Spanning Kenya and Tanzania, this trip offers amazing wildlife experiences and incredibly diverse landscapes.  You’ll visit three parks and reserves that will showcase rolling savanna grassland in the Mara, the steep rainforest cloaked mountains of Ngorongoro and the arid plains of Northern Tanzania. Along with these regions being home to the ‘big five’ you’ll get to numerous antelope species and an array of birdlife including flamingo and ostrich.

Duration:  6-nights/7-days, starting and ending in Nairobi.

Parks & Reserves:  Maasai Mara  |  Lake Manyara  |  Ngorongoro

Accommodation:  Serena Lodges  |  Sopa Lodges  |  Sarova Lodges

Game Drives:  Two full days and four half-days

Trip Highlights:  Maasai Mara Reserve (home of the ‘Big Five’)  |  Great Migration (seasonal) |  Arusha  |  Lake Manyara  |  Ngorongoro Crater  |  Numerous bird species |  Diverse landscapes

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Itinerary

Day 1:  Nairobi to Maasai Mara National Reserve

Your driver/guide will meet you at your Nairobi hotel at 7am for a trip briefing before departing for the Maasai Mara; a beautiful drive along the way will take you through the striking western walls of the Great Rift Valley.  Your first Mara experience will take place with an afternoon game drive through this special place.   World-renowned for being home to the seasonal Great Migration when the plains are filled with migrating wildebeest and zebra; there are also thousands resident wildlife year round, including the ‘big five’ animals of buffalo, rhino, lion, leopard and elephant.

Day 2 :  On safari in The Mara

COMPLETE A full day of game viewing awaits in the stunning Maasai Mara grasslands, providing a uniquely African panorama to compliment the many photographs you’ll no doubt be taking of animal encounters.  You’ll enjoy a picnic lunch at a hippo pool in the bush and afterwards you’ll have the option of continuing with your safari or visiting a traditional Maasai village.

Day 3:   Maasai Mara to Nairobi

You’ll be up early to make the most of the best time of day for game viewing. Predators are winding down from a night of hunting and prey start to relax and become more active as the sun gets higher.  For this reason your last game drive will be before a late breakfast that you’ll take at your lodge.  After checking out you’ll be driven back to Nairobi where you’ll have some free time to enjoy the city.

Day 4: Nairobi to Arusha

Your driver will collect you from your hotel early so that you can get to the Namanga border post and cross into Tanzania before the crowds arrive.  The rest of the day is free so you can explore and shop in the African hub-city of Arusha.

Day 5: Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park

After breakfast you’ll be driven to Lake Manyara National Park, where you’ll enjoy your second game drive of the day after lunch.  This park is known for incredible bird watching; it’s possible for visitors to see upwards of 100 different species on any given day.  Also look out for leopards, hippos and tree-climbing lions, along with lots of elephants, giraffe and blue monkeys.

Day 6: Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro Crater

Following breakfast you’ll watch the scenery change dramatically from dry plains to tropical rain forest as the jeep makes the ascent into the Highlands. After a stop to enjoy a breathtaking panorama over Ngorongoro Crater, you’ll begin the steep descent to the crater floor.  The rest of your day promises to be magical as you explore this unique ecosystem that is bursting with wildlife including lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and hyena, along huge herds of grazing animals such as wildebeest, buffalo and zebra.   Ostrich and flamingos are among the hundreds of plentiful bird species.  A picnic lunch with spectacular views will be taken inside the crater and later that afternoon your jeep will take you on the thrilling ascent to the crater rim and on to your lodge for dinner.

Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater to Nairobi

After breakfast and one final game drive you’ll head back to Arusha for lunch.  That afternoon you’ll cross the border back into Kenya then be driven to Nairobi where your expedition concludes.

Your African expedition includes…

Six nights accommodation based on two people sharing a room.  Single and multi-occupancy rates are available on request.

All meals as follows:  breakfast every day, except the first day, with tea & coffee included; daily lunch, either a picnic lunch or at your accommodation; dinner every night except the final night.  Please note that any additional snacks or beverages should be settled directly with your accommodation provider.

A fully trained English-speaking driver/guide with extensive African tour guiding and safari experience.

Transport in a specially converted 4×4 safari jeep with a pop-up roof for enhanced game viewing. Single seating on either side of an aisle ensures that all guests get a window seat.

All entrance fees to the parks and reserves detailed in the itinerary.

Pick up or drop off at Nairobi airport if required.

Please note that personal expenses such as laundry costs, telephone calls and beverages are not included along with any additional optional tours and tips.

Original text by CW Copywriting. Header photo taken in Maasai Mara National Reserve by Benh Lieu Song, Flickr/Creative Commons.