Unforgettable Kenya and Uganda Tour

Touch down in Entebbe to begin your Kenya and Uganda tour. A private driver transfers you to leafy Hotel No.5. Settle in, perhaps napping. Then, shake off your jetlag while lounging next to the courtyard pool or with a restorative spa treatment. If you’re up for it, walk the gentle shores of Lake Victoria or nearby botanical gardens, or spy comic shoebills amid the lily pads of Mabamba Swamp.

Fly to Kihihi, then drive to the northern hem of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. This densely knit, mysterious rainforest is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, and notably, a sanctuary for nearly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Stay three sumptuous nights at Erebero Hills, a landscape hotel with organic design that folds into the hilly terroir. Savor dinner in an ambient jungle while anticipating gorilla trekking. 

Rise early and lace up your hiking boots for an adventure you’ll remember your entire life. At park headquarters you’re assigned a gorilla family and guide. Drive to the trailhead and then hike tangled forest and steep hills. Once you locate the magnificent primates, spend a quiet hour in their transfixing presence. Imagine standing mere feet from a mother cradling her precious infant or locking eyes with a commanding silverback.

We don’t rush you out of Bwindi once gorilla trekking is over. (Fancy a second trek?) Linger an extra day to uncover the wonders of this privileged setting. With your guide, be welcomed into a Batwa village for community-led weaving, beadwork, and soapmaking. In the surrounding forest, walk to a secretive waterfall or tour a tea plantation to learn, then sample, how this influential crop buffers gorilla habitat.

Fly to Nairobi to kick off the safari chapter of your Kenya and Uganda tour. Spend the night at Manzili House, a stylish Lamu-inspired villa tucked into the quiet suburb of Karen. It’s an ideal spot to gather as a group: enjoy rooftop sundowners, a refreshing swim, or dinner under the stars before tomorrow’s journey into the wild.

Fly to Enonkishu Conservancy, a rugged, lesser-known corner of the Mara ecosystem. Once degraded farmland, the landscape has been rehabilitated into a thriving safari ecosystem. Arrive at the eminently chic Wild Hill, set atop a ridge with sweeping views across the Mara plains. A reclusive escape, you’ll enjoy this safari home all to yourselves. A private chef and plentiful gathering spaces set a joyful tone for roaming meals and social hours. 

Greet each sunrise with a game drive across iconic savannah. Afternoons are for a relaxing rhythm of wild wellness (complimentary spa treatments), unhurried conversations at the infinity pool, pickleball, or community visits. Wild Hill isn’t a big-five checklist experience—it’s about getting closer to the land and the people who protect it. The sense of stewardship and community here is palpable, and you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of conservation in action.

A short charter flight brings you to ol Donyo Lodge in the Chyulu Hills. This wild, cinematic landscape of rolling hills and frozen lava flows is where Hemingway set The Green Hills of Africa, and it remains just as enchanting. Imbued with character and set upon Maasai-owned land, ol Donyo is one of the best safari lodges in Kenya. After a game drive, retire to your rooftop star bed for a celestial sleepout. 

Pick your safari adventure. Set out on walking safaris, mountain e-bike rides, or guided hikes across ancient lava fields. Home to a stable of thoroughbreds, horseback safaris are an ol Donyo specialty. On game drives, elephants are silhouetted against Mount Kilimanjaro—an iconic portrait of East Africa. For a midday treat, you might spy on zebra and super tuskers at the lodge’s hide or swim in your private plunge pool. 

Fly to Nairobi, then onward to Lamu to begin a magical, four-night cruise along Kenya’s Swahili Coast. Board NaiSabah, a traditional 75-foot Omani dhow. With three air-conditioned cabins and a generous open deck, this private liveaboard invites your group to spread out, reconnect, and unwind. You’ll be hosted by Captain Bakari and his expert crew, and soon enough, you’ll all feel like family. 

Spend blissful days sailing the Lamu Archipelago, where trade winds and tides have shaped centuries of culture and Swahili architecture. Drift through mangrove-lined channels and past deserted beaches, snorkel vibrant coral reefs, fish in turquoise shallows, and tour historical ruins. Cultural experiences—shopping in Lamu Town and weaving workshops—immerse you in the living traditions of the coast. Reserve one whimsical night for a starry sleepout on the deck.

Disembark NaiSabah and fly from Lamu to Nairobi for your international flight home. If the schedule allows, savor a send-off dinner at Cultiva where heirloom crops become farm-to-table haute cuisine. Depart Kenya with sand in your suitcase and stories you’ll recount for a lifetime.