Itinerary
NOTRE DAME'S FORD PROGRAM
June 2012 UGANDA, KENYA ITINERARY
June 2 – June 13, 2012
(With Optional Tanzania Trip, June 13 –17)
Note: The itinerary is subject to slight modification, as new opportunities arise.
Friday, 1 June–DEPART UNITED STATES FOR UGANDA
In order to arrive in Uganda on Saturday, June 2, you must depart the United States on or before, Friday, June 1, 2011. Please confirm your Uganda arrival date, before purchasing your international airline tickets, as flight itineraries vary widely. Most recommended flights connect through London (British Airways) or Amsterdam (KLM).
Your arrival airport is Entebbe (EBB), Uganda.
If you wish to depart earlier for Uganda, we can make hotel and sightseeing arrangements for you, just let us know.
Saturday, 2 June —Arrival in Entebbe, Uganda
Morning or evening, individual airport pickup and hotel transfer. Each arriving guest met with Notre Dame sign at airport and driven to hotel. Drive from airport to hotel is approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
Depending on arrival flight—Lunch and dinner on own, with suggestions
Optional side trips for guests arriving early—Sightseeing excursions including possible side trips to wildlife parks near Entebbe. Let us know if you are interested in any Saturday excursions and we will help arrange them for you.
Golfing opportunities are also available, with rental clubs.
All meals (B, L, D) and snacks and bottled water, while traveling, are included during your time in Africa, except for your arrival day.
Sunday, 3 June —Kampala, Uganda's capital nestled among seven hills.
A relaxed morning with breakfast at hotel
Catholic Mass and City tour—We will enjoy a local Mass and visit some of the capital's most important sights, including the Kasubi Tombs, burial place of Ugandan kings, Houses of Parliament, important churches, National Theatre African Crafts Village, and other sights.
Welcome lunch in Kampala—Overview of program and introductions.
Evening—Ndere Cultural Center—dinner and show, 5:00– 9:00 p.m.
Monday, 4 June —spend day in Kampala for meetings
Morning —meeting at US Embassy to discuss relations and interests
Lunch—Le Chateau
Afternoon—meeting at Holy Cross House, learn about Uganda activities; then, relax at hotel or optional shopping tour
Dinner—Khana Khazana Indian Restaurant
Tuesday, 5 June —Head to Nkozi, Uganda Martyrs University and Masaka
Breakfast at hotel
Drive to Nkozi—Uganda Martyrs University, two-hour drive
Lunch at UMU—intro/talk by Vice Chancellor
Afternoon—On way to Masaka, visit Nnindye community, learn about Ford Program partnership efforts
Dinner —Dinner buffet at hotel
Wednesday, 6 June —Nkozi to Jinja with stop at UMU and equator
Breakfast at hotel
Morning—classes at UMU—Uganda Martyrs University, 'Capacity Building' lectures
Possible talk by Steve Silliman, ND Engineering, Darcy Award Winner
Stop at Equator for pictures and lunch
Lunch at Equation Café— time for photos and souvenirs
Equator to Jinja—less than 4-hour drive, snacks and drinks on bus, rest/toilet stop, drive through tea plantations and green forests
Dinner—Black Lantern Restaurant
Thursday, 7 June —Jinja
Breakfast at hotel
Morning—visit Holy Cross Parish, learn about activities and meet ND students working in the area
Lunch at Holy Cross Parish
Afternoon—source of Nile visit, boat ride on River Nile/Lake Victoria
Sunset cruise with open bar and BBQ
Dinner —light dinner at hotel
Hotel—Jinja Nile Resort
Friday, 8 June—Jinja to Kampala
Check out after breakfast
Morning—head to Uganda Martyrs Shrine
Lunch—box lunch provided by Jinja Nile resort
Drive to our luxury Kampala hotel to relax
Dinner—Special Uganda closing night dinner at our hotel
Saturday, 9 June —Depart Uganda for Nairobi, Kenya
Morning—breakfast at hotel and leave for airport
Kenya Airways 10:00 a.m. departure
KENYA PORTION OF TRIP
Arrival in Kenya 11:10 a.m.—met on arrival
Lunch—Karen Blixen House. Former home of the Danish author best known for her memoir, "Out of Africa".
Afternoon—visit Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA)
Hotel—check in at Safari Park Hotel
Dinner—Safari Park; Nyama Choma Ranch Menu (African buffet) and live band, followed by 'Safari Cats and Acrobatic Show'
Sunday, 10 June —Nairobi and Dandora
Morning—Mass in Holy Cross Parish (Dandora)
Lunch/afternoon—Dandora with Holy Cross people visiting their ministries
Dinner at Safari Park Hotel
Overnight—Safari Park, early bedtime to prepare for morning departure
Monday, 11 June —Nairobi and safari plus Mass on the Mara
Early breakfast at hotel
Morning—depart hotel at 7:00 for transfer to Wilson Airport for flight to Masai Mara (early departure due to traffic and construction)
Flight—10:00 a.m.
Met on arrival at airstrip and transfer to award-winning Base Camp Masai Mara Ecolodge for check-in and lunch before afternoon game drives.
