Journey through the heart of East Africa on this extraordinary safari adventure through Kenya and Tanzania. From the vast plains of the Serengeti and the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, to Amboseli’s famous elephant herds beneath Mount Kilimanjaro and the iconic Masai Mara, this unforgettable journey showcases some of the world’s most spectacular safari landscapes. Stay in carefully selected safari lodges, enjoy expertly guided game drives in search of the Big Five, and experience the magic of Africa’s incredible wildlife, culture and scenery.
Activity Level 3
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Included in your Tour Cost:
SUN 15 AUG – AUCKLAND/DUBAI
Depart Auckland on Emirates flight EK449 at 8.30pm and fly overnight to Dubai.
MON 16 AUG – DUBAI
Arrive Dubai 5.35am. We will be transferred to our hotel where early check in has been arranged. The day is yours to relax after your flight. Later today, visit the spectacular Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and enjoy dinner this evening before returning to the hotel. Stay Dubai hotel, 1 night. Included: D
TUE 17 AUG – DUBAI/NAIROBI
After breakfast, we transfer to Dubai Airport for our Emirates flight to Nairobi, where our African safari adventure begins. Depart Dubai on Emirates flight EK719 at 10.30am, arrive Nairobi 2.30pm. Upon arrival in Nairobi, we will be met and transferred to our hotel. Dinner this evening will be at the hotel. Stay Nairobi Serena Hotel, 2 nights. Included: B, D
WED 18 AUG – NAIROBI
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then we begin our day with a visit to the Giraffe Centre along Langata Road, where you will have the rare opportunity to hand-feed the endangered Rothschild’s giraffes and take memorable photos in this peaceful sanctuary. Later this morning, we visit the Daphne Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to learn about the rescue, care and rehabilitation of orphaned elephants and rhinos while witnessing their heartwarming feeding sessions. Following lunch at the Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens, we visit the Kobe Beads Factory, renowned for its handmade jewellery and beadwork, before returning to the hotel to relax. Dinner this evening will be at the hotel. Included: B, L
THUR 19 AUG - NAIROBI/KENYA
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for approximately a 5 hour drive to Amboseli National Park. Dominated by the magnificent presence of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, Amboseli is one of Kenya’s oldest and most famous parks. Endlessly panoramic yet comparatively compact, it is dotted with emerald-green swamps in which great herds of elephant wallow, half-submerged in the papyrus grasses. In the afternoon, a game drive will introduce you to the lush swamps of this fascinating landscape. As evening falls, return to camp/lodge for dinner and overnight. Stay Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, 2 nights. Included: B, L, D
FRI 20 AUG - AMBOSELI SERENA SAFARI LODGE KENYA
Full day exploring the Amboseli with morning and afternoon game drives. It is quite an experience to see Kilimanjaro hovering above the clouds in an early morning. Amboseli provides endless wonders with fascinating features including the dried-out lakebed of prehistoric Lake Amboseli, rolling savannah, and lush green swamps. The plains are alive with antelopes, spotted hyenas, jackals, warthogs, olive baboons, and vervet monkeys. With luck you may sight a lion, leopard, or cheetah. Dinner tonight will be at the Lodge. Included: B, L, D
SAT 21 AUG - KENYA/ARUSHA, TANZANIA
After breakfast, we will drive to Arusha via Namanga-town border of Kenya/Tanzania for border formalities. After immigration formalities and changing of vehicles, lunch is served then before continuing on to Arusha. Stay Four Points by Sheraton Arusha, 1 night. Dinner tonight will be at our hotel. Included: B, L, D
SUN 22 AUG - ARUSHA/LAKE MANYARA/NGORONGORO, TANZANIA
After breakfast set off on safari with your private car and driver to Lake Manyara National Park, approximately 130 km, about 2–3 hours. Nestled at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, the park is centered around its shallow alkaline lake, which attracts a wide variety of wildlife. Lake Manyara is home to elephant, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, hippo, buffalo, and its famous tree climbing lions, along with an impressive diversity of birdlife including flamingos and pelicans. Enjoy your first game drive through its diverse habitats, groundwater forest, open plains, and lakeshore, before continuing to the Ngorongoro area for the night. Stay Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, 2 nights. Included: B, L, D
MON 23 AUG - NGORONGORO SERENA SAFARI LODGE
