Game Parks and Sites | Nairobi to Gorillas & Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Uganda – Jinja, Lake Victoria, Murchison Falls, Owen Falls Dam Nile River

Jinja, Uganda overlooks Lake Victoria, one of the largest lakes in the world. The White Nile flows north from the lake towards Egypt. Owen Falls Dam blocks the river below which are the Owen Falls. On and around the river you can; white water raft, canoe, horse ride, bungee jump, jet boat, quad bike and help with local community projects.

Uganda – Lake Bunyonyi

The lake in the west of Uganda is our base while groups are off trekking to the mountain gorillas. It’s a highland mountain lake in quiet surroundings where you can row around the lake, swim and bird watch.

Uganda – Mountain Gorillas

There are less than 800 mountain gorillas in the wild, we see the biggest primate in either; Uganda, DR Congo or Rwanda. Trekking to see them is expensive however well worth it according to everyone when they return from sitting beside the woolly giants. There are four parks you can visit the gorillas in three different countries. Three of the parks form a super park meeting on the borders of the three countries.
Uganda – Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Rwanda – Volcanoes National Park
Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Most of the gorillas live in Bwindi, which is where we try to see them. The parks are covered in rainforest and thick bamboo. Aside from the gorillas other animals you might see while trekking to the gorillas are colobus monkeys but the thick forest makes game spotting hard. The trek to gorillas can take; if you’re lucky less than an hour up to all day long. The trekking is done with ranger guides who follow the gorillas from their previous night’s nests. (They do build nests in trees or on the ground every night to sleep in). Once you reach the gorillas you sit with them for an hour while they normally feed or relax a short distance from you. There are a number of rules to follow when you’re around the gorillas which the guides show you how to follow.

Kenya – Nairobi, Langata Giraffe Centre

Here you can hand feed giraffes while you stand head high with the giraffes. It’s a side trip in Nairobi with an entry fee of $7 plus a charge for giraffe food.

Kenya – Masai Mara

Kenya – is set on the southern border of Kenya some 4 hours drive from Nairobi on a massive plain. The animals you are most likely to see are; lions, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, zebra, gazelle, hyenas, wildebeest and some rhino. The most impressive site in the park is the great migration of the wildebeest from July to October.

Tanzania – Serengeti National Park & Ngorongoro Crater

Arusha is Tanzania’s safari hub. From here, you can take a trip to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. The Serengeti plains are the Africa of the movies. Immense herds of zebra and wildebeest migrate here to and from Kenya’s Masai Mara. Leopards and lions are often spotted. All the big five can be found in the park. That’s if luck is with you. Your campsite is rustic offering the rare opportunity to fall asleep (or lay nervous and sleepless awake) to the sounds of lions or hyenas. Breakfast and box lunches are provided during the day and dinner is prepared for you by your cook at night. After game driving in the park, you’ll head out, past Masai villages and Olduvai Gorge, to the Ngorongoro Crater. The next morning, you’ll wake up early and do a game drive in the unique ecosystem of the crater where there are plenty of lions, black rhino and elephant.

Tanzania – Zanzibar

You can take two hour ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar Islands for a few days
Stone Town a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old slave market, the spice growing areas, Jozani Forest with Red Colobus Monkeys and in the evening visit the seafood cafes and have dinner on the wharf.
Africa House – Enjoy cocktails and maybe a water pipe as you watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean from the balcony of this historic hotel. Zanzibar Stone Town!
Night Market – Browse the stalls for seafood and sugar cane juice. Definitely have a Zanzibar Pizza made while you wait.
Spice Tour – Tour historic Stone Town and the slave chambers. Visit the local market as well as spice plantations. Have a traditional meal in a local’s home. Add the Jozani Forest to the day’s activities and see the endemic Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkeys.
Night Market – Browse the stalls for seafood and sugar cane juice. Definitely have a Zanzibar Pizza made while you wait.
Snorkeling – Take a dhow out to the reef that lies off a private island. Snorkel the reef and then sail back to a secluded beach for a fresh fish meal before returning to Nungwe.
SCUBA Diving – If you’re a certified diver, visit one of the dive centres and check out the dive sites. If you’re interested in learning, start your dive course here
Deep Sea or Reef Fishing – Hire local to take you reef fishing in a dhow or go with a professional outfit for deep sea fishing.
Visit one of two natural aquariums. Feed the resident sea turtles and even swim with them during high tide.
Sunbathe and relax on the beach. Catch up on your diary or book. Swim in the warm waters. 
Beach Bars –  Start early or spend a late night at one of the beach bars.

Zimbabwe & Zambia – Victoria Falls

The Zambezi River drops 100 metres over a mile wide chasm creating one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world. When the river is in full flow, the water roars and sends a cloud of spray 500 metres into the air. Victoria Falls is on the border of Zimbabwe (Victoria Town) and Zambia (Livingstone).  Adventure activities here are; bungee jumping, white water rafting, game-viewing on horseback, canoeing, light aircraft or helicopter flights over the falls and the sunset cruise on the Zambezi, walk with lion cubs.

Zimbabwe – Great Zimbabwe Monument

An ancient city built of stone, consructuted by the Shona people. The name Zimbabwe means ‘stone houses’ in Shona. Built almost a thousand years ago over a period of 300 years, the ruins are unique in the region as few stone building were built in the early era.

The city  was an important trading centre from the Middle Ages onwards, at its peak was home to 20,000 people. The country of Zimbabwe is named after this monument.

Zimbabwe – Matobo National Park

Matobo National Park (originally Rhodes Matopos) is outside of Bulawayo town. It’s a series of granite hills; like islands surrounded by wooded valleys. The park has an unusual air about it with distant views combined with a close valley. Many religious activities and rituals were held here in pre-colonial times. Cecil Rhodes is buried in a granite hill in the park is a place known as world view.

Zimbabwe – Hwange Park

This large park in Matabeleland was for 13 years the home of Cecil a rare black-maned lion who had lived in the park was legally hunted , with a bow and arrow  by a dentist from Minnesota, in 2015. The killing of this popular lion promoted the conservation of commercially hunted animals in Africa. Though sadly, in 2015, Cecil’s son Xanda was also killed by hunters.

The park is covered in light woodland and is on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. in the park you will find; elephants, leopard, hyenas, cape wild dogs, cheetah and gemsbok.

Zimbabwe – The Antelope Park

The Antelope Park lets you see close up rescued animals; here you can walk with lions or ride amongst them on horseback.

Tanzania – Mikumi National Park

On the Great North Road, in southern Tanzania. Its covered by savannah woodland. As we follow the highway through the park we often see elephants and antelopes.

Kenya – Nairobi, Sheldrick’s Elephant Orphanage

Stand with baby elephants and rhinos which have been rescued from the wild; normally their mothers have been poached or died naturaly, so are now fed from the bottle. It’s a side trip in Nairobi with a donation entry fee – open daily at 11 am.