8-Day In the Footsteps of Giant: Kenya to Tanzania
4.8 (4 Reviews)
3 Agents for Masai Mara
Quick Itinerary: Masai Mara National Reserve(2N) → Serengeti National Park(2N) → Ngorongoro Crater(1N) → Tarangire National Park(1N) → Nairobi(1N)
Starting From
$ 2,167*
You don't need to pay anything to receive offers
Starting From$ 2,167*
You don't need to pay anything to receive offers
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 From Nairobi Airport to Nairobi City
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, our team will welcome you and transfer you to your city hotel (such as Boma Nairobi or a similar option). After your journey, settle in and receive a briefing about your upcoming safari. Your stay includes a bed and breakfast, ideal for evening arrivals.
Day 2 From Nairobi to Masai Mara
Today, after breakfast, you will drive through the Rift Valley floor to Masai Mara National Reserve, arriving at the lodge in good time for lunch. You will embark on your first game drive in the reserve this afternoon in search of the Big Five and other herbivores that roam around in this beautiful savannah. You'll return to your lodge at sunset for dinner and overnight.
One of our favorite places to look for wildlife in Kenya is the Masai Mara National Reserve. That's because the wildlife here is incredible, with big cats (lions, leopards, and cheetahs) and elephants among the highlights. There's a very good chance you'll also see giraffes, buffalo, wildebeests, zebras, hippos, hyenas, and, of course, impalas. Bring your binoculars, because more than 500 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve. It's a place of beautiful savannah landscapes as well, with lots of acacia trees. You'll visit the reserve, which is a highlight for many travelers.
Day 3 Game Drive Full Day Masai Mara
This is a full day spent game viewing across the rich tree-studded grassland and rolling hills of the famous savannah. The Mara is renowned for its great herds of plains game animals like leopards, cheetahs, lions, and other herbivores. It has virtually every other type of wildlife to be found in Kenya. You will have a full-day game drive in Masai Mara Savannah.
Your lunch today is a picnic lunch box in the savannah under a flat-top acacia tree while watching the animals grazing. You will continue with the game viewing en route to your camp, arriving late in the afternoon after thoroughly exploring this massive grassland savannah measuring 1,500 sq.
You have the option of booking a balloon ride today, which takes off early in the morning. After landing, the crew helps you out of the basket and escorts you to a lovely setting for a bush breakfast, which is a lifetime experience. Later, join your driver guide at a location and proceed with your full-day game drive.
Day 4 Masai Mara to Serengeti National Park
Today, prepare for a long but breathtaking drive to the Isebania border post, which separates Kenya and Tanzania. After completing the border immigration process, you will switch vehicles and meet your Tanzanian guide. He will welcome you and take you to the expansive Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, with lunch served en route.
You will arrive at the camp late in the afternoon, so keep an eye out for the millions of animals that inhabit this area during the drive. Tonight, you will enjoy an authentic African safari experience, as the lodge is situated within the national park and in the midst of all the animal activity. Upon arrival, your driver and the camp manager will provide you with a safety briefing.
Please note that the drive from Masai Mara to Serengeti is a true African "massage", featuring rough roads, and can take up to 8–9 hours, including the border crossing and two pit stops. Alternatively, we can arrange a 4-hour flight transfer from masai mara to Serengeti.
Day 5 Serengeti National Park
You will wake up to another glorious day in the Serengeti. You'll start the day with an early morning game drive to search for animals when they're at their most active. Then, you'll return to the lodge for a relaxed breakfast and lunch.
You'll spend the hottest part of the day relaxing in the camp reading your favorite book writing your journal about the safari or just listening to your favourite music while observing the birds. Don't stress, the animals will be doing the same. You'll head off again in the afternoon for another drive through the park. You'll return to the lodge for dinner and another night under the Serengeti's stars.
Note: There's also an option of an early hot air balloon ride here. Please ask the tour manager before booking this trip if you're interested.
Day 6 Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater
After an early breakfast at 6:00 am, follow by a final game drive through the Serengeti as you exit the park in the morning. Afterward, you will depart for Ngorongoro Crater and descend to the crater floor for a half-day tour. There are only two roads that connect the crater rim to the crater floor: one road for driving down and another for driving up.
The crater is approximately 20 km (12 miles) wide and 600 m (2,000 ft) deep. The floor is home to a rich and highly concentrated population of wildlife, including about 20 black rhinoceroses among the 20,000 mammals of various sizes that live there. This makes the crater the best place in Tanzania to see rhinos.
The animals in the crater are generally less wary of humans and vehicles, allowing for closer observation as they roam the lakes, rivers, woodlands, and hills. After your time in the crater, you will exit and drive to your lodge on the rim, arriving in time for a late hot lunch & overnight stay.