After breakfast we descend into the crater (600m) for an in-depth exploration of this distinctive Eco-system. Enjoy abundant wildlife viewing set against the impressive backdrop of the Ngorongoro Crater, the heart of the conservation area. These drives provide one of the best opportunities in Africa to view the rare black rhino, which tend to spend their time on the crater floor. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles; its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthral visitors. For lunch, enjoy a picnic next to the hippo pools on the crater floor. Continue with the game drive throughout the various ecosystems of the crater, including woodland filled with zebra and baboon, plains that support scavenging hyena and a lake that is tinted pink with greater and lesser flamingos. Other game that you can see includes leopard, cheetah, hyena, other members of the antelope family, and small mammals. In the evening we drive back to our game lodge. Included: B, L, D
TUE 24 AUG - NGORONGORO/CENTRAL SERENGETI
The legendary Serengeti Plain is your destination today, a drive of 210 km. A vast rolling plain whose sparse vegetation allows for some of the best wildlife viewing in the world. The annual migration of wildebeest and zebra is one of the park’s great attractions, but throughout the year the Serengeti is excellent for seeing predators such as lion, leopard and cheetah, along with elephant, giraffe, hyena, hippo, rhino, and many varieties of antelopes and birds. Depending on animal movement we will enjoy a packed lunch, or return to our lodge for a hot meal. Dinner this evening will be at our lodge, which comprises of stone built, thatched roof “rondavel” lodges, and the onsite swimming pool boasts a view over the endless plains. Stay Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, 2 nights. Included: B, L, D
WED 25 AUG - SERENGETI SERENA SAFARI LODGE, CENTRAL SERENGETI
Today we enjoy morning and afternoon game viewing drives on the vast Serengeti plains. In the early morning and evening light, the Serengeti landscape is stunningly beautiful. The Serengeti ecosystem supports the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa, including more than three million large mammals. One is spoilt by the variety of bird and wildlife species in this game reserve. Depending on wildlife movement at different times, we may serve picnic lunch at a picnic site or return to the lodge. Dinner tonight is again back at our lodge. Included: B, L, D
THURS 26 AUG - SERENGETI/MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE, KENYA
This morning we transfer to the local airstrip for our scheduled light aircraft flight from the Serengeti to Kenya’s world famous Maasai Mara National Reserve, avoiding the lengthy overland journey and allowing more time to enjoy this remarkable safari destination. On arrival, we are met by our local safari guides and transferred to our lodge with game viewing opportunities along the way. The Masai Mara is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife and the spectacular Great Migration, where vast herds of wildebeest and zebra move across the plains in search of greener grazing. Over the next three nights, enjoy unforgettable safari experiences in one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife reserves. Stay Mara Serena Safari Lodge, 3 nights. Included: B, L, D
FRI 27 AUG to SUN 29 AUG - MARA SERENA SAFARI LODGE, MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
The next few days are yours to explore as you wish and take full advantage of what the Maasai Mara National Reserve has to offer. Embark on exciting excursions into the Game Reserve, with activities tailored to your preferences. Indulge in delicious cuisine at the onsite restaurant, including unforgettable "Bush Dining" and "Sundowner" experiences. Create lasting memories through game drives, breakfasts by the hippo pool, or choose an optional (and unforgettable!) hot air balloon safari, or a cultural visit to the local Maasai villages. The Maasai people are among the few communities in Africa to have preserved much of their traditional culture and way of life. Many local communities also play an important role in wildlife conservation and cultural tourism within the region. (Both optional activities are at an additional cost). Birding can also be done through the year with the reserve having a record of over 570 species of birds, with more than 50 bird species of prey which include: Eagles, vultures, storks and many others.
The Mara is one of the most famous ecosystems in the world and with reason, this huge expansion is home to an astonishing variety of wildlife, difficult to believe, over 450 species of animals have been recorded here. You might be lucky to see lions, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, leopard, many kinds of antelopes, and elephant. It is in the Mara that perhaps the most spectacular event of the natural world takes place. Included: B, L, D
SUN 29 AUG - MAASAI MARA/NAIROBI/DUBAI
Enjoy a last breakfast at the lodge this morning, and we bid “Kwaheri” (Farewell) to what has been a most incredible journey. We set off late this morning bound for Nairobi Airport, which is approximately a 6 hour drive. Depart Nairobi on Emirates flight EK722 at 10.45pm. Included: B
MON 30 AUG - DUBAI/AUCKLAND
Arrive Dubai 4.50am. It’s our last leg home as we transfer to Emirate flight EK448 departing at 10.05am.