Dinner and overnight at Base Camp
Tuesday, 12 June —Game Park all day. Breakfast at Camp.
OPTIONAL - Sunrise hot-air balloon safari trip with champagne breakfast, approximately $425 per person. Please let us know, in advance, so we can reserve your spot.
Spend entire day on game drives in vast Masai Mara Plain
Possibly see last bits of great migration, if we are lucky.
Picnic lunch and visit to local Masai village to see their way of life, meet villagers, join in dancing and opportunity to buy handicrafts, carvings, belts, jewelry, etc.
Dinner at Base Camp
Overnight—Ecolodge
Wednesday, 13 June —Game drives and return to Nairobi
Morning—early morning game drives and return to Camp for breakfast
Mid-morning game drives, lunch, and afternoon flight back to Nairobi.
Flight to Nairobi—departs at 4:00 p.m.
Met on arrival at Wilson Airport and transferred to Panari Hotel to freshen up and for farewell dinner.
Transfer to Nairobi's Jomo Kenyata (NRO) Airport for flight home
Flight to Europe—Flight times may change, CHECK with your airline.
BA to London—11:30 p.m. or KLM to Amsterdam—11:15 p.m.
End of trip for guests on main program
OPTIONAL Add-on Trip—Tanzania extension: Continue your safari and see Tanzania. We will have two short flights to get to the Serengeti and avoid much of the rough overland drive. Our Tanzanian adventure includes some incredible hotels, incorporating their unique locations into the inspiring landscape.
Wednesday, 13 June
Early morning game drives in Masai Mara returning back to the Camp for breakfast.
10:00 a.m . transferred to the airstrip for the 11:30 a.m. flight to Migori (30-minute flight) and transfer by road through the border for 1 hour to Tarime airstrip in Tanzania and fly almost 1 hour to Serengeti. Picked up from Seronera Airstrip at around 2:45 p.m. and continue with an afternoon game drive of Serengeti Park,
The immensity of Serengeti Park can best be expressed in its numbers. It is recorded that over a million animals live in this area, more than a third of them being wildebeest. This offers an enormous food supply for the lion, cheetah, and leopard, an animal usually difficult to find in other reserves.
Dinner and Overnight:—Serengeti Serena (B, L, D).
Thursday, 14 June
After breakfast, we have a full day of wildlife viewing in the Serengeti Park, the country's largest national park with an area of 5,000 sq. miles. The Serengeti is world famous as the home of a million-and-a-half wildebeest and zebra. There are a multitude of the other plain animals (more than 35 species) to see, as well as hippos wallowing, giraffes munching, and black-maned lions flicking their tails at flies or chasing the vultures away from the last few morsels of their prey. Enjoy our boxed lunches, while perhaps observing the animals dining.
Dinner and Overnight: - Serengeti Serena (B, L, D).
Friday, 15 June
After breakfast, our exciting safari continues to the Ngorongoro National Park. Enroute, we visit Olduvai Gorge, a 15-mile long canyon within the Serengeti Plain. Olduvai Gorge, made famous by Louis and Mary Leakey, is the source of abundant fossil material dating back more than a million years, including hominid remains of Zinjanthropes Boisei (literally 'East African Man'). These remains are nearly two million years old, establishing an African origin for mankind.
Lunch at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.
Afternoon, enjoy the view of the Crater from our Lodge.
Dinner and Overnight - Ngorongoro Serena (B, L, D)
Saturday, 16 June
After breakfast, we drive down and into the Crater for a full day of game viewing. The first light of the day sends its golden shafts under the ethereal mist and fog hovering on the rim, to spill in puddles of gold on the Crater floor far below. The crater is actually a huge caldera or collapsed volcano, 12 miles across, providing a Garden of Eden-like home for the thousands of animals that live there.
Afternoon—We continue to Lake Manyara Park. This park is bounded on the east by the shores of the lake and on the northwest by the Rift Valley. We will enjoy an outstanding vantage point.
Dinner & Overnight at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge (B, L, D)
Sunday, 17 June —Last day of trip—Fly home to US
After breakfast, we return to Arusha for lunch and join an air-conditioned shuttle bus to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO), for the flight to Nairobi (if flying home from Nairobi).
Additional charge of $150, if you need this flight back to Nairobi.
Flight from Arusha/Kilimanjaro to Nairobi—2:00 p.m., 50-minute flight.
Arrive in Nairobi at Wilson Airport (WIL). Met on arrival.
Dinner at Panari Hotel, with opportunity to freshen up before dinner.
Transfer to Nairobi (NBO) Jomo Kenyatta Airport for flight home.
Evening flight back home—British Airways or KLM
OR
Remain in Tanzania for dinner and catch your flight out of Kilimanjaro (JRO), in the evening (if flying home from Tanzania).
Enjoy a group dinner and then your evening flight home.
THANKS FOR TRAVELING WITH NOTRE DAME AND INNOVATIVE IMMERSIONS®!
Itinerary
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Accommodations
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Visas / Travel Info
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The Ford Family Program
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