🗺️ 90 days/ 3 months best of East Africa

Kenya – Uganda – Rwanda – Tanzania
(Optional add-ons noted at the end)

Start: Nairobi | Style: Camping | Highlights: Gorillas – Serengeti – Zanzibar

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This 3-month East Africa road trip is designed for travelers seeking an in-depth overland adventure across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. The journey combines world-class wildlife experiences, cultural encounters, scenic landscapes, and coastal relaxation. By traveling slowly and intentionally, participants gain the opportunity to experience East Africa beyond the highlights—engaging with local traditions, exploring lesser-known destinations, and enjoying extended stays in iconic national parks. This road trip is ideal for adventure travelers, photographers, nature lovers, and those looking for a meaningful and transformative travel experience.

Brief itinerary

🇰🇪 KENYA — 25 DAYS

Days 1–5: Nairobi & Surroundings

• Nairobi National Park

• David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

• Giraffe Centre

• Vehicle prep, SIM cards, supplies

Days 6–10: Central Kenya

• Aberdare National Park

• Mount Kenya region (Nanyuki)

• Ol Pejeta Conservancy (rhinos)

Days 11–16: Rift Valley

• Lake Naivasha & Hell’s Gate

• Lake Nakuru National Park

• Lake Bogoria (flamingos, hot springs)

Days 17–25: Western Kenya

• Masai Mara (4–5 days recommended)

• Drive via Kisumu (Lake Victoria)

• Border prep for Uganda (Busia or Malaba)

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🇺🇬 UGANDA — 20 DAYS

Days 26–30: Eastern Uganda

• Jinja (Nile source, rafting, kayaking)

• Sipi Falls & Mount Elgon hikes

Days 31–35: Northern Uganda

• Murchison Falls National Park

• Rhino tracking at Ziwa Sanctuary

Days 36–40: Western Uganda

• Kibale Forest (chimpanzee trekking)

• Queen Elizabeth National Park

• Ishasha (tree-climbing lions)

Days 41–45: Southwestern Uganda

• Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (gorilla trekking)

• Lake Bunyonyi (rest days)

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🇷🇼 RWANDA — 12 DAYS

Days 46–50: Volcanoes Region

• Gorilla trekking (Volcanoes NP)

• Golden monkey trekking

• Cultural villages

Days 51–54: Lake Kivu

• Gisenyi / Kibuye

• Kayaking, cycling, relaxation

Days 55–57: Kigali

• Kigali Genocide Memorial

• City tours & cafés

• Prepare for Tanzania border

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🇹🇿 TANZANIA — 33 DAYS

Days 58–65: Northern Circuit

• Serengeti National Park

• Ngorongoro Crater

• Lake Manyara

• Tarangire NP

Days 66–72: Arusha & Kilimanjaro Area

• Arusha National Park

• Coffee tours

• Optional Kilimanjaro short hikes (not summit)

Days 73–80: Central Tanzania

• Dodoma

• Iringa

• Ruaha National Park (wild & less crowded)

Days 81–90: Coast & Islands

• Mikumi National Park

• Dar es Salaam

• Zanzibar or Mafia Island (beach + diving)

Detailed Itinerary

Below is a true day-by-day 90-day itinerary (Nairobi start, camping style, must-dos: gorillas + Serengeti + Zanzibar) with specific campsites (or the closest reliable camping-friendly base when a formal campsite is uncommon).

🇰🇪 KENYA (Days 1–24)

Day 1 – Arrive Nairobi | Rest + SIM + cash | Wildebeest Eco Camp (camping)
Day 2 – Nairobi (0h) | Vehicle prep + supplies | Wildebeest Eco Camp
Day 3 – Nairobi (0h) | Nairobi NP (half day) | Wildebeest Eco Camp
Day 4 – Nairobi (0h) | Sheldrick + Giraffe Centre | Wildebeest Eco Camp

Day 5 – Nairobi → Nanyuki (4–5h) | Scenic highlands | River Camel Camp (Nanyuki)
Day 6 – Nanyuki (0h) | Ol Pejeta day trip | River Camel Camp
Day 7 – Nanyuki (0h) | Rest / laundry / resupply | River Camel Camp
Day 8 – Nanyuki → Naivasha (4–5h) | Rift Valley drive | Camp Carnelley’s (camping)

Day 9 – Naivasha (0h) | Hell’s Gate cycling | Camp Carnelley’s
Day 10 – Naivasha (0h) | Lake boat / Crescent Island | Camp Carnelley’s
Day 11 – Naivasha → Lake Nakuru area (1–2h) | Nakuru NP game drive | Return Naivasha camp (easiest camping base)
Day 12 – Naivasha → Lake Bogoria/Baringo (3–4h) | Hot springs | Camp Carnelley’s (or local lake-side camp)

