Best of Kenya & Tanzania Safari
Nairobi & the ultimate safari: 15 game drives in Ol Pejeta, Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Tarangire, Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro
Overview
| Style | Small Group TourTravel with a small, intimate group of no more than 16 likeminded travelers (and often much fewer), escorted by an English speaking guide and/or tour manager for some or all of your journey. (Some exceptions, including special promotional packages, may accommodate up to 30.) More of these packages
Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout |
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| Departures | April – December 2025 | Group Size | 16 travelers max |
| Themes | Active, Grand Tours, Nature & Wildlife | ||
| Activity Level | Recreational | ||
| What to Expect | This fast-paced, partially escorted tour includes a reasonable amount of walking or hiking and requires an average level of physical fitness. This tour also includes long scenic drives between destinations, sometimes on bumpy unpaved roads and may have limited rest stops. | ||
| Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. | ||
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If you're looking for an African wildlife safari that you can afford, look no further. Savvy travelers and novices alike include Kenya & Tanzania on their list of safari tours for a very good reason. Both countries are blessed with an abundance of spectacular wildlife and beautiful landscapes. Everywhere you go, from the busy cities to the rolling plains of the Masai Mara, the people are always friendly and welcoming. With more than 50 parks from which to choose in Kenya alone, and almost 25% of Tanzania protected as nature reserves, it's hard to decide where to go, but everyone agrees that the Masai Mara and Samburu parks in Kenya and the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania are must-visit sites. Our Best of Kenya & Tanzania safari tour includes them all plus a lot more! And like all Friendly Planet tours, you'll enjoy the very best of Kenya and Tanzania at prices that are as amazing as the countries themselves.
Package includes
- Flights
- Coach
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Guides
- Round trip airfare from New York to Nairobi, including taxes & fees
- All intra-Africa flights, land transportation, & transfers
- 12 night accommodations at superior Nairobi hotels and safari lodges in Kenya and Tanzania
- 34 Meals: 12 breakfasts, 11 lunches & 11 dinners, including a welcome dinner at the famous Carnivore Restaurant
- Comprehensive sightseeing tours and game-viewing drives by local English-speaking guide
- All-wheel drive (4x4) safari vehicles with guaranteed window seat and access to roof hatch, maximum 6 guests per vehicle
- Services of an experienced driver-guide
Optional add-ons
- Masai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari with champagne breakfast
Why you'll love it
- Set out on 15 game drives in search of the "Big 5".
- Enjoy dinner at the famous Carnivore Restaurant.
- Fall in love with the orphaned elephant babies of Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphans' Nursery and learn how these adorable creatures are nurtured before being released back into the wild.
- Learn about the production of handmade beads at the Kazuri Bead Factory, which employs local women and single mothers.
- Help in reforestation by seed bombing, a technique of introducing vegetation to land by throwing or dropping seedballs.
- Explore the Karen Blixen Museum, previously the home of the author whose memoir inspired the Oscar-winning film, Out of Africa.
- Hand-feed endangered giraffes at the Langata Giraffe Center.
- See the efforts to save chimpanzees from extinction at the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
- Enjoy a picnic lunch in the Ngorongoro Crater.
Itinerary at a Glance
- 1 Depart USA
- 2 Arrive Nairobi, Kenya
- 3 Nairobi
- 4 Samburu Game Reserve
- 5 Samburu Game Reserve
- 6 Ol Pejeta Conservancy
- 7 Lake Nakuru National Park
- 8 Masai Mara National Reserve
- 9 Masai Mara National Reserve
- Optional Excursion: Masai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari with champagne breakfast, $470
- 10 Masai Mara National Reserve & Arusha, Tanzania via Nairobi
- 11 Arusha & Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
- 12 Lake Manyara National Park & Ngorongoro
- 13 Ngorongoro Crater
- 14 Ngorongoro, Arusha & Depart Nairobi
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Dates & Prices
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Depart USA
- Depart on your overnight flight to Kenya
Day 2 Arrive Nairobi, Kenya
- Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer to your hotel
- This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at the famous Carnivore Restaurant
Tamarind Tree Hotel or similar Dinner
Day 3 Nairobi
- Drive to Nairobi National Park for game viewing
- Visit the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
- Tour the Karen Blixen Museum
- See the endangered Rothschild's giraffe at the Langata Giraffe Center
Tamarind Tree Hotel or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryAfter an early breakfast at the hotel, journey to Nairobi National Park, the only national park in the world within a capital city. Established in 1966, the park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and more! The park is also also known for its large population of black rhinos, which are endangered in the wild.
