You depart from the Boulevard Hotel and leave the hustle and bustle of Nairobi, climbing the escarpment to your first viewpoint that overlooks the Great African Rift Valley.

Descending into the Rift Valley you enter the land belonging to the Masai; these semi-nomadic pastoralists are seen quite regularly on the side of the road tending their cattle. You arrive at your campsite - Acacia Camp - in the early evening; in time to enjoy the sunset on the Masai Mara.

Game drives through the Mara find you looking for the Big 5, and give you the opportunity to see this 'Garden of Eden' in the state nature has intended it to be: huge plains, rolling hills and an abundance of game matched nowhere else on earth.

Elephant, lion, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and waterbuck, to name but a few of the animals that inhabit this wonderland. Sitting around a campfire, watching the sunset, is the perfect way to finish a day's game viewing in the Mara.

Departing the Masai Mara early you pass through the 3rd largest town in Kenya, Nakuru, where you'll stop for the night to resupply and shop.

Today, you cross the border into Uganda and travel via the lakeside town of Jinja (the Source of the Nile) before reaching Kampala, Uganda's capital, for an overnight stay.

Uganda is a small country of striking physical beauty. Its landscapes vary from the fertile green areas around the northern shores of Lake Victoria to the snow-covered Rwenzori Mountains in the west and the semi-desert parts of the north, facing the border of Sudan.

The political instability that haunted Uganda over a period of years has left the country free from the commercialism so common in other parts of Africa. The current administration under President Museveni has devoted considerable effort and funds to regain Uganda's former glory as one of Africa's most prosperous and, from a tourist's point of view, one of the most appealing and interesting countries to visit.

After an early morning departure from Kampala you drive further west, into the depths of Uganda, and arrive at your base in Kisoro.

From your Kisoro base, depending on the availability of gorilla permits, and the gorillas' location, you'll view these beautiful animals in either the Magahinga or Bwindi National Parks in Uganda, the Virunga National Park in the DRC or at Ruhengeri in Rwanda.

Due to the nature of the gorillas and their habits, viewing cannot be guaranteed. The gorillas themselves can tend to move around the locality quite a distance, and the trek can be quite arduous.

There's usually also a park entry fee, as well as a cost for local transport to take you to and from the starting point of the trek. National parks usually allow clients who fail to see the gorillas, a 2nd chance to re-trek the next day if time and availability allows, or they may refund your trekking fee.

Please note: this is an optional excursion and visas to the DRC and Rwanda can be obtained at the border.

A short drive through arguably some of the most picturesque scenery in Africa brings you to Lake Bunyoni. Lake Bunyoni is the deepest crater lake in Africa and is home to a large number of bird and fish species, as well as otters.

After enjoying the peaceful surrounds of Lake Bunyoni you drive to Kampala for another overnight stay, and perhaps the chance to sample the nightlife. Today you will cross the Equator for the 2nd time, where there will be ample photo opportunities to commemorate this event.

Today you have the option either to go white water rafting on the Nile or visit Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary. For the adventurous, you'll be collected from Kampala and transferred to Jinja, where you'll experience some of the best white water rafting in Africa.

For the less adventurous, you will have the morning at leisure or the option to take a full-day excursion to visit Ngamba Chimp Sanctuary before your departure to Jinja.

Your overnight camp is right on the edge of the Nile River where there is an abundance of resident bird life and some truly amazing photo opportunities from right outside your tent.

Today you have the whole day at leisure to enjoy the beauty of Lake Bunyoni. There's the option to swim, visit the local villages or just sit back, relax and enjoy the tranquil surrounds. A well-deserved rest day.

Today is a full day's driving back towards Kenya. You cross the border before lunch, and stop for supplies en route. Tonight you overnight in Nakuru again.

Today you move onto Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for the thousands of flamingos that inhabit the lake's edge. The numbers vary, depending on the level of the lake, and are more numerous when the water level is low.

The park has also been established as a sanctuary for black and white rhino, which are frequently seen, along with buffalo, giraffe, waterbuck, various antelope, leopard and the occasional hippo. After entering the park in the morning, you'll spend the rest of the day game driving.

Moving further east, you drive to Lake Naivasha where you make camp in peaceful surroundings beside the lake. The highest of the Rift Valley lakes, Naivasha lies at about 1 880m.

Again, the lake is home to a multitude of birdlife. Pride of place must go to the magnificent African fish eagle.

The afternoon is spent at leisure here, and you should have the opportunity (time-permitting) to enjoy some optional excursions, such as a boat ride to the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary, Hell's Gate National Park or Elsamere, the retirement home of Joy Adamson ("Born Free").

After breakfast, you leave Naivasha and return to Nairobi, arriving in the early afternoon. The truck will stop at the Boulevard Hotel and your campsite, which brings this trip to a close.