Day 13 – Bogoria/Baringo → Narok (4–5h) | Position for Mara | Simple camp near Narok (roadside stop)
Day 14 – Narok → Maasai Mara (4–6h) | Enter reserve | Oloololo Public Campsite (inside Mara)
Day 15 – Maasai Mara (0h) | Full-day game drives | Oloololo Public Campsite
Day 16 – Maasai Mara (0h) | Full-day game drives | Oloololo Public Campsite
Day 17 – Maasai Mara (0h) | Sunrise + river crossings hunt | Oloololo Public Campsite

Day 18 – Mara → Kisumu (6–7h) | Lake Victoria sunset | Dunga Hill Camp (campground base)
Day 19 – Kisumu (0h) | Rest day | Dunga Hill Camp
Day 20 – Kisumu → Kakamega area (2–3h) | Forest walk | Dunga Hill Camp (or local guest camp)
Day 21 – Kakamega → Busia border area (2–3h) | Pre-border prep | Dunga Hill Camp (or border-town stop)
Day 22 – Busia → Jinja (4–6h) | Cross into Uganda | Explorers River Camp (camping)
Day 23 – Jinja (0h) | Nile activities | Explorers River Camp
Day 24 – Jinja (0h) | Buffer / rest | Explorers River Camp

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🇺🇬 UGANDA (Days 25–45)

Day 25 – Jinja → Ziwa (5–6h) | Drive + relax | Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Campsite
Day 26 – Ziwa (0h) | Rhino tracking | Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Campsite

Day 27 – Ziwa → Murchison (2–4h) | Enter park / Paraa side | Red Chilli Rest Camp (camping)
Day 28 – Murchison (0h) | Game drive (delta) | Red Chilli Rest Camp
Day 29 – Murchison (0h) | Nile boat to falls | Red Chilli Rest Camp
Day 30 – Murchison (0h) | Top of falls + rest | Red Chilli Rest Camp

Day 31 – Murchison → Fort Portal (6–7h) | Long drive | Kibale Forest Camp (near Fort Portal)
Day 32 – Kibale (0h) | Chimp trekking | Kibale Forest Camp
Day 33 – Kibale (0h) | Bigodi swamp walk / crater lakes | Kibale Forest Camp

Day 34 – Kibale → Queen Elizabeth (2–3h) | Transfer + sunset | Mweya Campsite (QE NP)
Day 35 – Queen Elizabeth (0h) | Kazinga Channel boat | Mweya Campsite
Day 36 – QE → Ishasha (2–3h) | Tree-climbing lions sector | Ishasha camping area (QE NP)

Day 37 – Ishasha → Bwindi (3–5h) | Position for trek | Bwindi Backpackers Lodge campsite (Rushaga)
Day 38 – Bwindi (0h) | GORILLA TREKKING DAY | Bwindi Backpackers campsite
Day 39 – Bwindi (0h) | Recovery / community walk | Bwindi Backpackers campsite
Day 40 – Bwindi → Lake Bunyonyi (2–4h) | Rest + views | Bunyonyi camping (local lakeside camp)

Day 41 – Lake Bunyonyi (0h) | Full rest day | Bunyonyi camping
Day 42 – Bunyonyi → Rwanda border → Musanze (3–6h) | Cross to Rwanda | Red Rocks Rwanda (camping)
Day 43 – Musanze (0h) | Golden monkeys / cultural day | Red Rocks Rwanda
Day 44 – Musanze (0h) | Buffer (2nd gorilla trek optional) | Red Rocks Rwanda
Day 45 – Musanze → Gisenyi (1–2h) | Lake Kivu chill | Inzu Lodge (tented camp, Lake Kivu)

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🇷🇼 RWANDA (Days 46–56)

Day 46 – Gisenyi (0h) | Lake day | Inzu Lodge (tented camp)
Day 47 – Gisenyi → Kibuye/Karongi (3–4h) | Scenic lakeshore | Lake Kivu lakeside camp (Karongi area)
Day 48 – Karongi (0h) | Boat / relax | Lake Kivu lakeside camp

Day 49 – Karongi → Kigali (3–4h) | City reset | Mamba Club (budget base; not a campsite)
Day 50 – Kigali (0h) | Memorial + markets | Mamba Club
Day 51 – Kigali (0h) | Buffer/maintenance day | Mamba Club

Day 52 – Kigali → Mwanza, Tanzania (8–10h) | Long border day | Rocky Bay Resort & Camping (Mwanza/Lake Victoria)
Day 53 – Mwanza (0h) | Rest / supplies | Rocky Bay Resort & Camping
Day 54 – Mwanza → Serengeti (5–7h) | Enter via western corridor | Seronera Public Campsite (central Serengeti)
Day 55 – Serengeti (0h) | Full-day game drives | Seronera Public Campsite
Day 56 – Serengeti (0h) | Full-day game drives | Seronera Public Campsite

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🇹🇿 TANZANIA (Days 57–90)

