Kenya & Tanzania Safari

Day 1 Nairobi

On arrival in Nairobi, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel by our Intrepid representative. You may wish to speak to our representative regarding any additional tours or activities that you might wish to do while you’re in Nairobi. There will be a trip briefing at the hotel at approximately 6.00pm this evening. The rest of the day is spent at your leisure. Please note this is an arrival day – you can arrive at any time. Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, was established at the turn of the 20th century by Europeans as a stores depot during the construction of the East African Railway. Without plan or design, it established itself as the capital of the British protectorate, and today has a population of around three million.

Day 2 Lake Nakuru National Park

Depart Nairobi and head north-west towards Lake Nakuru National Park (approximately 4 hours), arriving in time for lunch. Afterwards climb into our truck for an afternoon game drive and hopefully see some of the once abundant pink flamingos converge on Lake Nakuru, all under the watchful eye of nearby rhinos and zebras. Lake Nakuru is a soda lake which is home to thousands of birds and in the past was a haven for pink flamingos. There is quite a good chance of seeing white rhinos, whilst black rhinos may prove to be more elusive. After spending the day in the park, we return to our permanent tented camp.

Day 3 Lake Naivasha

Leave the camp after breakfast and head to a nearby village with a local guide. This is a fantastic opportunity to interact with the locals and get a feel for everyday life. Here you'll learn about local projects where the women yarn and knit wool, make art from banana bark and recycle plastic bottles. Then enjoy lunch prepared by the local women and hear their stories of work and the village. Travel south along a road sandwiched between two impressive natural reserves, to Lake Naivasha (approximately 3 hrs). One of the few freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha is bordered with flat-topped acacias and has floating islands of papyrus reeds. It's also home to a healthy population of hippos and a tremendous variety of birds. Here we take a boat ride spotting bird life and hippos and finishing up at Elsamere Conservation Centre. Enjoy afternoon tea while listening to their work on sustainability and the conservation trust.

Day 4 Lake Naivasha

Today is free to explore at your leisure. See all that this vast lake has to offer on a waterside bike ride or opt for time on the water instead and head out on a boat trip. If hiking is more to your tastes then there are two spectacular walks to consider – the first through the leafy hills and mountains of the Crater Lake Game Sanctuary, and the second to Hell's Gate National Park. Hell's Gate is a dry trail compared to the Crater Lake path, winding its way along scenic paths through narrow cliff breaks, and is home to rare bearded vultures. The walk can be quite challenging. Return to the permanent tented camp at Lake Naivasha.

Day 5 Masai Mara National Reserve

We head south-west to our next destination, the Masai Mara - arguably one of the finest game reserves in Africa (300kms, approx 8-9hrs). On the way you'll stop in Loita Hills, a remote region that's home to the traditional Maasai people. This is one of the key places where the Maasai people still practice their traditional way of life, with little influence from the western world. Make a stop at Tepesua Village, which is known for championing Maasai women’s health and education. You’ll be welcomed by Maasai Warriors by way of traditional song and dance. Meet your Maasai hosts and enjoy a fascinating talk, full of insights into this remarkable and ancient culture. Take a walk to the community village which was founded for widows who had lost their cows due to drought, and can never remarry. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the ‘Tepesua Widows Income Project’. Here the women are engaged in making handicrafts and sewing eco-friendly handbags, washable sanitary pads, and backpacks to sell to visiting travellers and locals. Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home, and their cattle enclosures.

Day 6 Masai Mara National Reserve

Today we wake before dawn to start our full day game drive. The Masai Mara is known for its rolling green plains, riverine woodlands and annual wildebeest and zebra migration. We may be lucky to observe black-maned lion, leopard and cheetah. These predators find an abundant food supply in the massive herds of wildebeest, zebra, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle that roam the grasslands. Also keep an eye out for  elephants, hippos and giraffes among others. During the heat of the day we'll find shade under an Acacia tree and stop for a picnic lunch.

