12 Days Kenya Tanzania & Zanzibar Safari
Itinerary Highlight
- Day: 1 Arrive Nairobi
- Day: 2 Nairobi to Maasai Mara Game Reserve
- Day: 3 Maasai Mara Game Reserve
- Day: 4 Masai Mara Game Reserve
- Day: 5 Maasai Mara to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
- Day: 6 Serengeti National Park – Full Day
- Day: 7 Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Crater
- Day: 8 Ngorongoro Crater
- Day: 9 Ngorongoro to Arusha fly to Zanzibar
- Day: 10 Zanzibar Full Day
- Day: 11 Zanzibar
- Day: 12 Zanzibar/Fly out
Day: 1 Arrive Nairobi
Touching down in Nairobi, our Trip Leader meets you and handles your transfer to the Tamarind Tree Hotel booked on bed and breakfast, the legendary starting point for Grand Safaris since the days of the earliest explorers. Located in Nairobi, Tamarind Tree Hotel provides an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center and garden. Featuring a terrace, the property is located within 5 km of Kenyatta International Conference Centre. Guests can enjoy a selection of seafood dishes in the on-site restaurant. All units in the hotel are fitted with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. With a private bathroom, rooms at Tamarind Tree Hotel also feature a garden view. The rooms will provide guests with a desk and a kettle. A buffet breakfast is available daily at the accommodation. Speaking English and Swahili, staff at the 24-hour front desk can help you plan your stay. Nairobi National Museum is 6 km from Tamarind Tree Hotel, while Freedom Heights Mall is 700 m away.
Meal plan: {Breakfast the following day}
Main Destination: Nairobi (Kenya)
Accommodation: Tamarind Tree Hotel
Day: 2 Nairobi to Maasai Mara Game Reserve
The safari departs from Nairobi in the morning, you will be met by our driver guide and drive to the floor of the Rift Valley with a brief stop at the Rift Valley viewpoint to take the most eye-catching view of the Escarpment and proceed to Kenya’s premier wildlife park – the Maasai Mara home to the residents of the BBC’s Big Cat diary arriving in time for lunch at the lodge/tented camp. After lunch enjoy an afternoon game drive to several wildlife spots. These vast plains provide incredible game viewing for this Kenya safari. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge to refreshen up for dinner and overnight at Mara Simba lodge.
Meal plan: Lunch & dinner
Main Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation: Mara Simba lodge
Day: 3 Maasai Mara Game Reserve
Spend the entire day in Maasai Mara, Kenya’s most popular game reserve where you will have the best opportunity of spotting the Big Five- Lion, Leopard, Elephant, buffalo and rhino. The term “Big 5” was first coined by big-game hunters as a way to acknowledge that these species were the most difficult and dangerous to track and hunt. Numerous other species of bird and wildlife also inhabit this dynamic region, including hyenas, gazelles, impalas, giraffes, zebras, vultures, cranes, eagles, falcons, and ostriches, many of which you’ll spot during the drive through the Masai Mara Game Reserve. You will visit nearby watering holes where on a hot day you’ll spot many birds and mammals, including, with luck, the elusive leopard. You can opt to go out with picnic boxes to spend most of the day in the park coming back to the lodge in the late afternoon or you can have early morning pre-breakfast game drive and another one late afternoon. There will be optional visit to a local Maasai village. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge to refreshen up for dinner and overnight at Mara Simba lodge.
Meal plan: {Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner}
Main Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)
Accommodation: Mara Simba lodge
Day: 4 Masai Mara Game Reserve
After breakfast another day begins. The journey today will take you into the heart of the Masai Mara plains in search of the many grazing species that take part in the annual migration, an event that has been occurring for centuries. Massive herds of zebras, gazelles, impalas, and of course wildebeest furiously feed and thunderously march from the Serengeti and through the Mara area every year from July to October. The Mara is one of only a few places left in Africa where guests can still spot free roaming rhinos in the wild, as – troublingly – it is estimated that there are only 4,000 black rhinos left on the continent. This is an incredible experience you can have the privilege of witnessing firsthand with an aim to bring you within camera range of these lumbering, beautiful giants.
