This post is based on the travelers interested that has adventured Uganda, Tanzania & Kenya on combination of Car Rental with Driver guide and Self Drive Adventures in the wilderness of Africa with chances to see the gorillas , Chimpanzees and Wildlife Animals .
I’m looking to put together our Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya trip.
We are flexible on the dates. We are open to suggestions. Our original plan was to do 80-20 … 80% in the rooftop tent but the AI let us down. We are not sure if we should do back to back days with the gorillas or 2 different locations but we would like 2 treks to see the Gorillas. We need to Gorilla and Chimp tours and want to line up for the birthing of the Great Migration in Tanzania.
In Uganda it was purely Self drive as independent travelers and for Tanzania and Kenya Part we used the services of professional Safari guide driver provided at an extra cost of 50$ per day.
A rooftop Toyota Land Cruiser 76 Series (rooftop tent + camping gear). Take a note that Tanzanian Registered Cars are old jeeps and not brand 
new like the Uganda Cars , decide based on your interest.
new like the Uganda Cars , decide based on your interest. Does it make sense to do the border crossings or fly and get a new vehicle? How do we best proceed with this? we always recommend you to book whatsapp call with the agent and always ask for Edward to help you with the plan modification and insights.
Other questions:
- How flexible can we be? Do we need to book accommodations in advance? Can we just show up night by night?
- What are the bathroom options especially for my wife?
- How do we go about booking the remote camps during the birthing of the Great Migration in Ndutu Calving Grounds?
- What cities / towns / locations are recommended for getting food along the way?
- Do you have a list of recommended places to stay? Places to avoid? Where and how can we shower if we are roof-top tenting?
- What happens if the driver gets stuck and we cannot self recover?
- What do we need cash for and what can be paid with a credit card? Can we get cash along the way or do we need to have it all before arriving?
- Is starlink an option? My wife is working as we travel and needs a way to communicate with home.
- We have seen a storage bag that hangs under the tent for foot ware, is that available?
- How much is the Camping at the Ndutu Calving Grounds?
- Do the vehicles come with recovery equipment and spare tires?
- We don’t want to tent every night, what other accommodations do you recommend?
- Are there places we missing that we should add to our itinerary
- Are GPS and maps included?
Here is the basic itinerary we are working from:
Phase 1: Uganda (Days 1–26 | Dec 31 – Jan 25)
| Day | Date | Destination & Focus | Schedule Notes & Work Window |
| 1 | Dec 31 (Tue) | Arrival in Entebbe | 4×4 pickup, SIM setup, grocery stock. Work Window: Tue Evening |
| 2 | Jan 1 (Wed) | Ziwa Rhinos ➔ Murchison Falls | 6:30 AM departure. Self-cooked camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 3 | Jan 2 (Thu) | Murchison Game Drive & Nile Boat | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening |
| 4 | Jan 3 (Fri) | Shoebill Delta Safari | Morning boat cruise. Self-cooked camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 5 | Jan 4 (Sat) | Murchison ➔ Gulu Town | 3.5-hr transit. Town hotel stay. Quiet night. |
| 6 | Jan 5 (Sun) | Gulu ➔ Kidepo Valley | Arrive 1:30 PM. 1.5-Day Stop 1 (Part A): Work & Laundry |
| 7 | Jan 6 (Mon) | Kidepo Wilderness | FULL REST DAY: Zero driving, 100% unscheduled leisure |
| 8 | Jan 7 (Tue) | Narus Valley Predator Tracking | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening |
| 9 | Jan 8 (Wed) | Kidepo River & Karamojong Village | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Self-cooked camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 10 | Jan 9 (Thu) | Kidepo ➔ Sipi Falls | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening |
| 11 | Jan 10 (Fri) | Kapchorwa Champions Tour / Caves | Gentle walking tour. Restaurant dinner. Quiet night. |
| 12 | Jan 11 (Sat) | Sipi ➔ Jinja (Nile Riverfront) | Arrive 1:30 PM. 1.5-Day Stop 2 (Part A): Work & Chores |
| 13 | Jan 12 (Sun) | Jinja / Source of the Nile | FULL REST DAY: Riverfront relaxation & massage |
| 14 | Jan 13 (Mon) | Jinja ➔ Fort Portal | Scenic tea highlands drive. Town hotel. Quiet night. |
| 15 | Jan 14 (Tue) | Kibale Chimps & Bigodi Wetland | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening |
| 16 | Jan 15 (Wed) | Rwenzori Alpine River Walk | Gentle foothills walk. Camp cooking. Quiet night. |
| 17 | Jan 16 (Thu) | Queen Elizabeth NP & Kazinga Boat | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening |
| 18 | Jan 17 (Fri) | Kasenyi Lions & Crater Drive | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Self-cooked camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 19 | Jan 18 (Sat) | Ishasha Tree-Climbing Lions | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 20 | Jan 19 (Sun) | Ishasha ➔ Bwindi Edge | Arrive 1:30 PM. 1.5-Day Stop 3 (Part A): Work & Trek Prep |
| 21 | Jan 20 (Mon) | Bwindi Jungle Edge | FULL REST DAY: Spa massage & pre-trek relaxation |