Day 7 Masai Mara National Reserve

If you missed out on seeing one of the Big 5 (lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, and rhinoceros) yesterday, never fear! Today is another day to experience the National Reserve on the included game drive. Alternatively wake earlier and enjoy a magnificent safari balloon ride. An optional balloon ride over the Masai Mara at sunrise is an unforgettable experience. If you have pre-booked this activity (please see 'Special Information') you will be picked up and driven to the launch site, receive a safety briefing from your pilot and help inflate the balloon. You then glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, providing amazing wildlife photography opportunities; sometimes ascending to get an overview of the enormity of the Masai Mara plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. Upon landing you'll be treated to a bush breakfast before being returned to your vehicle. Please note if you are taking a balloon ride over the Mara you will be taken to the launch place from our camp before dawn and returned to the group when you have finished your ride. You will therefore miss some of the 4x4 game drive.

Day 8 Nairobi

After breakfast, return to Nairobi, arriving in the late afternoon (240 km, approx 7-8 hrs). This evening is free to soak up the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Nairobi.

Day 9 Tarangire National Park

This morning, jump back on the overland vehicle and head for Arusha, Tanzania (approximately 7 hours). Meet up with fellow group members, then head to Tarangire National Park. Tarangire National Park lies to the south of the Masailands and is defined by large open savannahs dotted with acacia woodland and large baobab trees. With the presence of the Tarangire River, this park forms a refuge during the dry season for many migratory animals.

Day 10 Tarangire National Park

At Tarangire you will enjoy a full day game. The Tarangire corridor is used by the animals to migrate from Tarangire to Lake Manyara in search of water and grasses. During the migration periods, you may be lucky enough to witness the migration of zebras, wildebeest and elephants right from the veranda of your tent. This is the real African bush experience! We have a whole day in the National Park, but as the animals tend to be more active in the cooler hours of the day, we will usually return to camp during the middle of the day to enjoy a hearty meal, relax and maybe take a siesta.

Day 11 Serengeti National Park

Today you leave for the wide open plains of the Serengeti. To reach the Serengeti you must travel through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, skirting the Ngorongoro Crater before entering into the Serengeti. You will spend the afternoon on a game drive covering the more southern regions of the Serengeti before reaching your camp site for the evening.

Day 12 Serengeti National Park

The seemingly endless Serengeti Plains capture the essence of Africa. They are home to massive numbers of grazing animals and also various predators, and the interaction between the many species often provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the world. Today you will start around sunrise for a morning game drive and follow that up later on with an afternoon game drive, as the animals tend to be more active in the cooler hours of the day. You will usually return to camp during the hotter hours in the middle of the day, where you will enjoy a hearty meal, relax and maybe take a siesta. Depending on wildlife movements and opportunities for sightings, the drive may continue through lunch and last all day. In this case, you will return to camp in the late afternoon.

Day 13 Ngorongoro Conservation Area

This morning you will have time to further explore the Serengeti and perhaps visit Simba Kopjes, an outcrop of rocks favoured by lion and cheetah, who can often be seen basking in the morning sun. You will spend your time game viewing and will stop for a picnic lunch on the drive from Serengeti National Park back toward the Ngorongoro Conservation area.

Day 14 Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Today you will explore the world-renowned Ngorongoro Crater, widely regarded as a microcosm of natural habitats in Africa and often touted as a veritable Garden of Eden. Within this crater lies every type of ecosystem, including riverine forests, open plains, freshwater and alkaline lakes. Ngorongoro Crater is the remnants of an ancient volcano caldera, and within its 300 square kilometres is a remarkable concentration of wildlife. The scenery is spectacular as you descend almost 600 metres down to the crater floor. There is every chance that you will see a considerable variety of wildlife in this compact area, including the highly endangered black rhinoceros. In the afternoon you will leave the crater and return to camp for a second night. (National park regulations stipulate that vehicles are only allowed a maximum of six hours in Ngorongoro Crater.) The late afternoon can be spent relaxing at the camp.

Day 15 Arusha

This morning we leave Karatu and drive back to Arusha (approximately 4 hours). We expect to arrive back in Arusha around noon. Please do not book any international departures until after 5pm.