TUE 31 AUG - AUCKLAND
Arrive Auckland 9.55am. Transfer to your home, if applicable.
About the Regions we will visit
Nairobi
Situated along the Nairobi River in beautiful Kenya, the capital of Nairobi is East Africa's most cosmopolitan city. It serves as an excellent starting point for African safari trips around Kenya. Nairobi is Africa’s fourth largest city and is a vibrant and exciting place to be. There are some fascinating attractions including its café culture, lively nightlife, the National Museum, the Karen Blixen Museum and most notably, just 20 minutes from the city centre, wild lions and buffalo roam in the world’s only urban game reserve. Visitors may also enjoy the elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Amboseli National Park
Located in the southern reaches of Kenya, Amboseli National Park is renowned for its excellent variety of wildlife including Maasai giraffe, elephant, lion and cheetah, and is one of Kenya's most popular parks. The landscape is dominated by the majestic snow capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, along with open plains, acacia woodland, swamps and the massif of Ol Doinyo Orok. Birdlife is abundant, particularly around the lakes and swamps. The park is famous for being one of the best places in Africa to view large elephant herds up close, while also offering opportunities to experience Maasai culture and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
Arusha
Resting at the foot of Mount Meru, the sprawling city of Arusha is known as the safari capital of northern Tanzania. It serves as an excellent base from which to explore the remarkably scenic surrounding region, including Mount Kilimanjaro and the nearby national parks of Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro. Arusha enjoys a pleasant climate and lush surroundings, making it a relaxing stop within the safari circuit. Visitors can also explore Arusha National Park or take on the challenge of climbing Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest mountain.
Lake Magadi & Ngorongoro Region
Not to be confused with the Kenyan lake of the same name, Tanzania’s Lake Magadi is a striking soda lake located within the Ngorongoro Crater region. Named after the Swahili word for salt, the lake creates a spectacular natural landscape that changes dramatically through the seasons, from lush greens to vivid oranges and pinks. Flamingos gather here in large numbers, while the surrounding area is also home to rhino, lion, golden jackals and a variety of other wildlife. The wider Ngorongoro region is renowned for its extraordinary scenery and diverse ecosystems, making it one of East Africa’s most remarkable safari destinations.
The plains are regarded as one of Africa’s greatest natural spectacles.
Central Serengeti
Situated in the heart of Tanzania, the Central Serengeti encompasses the world-famous Seronera Valley, renowned for its exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities. The landscape features endless savannah plains dotted with granite kopjes, acacia woodlands and winding rivers and streams. The Central Serengeti forms part of the great wildebeest migration route and supports an extraordinary variety of wildlife including giraffe, impala, waterbuck, hippo, elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, hyena and jackal. Popular activities include game viewing, cultural experiences, hot air balloon safaris and guided nature tours.
Masai Mara National Reserve
One of Kenya’s most iconic natural wonders, the Masai Mara National Reserve stretches across more than 1,500 square kilometres in the country’s southwest. The reserve shelters a remarkable array of wildlife including elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo that roam its vast savannah plains, while crocodiles and hippos inhabit the Mara River. Birdwatchers will delight in the presence of more than 450 bird species.
The Masai Mara is perhaps most famous for the Great Migration, one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife events. Each year, approximately 1.7 million wildebeest migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti into the greener grazing lands of the Masai Mara, accompanied by zebra, antelope and predators including lion, hyena and cheetah. The sight of these immense herds crossing the plains is regarded as one of Africa’s greatest natural spectacles.
Important information
Deposit: $1,000pp
Insurance: For this tour, comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory. Your policy must be in place no later than the tour’s final payment date, however we recommend you buy insurance at the time of paying your tour deposit - this ensures you have protection prior to, and throughout your journey. Please let us know if you need any assistance arranging your insurance.
