Get off-the-beaten-track to explore some of Kenya and Tanzania’s most exclusive wildlife-viewing reserves and conservancies on this 11-day itinerary from Nairobi. Witness flamingoes wading in the shallow alkaline waters of Lake Manyara National Park, embark on game drive safaris through the Serengeti’s Grumeti Reserve and support the local community initiatives of the Olare Motorogi Conservancy.
Images & Videos
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive intoJomo Kenyatta International Airport where you will be met by one of our representatives and transferred to Hemmingways for your first evening in Tanzania.
Day 2
After breakfast at Hemmingways, you’ll be transferred to the domestic airport and board a light aircraft to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. After arriving at the Lewa Downs airstrip, you’ll be driven to the Lewa Wilderness Lodge where you’ll be met with a cold drink as you settle into your luxury cottage. You’ll have the afternoon free to explore the grounds before heading out on your first evening game drive.
Day 3
Spend the day exploring the Lewa Downs Sanctuary with both morning and afternoon game drives, as well as optional guided bush walks, horse riding, camel treks and bird watching. Enjoy educational talks on relevant conservation issues or meet with local communities on a cultural village visit.
Day 4
After an early breakfast, it’s time to check out and head to the airstrip for your flight to the Masai Mara. On arrival at the Ol Kiombo Airstrip, you’ll be transferred to the Mara Plains Camp for a late lunch before heading out on your first game drive through the Olare Motorogi Conservancy.
This little-visited park is teeming with wildlife and offers a true wilderness experience, traversed by large numbers of wildebeest, elephants and lions, as well as endangered rhinos and African wild dogs. The community conservancy has been designed to enable locals to live in harmony with wildlife, whilst also reaping the economic benefits of conservation.
Day 5-6
Spend the next two days exploring the Mara Plains during early morning and late afternoon game drive safaris when the animals are at their most active. You’ll have plenty of time to relax during the heat of the middle of the day or visit one of the local Masai homes. A night game drive is also included in your package, allowing you to see some of the park's nocturnal species.
Day 7
After breakfast at the camp, you’ll be transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Migore, then on to Tarime and the Sasakwa Airstrip. On arrival in the Serengeti, you’ll make a short game drive en route to the Singita Faru Faru Camp, which lies on a gently sloping hill near the Grumeti River and its sprawling plains.
After lunch at the camp, head out on your first game drive through Grumeti Game Reserve, which forms part of the larger Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem. Keep an eye out for large herds of wildebeest and zebra which traverse this region during the annual Great Migration, as well as the opportunistic predators which follow.
Day 8
Spend today soaking up the magic of Grumeti Reserve on both early morning and late afternoon game drive safaris. There will be plenty of opportunities to spot the “Big Five”, with a staggering density of predators and prey found here.
Day 9
After breakfast at the lodge, you will be transferred to the local airstrip and board your flight to Manyara, from where you’ll travel to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. We’ll arrive in time for sunset so you can take in the breathtaking views before dinner is served.
Day 10
Wake early to make the most of your day exploring the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest unflooded and unbroken caldera in the world. Its high walls create a natural enclosure for wildlife, with the “Big Five” all residing here. Witness Lammergeyer, Verreaux's Eagle and Egyptian Vulture which nest in the crater walls, together with flocks of Lesser and Greater Flamingos which regularly visit its lakes.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is also home to the Olduvai Gorge archaeological site where early human footprints have helped to establish the African origin of humankind.
We'll return to the lodge just before dusk, with time to freshen up before dinner.
Day 11
After breakfast at the lodge, you’ll travel towards the Great Rift Valley and descend the escarpment towards Tarangire National Park, arriving at Little Chem Chem camp in time for lunch. Enjoy an afternoon exploring this private conservancy and take a guided walk to a beautiful sundowner spot before returning to the camp for dinner.
Day 12-13
Spend the next two days exploring the majesty of Little Chem Chem’s big game country from their luxury vintage tents. The camp is set on a 16,000-hectare exclusive concession that adjoins Tarangire National Park, famed for its towering baobabs and giant termite mounds. Embark on game drives to spot massive herds of elephant, together with buffalo, wildebeest, impala, gazelle and eland, with the swamps igniting with bird life during the wet season.
Day 14
Enjoy a final morning game drive before being transferred back to Arusha for lunch and your flight home from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Dates & Rates
Supplementary Information
Daily departures offered year round; please inquire for specific dates. Note, all departures require a minimum of 2 guests
Included:
- Full board accommodation while on safari
- Transfers to and from the airport
- Scheduled flights as indicated in the itinerary
- A safari briefing at the start
- Lunch at the end of your safari
- All game viewing in a custom built 4 x 4 Land Cruiser safari vehicle driven by a professional English speaking driver guide
- Excursions and scheduled activities as per the itinerary
- Park Entrance fees throughout
- Included at Angama Mara: all meals and drinks (excluding French Champagne) all safaris into the Mara Triangle, walking safaris on the Escarpment and Laundry service.
