Uganda & Kenya - 12 days flying safari

Day and night game drives in exclusive vehicles, and guided bush walks on Lewa Wildlife Conservancy are included activities for guests staying at Sirikoi Lodge.

Fantastic views of distant mountain ranges and a beautiful backdrop of snow-capped Mount Kenya provide a perfect setting for game drives and bush walks.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is teeming with birdlife with over 350 species across the diverse topography which includes rolling open plains, hills and kopjes, thick forest, valleys, escarpments, wetlands and rivers.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy has a huge variety of wildlife with over 70 different species of mammal. There are roughly equal numbers of black and white rhino – at the latest count there were 65 black and 46 white. The world's largest resident population of the endangered Grevy zebra resides on Lewa as well as elephant, buffalo, greater kudu, oryx, lion, leopard and cheetah amongst many other mammal species.

Credit: Sirikoi Lodge

Credit: Sirikoi Lodge

Credit: Sirikoi Lodge

Credit: Sirikoi Lodge

Credit: Sirikoi Lodge

Guests have the unique opportunity to see conservation in action – to go behind the scenes of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy’s operations to experience firsthand how conservation and anti-poaching really works, and to see all that Lewa is doing for wildlife and the surrounding communities. This includes visiting the Operations Room, Tracker Dog Unit, meeting the security or anti-poaching team, and visiting the Lewa school and clinic. These are all included activities for guests staying at Sirikoi Lodge.

Sirikoi guests can horse ride on Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and on Borana Conservancy. Riding is a fantastic opportunity to get close to plains game such as zebra and giraffe, and to view the beautiful scenery from a new perspective. You are matched to your horse based on your level of experience and confidence, and we cater for both amateur and expert riders. Rides are lead by an experienced riding guide and are usually taken exclusively rather than with other riders.

Riding on Lewa takes place in the afternoons. Guests depart the lodge at 3pm, go on a short game drive to the stables, where they will start riding at about 4pm. You will ride for about an hour across the plains and among the wildlife. You can choose to continue on your evening game drive to arrive back at the lodge at 7pm. There is also the option to ride camels on Lewa.
Time: 4 hours (1.5 hours riding time), from 3pm – 7pm

Riding on Borana takes place in the morning or afternoon – we recommend the morning. Guests depart Sirikoi at 6:30 with a picnic breakfast. After a short game drive to Borana, you will start riding at about 7am until roughly 8:30am. The terrain on Borana is varied as you ride across rolling hills and open plains, getting up close to plains game.
Time: 4 hours (1.5 hours riding time), from 6am – 10am

Details: You do not need to be an experienced rider to enjoy this activity – both stables cater for riders of all abilities. Wearing closed, comfortable shoes is recommended. Both stables use English saddles, not Western saddles, and riding hats are provided.

Visiting the Ngare Ndare Forest on the boundary of Lewa offers a complete contrast to the wide open plains of the conservancy, and is a favourite activity among Sirikoi guests. Walking through the forest canopy of enormous indigenous trees on the elevated walkway and diving into the blue glacial pools and waterfalls is an exceptional experience of a very different wilderness.

Guests depart Sirikoi in the morning after breakfast and drive for 40 minutes through a few small modern-day Kenyan rural communities, to reach the forest. The elevated canopy walkway is about 10m high and 400m long, ending at a beautiful lookout deck. There is the option to take lunch to the forest and enjoy a feast on the deck.

Time: 4 hours

Details: Pack your swimming costumes, and Sirikoi will pack towels. Wear good shoes for walking. This activity is not recommended for those who struggle with agility or those who are afraid of heights.

Visiting the Il Ngwesi community is a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about the ancient customs, culture and the daily lives of the Laikipiak Maasai. You depart after breakfast at the lodge, and the game drive to Il Ngwesi is about 90 min. You will be shown around their ‘manyatta’ or homestead, learn about their traditions and share in their rich singing and dancing. On the way back to Sirikoi, you may choose to have a picnic lunch.

