Experience the African adventure of a lifetime on this 14-day Kenya and Tanzania Camping Safari. Explore the famous Serengeti and Masai Mara, home to the Great Migration, as well as lesser-known gems.
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This budget-friendly Tanzania and Kenya Safari offers not only the ultimate game viewing, but also unique cultural encounters with the Samburu, Maasai, and other local people, along with spectacular African scenery on your journey from Nairobi to Arusha.
On the first day of this Kenya and Tanzania Camping Safari, there are no planned activities, leaving you free to rest after your travels and enjoy optional activities in Nairobi.
In the evening, meet up with your tour guide and travel companions at the hotel at 18:00 for a pre-tour briefing.
On day two, we leave the megacity of Nairobi behind, making our way north towards Samburu Game Reserve in the Rift Valley Province. We drive through rural Kenya, passing farms in the Kikuyu lands and Mount Kenya, Africa's second-tallest peak after Kilimanjaro.
Before entering the Big Five territory of Samburu National Reserve, we visit a small village near the game park to meet the local Samburu people. Like the Maasai, the semi-nomadic Samburu are a proud warrior tribe of East Africa. We witness traditional Samburu dancing and walk through the village with tribesmen. Our stop offers some insight into the distinctive customs and colourful culture of the Samburu, and the benefits go to the community.
By afternoon, we enter Samburu National Reserve, known for its rare and unusual animal species, including the gerenuk, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, and beisa oryx, as well as the Kenya leopard. Other animals to look out for on our game drive include buffalo, hippos, elephants, and big cats, such as lions and cheetahs.
Day three of our affordable Kenya and Tanzania Camping Safari is dedicated to game viewing in the Samburu Game Reserve, which is home to an abundance of wildlife and birds, particularly along the Uaso Nyiro River.
This remote reserve is home to large herds of elephants, lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Also, keep your eyes open for the so-called Special 5 of Samburu, namely the reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Beisa oryx, Gerenuk, and Somali ostrich. With over 350 bird species, Samburu is also a haven for birdwatching.
Today we drive to Nakuru, making our way down into the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. We travel in a safari vehicle, stopping to admire the breathtaking views as we go.
For the next two nights of our Budget African Safari, we camp on the outskirts of Nakuru, a lively agricultural town on the shores of Lake Nakuru. If time allows, we will visit a tea farm to see how the plants are grown, the leaves picked, and the tea produced.
We spend the entire day game viewing in Lake Nakuru National Park, home to a diverse wildlife population and rich birdlife.
The park protects a sizable population of black rhinos, and other wildlife - buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala, and baboons, and if we are lucky we may see lions or leopards. When conditions are right, we often see large flocks of birds such as pelicans, flamingoes, and cormorants, and other birds like African fish eagles and winged black terns.
Next up on our Kenya and Tanzania Safari is the one and only Masai Mara Game Reserve. This wildlife park is known the world over as one of the very finest African safari destinations. After settling in at our permanent tented camp near Masai Mara National Reserve, the wildlife adventure begins.
This afternoon, we explore the open plains and rolling hills of Masai Mara, searching out the abundance of wildlife that makes Masai Mara the legendary game park it is. The Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and elephant) roam freely in the rambling savannahs studded with thorn trees, along with plenty of plains game.
The top two game-viewing highlights of Masai Mara are the Wildebeest Migration and its large population of big cats - lions, leopards, and cheetahs. The Great Migration sees hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles stampede across plains and rivers in a mass annual movement between the Mara and the Serengeti in Tanzania.
Up early for a full day Masai Mara Safari. Get ready for one of the highlights of this trip, exploring Kenya's top game park.
Game viewing in the early morning is one of the best times to be out in the African savannahs, as wildlife and birds begin to stir. The whole day is spent exploring the quintessential African landscapes of Masai Mara and spotting abundant wildlife, visiting the area of the Mara River if time allows.
You have the option of taking to the skies in a hot air balloon for a bird's eye view of the open plains dotted with herds, packs, loners, and prides. Those opting for the scenic balloon ride will set off before dawn, watching the sunrise over Masai Mara National Reserve from the air.
Day eight begins with a morning game drive in Masai Mara, setting off into the bush early enough to catch the sunrise. We stop at a watering hole to watch wildlife coming to drink and bathe. Then we continue through the rolling grasslands, spotting wildlife as we drive through beautiful wild landscapes.
After our last game drive in Masai Mara, we make our way to the rural village of Maai Mahiu, where we have lunch at a community empowerment initiative's cafe. Then we head back to Nairobi, arriving in the afternoon.
Today, we cross into Tanzania, the second East African country on our camping safari adventure.
