Combining a Uganda gorilla trek and a Kenya migration experience offers a more diverse exploration of East Africa’s iconic wildlife species. Gorilla safaris in Uganda take place in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Situated in the southwest of Uganda, these sites shelter half of the extant mountain gorillas on earth. Bwindi alone has over 459 mountain gorillas and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In the southwest of Kenya lies Masai Mara National Reserve, the country’s leading tour destination. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage site which is strategically part of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. As the name suggests, Masai Mara National Reserve with Serengeti National Park in Tanzania share borders. This is where the annual Great migration takes place; involving over 1.5 million wildebeests, antelopes and zebras.
How a combined Uganda gorillas and Kenya migration safari is done?
Gorilla trekking is the highlight of gorilla safaris in Uganda. This focuses on locating a habituated gorilla group in the forest. There are at least 23 gorilla families living there and most of them are available for gorilla trekking daily. Once you come face to face with them, you get to spend an hour in their presence. This is a guided tour where a seasoned tracker and armed rangers from Uganda Wildlife Authority guide you to the gorillas.
Witnessing the Great migration, the eighth wonder of the world is best done on our 4X4 safari car. Our experienced guide will drive you to the best viewing spot where you can have maximum visibility through a pop-up roof. The mentioned herbivores move from Serengeti National Park across the Mara River into Masai Mara and back again. You also get to see other predators and birds while on the safari. Photographing the wild animals is allowed.
What other attractions to see on a combined Uganda gorillas and Kenya migration safari?
There are up to 120 and 76 mammal species in Bwindi and Mgahinga respectively. Bird species are 357 and 115 in Bwindi and Mgahinga respectively. Both destinations contain giant forest hogs, bush elephants, black fronted duiker and bush buffaloes among others. Mgahinga is the only destination in Uganda hosting the golden monkeys in the wild. Birds in the forests include ground thrash, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Shelley’s crimson wing and African green broadbill.
In terms of relief, there are plenty of geomorphological formations especially the crater lakes and volcanoes Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhabura. Vegetation in the destinations comprise lush Afromontane types including bamboo habitats and other tree species. Indigenous communities like the iconic Batwa Pygmies can be encountered. Other tribes like the Bafumbira and Bakiiga can be found in the communities.
In Masai Mara, the migration attracts plenty of predators that you can spot. These include lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and crocodiles etc. This is also the home of the famous big 5, also including the rhinos, buffaloes and elephants. All together, Masai Mara has over 90 mammal species. Bird species are also abundant, with over 470 species recorded so far. These include ostriches, kori bastards, goliath herons, great white egrets and Ross’s turacos among others.
When to go for a combined Uganda gorillas and Kenya migration safari?
Gorilla trekking tours take place in either Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park throughout the year. But perfect conditions for gorilla trekking are experienced in the dry season. Dry seasons in either park run from May to August and January to February. The gorilla trails are drier and comfortably passable while the foliage is less dense for clear views of the gorillas.
For the Great migration, July to October is generally the time when you get a higher chance of witnessing the spectacle. This is when they are expected to move from Serengeti National Park and into Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve then back again. August and September are the best times to witness this. July to October also coincides with the dry season in Masai Mara. The game tracks are passable during this time while the vegetation is less dense to offer clear views.
How to travel for a combined Uganda gorillas and Kenya migration safari?
Regardless of your starting point, traveling for a combined Uganda gorillas and Kenya migration safari involves either road or air transport. In Uganda, you may want to reach Bwindi or Mgahinga by road. The distance covered from Kampala, the capital city is approximately 500 km, lasting between 9 to 11 hours. We recommend traveling in a 4X4 safari Landcruiser. But you could also choose from our fleet comprising drones, minibuses and others.
If you prefer going to the gorilla destinations by air, you will arrive at Entebbe International Airport. From there you will enjoy a domestic flight to either Kisoro Airstrip or Kihihi Airstrip. The flight takes a comparatively short duration of around an hour and 15 minutes. The scheduled flight is operated by AeroLink Uganda. From these airstrips, you can connect to Masai Mara National Reserve via Entebbe Airport and Kisumu to handle immigration matters.