Continue to the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphans' Nursery, where young orphaned elephant babies are hand-raised until they are released back to their natural habitat in the Tsavo National Park. Here they can mingle freely with the wild community. After lunch, visit the Sandstrom factory, a family-owned business that specializes in designing and producing high-quality leather goods, including handbags, backpacks, wallets, and accessories. The materials used in these fine products are sourced from local suppliers and use traditional leather-crafting techniques; some products are made extra special with the addition of African fabrics and designs, giving them a distinct and authentic look.
Next, visit the Karen Blixen Museum. "Out of Africa" author Karen Blixen formally owned the house and surrounding 4500-acre farm from 1917 until 1931, before becoming a museum in 1991. Later, see the endangered Rothschild's giraffes at The Langata Giraffe Center, established to protect the species. Several warthogs roam freely with the giraffes. Guests may feed the giraffes from a raised feeding platform. Return to the hotel for the remainder of the day at leisure.
Note: Visiting Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage requires advanced booking with limited tickets available per day and has become increasingly difficult to secure advanced tickets. A visit to Nairobi Animal Orphanage, located just outside the Nairobi National Park, will be substituted should Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage be unavailable.
Day 4 Samburu Game Reserve
- Travel north to the remote Samburu Reserve arriving at the lodge for lunch
- Enjoy an afternoon game drive and dinner at the lodge
Samburu Intrepids Tented Camp or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter an early breakfast, depart Nairobi heading north, traveling through some breathtaking scenery dotted with rushing mountain streams and fields of tea and coffee. After passing the town of Nanyuki, continue north, eventually reaching a dusty outpost known as Isiolo, the last major stop on the journey into the semiarid northern frontier district. Arrive at your lodge in Samburu in time for lunch.
In the afternoon, depart on your first game drive in Samburu Reserve, host to five notable species: the Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk antelope, beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, and Somali ostrich. Returning to the camp as the sun sets.
Day 5 Samburu Game Reserve
- Enjoy a morning game drive
- After lunch, spend time at leisure to relax
- Embark on an early evening game drive
Samburu Intrepids Tented Camp or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryEnjoy another day of game viewing drives in the Samburu Game Reserve, one in the morning and another in the early evening, in a safari vehicle with roof hatch access for perfect game viewing and photography. Guided by your expert driver, enjoy searching for animals native to this fascinating and beautiful area.
Day 6 Ol Pejeta Conservancy
- Depart for Ol Pejeta Conservancy
- Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at your camp
- In the afternoon, visit the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Sanctuary followed by a game drive
- This evening, sit by the lit waterhole to view the animals
Sweetwaters Serena Camp, Sarova Maiyan Nanyuki or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, depart for the 90,000-acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy, located on the equator in Kenya’s Laikipia District, between the foothills of the Aberdares and the snow-capped Mount Kenya. The conservancy hosts many animals, including the “Big Five,” Grevy’s zebra, Jackson’s hartebeest, cheetah, and chimpanzee. Enjoy lunch at your camp. In the afternoon, visit the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Sanctuary, followed by a game drive. In the evening, sit by the lit waterhole to view the animals.
