Best of Uganda & Kenya Safari

Nights 2-3: Kyambura Gorge Lodge

Kyambura Gorge lodge is a contemporary luxury safari lodge situated on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Originally an old coffee store, the lodge has since been converted and refurbished to perfection. The stylish lodge now boasts sweeping views over the rolling savanna, the Rwenzori Mountain range and the Kyambura Gorge itself.

The lodge has only eight luxury bandas giving it a much more intimate and exclusive feel, which is rare in Uganda. All rooms are complete with en-suite bathrooms with flushing toilets and hot showers. On top of this, there is a personal butler service for all guests and a complimentary 30-minute massager per guest per stay. Additional massages are available at an extra cost.

The main activity in the area is tracking the lost chimps in the sunken forest of Kyambura Gorge. Other activities include game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park, boat cruises on the Kazinga Channel, hiking in the Rwenzoris and searching for the tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector.

Nights 4-6: Bwindi Lodge

Bwindi Lodge has dramatic views of the impenetrable forest and is a great place to spot the monkeys and birds hidden in the foliage. It is being transformed and will be completed in 2020 to feature 2 deluxe bandas, upgraded standard bandas, a new dining room, and sauna added to the Humula Forest Spa.

The lodge has 8 newly renovated luxury bandas. 6 doubles and 2 twins, of which 2 have a fireplace in the room. All rooms offer spectacular views of the forest. All rooms are complete with en-suite bathrooms with flushing toilet, double vanity and shower with hot & cold running water. And each has a terrace overlooking the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with scenic panoramic views. Personal butler service is included for all guests.

Activities from the lodge include Gorilla trekking, a visit to the award-winning Bwindi Bar, tea plantation tour, waterfall walk and Munyanga River Trail.

Night 7: Hotel Number 5

Nestled in the leafy suburbs of Entebbe, is the new and stylish boutique hotel, Hotel No.5. From the moment you arrive, you are warmly welcomed and cared for. With luxurious rooms opening onto the garden and swimming pool, this is a great option for guests looking for an intimate stay in a tranquil setting.

Make yourself at home – unwind beside the swimming pool, pamper yourself with a spa treatment, or work up a sweat in the hotel gym. For one of the most flavor some dining experiences in Entebbe, carefully planned menus are paired to an international wine list and served with pride.

The hotel has 5 luxury rooms which are air-conditioned with an en-suite bathroom & shower, wifi, flatscreen TV’s with DSTV, safe, tea and coffee making facilities. There are also five double storey luxury apartments featuring an upstairs bedroom and an open plan living room with kitchenette.

Nights 8-9: Richards River Camp

With only eight tents, this camp is ideal for individuals as well as exclusive groups who wish to experience the Masai Mara in a personal intimate setting. Beautifully appointed with furnishings and fabrics collected by Liz on her travels – the result is a casually luxurious tented camp, combining exceptional wildlife with a contemporary ‘Out of Africa’ experience. There is one family tent that can sleep up to 8 people and also a honeymoon suite.

Richard’s River Camp offers day and night game drives, birding and scenic bush walks, sundowners, bush meals and cultural visits to a local Maasai Village nearby. At an additional cost are hot air balloon flights can be arranged.

Despite the camps’ small size and remote location, the kitchen will happily cater for almost any food preferences. The chefs have trained at various kitchens across Kenya and have amassed a wide range of culinary skills and cooking methods. If the weather permits, dining is usually outdoors with a beautiful candle-lit table, however, you will also be treated to bush dinners under a canopy of stars using a simple eco-charcoal oven, and breakfast buffets out on the Mara plains – incredible dining experiences, not easily forgotten. The camp also offers traditional African food that is very popular with guests.

Nights 10-11: Ngare Serian

Hugging the banks of the Mara, Ngare Serian is cosy and intimate. It can only be reached on foot, over a narrow rope bridge – and in a way the crossover is symbolic: a call to step out of touch and out of time and give yourself over to the natural charm of the place. There’s something special about being on the water’s edge – the water slipping and sloshing over the stones sets a soothing soundtrack, but at the same time its energy and movement lends lightness and life – green shoots, verdant growth and glossy rocks that metamorphose into hippos.

Ngare Serian consists of only 4 tents, and this intimacy makes it perfect for hosting a family holiday or gathering a group of friends. The tents are dotted along the riverbank, decked out in style with Zanzibar four-poster beds and open bathrooms overlooking pods of hippo. Take a leaf out the hippos’ book: lounge languidly, soaking up the sights and sounds of the bush from the bathtub built into your veranda decking.

Night 12: Hemingways Nairobi

Just 40 minutes’ drive from Nairobi’s international airport and set between Nairobi National Park and the foot of the Ngong Hills, Hemingways Nairobi Hotel is located to the South West of the city in the peaceful suburb of Karen. It is generally believed that the suburb was named after Karen Blixen, the Danish author of Out of Africa; her farm was located just 2 minutes’ drive from the hotel.

Lofty, expansive rooms with vast, bright en-suite bathrooms and large private terraces are characteristic of the hotel’s wonderful sense of space and use of natural light. There are 45 high-ceilinged suites, two of which are penthouse style Presidential Suites and 43 Junior Suites culminating in vaulted beams. Muted colors and textured fabrics in ecru and taupe create an ambiance of contemporary-chic while subtle touches of brass, mahogany and leather bear reference to the classic elegance of vintage East African safaris Beyond the balustrade of your private balcony, we’ve chosen for you a view of The Green Hills of Africa, as described in Hemingway’s novel.