13 DAY - BEST OF TANZANIA & KENYA (Book Now)

This is East Africa at its best. You have the opportunity of driving to the best wildlife sanctuaries in the world. A classic safari, which offers all the main highlights of Kenya and Northern Tanzania.

The selection of accommodation in Tanzania encompasses a mix of lodges and permanent camps, which offers a sense of adventure in combination with comfort. You will visit the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara National Park before continuing on to Tanzania’s most famous game areas of Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire. You will experience a variety of landscapes and terrain as well as the huge diversity of animals and birds. In addition to seeing some of the greatest concentration of wildlife on earth, you will also get to meet and learn about the colorful Maasai and their strong culture, as well as visiting the site of some of man’s earliest ancestors at Olduvai Gorge.

In Kenya you will be stopping at two of the rift valley lakes of Elementaita and Nakuru, famous for their abundant birdlife. Then three nights are spent in the Masai Mara ensure that you maximize on your game viewing allowing more time to explore as much of the Masai Mara as possible. Both accommodations are stunning within themselves and are perfectly located to the wildlife action.

Day 1: LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK (L / D)

After lunch at the Arusha Hotel, in the heart of Arusha town, you will drive to the understated Lake Manyara National Park.

Lake Manyara National Park consists of a narrow strip running between the Gregory Rift wall to the west and Lake Manyara, an alkaline or soda-lake, to the east, which is famous for its population of flamingos. The park encompasses three distinct habitats including a lush groundwater forest, open floodplains and acacia woodlands. Large buffalo, wildebeest and zebra herds graze on the grassy plains, as do giraffes, whereas the narrow belt of acacia woodland is the favoured haunt of Manyara’s legendary tree-climbing lions and impressively tusked elephants. Squadrons of banded mongoose dart between the acacias, while the diminutive Kirk’s dik-dik forages in their shade. This very scenic park will delight your senses for your very first game drive.

Your accommodation for the evening is Kirurumu Tented Lodge, set high on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, enjoying a marvellous, uplifting and panoramic view eastward over Lake Manyara, the Rift floor and Mt. Losimingori. Behind Kirurumu, the Ngorongoro Highlands rise in green and fertile splendour and form the gateway to Ngorongoro Crater and, finally, Olduvai Gorge, the Serengeti.

Enjoy one of best sundowners location in Tanzania as you return from your afternoon game drive just in time to watch the sun set.

Accommodation - Kirurumu Tented Lodge

Day 2: MANYARA NATIONAL PARK - SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (B / L / D)

Leaving the charming Lake Manyara behind you will drive to the Serengeti, Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed as being home to one of the 7 natural wonders of the modern world; the great wildebeest migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.

After taking lunch at scenic picnic spot on route you will proceed to Serengeti Sopa Lodge. Nestled in the acacia woodland on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the plains of the south-western Serengeti National Park, one of the most famous parks in the world, and host to the largest and most spectacular annual migration of the wildebeest. The camp is also cleverly located on one of the main annual migration corridors.

Accommodation - Serengeti Sopa Lodge

Day 3: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (B / L / D)

There’s nothing like an early morning start allowing you to experience one of the most ultimate game viewing experiences. After a hot cup of tea or coffee you will soon be wide-awake as you watch wildlife in its most active time. The cat family love to make appearances in the morning, while the early morning light makes photographing herds of wildlife a photographer’s dream.

For something completely different, we can arrange an early morning balloon safari over the Serengeti. View large pods of wildlife and watch the sun rise over the park’s endless plains, only to finish off this relaxing journey with a scrumptious champagne breakfast.

After lunch at camp, return to the parks open plains in search for more wildlife viewing and experiences. As the evening light approaches, you will be thoroughly rewarded with all you game spotting with sundowners at a picturesque location in the park.

Accommodation - Serengeti Sopa Lodge

Day 4: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK - NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA (B / L / D)

Say goodbye to the enchanting Serengeti National Park only to be presented with another natural wonder, the Ngorongoro Crater. This incredible formation is part of the larger Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which covers more than 8300 square kilometres. The actual crater is 260 square kilometres and 620m deep. The original volcano was probably as high or higher than Kilimanjaro.

You will arrive late afternoon to Plantation Lodge, which rests on the soft, red-brown hills amidst the vastness and silence of East Africa. The individually furnished rooms and suites melting harmoniously into the flowering garden offer comfort and relaxation. Everywhere you look, you can see and even feel the personal atmosphere of this owner-run lodge with furnishings that were selected with great attention to detail. Plantation Lodge’s cordial service leaves no wish unfulfilled.

Spend the evening indulging in some fine intercontinental cuisine and refreshing sundowners.

Accommodation - Plantation Lodge

Day 5: NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA (B / L / D)

To experience the crater without the crowds you will rise early for your full days game drive. Reaching the crater floor as the sun begins to rise, you will undoubtedly be amazed at this natural phenomenon before you. The Ngorongoro Crater is home to about 25,000 animals and is one of the last places in Tanzania where the Big Five can be seen. The NCA is considered one of the World Heritage Sites and also one of the International Biosphere Reserves. Additionally, the NCA is unique because it is a multi-use conservation area - where the animals and environment are protected but the Masai are allowed to live and continue their pastoral lifestyle.