Time: 4-5 hours (3 hours driving, 1 – 2 hours with the community)

Details: The road to Il Ngwesi is rough – we do not recommend this activity for those who struggle in a bumpy Land Rover.

Sirikoi offers three different helicopter excursions, each exciting and bespoke, taking you through incredible scenery on an immersive and thrilling wilderness experience like no other. Flying over the extraordinarily diverse landscapes will undoubtedly be the highlight of your safari!

The helicopters take a maximum of 5 passengers. Helicopter excursions are best booked in advance.

The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is found in the remote Mathews Range Mountains, among the second largest elephant populations in Kenya. It is the first community owned and run elephant sanctuary in the world. The orphanage rescues and takes in abandoned elephant calves with the aim to raise them and release them back into the wild herds adjoining the Sanctuary.

Guests enjoy a beautiful scenic helicopter flight over the arid wilderness of Samburu and into the mountains to visit the Reteti Elephant Orphanage. This flight is roughly 30 minutes to an hour, usually departing Sirikoi after an early breakfast at 7:30, to be at the orphanage from 8:30 - 10:00, as feeding time is at 9:00am. After visiting the elephant sanctuary, you will continue flying among breathtaking landscapes, stopping for refreshments in the Mathews Range with an amazing view.

Time: 4 hours (3 hours flying time)

Details: Wear light clothing and pack a hat and sunscreen, as the climate in much hotter in Samburu.

Sirikoi offers three different helicopter excursions, each exciting and bespoke, taking you through incredible scenery on an immersive and thrilling wilderness experience like no other. Flying over the extraordinarily diverse landscapes will undoubtedly be the highlight of your safari!

The helicopters take a maximum of 5 passengers. Helicopter excursions are best booked in advance.

Mount Kenya – Glacial Peaks and Alpine Lakes
This early morning helicopter excursion takes you over the snow-tipped peaks, across the moorlands and down through the undulating forested valleys of the mighty Mount Kenya – the second highest mountain in Africa. Departure time is strictly 7:00am, with the option of an early breakfast at the lodge before taking off, or a picnic breakfast to take with and enjoy up the mountain. You will land on the mountain for refreshments; take a walk and even indulge in a few hours fly-fishing for rainbow trout in the alpine lakes.

Time: 3-4 hours (2 hours flying time)

Details: Pack a jersey or windbreaker, and a hat and sunscreen, as the air is cold and the sun is fierce at altitude. Be sure to drink plenty of water on this excursion to avoid dehydration. This excursion is not advised for people who struggle with altitude.

This excursion is truly astounding, taking you through some of the last remaining untouched and wild wilderness of the world to the most remote secret corners of Kenya. You will fly over rocky outcrops and arid plains, winding river beds and ‘painted’ valleys, volcanic craters and ancient lava flows, lakes of flamingoes and crocodile pools, cycad forests and desert sand dunes, through the Great Rift Valley to the Jade Sea – Lake Turkana. You have the option of a unique cultural encounter with the Pokot tribal community – nomadic pastoralists rarely visited by outsiders.

You will leave Sirikoi at 7:00am before it gets too hot. Either after a quick breakfast at the lodge before taking off, or with a picnic breakfast to take with you. Plenty of refreshments and snacks will be packed for you to take along. You will fly and explore for approximately 5 hours before returning back to Sirikoi for a late lunch.

Time: 6-7 hours (5-6 hours flying time)

Details: The climate is hot and dry the further north you go. Wear light clothing and pack a hat, sunscreen and swimming costume. Be sure to drink plenty of water on this excursion. If you don’t want to fly all the way to Lake Turkana, but would like to explore the north, you can bring down the flying time to lower the cost of the excursion.

Two game drives a day are included in our daily rates and are usually done in the morning and in the late afternoon.

We use open Landcruiser game-viewers. Our expert guides will discuss with guests what they hope to see and will tailor the outing based on these discussions.

