21 DAY ADVETURE SAMBURU

Day 1: Leave Bustling Nairobi Behind
Say goodbye to Nairobi, Kenya's capital and make your way north to the market town of Nanyuki. Make sure you take a photograph as you cross the Equator!

Nanyuki is home to the main Kenya Air Force base as well as the renowned Mount Kenya Safari Club, whose previous members included Winston Churchill and Bing Crosby.

Day 2: Encounter the Samburu
Today you'll head north-west through the Kikuyu area around scenic Mount Kenya to the Samburu National Reserve, a remote and unspoilt part of the Kenyan wilderness.

Encounter the distant relatives of the Maasai - the Samburu - who are a semi-nomadic tribe of cattle herders with a proud and distinguished heritage.

Day 3: Game Watch in the Samburu
Explore this scenic reserve, a landscape made up of desert, scrub and wide-open plains scattered with small 'koppies' (little rugged hills).

Although the Samburu National Reserve is home to the Big 5 - its more interesting attractions are the rare Grevy's zebra, Beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe and Somali ostrich. Spend some time searching for these unique animals on an exciting game drive.

Day 4: Travel into the Great Rift Valley
Leave the Samburu behind and head west into the Great Rift Valley and arrive in Nakuru, where you'll spend a night before entering Lake Nakuru National Park the following day.

Day 5: See a Pink Sight at Lake Nakuru
Today you'll head into Lake Nakuru National Park - home to thousands of lesser and greater flamingos that make the edge of the soda lake their home. When the water level is low, the lake almost turns completely pink - a most beautiful sight.

Spend the day on a game drive in search of black and white rhino, as well as leopard, buffalo, giraffe and hippo.

Day 6: Cross the Border into Uganda
Leave the parks of Kenya behind and cross the border into Uganda, where you'll travel via the town of Jinja (the source of the Nile) to Uganda's capital - Kampala, where you'll spend the night.

Uganda is a warm and inviting country, and despite its poorer areas, is a place of striking natural beauty. Enjoy scenic views of lush greenery around Lake Victoria and the snow-covered Ruwenzori Mountains.

Days 7-8: Track Gorillas in Deep Tropical Forest
Depart Kampala early and drive to Kisoro where you'll apply for your gorilla trekking permit.

Depending on availability, you'll trek in either Uganda's Magahinga or Bwindi National Parks, the Virunga National Park in the DRC or Ruhengeri National Park in Rwanda. If you are trekking in DRC or Rwanda, an additional visa is required.

Trekking is hard-going, as you climb and slither along damp trails, through thick forest and over boulders in search of the gorillas. It can take up to 8 hours, so a level of fitness is necessary.

When you come across a family of these gentle giants, all the mud and hard work will be forgotten as you sit for an hour and watch the gorillas eat, sleep and play - a most incredible experience.

Day 9: Drive through Picturesque Scenery
Leave the high-altitude forests behind and drive through some spectacular areas to Lake Bunyoni - the deepest Crater Lake in Africa and home to a number of bird and fish species, as well as otters.

Spend the night here reminiscing about your time in the forest with the mountain gorillas.

Days 10-11: Relax at Lake Bunyoni
The next two days are spent relaxing and enjoying the tranquil beauty of Lake Bunyoni. You can chill out and unwind on the lake shore, swim, canoe or hike, or even visit the local villages and get to grips with Ugandan culture.

Days 12-13: Visit the Ngamba Chimps
Leave the peaceful surrounds of Lake Bunyoni behind and head back to Kampala for the next two nights. You'll cross the Equator again - a good time for some photos.

Once in Kampala, you can explore the local markets and museums, or visit the nearby Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary and learn about the rehabilitation of these animals.

Days 14-15: Camp on the Banks of the Nile
Enjoy a short drive from Kampala to Jinja, where you have the opportunity over the next day and a half to whitewater raft the Nile River, visit the local community and get involved with some of the projects, or enjoy a quad bike trip along the river bank.

The scenic surroundings make this stop a wonderful experience - keep an eye out for some of the fantastic birdlife!

Days 16-17: Head Back to Kenya
Spend the day on a long drive back into Kenya, where you'll spend the night at a Nakuru campsite. The following day you have the option to go on a game drive in the Lake Nakuru National Park, or head into the town for some shopping.

In the afternoon you'll drive to Lake Naivasha to camp by the lake.

Day 18: Explore Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha is home to a plentiful birdlife, and the African fish eagle is one bird to keep an eye out for.

Spend your afternoon on an optional excursion to Elsamere, the former home of Joy & George Adamson of Born Free fame, a boat ride to the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary, or a bike ride around Hell's Gate National park.

Day 19: Enter the Land of the Maasai
Leave Lake Naivasha behind and enter the land of the Maasai pastoralists, whom you'll most likely see tending their cattle on the side of the road. Pass through the town of Narok before arriving at your campsite.

Enjoy beautiful views of the Meguarra hills and the nearby stream which forms a natural border with the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Day 20: Experience the Masai Mara Migration
Today you'll enter the renowned Masai Mara National Reserve for some spectacular game viewing. As you drive through the plains, over rolling hills and through woodlands - be on the look out for the Big 5.

If you're there between July and October you may witness the massive wildebeest migration as impressive herds leave the Serengeti plains behind and head for the Mara and better grazing.

Day 21: Leave with Amazing Memories
After breakfast you'll depart the Masai Mara and make your way back to Nairobi, arriving in the late afternoon. On arrival you can exchange addresses with your fellow overland travellers, as you have shared the trip of a lifetime.