This trip begins in Nairobi, Kenya and ends in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This trip encompasses the best of Kenya and Tanzania, including the idyllic island of Zanzibar.

This trip departs from Nairobi early on Sunday morning.  Should you wish to explore Nairobi, an earlier arrival should be planned and accommodation booked.

This itinerary should be used as a guide only and may vary from day to day depending on road & weather conditions, political situations and group decisions.

All prices & Local Payments are subject to change with prior notice.

This trip contains the modules NKN7 & ND10

Due to Tourism Laws in some of the countries we visit, there may be a truck and crew change during the trip.

Leaving the hustle and bustle of Nairobi we head north, crossing the equator, before reaching the market town of Nanyuki.  Founded in 1907 by English settlers, Nanyuki is home to the main base of Kenya’s Air Force.  It’s popular amongst tourists because of its proximity to impressive Mount Kenya, Kenya’s highest peak at 5199 m.  It’s also home to the Mount Kenya Safari Club, now a hotel, but in the 60’s an exclusive club whose members included Winston Churchill, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.

Leaving this old frontier town, we head north-west through the Kikuyu area around Mt Kenya to the Samburu National Reserve.  We’ll encounter the Masai’s distant relatives, the semi-nomadic proud Samburu, tending their cattle along the way.  The Samburu National Reserve is a relatively small reserve at just 104 km2.  It is a remote, hence unspoilt, reserve and attracts a wide range of animals because of the Ewaso Ng’iro River (brown water) that runs through it. This afternoon we take a game drive in the reserve.

The Samburu National Reserve is made up of a mixture of scrub, desert and open Savannah plains interspersed with small rugged hills.  It is home to most of the Big 5 (except the rhino, which has been decimated by poachers).  What makes this reserve unique is its populations of Grevy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe and Somali Ostrich.

Leaving the unique Samburu National Reserve, we head west towards the Great Rift Valley and the 4th largest town in Kenya and the capital of the Rift Valley Province, Nakuru.  We overnight here before entering Lake Nakuru National Park tomorrow.

Today we head into Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for the thousands of lesser and greater flamingos that flock to this soda lake’s edge.  The numbers vary depending on the water level, and when it’s low, the lake almost turns pink.  A truly spectacular sight!  The park was established as a sanctuary for black and white rhino, which are often seen.  We spend the day searching for these pre-historic looking beasts as well as the elusive leopard, encountering buffalo, giraffe, various antelope and the occasional hippo along the way. 

We depart from Nakuru and enter Masai land where these habitual pastoralists are often seen tending their cattle from the side of the road. We pass through the town of Narok, before arriving at our campsite, Acacia Camp. Acacia Camp looks on to the Meguarra hills and the stream that meanders by on the bottom end forms a natural border to the Masai Mara National Reserve.

We spend the day driving through nature as it was intended to be - huge plains, rolling hills and an abundance of game matched nowhere else on earth. We keep an eye open for the Big 5 - elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion & leopard. If travelling between July and October, we may get to witness the impressive herds of over 1 million wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle in their Annual Migration. Sitting around the camp fire, watching the sun set is the perfect way to finish a day’s game viewing in this “Garden of Eden.”

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.

This morning we leave the hustle and bustle of Nairobi, travelling south and 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.

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.

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!

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.

After a morning spent exploring Arusha and its vibrant craft markets, we head south towards Dar es Salaam. On the way we drive through the town of Moshi. Moshi is the base for Mount Kilimanjaro climbing expeditions, and weather permitting; we may even catch a glimpse of this magical mountain’s snowy summit - a photo opportunity not to be missed! We pass through vast sisal plantations surrounded by The Usambara and Pare Mountain ranges, before reaching our lovely campsite nestled between these mountains, midway between Arusha and Dar es Salaam.

Today we continue on to Dar es Salaam. Travelling through lush scenery and palm trees, we near the warm Indian Ocean. On arrival in Dar es Salaam we make our way to our lovely seaside campsite and prepare for our departure to Zanzibar the next morning.

A ferry from Dar es Salaam takes us to the "Spice Island,” where we have the option to spend the next 3 nights. Zanzibar is steeped in history and was one of the major starting points for most East African explorers in their quest for new lands. New passengers may join the group to replace those that’ll leave us at the end of our excursion to Zanzibar.

PLEASE NOTE: Accommodation and Meals are for your own account whilst on Zanzibar, as it is our experience that passengers prefer to explore the island on their own. The Trip Leader joins you and can arrange your accommodation, while meals can be enjoyed from a wide selection of restaurants.

*For those not opting to visit the island of Zanzibar, the next 3 days are spent at leisure at the beach campsite in Dar es Salaam. 

History aside, Zanzibar offers a wealth of experiences for the visitor. Today the quiet streets of the old Stone Town still retain their Arabic influence, from the Medina-like shops to the palaces of the Sultans, who founded their vast empires on the spoils of the slave and ivory trade. The island is famous for its spices and an excursion around a spice plantation is always a fascinating experience. Other options include a trip to the beautiful beaches and giant tortoises of Prison Island, a full day scuba dive in Nungwe or a fishing trip in a traditional dhow. Mopeds are available for hire if you’d like to explore the more remote areas of the island. Zanzibar is a seafood lover’s paradise. Numerous restaurants offer a great variety of the freshest catch from the ocean - crayfish being a popular speciality. Alternatively mingle with the locals for dinner at the Forodhani Gardens seafront market, where delicious, inexpensive seafood is on offer.

Leaving Zanzibar, we return to the mainland and Dar es Salaam where we exchange addresses and part ways, having just experienced a trip of a lifetime!

Below is a selection of Optional Excursions available on this trip. 

When you book this trip, you are entitled to receive a FREE 3 Day Masai Mara Safari the Thursday before your trip begins.  The Local Payment is still applicable for the trip.  This fantastic offer must be taken up at the same time you book this trip. 

The staff and management look forward to welcoming you aboard and trust that you will enjoy your trip with us.

Important: Before you travel please check your Tour Voucher and Arrival Information for the latest joining instructions. This will be sent to you upon receipt of final payment.

All itineraries are subject to change without prior notice.