Day 7 From Ngorongoro to Lake Manyara National Park
Today is the visit to Lake Manyara National Park. A visit to Lake Manyara will without doubt leave you with unforgettable feelings of natural wonders. This shimmering, flamingo full alkaline lake is located within the Great Rift Valley and is famous for its tree-climbing lions. It’s the only place in the world where the lions really know that they are kings and reign from the tree tops. Nestled up against the wall of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park is famous for the bird life and elephant population. This lake which lays on the rift valleys floor and next to a dramatic escarpment, attracts flamingos and pelicans as well as other water fowl. There are several different species of hornbills in residence as well as kingfishers, the strange-looking hammer kop and more. The park is also home to velvet monkey, olive baboon, giraffe, hippo, African buffalo, bushbuck, and a healthy population of lion among others.
Day 8 From Manyara to Nairobi Airport
After breakfast, depart Lake Manyara and head north toward the Kenyan border. Pass through Arusha, Tanzania’s safari capital, and enjoy the changing scenery along the way. After immigration at Namanga, continue your journey across southern Kenya, arriving in Nairobi by late afternoon ready for your flight or next adventure. Watch the scenery shift from acacia-dotted savannahs to dusty plains and lively roadside towns. With mountains in the distance and the occasional animal crossing, it’s a final taste of the wild before returning to city life. The road from Lake Manyara to Nairobi is more than a transfer, it’s a window into East Africa’s soul.
Just went for 8 day safari with James and Wild Portraits Safaris...it was spot o (Read More)n perfect.
Reasons
1.Clear communication and replies always comes very quickly on WhatsApp.
2. Very genuine with suggestions and doesn't do things as a job or formality.
3. James is very knowledgeable.
4. The enthusiasm and passion shown by James was just so infectious.
5. The planning of itinerary takes care of all the finer details.
6. They really take care of your focus and they don't try to sell anything you are not interested in. For example we skipped the village visit because we didn't see value in it.
7. Quite flexible and adjusts as things progress.
Agent: Scope Safaris
Abhishek • 3 weeks ago
Justus and his team made all arrangements for us. We are a family of 4 with 2 yo (Read More)ung children. He was always by our side and made sure we enjoyed our vacation. Highly recommended for families who need extra care.
Agent: Javiva Adventures
Mamta • a month ago
The entire trip was handled with extreme professionalism by both Janet and our g (Read More)uide Bonnie.
We got to see the Big5 within 3 days of our itenary and more on the next days. Janet was very thorough with our itenary and helped us throughout and Bonnie knew all the best spots on all of our game drives. We didn't feel rushed throughout our tour, because it is designed very well to accomodate enough rest. 10/10 recommend
We didn't expect Kenya to be so cold, so at some places we missed warm water for (Read More) wash
Agent: Donwel Tours
Madhumita • a month ago
From the very beginning, Christine and Judith from Donwel Tours were highly atte (Read More)ntive to what we were looking to get from our first ever trip to Kenya, and Africa, for that matter. We wanted to cover a lot of ground, and were going from one agency to another before we found Donwel as most agents couldn't quite squeeze everything we wanted into our itinerary. Judith and Christine however made it all possible. Good quality stays everywhere, regular communication through the trip to ensure we were ok and were getting what we wanted. Special shoutout to Teeman, our driver who absolutely fantastic, drove safely and ensured our safety and comfort throughout the trip, regularly coordinating with Christine. This is an excellent team and we would highly recommend their services.
Everything was perfect.
Agent: Virgin Explorers Ltd
Krishna • 2 months ago
Overall good solo trip
Agent: Wild Portraits Safaris
Anirudh • 3 months ago
I reached out to Wild Portraits via a safari service website that featured numer (Read More)ous tour operators. Among the competition, James stood out due to his exceptional patience, politeness, and genuine curiosity displayed during our initial phone calls.
James swiftly emerged as the singular operator I wished to proceed with, and here’s why:
- Having substantial on-ground experience from spending extensive time on the safaris himself, he adeptly crafted a honeymoon package that perfectly suited my wife and me.
- He adeptly navigated our budget flexibilities and constraints to arrange an impressive array of delightful lodges and activities, focusing on maximising our day-to-day adventures, ensuring each day on safari and at the lodges offered a unique experience.
- A skilled photographer himself, James's comprehensive knowledge of various reserves and animal behaviours provided him with a distinct advantage in predicting animal locations and optimal times for photography, whether capturing sunrises, sunsets, or other moments.
- Our priority was to maximise game time and reserve experiences. James made certain our vehicle was ready, complete with packed hot breakfast boxes, for a prompt 6 AM departure every morning of the trip.
- Remarkably patient, he addressed all my queries, irrespective of whether they seemed 'silly' or insightful—from 'what to wear' at safaris, potential places to explore, to the animals we might encounter.
In summary, my wife and I enjoyed an extraordinary experience in Kenya, with Wild Portraits Safaris significantly enhancing the quality of that journey. We are eagerly anticipating more safaris and look forward to embarking on them with James and his team!
4.8 (4 Reviews)
3 Agents for Masai Mara