| 22 | Jan 21 (Tue) | Bwindi Gorilla Trek #1 | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening |
| 23 | Jan 22 (Wed) | Bwindi Gorilla Trek #2 | Buhoma Sector. Full board lodge dining. Quiet night. |
| 24 | Jan 23 (Thu) | Mgahinga Golden Monkeys | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening |
| 25 | Jan 24 (Fri) | Lake Mburo Walking Safari | Armed ranger walking safari. Restaurant dinner. Quiet night. |
| 26 | Jan 25 (Sat) | Mutukula Border ➔ Speke Bay | Arrive 1:30 PM. 1.5-Day Stop 4 (Part A): Work & Border TIP |
Phase 2: Tanzania Calving Circuit (Days 27–48 | Jan 26 – Feb 16)
| Day | Date | Destination & Focus | Schedule Notes & Work Window |
| 27 | Jan 26 (Sun) | Speke Bay (Lake Victoria) | FULL REST DAY: Lakeside relaxation & pool time |
| 28 | Jan 27 (Mon) | Ndabaka Gate ➔ Central Serengeti | Enter Serengeti western corridor. Camp cooking. Quiet night. |
| 29 | Jan 28 (Tue) | Central Serengeti (Seronera Loops) | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening |
| 30 | Jan 29 (Wed) | Central Serengeti ➔ Ndutu Plains | Drive down to short-grass plains. Quiet night. |
| 31 | Jan 30 (Thu) | Ndutu Calving Off-Roading | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening |
| 32 | Jan 31 (Fri) | Ndutu Predator Tracking | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 33 | Feb 1 (Sat) | Hot-Air Balloon Safari | Pre-dawn flight & champagne bush breakfast. Quiet night. |
| 34 | Feb 2 (Sun) | Ndutu Calving & Marsh Picnic | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 35 | Feb 3 (Mon) | Ndutu Short-Grass Plains Safari | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 36 | Feb 4 (Tue) | Peak Wildebeest Birthing Boom | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening |
| 37 | Feb 5 (Wed) | Peak Wildebeest Birthing Boom | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 38 | Feb 6 (Thu) | Ndutu ➔ Ndutu Safari Lodge Oasis | Arrive 1:30 PM. 1.5-Day Stop 5 (Part A): Work & Dust Clean |
| 39 | Feb 7 (Fri) | Ndutu Lodge Oasis | FULL REST DAY: Bush massage & total relaxation |
| 40 | Feb 8 (Sat) | Ngorongoro Crater Floor Safari | Dawn crater floor descent. Crater rim camping. Quiet night. |
| 41 | Feb 9 (Sun) | Empakaai Crater Guided Walk | Hike with Maasai ranger. Camp dinner. Quiet night. |
| 42 | Feb 10 (Mon) | Ngorongoro ➔ Karatu Highlands | Arrive 1:30 PM. 1.5-Day Stop 6 (Part A): Work & Laundry |
| 43 | Feb 11 (Tue) | Karatu Coffee Estate | FULL REST DAY: Estate pool & farm-to-table dining |
| 44 | Feb 12 (Wed) | Tarangire NP (Baobabs & Elephants) | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp cooking. Quiet night. |
| 45 | Feb 13 (Thu) | Deep Tarangire Swamp Loops | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening |
| 46 | Feb 14 (Fri) | Lake Manyara Groundwater Forest | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp cooking. Quiet night. |
| 47 | Feb 15 (Sat) | Lake Manyara ➔ Arusha Hub | Town hotel stay. Vehicle check & rest. Quiet night. |
| 48 | Feb 16 (Sun) | Namanga Border ➔ Rift Valley | Cross border into Kenya. Campsite setup. Quiet night. |
Phase 3: Kenya Mara & High Country (Days 49–66 | Feb 17 – Mar 6)
| Day | Date | Destination & Focus | Schedule Notes & Work Window |
| 49 | Feb 17 (Mon) | Lake Naivasha & Crescent Island | Walking safari among grazing wildlife. Quiet night. |
| 50 | Feb 18 (Tue) | Hell’s Gate Cycling Safari ➔ Nakuru | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening |
| 51 | Feb 19 (Wed) | Lake Nakuru Rhino Sanctuary | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp cooking. Quiet night. |
| 52 | Feb 20 (Thu) | Lake Nakuru ➔ Ol Pejeta | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening |
| 53 | Feb 21 (Fri) | Northern White Rhinos & Chimps | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp cooking. Quiet night. |
| 54 | Feb 22 (Sat) | Ol Pejeta ➔ Maasai Mara | Transit into Mara Triangle. Campsite setup. Quiet night. |
| 55 | Feb 23 (Sun) | Mara Conservancies ➔ Mara Lodge | Arrive 1:30 PM. 1.5-Day Stop 7 (Part A): Work & Staff Check-ins |
| 56 | Feb 24 (Mon) | Maasai Mara Luxury Camp | FULL REST DAY: Tented spa massage & total quiet |
| 57 | Feb 25 (Tue) | Talek & Mara River Big Cats | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Tue Evening |
| 58 | Feb 26 (Wed) | Maasai Mara River Loops | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Camp cooking. Quiet night. |
| 59 | Feb 27 (Thu) | Maasai Mara ➔ Rift Valley Escarpment | 4:30 PM Hard Stop. Work Window: Thu Evening |
| 60 | Feb 28 (Fri) | Rift Valley ➔ Nairobi (Karen) | Boutique hotel in Karen suburb. Quiet night. |
| 61 | Mar 1 (Sat) | Sheldrick Elephants & Giraffe Centre | 11:00 AM orphan feeding & Rothschild giraffes. Quiet night. |
| 62 | Mar 2 (Sun) | Karen Suburban Sanctuary | Arrive 1:30 PM. 1.5-Day Stop 8 (Part A): Work & Trip Wrap-up |
| 63 | Mar 3 (Mon) | Nairobi (Karen Suburb) | FULL REST DAY: Hemingways Spa & urban rest |
| 64 | Mar 4 (Tue) | Maasai Market & Celebration | Souvenir shopping. Farewell Dinner at The Talisman. |
| 65 | Mar 5 (Wed) | Final Packing & Gear Sorting | Zero stress, leisurely day preparing luggage for flight home. |
| 66 | Mar 6 (Thu) | Departure from Nairobi (NBO) | Airport transfer for your next destination |
