Kenya and Tanzania Safari

Leaving from Kenya’s capital city Nairobi, travel to the Masai Mara National Reserve and the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater of Tanzania. This eight day adventure provides plenty of exciting wildlife opportunities as all the parks are home to an array of wildlife as well as Africa’s Big 5. Spend time game viewing in both the Masai Mara and the Serengeti National Park, where millions of wildebeest and zebra follow ancient trails across the vast plains, as part of the largest migration of wildlife on earth as well as visiting a Masai Cultural Village that gives you insight into the lives of this extraordinary culture and tribe. The tour traverses back through Kenya to Nairobi, where it ends.

DAY 1 - From Nairobi to the Masai Mara, Kenya (D)

Next morning we collect the new passengers, joining us on the last part of our safari trip. Leaving the bustling streets of Nairobi behind us we climb the quiet slopes of the escarpment.  Our first stop overlooks the splendid Great Rift Valley.  We descend into the Rift Valley, entering Masai territory. In the past the Masai, habitually pastoralists, often tended their cattle in this area.  We pass through Narok, before arriving at Acacia Camp, outside of town. Acacia Camp looks over the Meguarra hills and the meandering stream that is a natural border to the Masai Mara National Reserve.

DAY 2 - The Masai Mara, Kenya (B /L /D)

On the road early we spend the day game driving through the natural wilderness of this African region of vast plains, gently rolling hills and abundant game. The Masai Mara offers an awesome wildlife experience difficult to compete with.  We look out for the Big 5 of Africa.  Between July and October, we may get to witness the Great Migration of massive herds of wildebeest, zebra and Thomson's gazelle reaching to numbers of over 2 million. At night we recollect our highlights from the annual migration or the game-viewing spectacle at the camp's fireside. 

DAY 3: Masai Mara to Nairobi (B)

We travel north through the Masai Mara looking for the game that has eluded us. After our game drive, we leave the Mara to reach Nairobi in the late afternoon. On arrival, we head to the Hotel Boulevard, where we deliver the passengers who’ll be ending their trip here, before heading to our campsite for the night.

DAY 4: Nairobi to Arusha (Tanzania) (L / D)

This morning we depart Nairobi and travel south, crossing the border into Tanzania at Namanga. Tonight we stay in a lovely campsite in Meserani on the outskirts of Arusha, before heading out on our Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater excursion tomorrow.

DAY 5: Arusha to Karatu (B / L / D)

This morning we visit the Meserani Reptile Park and Masai Cultural Museum. A few minutes’ walk from the campsite is a gallery selling the bright and iconic Tinga Tinga paintings. After enjoying lunch at our camp against the backdrop of Mount Meru we meet our Tanzanian guides and transfer into locally operated 4WD vehicles. These vehicles have been adapted for safari use and allow excellent viewing and photographic opportunities through the opening roof hatches. Leaving our camp we travel via the Masai town of Mtu Wa Mbu (Mosquito River) that lies adjacent to the Lake Manyara National Park and then up the Rift Valley Escarpment to the higher lying village of Karatu. Karatu offers magnificent views over the surrounding hills and has many well established wheat farms that add to the picturesque panoramas. Tonight we spend the evening at a very pleasant campsite in Karatu.

DAY 6: Karatu to Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park (B / L / D)

This morning we depart early for the Ngorongoro Conservation area and head into the wildlife rich Ngorongoro Crater. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken, unflooded caldera in the world. Comprising of open savannahs, acacia forests and both soda and fresh water lakes, the Ngorongoro Crater is truly a miniature ‘Garden of Eden’. This World Heritage Site boasts some of the best game viewing in Africa – including the elusive Black Rhino. After our game drive in the Crater, we head down the Crater rim and past the ‘Cradle of Mankind’ on our way to the Serengeti National Park. We cross the vast plains as we game drive through the southern and central areas in the park. Tonight we camp in the bushveld surrounded by the sounds of the African wilderness. Without any fences surrounding our campsite we are truly in the midst of nature!

DAY 7: Serengeti National Park to Arusha (B / L / D)

In the morning, we head off for another game drive and explore the landscape in search of the resident game. With some luck, we may see some of Africa’s ‘Big 5’! Following our morning drive, we retrace our journey back across the plains and along the lush Crater rim to our truck at Arusha, where we spend the evening musing over our thrilling wildlife experience.

DAY 8: Arusha to Nairobi (B)

This morning we have some time to spend in Arusha before joining our shuttle bus for the drive back into Kenya, and onto Nairobi, where our trip comes to an end on arrival in the city centre.