To meet the growing demand for experiential travel and budget safaris, Acacia Africa has launched new East African tours.
In the nine-day Troop to the Gorillas overland journey, the camping and accommodated itineraries focus solely on Uganda. The company is also expanding the new Short Safari & Trek portfolio with the 10-day Best of East Africa, covering handpicked game-viewing locations in Kenya and Tanzania.
Sales and Marketing Manager at Acacia Africa, Arno Delport comments: “Alongside the opportunity to trek the endangered mountain gorillas, our new nine-day tour affords clients three days in Jinja, giving them the chance to take part in the many activities that East Africa’s adventure capital has to offer. This year, we expect Uganda to take the lion’s share of bookings from ‘price-sensitive’ millennials, due to the gorilla permit increase in Rwanda. These travellers seek out unique wildlife encounters but value playing a key part in their choice of destination.”
The nine-day Troop to the Gorillas includes gorilla and chimp permits, as well as transport, camping accommodation, most meals and services of a tour leader/driver, with year-round departures.
The tour starts in Kampala, making its way to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Included in the tour is a chimpanzee trek near the Kymabura Gorge forests, visits to Lake Bunyoni; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for the gorilla trek; and the source of the Nile at the town of Jinja, where guests can try white-water rafting. They can also take part in bike rides, village walks and many other activities. The tour ends in Kampala. Guests can choose between camping and the accommodated tour.
The 10-day Best of East Africa tour visits the Masai Mara Game Reserve, Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the Tarangire National Park. The trip is inclusive of all tour highlights, accommodation with seven nights in a twin-share room at a lodge/hotel with en-suite facilities, two nights in a twin share lodge/tented camp with en-suite facilities, as well as transport, most meals, services of a tour leader/driver and shuttle bus transfer, with year-round departures.
The tour starts and ends in Nairobi.
“Tarangire National Park might be one of Tanzania’s lesser-known safari destinations, but it’s highly underrated. Its 2 850 square kilometres are reputed to contain some of the largest elephant herds in Africa. About to be thrust into the wildlife conservation spotlight, it’s now home to the oldest mother elephant known to have given birth to twins, the pair of rare twin calves recently joining the mother's herd,” says Delport.
Earlier this year, Acacia Africa launched a three-day Nairobi Park Stay. The itinerary includes a game drive in Nairobi National Park, a visit to Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, return airport transfers, all food and drinks and twin-share en-suite accommodation at a tented camp inside Nairobi National Park, with year-round departures.