- Mara Plains rates include full board accommodation, soft drinks, beer, non-premium wine, laundry and Conservancy fees,Shared scheduled activities including night drives and local airstrip transfers
- Flying doctors medical evacuation cover
- Laundry & drinks (except premium brands)
- I litre of water per person per day while in an Albatros safari vehicle
- Current Government taxes and levies
Not Included:
- International Airfares
- International and domestic departure tax
- Laundry services other than mentioned
- Meals and excursions not described in the itinerary above
- Entry Visas to the country
- Travel and health insurance
- Balloon flight in the Serengeti
- Any optional tours or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary above
- Gratuities (tips) to your guide, hotel staff and porters
- Drinks on last day in Nairobi
- Any other items of a personal nature, such as drinks, laundry, telephone and postage
FAQ & More
Do I need a Visa?
Visas are the responsibility of the traveller. Some nationalities will have to obtain these prior to arrival and others will be able to obtain these on arrival at the port of entry. It is imperative that passports are valid for at least six months and have at least two blank pages, or four, if travelling to both Kenya and Tanzania.
While Tanzanian visas are available upon arrival, immigration queues at airports and border crossing can be long so we recommend applying in advance for the visa to save time. The cost for a tourist visa for US Citizens is $100 (Multiple entry) valid for one year, 90 Days at a time; for Canadian citizens, the cost is $50 (Single entry) for 90 Days or $100 (Double entry) for 90 Days each.
It is imperative to check visa requirements with your resident country embassy/consulate as visa requirements may vary according to your nationality.
What health requirements are there?
Both Tanzania and Kenya are malarial areas and therefore it is recommended that travellers start a malaria prophylactic before and during your visit. Most lodges have mosquito nets or mosquito resistant tents/rooms along with providing insect spray and repellent. However, be sure to bring your own personal repellent as well as long sleeves and pants for the evenings, as these are most effective in protecting you from bites when outdoors.
At present, Tanzania and Kenya require no vaccinations before entering the country except Yellow Fever when flying directly from an YF endemic country. Here is a list of these countries: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2016/infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever#4728. As Kenya is on this list, you’ll need to present proof of a Yellow Fever vaccination if traveling from Kenya to Tanzania.
Regardless, you should consult your local health authorities prior to your holiday for any updates.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/kenya
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/tanzania
What is the luggage allowance for internal flights?
If travelling on a ‘flying safari’, the baggage allowance on small aircraft is 15kgs and all luggage is to be packed in soft duffel bags. This includes hand luggage and camera equipment. Only soft sided bags will be accepted, no wheels, no hard suitcases. This is essential to ensure that everything fits not only into the small aircraft but into the safari vehicles. Please note that any luggage you do not need while on safari will be stored at the office.
What clothing is required?
Rest assured, our team of Adventure Consultants will send you a full packing list prior to your adventure. However, as a general guide, comfortable, casual wash and wear clothes are recommended. The key is lightweight clothing in breathable materials for the day and warmer materials at night. Bush colours (khaki, brown, dark green) are also highly recommended. These will enable you to blend in with the environment and not draw attention to yourself when on game drives or bush walks.
What is the weather like?
Being located on or near the equator, East Africa boasts a fabulous tropical climate which is hot and humid on the coast while being dry and arid in the north and northeast and temperate inland. Though days are quite hot it can get pretty cold during the night in areas at altitude such as Nairobi.
There are however two separate wet seasons in Kenya and Tanzania with the longest being from March to May, and the shorter from November to December. Heavy rains can mean that road access becomes more limited making 4x4 more advisable during these periods.
What is the power source and outlet type?
The electricity supply in Kenya and Tanzania is 220/240 v 50hz. Plugs are 3 point square, British Type G plugs. If you are planning to bring any electrical device from USA or Canada, you will need a voltage and plug converter. Additionally, many safari lodges run on generators which are generally switched off between 2300hrs and 0600hrs. If you need to charge any electronics, this can be done in the office.
Wifi and mobile access?
Both Kenya and Tanzania have a good telephone and internet connection in the main cities and are in the process of improving the network further. Most lodges and hotels offer a fax, international telephone and internet service but make sure to check the rates beforehand as some lodges can impose a surcharge, particularly on international calls. More remote camps and lodges rely on radio for communication and mobile phone coverage is not extensive in most game parks.
When calling Kenya and Tanzania, the international dialling code is +254 and +255 respectively.
Can I drink the water?
Tap water in Kenya and Tanzania is not drinkable and we therefore advise that you drink only sealed, bottled water. Lodges provide water in their safari vehicles. You will almost always find a flask of purified drinking water on your bedside table or in the bathroom.
What is the currency in Tanzania?
The unit of currency in Kenya and Tanzania is the shilling, though the countries’ currencies do not share the same value. Kenya Shilling notes are available in the denominations of 1000, 500, 200, 100 and 50 and 10,000, 5000, 1000 and 500 in Tanzania. Banks generally offer a better rate of exchange than Foreign Exchange Bureaux and Hotels.
Please note duty free goods purchased at the airport can only be purchased in foreign currency and not in Kenya or Tanzanian Shillings. While US Dollars are widely accepted, please note that bills printed before the year 2000 will not be accepted.
Can I use my credit card?
A wide range of credit cards are accepted in Kenya and Tanzania, including American Express, Visa and Master Card. Please check with us before heading off on safari and we will confirm what cards are accepted where you are staying.
What are the tipping recommendations?
Tips are not included in the cost of the safari. Tipping is purely discretionary, however if you would like to show your appreciation we recommend $10 - $20 per guest per day for lodge/camp staff, paid in the communal tip box at reception. For guides, we recommend $10-$15 per day, paid directly to the guide. All tipping is in US dollars.