Depart Australia for East Africa. For those wanting to arrive a day earlier into Entebbe, we are holding some rooms at K Hotels.

The main tour officially starts on July 8 in Entebbe but some of the farm group members might leave Australia earlier for additional touring in Africa or elsewhere.

The flash new (Chinese built) Entebbe airport terminal building doesn’t mask the hustle, bustle, smells and noises that let you know you have definitely arrived in Africa!

Whatever time of your arrival, you will be met and transferred to K Hotels for check-in. Lunch is on your own account today but everyone will have arrived Entebbe by mid-afternoon. We will enjoy welcome drinks and dinner this evening at the hotel.

Entebbe is located on the shores of Lake Victoria. At 69,484 sq km, Lake Victoria is the second largest freshwater lake in the world by area after Lake Superior (82,100 sq km). But Lake Victoria is relatively shallow and reaches a maximum depth of 81m and an average of 41m making it the 7th largest lake in the world by volume of fresh water.

Entebbe is a very scenic area with an incredible array of bird life and acts as an up-market suburb of the nearby capital of Kampala.

Early this morning, we’ll head out to Mabamba Swamps on Lake Victoria in search of the rare Shoebill wading bird. The boat-ride across the lake gives a beautiful view of Entebbe, fishermen and lots of birds, especially on approaching the papyrus swamps. Shoebill sightings are not guaranteed, but either way, the boat trip through the lagoon is very rewarding.

We return to the mainland for lunch and afterwards we’ll visit Wagagai, a very large fresh flower and flower propagating operation. Their product is harvested and exported “overnight” to Europe, the US and Canada.

Dinner is at the nearby Hotel No. 5. We are transferred back to our hotel after dinner.

An early start this morning as we take our breakfast pack and drive north along the scenic route through the centre of Uganda towards the Murchison Falls National Park. On the way we will visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where we can go rhino trekking. This area is around 100km from Kampala and is the only place in Uganda where you can see rhinos in the wild. Ziwa currently has 22 white rhinos.

We continue our journey to Kitumu Farm – a very mixed farming operation with cows, goats, maize, sunflowers, coffee, bananas and mangoes. We won’t see too many machines on the farm but we will find a lot of gainfully employed locals. We also enjoy a picnic lunch at the farm.

After our visit to Kitumu, we drive via Kigumba to Masindi on the new road, to the Murchison Falls National Park gate. The park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into vast, palm-dotted savanna. First gazetted as a game reserve in 1926, it is Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area.

In the late afternoon we arrive at the Paraa Safari Lodge, overlooking the River Nile. The Nile vies with The Amazon as the world’s longest river. The Nile has two major tributaries: The White Nile and Blue Nile. The White Nile is considered to be the headwaters stream and begins at Lake Victoria.

We depart at around 8am this morning and game drive our way to meet local farmer, Bully Dunn, who specialises in maize production, much of it exported to Kenya.

Northern Uganda is an area with abundant natural resources. Large scale farming developments in this region – much of them fueled by overseas investors working together with local small farmers – have led to significant gains in farm productivity.

We have a picnic lunch at the farm before we game drive our way back through the National Park to Paraa Lodge for dinner and overnight.

The region is not only blessed with natural resources for farming, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy. After breakfast, we board our boat for a delta cruise where we plan to meet up with some of the local wildlife residents including hippos, giraffes, elephants etc plus an amazing array of bird species.

After lunch at the lodge, and depending on how time is going, there could be some free time to explore the top of the Murchison Falls or maybe even do a spot of fishing. We then enjoy a late afternoon game drive before returning to the lodge for dinner.

This morning we enjoy a cruise upstream to the spectacular Murchison Falls. The National Park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which forces it way through a 7m gap and plunges 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic falls. This is the Park’s centrepiece and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids.

In the afternoon we head to the local airstrip for our charter flight back to Entebbe where, this evening, we connect to a commercial flight to Nairobi, Kenya.

Dinner is your own arrangements at Entebbe Airport.

On arrival at Nairobi, we will be met and transferred to our nearby hotel.

This morning we leave Nairobi and visit with Mike Harries at Karamaini Estate. In the early 1900s Mike's mother and father travelled up from South Africa "with a piano and a Persian cat", purchased 10,000 acres, and began farming in Kenya.

Today Mark and his family continue to successfully grow avocados and other crops at Karamaini.

After a picnic lunch on the farm, we continue to the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club and arrive in good time to take in the beautiful views and relax before dinner. With a magnificent outlook to the majestic Mount Kenya, the Safari Club is set in over 100 acres of landscaped gardens and offers a unique blend of comfort, relaxation and adventure.

Originally the retreat of movie star and Club founder, William Holden, the Club’s illustrious former members have included Winston Churchill and Bing Crosby.

Today we travel west to the edge of the Laikipia Plateau to visit Mogwooni Ranch. Mandy and Jacky Kenyon are breeders of some of the top Boran cattle in the country.

Kenyan Boran cattle were developed from the native shorthorned Zebu cattle tended by the Borana Oromo people of southern Ethiopia. They are very well adapted to local conditions and parasites. Boran cattle are known for their fertility, early maturation (more so than other Zebu breeds), hardiness and quiet temperament.

We then continue on to El Karama Wildlife Conservancy. This is the home of Bella and Michael Nicholson. They have one of Kenya’s top herds of pedigree Sahiwal cattle. It is a fine example of how cattle can integrate and live harmoniously with the local and plentiful wildlife. The wildlife includes lions, so the cattle are enclosed at night.

We’ll enjoy lunch and the great hospitality extended by Bella and the Grant family.

We then return to Mount Kenya Safari Club for dinner and overnight.