Snacks and drinks (included) are always brought on a drive and guests can stop and enjoy a drink and a nibble in the bush.

Our guests are very likely to get up close and personal with Lion, Cheetah, Elephant, Rothschild giraffe, Zebra, Buffalo, Waterbuck, roan antelope, Jackson's hartebeest, warthog, among many other savannah species. The birdlife is also excellent and the park boasts over 400 species.

Guided walks out in the bush, learning about flora and fauna. Immerse yourself in the African Bush, follow the tracks, walk with zebra and giraffe, step in the footprints of elephant on a dry riverbed, examine plants and geological features. The excursions can be long or short (some can be full day excursions) and are tailored to the individual group with many routes available depending on the season.

Combine your morning game drive with a wild breakfast experience. Instead of returning to the lodge for your meal, set up under the shade of a giant kigelia tree and have breakfast in the bush surrounded by wildlife.

Visit a local Karamajong village with an interpretative guide whose family still lives there. Learn the traditional ways of life, speak with the elders, participate in the storytelling and dancing and daily life. These visits are authentic immersive experiences, not put on for the tourist.

African Sunsets are world famous, and nowhere is more spectacular and memorable than Kidepo for watching the sun drop towards the horizon. From vantage points on top of one of the many rocky outcrops, or on the edge of an animal filled watering hole, sit back and watch the show, G+T in hand as the sky shifts, phasing going through almost every colour of the spectrum in the space of just a few minutes.

Make your way back to camp in the gathering darkness, keeping an eye out for the unique and unusual creatures that come out after dark.

Murchison Falls National park in the north-west of the country is Uganda’s largest national park, and together with adjoining wildlife reserves forms a vast wilderness covering over 5 000 km2. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife, forest primates and 450 bird species.

The mighty Nile, the longest river in the world, flows through the heart of the park for a distance of 120 km, on its 6 500 km journey from Lake Victoria to Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. The park’s centrepiece is the explosive, 40-metre high Murchison Falls where the Nile is forced through an 8-metre gap in the Rift Valley escarpment. Downstream, the Nile flows quietly towards Lake Albert which it enters through a large papyrus delta. It is this peaceful 40 km stretch of river which provides the park’s prime wildlife spectacle.

Chimpanzee tracking in nearby Budongo Forest is available, and definitely worthwhile spending an extra day for, and bird-watchers will be delighted by the variety of localised species including Shoebill. For the fishermen, there is the challenge of catching the massive Nile Perch.

Enjoy game drives in Murchison Falls National Park, as well as a memorable boat cruise up the Nile River to the foot of the Falls. The immense force of the water and the views of the Falls are spectacular from the close-up viewing points. Enhance your park experience by combining river voyages with a safari. Travel by boat to the Nile Delta and return with a game drive through the game-rich Buligi area. Drive to the top of the falls and hike down to the bottom of Fajao Gorge, before returning to Baker’s Lodge by boat.

We operate our own fleet of river boats—varying in size for different activities such as game viewing, birdwatching and fishing. We can organise private dinners, luncheons, breakfasts and snacks on board the boat. Baker’s Lodge is a great base for those keen on fishing for Nile Perch. We operate with a strict catch and release policy.

Our fleet of water-craft run scheduled and private trips daily, direct from our private lodge jetty to the park’s centerpiece – the stunning Murchison Falls in Fajao Gorge. An approximate 3 hours on the water offers excellent safari viewing to and from the falls, the boats offering the opportunity to witness up-close the teeming hippo and crocodile populations on the river as well as a plethora of animals and birdlife on the river banks. The cruise can be combined with a safari drive, a hike up the side of the falls, or a sunset cruise.

The Victoria Nile delta, a 17 km voyage downstream from Baker’s Lodge, is home to rare wetland birds including shoebill and papyrus endemic species. Morning cruises offer a visual spectacle of mist rising off the mirror calm-water as our craft navigate the papyrus channels of the delta. Scheduled and private delta cruises depart from the lodge with a “breakfast on board” option offered in the mornings (subject to minimum numbers).