Day 57 – Serengeti (0h) | Another full day (migration strategy) | Seronera Public Campsite
Day 58 – Serengeti → Ngorongoro rim (3–5h) | Transfer | Ngorongoro Simba Campsite
Day 59 – Ngorongoro (0h) | Crater descent (early) | Ngorongoro Simba Campsite
Day 60 – Ngorongoro → Lake Manyara area (1–2h) | Easy day | (Camping base in Mto wa Mbu/Karatu area)
Day 61 – Manyara/Tarangire day (2–3h) | Safari day | (Camping base in Mto wa Mbu/Karatu area)

Day 62 – Karatu → Arusha (2–3h) | Restock | Meserani Snake Park campsite (Arusha)
Day 63 – Arusha (0h) | Arusha NP optional | Meserani Snake Park campsite

Day 64 – Arusha → Moshi/Machame (1.5–2.5h) | Kilimanjaro foothills | Camp at Aishi Machame area (camping-friendly base)
Day 65 – Moshi area (0h) | Materuni + coffee | Aishi Machame area base
Day 66 – Moshi area (0h) | Kili day hike | Aishi Machame area base

Day 67 – Moshi → Dodoma (7–9h) | Long drive | Roadside campground/guest camp (Dodoma)
Day 68 – Dodoma (0h) | Rest / service day | Dodoma camp base
Day 69 – Dodoma → Iringa (4–5h) | Transfer | Iringa camp base
Day 70 – Iringa → Ruaha (2–4h) | Enter park | Ruaha public campsite area (inside NP)
Day 71 – Ruaha (0h) | Full-day game drives | Ruaha public campsite area
Day 72 – Ruaha (0h) | Full-day game drives | Ruaha public campsite area

Day 73 – Ruaha → Mikumi area (5–7h) | Break the coast run | Mikumi camping base (near park)
Day 74 – Mikumi (0h) | Game drive | Mikumi camping base

Day 75 – Mikumi → Dar es Salaam (4–6h) | Arrive coast | Mikadi Beach Camp (camping)
Day 76 – Dar (0h) | Rest + ferry planning | Mikadi Beach Camp

Day 77 – Ferry day | Dar → Zanzibar (passenger ferry) | Kipepeo Backpackers (Zanzibar camping/budget base)
Day 78 – Zanzibar (0h) | Stone Town | Kipepeo Backpackers

Day 79 – Stone Town → Paje (1–2h) | Move to east coast | Panorama Ocean View (Paje camping option)
Day 80 – Paje (0h) | Beach + kitesurf vibe | Panorama Ocean View
Day 81 – Paje (0h) | Snorkeling / lagoon | Panorama Ocean View

Day 82 – Paje → Jozani (0.5–1h) | Forest + red colobus | Panorama Ocean View (base)
Day 83 – Paje → Nungwi/Kendwa (1.5–2.5h) | North coast beaches | Camping/budget base in Kendwa/Nungwi zone
Day 84 – Kendwa/Nungwi (0h) | Swim (less tide) | North coast base

Day 85 – North coast (0h) | Diving day / Mnemba trip | North coast base
Day 86 – North coast (0h) | Rest day | North coast base
Day 87 – North coast → Stone Town (1–2h) | Last shopping | Kipepeo Backpackers
Day 88 – Zanzibar (0h) | Buffer day | Kipepeo Backpackers

Day 89 – Ferry | Zanzibar → Dar | Mikadi Beach Camp (camping)
Day 90 – Dar (0h) | Departure / vehicle shipping / extra night | Mikadi Beach Camp

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Quick notes (so this works smoothly)

• Your two “permit-critical” anchors are: Gorilla trekking (Bwindi) + Serengeti/Ngorongoro camping. Bwindi camping base is clearly available via Bwindi Backpackers Lodge campsite , and Serengeti/Ngorongoro have well-known public camps (Seronera , Simba ).

• Kigali is the only place in this plan where a “true campsite” is less standard—so you can opt for reliable budget base (Mamba Club)

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🚗 PRACTICAL ROAD TRIP NOTES

Vehicle

• 4×4 strongly recommended

• Two spare tires, jerry cans, recovery gear

Documents

• Passport (6+ months validity)

• East Africa Tourist Visa (Kenya–Uganda–Rwanda)

• Separate Tanzania visa

• COMESA Yellow Card (insurance)

• Carnet de Passages (if foreign vehicle)

Best Time

• June–October (dry season, best wildlife)

• January–February also good

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OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS

• Burundi (from Rwanda)

• South Sudan (only with local guidance)

• Ethiopia (if adding another month)

🔑 CAMPING & OVERLAND TIPS

• Bring roof-top tent or ground tent

• Gas stove + charcoal backup

• Solar or dual battery system

• Carry cash for park fees (some parks no cards)

• Gorilla permits must be booked months ahead