10 Days Kenya & Uganda Safari
This ten-day safari combines Kenya’s Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru with a very different side of Uganda: Jinja and the source of the Nile, followed by Murchison Falls National Park — a route built around big rivers and waterfalls rather than gorilla trekking.
The Kenya leg delivers classic Masai Mara game drives and a Maasai cultural visit, followed by Lake Nakuru’s rhino sanctuary and flamingo-lined shore. Crossing into Uganda at Malaba, the trip continues to Jinja for a boat cruise to the source of the Nile and a visit to Itanda Falls before finishing at Murchison Falls National Park with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, views from the top of the falls, and a game drive and boat cruise to the base of the falls.
This itinerary suits travelers who want Kenya’s Big Five safari paired with Uganda’s river and waterfall scenery, rather than its primate trekking — a strong alternative for a second visit to the region, or for travelers less drawn to gorilla trekking specifically.
Quick Facts
| Duration | 10 Days / 9 Nights |
| Start / End | Nairobi to Kampala |
| Countries | Kenya and Uganda |
| Destinations | Masai Mara National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park, Jinja, Murchison Falls National Park |
| Best For | Travelers wanting Kenya’s Big Five plus Uganda’s Nile and waterfall scenery, without gorilla trekking |
| Signature Activities | Source of the Nile boat cruise, Murchison Falls boat cruise, Ziwa rhino tracking |
Highlights
- Day 1: Pick up and transfer to the hotel in Nairobi
- Day 2: Transfer to Masai Mara Reserve
- Days 3 & 4: Full day in Masai Mara National Reserve, Maasai cultural experience
- Day 5: Transfer from Masai Mara National Reserve to Lake Nakuru National Park
- Day 6: Transfer to Jinja in Uganda
- Day 7: City tour and source of the Nile
- Day 8: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
- Day 9: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
- Day 10: Departure to Kampala
 Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Pick Up and Transfer to the Hotel in Nairobi
Depending on your arrival time, you will be picked up from the airport by a hotel representative and driven to your hotel in Nairobi for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: Transfer to Masai Mara Reserve
After breakfast, your driver-guide will collect you for a short briefing before the drive to the Masai Mara National Reserve, with a stop in Narok town to interact with the Maasai and other locals.
On arrival, take an evening game drive across the savannah plains, watching for elephants, giraffes, antelopes, wildebeest, zebras, lions, leopards, and rhinos, among others. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Days 3 & 4: Full Day in Masai Mara National Reserve, Maasai Cultural Experience
After breakfast at your lodge, spend a full day exploring the savannah plains in search of elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, antelopes, impalas, zebras, giraffes, hippos, waterbucks, wildebeest, and cheetahs, with morning and afternoon game drives on both days.
On the second day, take part in a Maasai cultural experience for a closer encounter with the local community. Return to your lodge each evening for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Transfer from Masai Mara National Reserve to Lake Nakuru National Park
After breakfast, check out and set off for Lake Nakuru National Park, a birder’s haven and rhino sanctuary. On arrival, enjoy lunch before an afternoon game drive along the lake shore, spotting endangered white rhino, Rothschild’s giraffe, lions, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, elands, waterbucks, zebras, and the lake’s pink-hued lesser flamingos, among other birds. Return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6: Transfer to Jinja in Uganda
After breakfast, check out and set off for Uganda, with lunch en route. The route passes through the Malaba border and Tororo before reaching Jinja in the evening. Check in at your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: City Tour and Source of the Nile
After breakfast, visit Itanda Falls before a city tour taking in Jinja’s industrial park. Continue to a boat cruise to the source of the Nile, lasting roughly two hours and offering strong views of birdlife and scenery.
After the cruise, enjoy lunch before transferring to Kampala, arriving in the evening. Check in at your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 8: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, your driver-guide will collect you for the drive to Murchison Falls National Park in northwestern Uganda, with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking and a further stop in Masindi town for lunch.
Continue to the park, driving directly to the top of the falls for striking views of the cascading water and the birdlife around it. From there, continue to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 9: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise
After an early breakfast, meet your driver-guide for a morning game drive, watching for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeest, lions, waterbucks, warthogs, leopards, Uganda kobs, and a range of birdlife. Return to your lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, take a boat cruise to the base of the falls, cruising close to elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, warthogs, and waterbucks drinking along the shore, along with large concentrations of hippos, Nile crocodiles, and water birds. Return to your lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.
Day 10: Departure to Kampala
After a relaxed breakfast, check out and meet your driver-guide for a short final game drive, catching anything you may have missed the previous day. Afterward, depart the park for the journey back to Kampala, with lunch en route, and you will be dropped at your preferred location, bringing your safari to an end.
End of 10 Days Kenya & Uganda Safari