The day is spent driving south through rural Kenya and over into northern Tanzania. Our next stop is Arusha, located in a scenic area at the foot of Mount Meru. This afternoo,n you can walk around the town and visit one of the bustling local markets.
New travellers embarking on the Tanzania Safari section of this camping tour may join the group today. We will spend the night at a comfortable lodge.
On day 10 of our budget Kenya and Tanzania Camping Safari, we travel into the Great Rift Valley, visiting Lake Manyara National Park and the village of Mto wa Mbu.
First, we take a guided walk in Mto wa Mbu, visiting a local market, farm fields, craft shops, and huts. Then we enjoy a traditional home-cooked lunch with one of the local families. After experiencing the diverse and colourful cultures of northern Tanzania in Mto wa Mbu, we set off for the scenic Lake Manyara National Park.
Flanked by the western side of the Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara National Park is a scenic gem, hosting a variety of animals and birds. The park is known for its tree-climbing lions and big troops of baboons, along with its prolific birdlife, including raptors, flamingos, and storks. Other animal sightings include elephants, zebras, giraffes, buffalo, and hippos.
We wind along the main route through the national park, which encompasses diverse habitats and terrains from lush forests, soda lakes, and open plains to volcanic peaks and woodlands.
Today, we proceed to the Serengeti National Park, travelling via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This scenic drive takes us through beautiful highlands and open savannahs, where plenty of birds and animals can be seen.
Day 12 of our Kenya & Tanzania Camping Safari begins early, to make the most of our day in Serengeti Park.
We drive out onto the vast Serengeti Plains of seemingly endless grasslands, scattered with Acacia trees and teeming with wildlife. Look out for the Big Five and numerous other species - wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, bushbuck, Thomson's gazelle, and more.
Back at our Serengeti safari camp, we break for lunch and a rest. Later, we embark on an afternoon game drive in the world-renowned Serengeti Park. Your expert guide helps locate and spot wildlife out on the plains and in the hills, so keep your cameras and binoculars ready.
You have the option to pre-book an early morning balloon safari over the Serengeti, instead of taking a game drive. Set off before sunrise and take to the skies in a hot-air balloon, watching the daybreak over the wilderness below. Hovering in the air in the balloon, you get to watch wildlife from above, before touching down for a champagne breakfast in the bush.
Rise and shine early this morning for one more game drive in the legendary Serengeti National Park. Driving across the wild African savannahs, we scan for herds of game and the assortment of predators roaming the Serengeti.
Our last bit of game viewing on the Northern Safari Circuit of Tanzania - we descend into the wildlife haven of Ngorongoro Crater. This fertile natural area is home to one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa, with almost every kind of large African mammal represented here.
Driving down into the crater, we admire the spectacular views and pass herders and their cattle in the morning mist. We explore the top areas for game viewing, getting up close to a variety of animals - rhinos, elephants, lions, leopards, zebras, gazelles, buffaloes, warthogs, hippos, primates, and many more.
From action-packed game viewing in the world's largest unflooded volcanic crater, we return to our camp on the outer walls of Ngorongoro Crater - the largest unflooded caldera in the world.
Today, we will visit a local community project and a Maasai village in the Monduli District of northern Tanzania.
The Clean Cookstove Project provides the local people with the skills and materials to use clean-burning stoves as healthier and more efficient alternatives to wood and coal fires. The project benefits women and girls, in particular, by saving them time and keeping them safe by eliminating wood-collecting trips. We help build a stove in one of the traditional homes and see the health and social benefits of the clean-stove project.
On leaving the village, we drive to Arusha, where this Kenya and Tanzania Camping Safari comes to an end.
Please note that the Wildebeest Great Migration is seasonal. As a natural wildlife phenomenon, it is fluid and unpredictable. For this reason, seeing the Great Migration cannot be guaranteed.
The wildebeest and other wild herbivores migrate between the Masai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in Tanzania. These herds move in a massive circular route covering some 1200 miles (1931km). It is a continuous movement of wildlife that can be seen in different areas at different times of the year. During certain phases of this annual trek, the animals disperse or slow down, whilst at other times the migration picks up speed, with the herds becoming larger and denser. Not only does the Wildebeest Great Migration vary from place to place and season to season, but the movement of these large wildlife herds also varies from year to year.
Please speak with a travel expert from African Budget Safaris to learn more about witnessing the Wildebeest Great Migration during your safari and discover more about this incredible experience. Also, check out our detailed article about the Great Migration in Serengeti and Masai Mara.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
Mara & Serengeti:
Nairobi (pre-tour):
This tour does take children.
All Nairobi Departures |
1. Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
2. Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania
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