Early this morning we visit a large cropping farm on the slopes of Mt Kenya. Ol Donyo Farm has strong connections with Australian farming technology. At an elevation of 2400m it has a rainfall variation of 280 to 1200mm with an average of 635mm. We spend the morning with Bryn and Tara Llewellyn as they show us around their beautiful farm. Crops grown at Ol Donyo include wheat, canola, barley, chickpeas, sunflowers, lupins and linseed.

On their pastures they also run some cattle including Jerseys, Boran and various Wagyu crosses.

After lunch at Ol Donyo we continue on to the nearby Turasco Farm run by Tim Hobbs. Here we find the highly unlikely, but successful, enterprise mix of pigs, black soldier-fly maggots and beautiful roses. Our focus will be on the roses!

We then return to the relaxed atmosphere and beautiful surrounds of the historic Mount Kenya Safari Club.

This morning we drive to the nearby township of Nanyuki to catch a commercial 1.5hr flight to Nairobi's regional airport - Wilson. We connect with another flight (of about 2hrs) through to Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. We clear customs and are transferred to our nearby hotel for our late afternoon check-in.

The Planet Lodge prides itself on having great views of both Mount Kilimanjaro (to the northeast) and Mount Meru (to the northwest). The many fruit trees, plants, flowers and birds – along with a unique architectural design and excellent staff and amenities – create a very relaxed and homely environment.

Dinner tonight is at the hotel.

After breakfast, we’ll head northeast to Simba Farm, virtually in the shadows of Mt Kilimanjaro. Owned by a Dutch family, Simba Farm is comprised of four arable enterprises which somehow avoided the nationalisation of agricultural operations which occurred after independence of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika) in 1961. Lunch will be on the farm.

In the afternoon we head down to Kilimanjaro West to visit an avocado farm. The farm was established from scratch by the current owner in 2007. They are now the biggest exporters of avocados out of Tanzania. They employ 390 permanent workers and have 200 seasonal employees. In addition, they are involved in an out-grower program for over 200 small-scale local producers.

Then it’s back to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we visit a coffee farm. Coffee production is one of Tanzania's most important industries.

Around 1.5 million 60kg bags are produced each year. Ninety 90 per cent of this production comes from around 320,000 coffee smallholder farmers. About 100 large farms produce around 10 per cent of the crop. Tanzania harvests around 265,000 hectares of coffee each year and harvest begins in July.

We’ll then head towards Kartu and visit an authentic Masai Village for an insight into their customs, culture and general way of life.

After lunch under a prickly acacia tree, we then head to Ngorongoro Farm House for dinner and overnight. Nestled within 500 acres of coffee plantation, the hand-plaited thatched rooftops, sprawling verandas and colonial interiors of this small and exclusive hotel, creates a relaxed atmosphere and a hint of past times.

Today we have a spectacular descent into the famous Ngorongoro Crater. And what is unique about Ngorongoro Crater? Other than being the biggest intact (unbroken) volcanic caldera on Earth, the crater is also a natural sanctuary for some of the densest populations of large mammals in Africa. Due to its enclosed nature, the crater has effectively formed its own ecosystem.

At about 20km across, 600 metres deep and 300 sq km in area, Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder.

Today we enjoy a full day of game driving. The crater has all the 'Big 5' game – elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino – plus a multitude of other mammals, reptiles and birds.

In the late afternoon we ascend out of the crater and return to the Ngorongoro Farm House for dinner and overnight.

From Ngorongoro, we will drive to Nyikani Camp in the Seronera area of the Central Serengeti. This area is well known for its great game viewing sightings. The Central Serengeti is famed for its healthy population of large cats, permanent game around the Seronera River and the Rettima Hippo Pool.

Our Camp is perched on a hill with a panoramic view of some of the Serengeti’s most memorable wildlife landscapes. Nyikani Camp is permanently located in the Central Serengeti, taking advantage of the year round wildlife viewing.

Full day of game drives in the Central Serengeti and then back to camp to relax and watch the animals wander over the valley below.

We spend most of today game driving up to the Northern Serengeti and near the Mara River. The area is renowned as the river crossing site of the Great Wildebeest Migration.

We enjoy a picnic lunch during our game drive before we arrive at our luxury tent mobile camp where we have exclusive use.

The main emphasis of the camp activities revolves around the extraordinary wildlife to be found in the area. This wildlife includes lions, leopard, cheetah, buffalo and elephants to name just a few. This wildlife can be enjoyed at ground level during our game drives as well as from the air with an optional, and nearby, hot air balloon ride.

For those doing the optional hot air balloon flight today, they will be collected pre-dawn for their flight. Those of us staying on the ground will do a game drive and the two groups will join up later in the morning.

We have a few days in the Northern Serengeti and with any luck we will get to see the wildebeest cross the Mara River – but this can’t be guaranteed.

These are wild animals and there are many factors that affect the timing of a crossing. Numerous crossings occur in groups of various sizes, and at a number of sites along the Mara. And the crossing period can span a number of weeks.

In the past two years, our Greenmount tours have been in the Mara River area during late July, and have been fortunate to witness this incredible sight.

After breakfast, it’s time to leave the Serengeti and head back towards “civilisation”. We will take a flight from Kagatende back to Arusha where we will enjoy lunch. There is also an opportunity to visit the nearby Shanga Recycled Glass project which has helped create fulfilling lives for scores of local disabled people.

We continue on to the Planet Lodge hotel, near Kilimanjaro Airport, for our farewell dinner and overnight.

Homeward bound today. You will be transferred to nearby Kilimanjaro Airport for your various flights home – or the adventure continues at your next destination.