Africa Overland Tours » Kenya & Tanzania Safari
Combining the Masai Mara National Reserve of Kenya with the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater of Tanzania, this eight day adventure is sure to provide plenty of mesmerising wildlife opportunities.
We spend time game viewing in both the Masai Mara and the Serengeti National Park, where millions of wildebeest and zebra follow ancient trails across the vast plains, as part of the largest migration of wildlife on earth.
Tour Details
- Tour Price: ZAR 7 795 per person
- Local Payment: USD 660 per person
- Start: Nairobi
- End: Nairobi
- Duration: 8 days
- Departure Point: Nairobi - Boulevard Hotel, Harry Thuku Road
- Check-in: 08h45
- Departs: 09h30
- Accommodation: Camping
- Group Size: Maximum 30 passengers
- Safari Vehicle: Varies in relation to group size
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara (D)
Leaving the hustle and bustle of Nairobi we climb the escarpment to our first stop, a viewpoint overlooking the spectacular Great Rift Valley. Descending into the Rift Valley, we 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 (a stone's throw away from the reserve gate) in time to enjoy sunset over the Masai Mara.
Day 2: Masai Mara (B / L / D)
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 Gazelles 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.'
Day 3: Masai Mara to Nairobi (B)
>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.
Day 4: Nairobi to Arusha (Tanzania) (L / D)
This morning we depart Nairobi and travel south, 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.
Day 5: Arusha to Karatu (B / L / D)
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 Maasai town of Mto 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.
Day 6: Karatu to Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park (B / L / D)
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!
Day 7: Serengeti National Park to Arusha (B / L / D)
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.
Day 8: Arusha to Nairobi (B)
This morning we have some time to spend in Arusha before joining our shuttle bus for the drive back into Kenya, and onto Nairobi, where our East African overland safari comes to an end on arrival in the city centre.