Enjoy a picnic on the edge of one of the crater’s lake as you watch elephants quench their thirst from afar. Return to the lodge to relax and enjoy a well-earned feast.

Accommodation - Plantation Lodge

Day 6: NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA - TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK (B / L / D)

After an early morning breakfast you will take a short drive to the splendid Tarangire National Park. This baobab laced park hosts the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem – a smorgasbord for predators – and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared oryx are seen often. Lunch is taken in one Tanzania’s most stunning picnic locations. Watch over an evergreen swap filled with elephants as you graze your delightful picnic lunch.

For the more ardent bird-lovers might keep an eye open for screeching flocks of the dazzlingly colourful yellow-collared lovebird, and the somewhat drabber rufous-tailed weaver and ashy starling – all endemic to the dry savannah of north-central Tanzania.

Staying at Maramboi Tented Camp, a permanent camp, you will be presented with endless vistas of rolling golden grasslands and palm lined desert between Tarangire and Manyara Lake. A visit to the area is essential for anyone interested in evolution and the origins of Mankind and an explanation of the Rift Valley and Africa’s big picture.

Accommodation - Maramboi Tented Camp

Day 7: TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK - ARUSHA - NAIROBI (B / L)

After breakfast return back to Arusha for your shuttle to Nairobi. Overnight in Nairobi hotel.

Accommodation - Mayfair Nairobi hotel or similar

Day 8: NAIROBI - LAKE ELEMENTAITA (B / D)

Departing from the hustle and bustle of Nairobi you will drive to the Lake Elementaita, a soda ash lake playing host to tens of thousands of flamingos. Located of the famous Great Rift Valley, this small but beautiful lake offers you to chance to relax or choose from a number of optional activities such as horse riding, bird viewing or a visit to the natural warm spa that flows into the lake. The newly established Sunbird Lodge provides you with comfortable and eco-friendly luxury in a wonderfully picturesque setting.

Accommodation - Sunbird Lodge

Day 9: LAKE ELEMENTAITA / LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK (B / L / D)

After a hearty breakfast you will set out of a full day’s game drive to Lake Nakuru National park. The lake itself is world famous for one of the greatest bird spectacles on earth. View sometimes over one million bright pink flamingos as they feed on an abundant of algae in the lake’s waters. There are two types of flamingo species to be found including: the Lesser flamingo, distinguished by its red carmine bull and pink plumage. Where as its Greater cousin has a bill with a black tip. The actual park surrounds the lake, with its area recently extended to accommodate 25 rhinos - the largest concentrations in the country. Other species commonly found in the area are waterbuck, Rothschild’s giraffe, giant python, plus lion and leopard making the odd appearance. Lunch is taken in the park at a lovely picnic site overlooking the lake. Return to Sunbird Lodge just in for sundowners and well-deserved meal.

Accommodation - Sunbird Lodge

Day 10: LAKE ELEMENTAITA - MASAI MARA (B / L / D)

From Lake Elementaita, the Best of Kenya safari can only get better as you proceed to the world-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve. An on-route game drive through the reserve will only get you excited for the upcoming days.

For your three-night Mara stay, the stunning and perfectly located Keekorok Lodge shall accommodate you. Keekorok Lodge, stands amid the vast sweeping plains of Kenya’s southern Savannah of the world famous Masai Mara. The lodge was the first game lodge ever to be built in the Mara and is erected in the direct path of the spectacular annual wildebeest migration. At the height of migration, Keekorok lodge is surrounded by a swarming mass of wild game, and there is hardly any need to go on a game drive as it is not uncommon to see all sorts of wildlife on the perimeter of the grounds.

On return from your afternoon game drive experience a sundowner on the observation deck with breathtaking views over the lake, where the dramatic savannah unfolds in front of you. Meals are made from the finest fresh ingredients prepared by experienced chefs; they offer pan-African, international cuisine catering for all dietary requirements.

Accommodation - Keekorok Lodge

Day 11: MASAI MARA (B / L / D)

Depending on the time of year, we set out early morning for the breathtaking spectacle of ‘the greatest wildlife show on earth’, the awe inspiring annual migration of the wildebeest. The Mara is technically an extension of Tanzania’s renowned Serengeti National Park, but it’s rolling grasslands, meandering rivers and towering escarpments equals to an endless amount of game viewing. Home to a wide variety of animals, the Mara is also famous for its Big Five. Depending on the game drive, we’ll proceed back to the lodge for a late lunch, only to return again in search of more wildlife action late afternoon.

Dinner and sundowners are had back at the camp’s amazing location.

Accommodation - Keekorok Lodge

Day 12: MASAI MARA (B / L / D)

Rise early and take the option of a balloon safari across the Masai Mara. Take off in the crisp morning air, only to experience a game-viewing adventure with an entirely different perspective. As you silently float across the plains, forest and rivers for approximately an hour, your journey comes to end back on land but accompanied with a fully cooked champagne breakfast.

The day sees more game viewing both in the morning and late afternoon. For the bird lovers there are over 450 species that have been identified in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem.

Accommodation - Keekorok Lodge

Day 13: MASAI MARA - NAIROBI (B / L)

It may be the last day of safari however your game viewing does not stop. After breakfast, experience an on-route game drive out of the Mara and onto Nairobi. You will arrive in Nairobi late afternoon in time for you onward journey or international flight.