13-Day From Kenya to Tanzania and Zanzibar
Lake Nakuru National Park · Maasai Mara National Reserve · Serengeti National Park · Ngorongoro Crater · Lake Manyara National Park · Zanzibar
Spend 5 days in Kenya (Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara) and 8 days in Tanzania (Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro, Manyara and Zanzibar). This tour transfers from Masai Mara to Serengeti through the Isebania border. If you'd like, at the end of the tour, instead of finishing in Arusha, you can transfer to Amboseli for 1 or 2 nights in this national park and finish the tour back in Nairobi. This tour can also be done in the opposite order (starting in Arusha).
Lake Nakuru National Park
You'll have an early morning pick up then drive to Lake Nakuru National Park, across the equator, southwards of Bogoria, lies the Rift Valley's most famous Lake Nakuru. It's known all over the world for its flamingoes. It's alkaline and is recognized as being one of the Natural Wonders of the World. Lake Nakuru is now a rhino sanctuary, harboring a population of over 40 black and over 60 white rhinos. But the flamingos, of course, have always been the main attraction. At times there may be almost 2 million flamingos in the residence, forming a stunningly beautiful deep pink band around the edge of the lakeshore. You will arrive in time for lunch then have an afternoon game drive. Your dinner and overnight stay will be at the campsite or lodge.
Maasai Mara National Reserve
You'll have an early morning drive to Masai Mara National Reserve. It holds on as one of the few places left on earth where wildlife still lives comparatively undisturbed, in the numbers that once roamed the plains and forests of Africa. As the northern tip of the vast Serengeti ecosystem, the Mara hosts the spectacular seasonal migration of many thousands of wildebeest, zebras and attendant predators. You will arrive in time for lunch and then have an afternoon game drive.
Maasai Mara National Reserve
After breakfast, we'll have a full-day game drive, with packed lunch provided. The reserve is well known for its black-maned lions, as well as its abundant resident wildlife. Its one of the few places where it's possible to see the Big Five during a morning game drive. Many of the cheetahs are so tame they seek shelter from the hot sun under one's vehicle and several even climb onto the roof to get a better view of prospective prey. For the bird enthusiast, almost 500 species have been recorded: among these 16 species of eagle, many hawks and falcons, 6 species of vultures, 8 species of storks, 4 of bustard (including the kori bustard, the world's heaviest flying bird), and 9 species of sunbirds.
From Maasai Mara to Serengeti National Park
On this day, you will be transferring from Masai Mara to Serengeti National Park (through Isebania border). This transfer takes almost the whole day but during a great part of the journey (in the morning in Masai Mara and in the afternoon in the Serengeti), you will be doing game drive as well. You'll enjoy the afternoon game drive en-route to your tented camp.
Serengeti National Park
The famous Serengeti National Park is home to the great migration. The game drive is spectacular as you drive up the crater highlands, stopping at the rim. Continuing on, spreading out is the vast Serengeti. Serengeti means "endless plains" in Kiswahili. This 6,900 sq mile (18,000 sq km) park is inhabited by more than 2 million large animals including more than a million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of plains zebras, Thomson's gazelles, large predators including lions, cheetahs, and hyenas. Many smaller animals like rock hyrax or monkeys also inhabit the area along with nearly 500 species of birds. On the second day, after breakfast, you'll have a full day in Serengeti National Park (morning and afternoon game drives). You have the possibility to visit Oldupai Gorge and enjoy a hot air balloon flight.
Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
You'll have an early morning safari before breakfast to spot the animals when they are more active and also to have a fantastic sunrise in front of you. After the game drive, return to the camp for brunch, followed by a transfer to Ngorongoro. With walls 2,000 ft high and a crater floor that spreads for 102 sq miles, the crater is a virtual Noah's Ark, inhabited by almost every species of wildlife indigenous to East Africa including the rare black rhino. In fact, the crater has the greatest concentration of wildlife on the planet. The large bull elephants that reside here have extremely large tusks, due to the rich mineral content of the volcanic soil and its grasses. There is the possibility for an afternoon walking safari in the Ngorongoro Highlands.
Ngorongoro Crater
Very early in the morning, you'll descend down to the crater floor for a day of wildlife viewing in one of the most incredible places on earth. After a stop for a picnic lunch near Hippo Lake, and more wildlife viewing in the afternoon, drive up the steep road out of the crater. You'll then transfer to Manyara for your overnight stay. You can also visit Tarangire instead of Manyara and we recommend it from June to September. There is the possibility to visit Oldonyo Sambu Maasai Village on the way to Manyara/Tarangire.
Lake Manyara National Park to Zanzibar
You'll depart after breakfast and drive across the Great Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park for a full-day game drive. This enchanting park is noted for its beauty and incredibly lush acacia forest of giant figs and mahogany trees, which are home to troops of baboons and blue monkeys. It is very famous for its stunning bird variety. The park is also home to a large numbers of buffalos, giraffes, elephants, impalas and a Hippo lake, where large numbers of hippos usually gather. This park has become famous for the tree-climbing lions and the flamingos on the lakeshore. The game drives are done along the shore of the lake, providing incredible views of animals in the foreground with the lake, flamingos and flat plains on the horizon. In the afternoon, you will have a flight to Zanzibar at around 4 pm for three days of relaxation.
Zanzibar
You can take some rest and enjoy this paradise made of beautiful beaches of white sand and turquoise water of the Indian Ocean. There is a possibility of extra activities such as a day tour in Stone Town (includes Old Town guided tour, Spice Tour and Prison Island - lunch not included), half-day tour (includes Old Town guided tour or Spice Tour or Prison Island). Another suggestion is Jozani Forest tour (lunch not included).
Departure from Zanzibar
You can spend the last hours of your journey relaxing. Afterward, you will have a transfer to Zanzibar Airport for your international flight.