Meal plan: {Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner}
Main Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)
Accommodation: Mara Simba lodge
Day: 5 Maasai Mara to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
Depart Maasai Mara after breakfast, taking picnic lunch boxes with you and proceed to Isebania, the Kenya/Tanzania border. You will pass through Kenyan country side driving past towns and villages along the way. This portion of the drive can be long depending on rains as this is a dirt road. Upon arrival at Isebania Border crossing, you will exchange vehicles as well as driver guides. Go through immigration and customs logistics and proceed to Serengeti National Park with a Tanzanian driver guide. As you get closer to the Serengeti National Park, enjoy a game drive enroute upon entry into the park as you head towards your lodge or camp. This is a scenic drive through rural East Africa. A good part of this drive cuts across the national park so there is plenty of opportunities to still see amazing wildlife. Depending on your camp location and the stops on your game drive along the way, the drive to the Isebania Border takes between 3-5 hours
NOTE: You will be required to purchase a Visa. Tanzanian Visas can be purchased at the border at the cost of $100 USD for US citizens, and $50 USD for all other nationalities. Please Note: Visas must be paid in USD, and in cash. No bills can be older than 2006 as a local counterfeiting safeguard. A Single-Entry Visa is valid for three months and can be used for multiple entries into Kenya and Tanzania. It is also required that you have your Yellow Fever certification handy upon crossing. There is also an option of flying from Serengeti to Maasai Mara using a scheduled flight which can be provided at an extra cost upon request.
Check in for dinner and overnight Serengeti Heritage Camp
Meal plan: {Breakfast,Lunch and dinner}
Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Serengeti Heritage Camp
Day: 6 Serengeti National Park – Full Day
Spend the entire day in Serengeti National Park.
The Serengeti plains harbor the largest remaining unaltered animal migration in the world where over one million wildebeest plus hundreds of thousands of other ungulates engage in a 1,000 km long annual circular trek spanning the two adjacent countries of Kenya and Tanzania. This spectacular phenomenon takes place in a unique scenic setting of ‘endless plains’: 25,000km2 of treeless expanses of spectacularly flat short grasslands dotted with rocky outcrops (kopjes) interspersed with rivers and woodlands. The Park also hosts one of the largest and most diverse large predator-prey interactions worldwide, providing a particularly impressive aesthetic experience. .” A paradise for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts alike, it is all but guaranteed that you will spot giraffes and elephants feasting on shrubbery, impalas, gazelles and buffaloes traipsing carefully through the plains to avoid being noticed by on-looking lions, cheetahs and hyenas, and a spectacular range of birdlife flitting through the sky. Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Heritage Camp
Meal plan: {Breakfast the following day}
Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Serengeti Heritage Camp
Day: 7 Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, your African safari head to Ngorongoro Conservation Area via Olduvai Gorge with packed lunch boxes. Take a break to enjoy a picturesque lunch. Olduvai Gorge is the prehistoric site where Dr. Louis Leakey discovered the remains of Homo habilis (’handy man’) regarded as mankind’s first step on the path of human evolution. The massive Olduvai Gorge, or Oldupai Gorge, is often referred to as “The Cradle of Mankind.” Beginning in the eastern Serengeti plains, the cavernous ravine is some 30 miles long and is the result of millions of years of natural erosion. The gorge features a steep-sided gully that cuts its way through the Great Rift Valley stretching along eastern Africa, and is named after a commonly used plant by the Masai people; Sansevieria-Ehrenbergii, or Olduvai for short. This plant grows plentifully in the area, and is used for making bandages, rope, baskets, roofs and clothing. Dinner and overnight will be at Plantation lodge in Karatu area.
Meal plan: {Breakfast, Lunch and dinner}
Main Destination: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Accommodation: Ngorongoro Rhino lodge / Ngorongoro Tortilis Tented Camp
Day: 8 Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast drive to the entrance of the park, then drive a further 20 minutes to reach the rim of Ngorongoro Crater one of the most remarkable wildlife conservation areas in Tanzania; make your way to the entrance of the park, then drive a further to the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. This geological marvel was formed as the result of a gigantic explosion which caused the volcano to collapse on itself, thereby creating the massive crater. Roughly 12 miles wide and some 2,000 feet deep, the trip from crater rim to floor takes approximately 45 minutes by vehicle. Descend 2000 feet (over 600 meters) to the floor of the crater for a crater tour. The extremely fertile crater floor has attracted incredibly dense populations of wildlife, and at present over 25,000 large animals call the crater home, including some of the world’s last remaining black rhinos. The crater floor is also host to some of the highest concentrations of carnivores in the world, featuring large prides of lions, packs of hyenas and solitary predators like cheetahs and jackals and perhaps some of the more elusive species like leopards, servals, and bat-eared foxes. Return to Farm of dream lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: {Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner}.
