. Clients can get a transfer with the group and book post tour accommodation, or arrange a taxi from the ferry terminal to the airport.
Breakfast -
What to Know
What's Included
An experienced driver, safari guide and camp cook whilst on safari; park fees; all camping equipment; transport in custom-built safari vehicle, 4WD vehicles during game drives; ferry and on foot.
Not Included
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Map
Map Itinerary
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Dates
Trip Dates and Prices
Start Date – End Date Trip Status Price Kitty Payment Total Price 02 Jun 2013 - 26 Jun 2013 0 Request US $3,655 US $950 US $4,605 Contact Us 07 Jul 2013 - 31 Jul 2013 1 Available US $4,035 US $950 US $4,985 Book Now 28 Jul 2013 - 21 Aug 2013 0 Request US $4,035 US $950 US $4,985 Contact Us 08 Sep 2013 - 02 Oct 2013 0 Request US $4,035On Sale Sale: US $3,558 Promo code: 1355 US $950 US $4,508 Contact Us 24 Nov 2013 - 18 Dec 2013 7+ Available US $3,655 US $950 US $4,605 Book Now 29 Dec 2013 - 22 Jan 2014 7+ Available US $4,035 US $950 US $4,985 Book Now 09 Feb 2014 - 05 Mar 2014 7+ Available US $4,035 US $950 US $4,985 Book Now 11 May 2014 - 04 Jun 2014 7+ Available US $3,655 US $950 US $4,605 Book Now 08 Jun 2014 - 02 Jul 2014 7+ Available US $4,035 US $950 US $4,985 Book Now 06 Jul 2014 - 30 Jul 2014 7+ Available US $4,035 US $950 US $4,985 Book Now Kitty payment is required in cash. It needs to be paid before the end of your trip, in the local stated above. It is generally paid on Day 1, and covers most on-ground expenses. Kitty payments calculated using exchange rates valid on 1 Jan 2012.
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