The Nile River at Murchison is famous for its exciting sport fishing. Large, strong Nile Perch living in the turbulent waters below the falls as well as several species of cat fish are fished and a variety of smaller species which are generally used as live bait for the larger fish. Fishing is conducted on a strict “catch-and-release” system and can be done with our experienced local fishing guides; from the shore or from our boats which are ideally sized and equipped to cope with the conditions and accessing the remote riverside pools.

The Building of a permanent settlement for the Gahinga Batwa, Uganda

The Batwa are thought to be one of the oldest surviving indigenous people in the Central African Region. Known for their unique pygmy culture in the forests, the Batwa of the Virunga Mountains survived by hunting small game, gathering plants and fruits, living in caves and constructing huts of leaves and branches.

With international attention on conservation of the endangered mountain gorillas, the Mgahinga part of the Virunga volcanoes in Uganda was turned into a national park in 1991 to provide protection to the wildlife from poaching and habitat encroachment. The creation of the park required the Batwa to be removed from their homes in the mountains and be displaced in a modern world unfamiliar to them. The Batwa ended up squatting in nearby farm land. They earned a living through occasional labor or begging. With limited education, adapting to the modern world has been a difficult journey. They do not have resources or land and suffer from acute poverty, malnutrition and poor health.

Volcanoes Safaris has now built a permanent village for the Batwa community and their families. About 10 acres of land has been purchased to allow them to build homes, a community centre and have land for agricultural and recreational use. The homes were completed in early 2018 and the official launch of the village took place at the end of May 2018.

The Gahinga Batwa community is comprised of over 100 adults and children. They have had no permanent home since they left Mgahinga National Park over 25 years ago.

There is 1 gorilla family that can be easily tracked in MGahinga National Park, just a short distance from the lodge.

The cost is 700 USD per person per trek.

With only a small number remaining in the world, the Golden Monkey can be found in the foothills of the volcanic mountains of Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. Characterized by its bright golden body, cheeks and tail, with contrasting black limbs, crown and tail end, these playful primates are a pleasure to watch. Whether you choose to do this on the Rwandan or Ugandan side, the walk will take you from the bamboo stands and forested gorge on the lower levels of the volcanoes, to the elevated heath and moorland higher up.

Supported by the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, this hands-on experience will open your eyes to another world – that of one of Uganda’s longest surviving tribes. Visit the local Batwa community in their traditional dwellings and learn about how they have lived for generations in the surrounding forest.

Supported by the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, the local Batwa community visits Mount Gahinga Lodge and performs their traditional song and dance for lodge guests.

Guests staying at Virunga Lodge or Gahinga Lodge have easy access to the Virunga chain of volcanoes, which offer challenging hikes and stunning panoramas. The three most popular volcanoes to climb are Mt. Gahinga, Mt. Sabyinyo, and Mt. Muhavura. These hikes are of varying difficulty and typically take a full day. The treks starts at 7:00am from the park headquarters, from where visitors drive to the base of the volcano.

Located less than a kilometer from Mount Gahinga Lodge, the Kisozi Caldera is an easy to moderate hike to the top of a small hill where the caldera sweeps from corner to corner. A caldera is formed by volcanic eruptions, and many dot the stunning landscape of this volcanic region.

Both Uganda and Rwanda offer some of the world’s best bird watching, with a vast diversity of bird species. Uganda has over 1,000 bird species with 150 found only in Uganda. Rwanda has over 700 bird species and is home to the second highest number of Albertine endemics in the Albertine region. Each of our lodges offers the chance to see a number of different birds, with the vast majority endemic to the Region.

This exclusive experience allows a total group of 8 guests to track a gorilla group in the forest on their own. This enables guests to have a deeper connection with these fascinating animals, accompanied by their own guide who can give them personal briefing.

The cost is 5600 USD per trek per day in Uganda, for a maximum of 8 guests.

The lodge is available for exclusive use bookings.