Main Destination: Ngorongoro Crater
Accommodation: Farm of dream Lodge
Day: 9 Ngorongoro to Arusha fly to Zanzibar
After breakfast you will drive you to Arusha which takes approximated 2 and half hours. You will board a scheduled flight in Arusha to Zanzibar. Approximate flight duration is one hour and 40 minutes.
Please note strict luggage restrictions apply to this flight: 1) Maximum weight allowance of 32 lbs (15 kg) is permitted per person. 2) Baggage must be soft-shelled and not exceed dimensions of 21.5” (55cm) x 13.5” (35cm) x 10” (25cm). 3) Additional baggage allowance can be arranged at additional cost, please speak to your Destination Expert for more information. Upon arrival you will be met by our representative and transferred to Breezes Zanzibar hotel booked on half board basis. One way flight from Arusha to Zanzibar included in the quote.
Day: 10 Zanzibar Full Day
Zanzibar is the number one beach location in East Africa. It is a wonderful island, with classic tropical beaches, lush plantations, an incredible history and a fascinating culture. Apart from historic Stone Town, with its labyrinth of narrow streets, Zanzibar is known for its beautiful palm-fringed beaches and pristine coral reefs Zanzibar provides visitors with variety of activities to enjoy. You can choose from half or full day tours that center on Swahili cultural, the historic spice routes, insightful explorations of Stone Town and culinary courses. Other adventures while in Zanzibar include picnics at the Dolphin Sandbank, visiting Mangapwani Beach and touring the former Slave Market. Your hotel provides a range of other activities to enjoy, including snorkeling, deep sea fishing and reef kayaking which can be arranged at an extra cost.
Meal plan: Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) half board
Main Destination: Breezes Beach Club and Spa
Day: 11 Zanzibar
You can visit the spice-farm villages of Zanzibar have been renowned the world-over for centuries due to their incredible variety and abundance of exotic fruits and spices. Ask for an expert guide on a private tour of a nearby spice-farm village to gain an appreciation for the regional landscape while sampling a few tasty Swahili dishes and seasonal fruits. Touch, smell and taste different spices and tropical delights while learning about local life and the history of the spice trade. Don’t forget sunscreen, comfortable walking or hiking shoes and a sun hat and note that transit time ranges from 30 to 90 minutes per direction based on the location of your hotel.
Meal plan: Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) half board
Main Destination: Zanzibar Island
Accommodations: Breezes Beach Club and Spa
Day: 12 Zanzibar/Fly out
After breakfast you will be transferred to Zanzibar airport to board your outbound.
What to pack for safari
N/B Comfortable Safari clothes – avoid white due to the dust, warm sweater of fleece for the evenings, wind and water proof jacket, solid hiking boots for the walking safari, comfortable footwear for the game drives, binoculars, sunscreen, sun hat & sunglasses, a good book, camera and extra battery, head light, mosquito repellent for protection while outdoors, pack in solid soft bag.
Price per person sharing
Price for adult: 4765 USD
Price For Child: 1420 USD
Included
- Accommodation and meals in 4star and 5-star hotels as indicated
- All transit lunches as indicated in itinerary
- Park fees and conservation fees for clients and driver
- Driver’s allowances for the whole safari
- 1 cultural visit to a Masai village in Masai Mara
- Safari minibus in Kenya and 4×4 safari land cruiser or land rover in Tanzania
- Drinking water during the game drives
- Complimentary tour of Nairobi city
- AMREF evacuation insurance in case of emergency
- Airport meet and greet services and transfers in Kenya and Zanzibar
- Local connecting flights from Serengeti to Zanzibar
Excluded
- International flights
- Travel insurance from your home country
- Tips as desired
- Visa
- Extra essentials such as laundry services, alcohol, soft drinks except in Zanzibar only
- Balloon safari, culture experience in other parks apart from Masai Mara, night game viewing and others
- Any special additions to the program
- Tips, 10 $ per head per day for driver
- Laundry services,
- Beverages/ drinks,
- International flights, Visas,
- Items of a personal nature,
- Optional activities and any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary
AFRICA JOY TOURS & SAFARIES LTD
P.O. BOX 15791 ARUSHA-TANZANIA (EAST AFRICA)
TEL: +255(0)762155927
Emai: info@africajoytours.com
