Migration & Gorillas 8-Day Fly-In Journey

Roughly July to October, with August and September the strongest months for river crossings in the Mara. It varies year to year with the rains, and no operator can promise crossings on specific dates. Three nights is what we build in to improve the odds.

Because crossings cannot be scheduled. They happen without warning, last minutes, and may not happen at all on a given day. A third night turns one chance into three, and it is the single most useful thing you can add to a migration itinerary.

Because each direction has a different best answer. Flying Entebbe to a Bwindi airstrip saves the eight-to-nine-hour overland drive west and puts you at the lodge with an afternoon to spare. Coming out, Kigali is only four to five hours from Bwindi by good road and has far better international connections than Kisoro or Kihihi.

Because the flights do not connect on the same day. The Mara departure and the Nairobi–Entebbe leg fill Day 5, and the Bwindi airstrip is served by fixed morning departures. The Entebbe night breaks a long day of flying into two comfortable halves.

Very little on your part, and only once on the final morning, leaving Uganda for Rwanda. Your driver-guide handles the vehicle documentation, COMESA insurance and all processing fees, which are included. You need your passport and a Rwanda visa, available on arrival for most nationalities.

Yes. Volcanoes National Park is two hours from Kigali, which removes both the Entebbe night and the Bwindi flight. The Rwanda permit is $1,500 rather than $800, so the package rises by roughly $500 per person on balance. Tell us at enquiry and we will quote both.

15kg per person including hand luggage, in soft-sided bags, on both the Mara and Bwindi legs hard cases will not fit the hold. Since this itinerary flies three times, pack soft from the outset.

Treks cross steep, uneven forest terrain and run from thirty minutes to six hours depending on where the family has moved overnight. A reasonable level of fitness is required. Porters are available at the trailhead for a small fee and are strongly recommended.

Fifteen years for gorilla trekking, strictly enforced by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. There is no minimum for the Kenyan portion, though the Mara flight and long game drives suit older children better.

Six to ten months. Bwindi permits are quota-limited and the Mara camps fill for migration season on a similar horizon. Both halves of this itinerary compete for the same scarce inventory, which is why it needs the longest lead time in our collection.

Kenya requires an electronic travel authorisation (eTA), Uganda a tourist visa obtained through the e-Visa portal, and Rwanda a visa on arrival or the East Africa Tourist Visa. A Yellow Fever certificate is required for Uganda.