Note: All departures in 2025 will stay at Sarova Maiyan Nanyuki
Day 7 Lake Nakuru National Park
- Early this morning, travel to Lake Nakuru National Park
- Once in the park, enjoy a game drive followed by lunch at the lodge
- In the afternoon, enjoy another game drive prior to dinner
Sarova Lion Hill Lodge or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryLeaving Sweetwaters and Mount Kenya behind, you'll head west to Nyahururu, still known to many as Thomson's Falls for its 237-foot cascade. Travel southerly to your next destination, Lake Nakuru. This park is a rhino sanctuary, offering the rare opportunity to see these endangered animals. It's also home to rare Rothschild's giraffes, buffalo, leopards, and lions. Once in the park, there will be a game drive en route to the lodge, where you will have lunch. Following lunch, there is an afternoon game drive in Lake Nakuru. Continue to Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge as the sun sets.
Day 8 Masai Mara National Reserve
- After breakfast, head out for the Masai Mara National Reserve
- Enjoy lunch and an afternoon game drive at your camp
Mara Intrepids Tented Camp or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, set out for the Masai Mara National Reserve, which borders Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. Every year, between June and September, millions of wildebeests and zebras migrate into the Mara in search of water. The timing of this phenomenon varies, depending on the rains, but they usually start heading back to the Serengeti in October.
Whether you see the migration or not, the grassy plains and lush landscape offer a wide variety of game, including lions, cheetahs, buffalo, and abundant bird life, such as ostriches, cranes, and storks. Enjoy lunch, then set off for an afternoon game drive.
Day 9 Masai Mara National Reserve
- Enjoy morning and late afternoon game drives
- Join an optional early morning hot air balloon safari
Mara Intrepids Tented Camp or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryToday, embark on two thrilling safari drives, one in the morning and one in the early evening, in a safari vehicle with roof hatch access for perfect game viewing and photography.
Have the exciting opportunity to join an early morning hot air balloon safari, soaring high over the plains for animal viewing from above. Whether you go by air or land, enjoy searching for animals native to this fascinating and beautiful area accompanied by your expert guide, who will amaze you with his ability to spot game hidden in the bush.Optional Excursion: Masai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari with champagne breakfast, $470Take to the sky over herds of wildlife in the Masai Mara game reserve, flying in a hot air balloon. The balloon can soar over the most inaccessible and undisturbed parts of the reserve and offers a bird's eye view of the plains below. After an hour in the air, your safari finishes with a champagne breakfast in the bush. This is certain to become a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will remember long after returning from Kenya! Flight may not operate if weather conditions are not suitable.
Note: Rates are higher in July and August.
Day 10 Masai Mara National Reserve & Arusha, Tanzania via Nairobi
- Board a late afternoon flight from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro Airport, in Tanzania
Four Points by Sheraton Arusha or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, depart the Masai Mara for Nairobi and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Transfer to the airport for your short flight to Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. After completing border and customs formalities, check in to your hotel in Arusha, a pleasant city that serves as a trading center for the surrounding farmlands. Later, enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Day 11 Arusha & Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
- After breakfast, continue on to Tarangire National Park
- Enjoy a game drive en route to your lodge in Tarangire National Park
- Lunch will be served at the lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive
Tarangire Sopa Lodge or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, continue to Tarangire National Park, home to thousands of elephants and, in the dry season, game that congregates along the river after migrating from the Masai Mara. In addition, large herds of antelope, zebras, gazelles, buffalo, wildebeest, leopards, rhinos, and many smaller mammals make the park their home. Tarangire is an ornithologist's paradise, rich in an incredible variety of birds.
Enjoy a game drive en route to your lodge located deep within the park. Lunch will be served at the lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive in Tarangire Park.
Day 12 Lake Manyara National Park & Ngorongoro
- This morning, drive to Lake Manyara National Park
- After lunch, take a game drive in search of tree climbing lions and flamingos
Ngorongoro Oldeani Mountain Lodge or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryFrom your lodge in the Tarangire area, depart to the park's border, viewing game en route. At the town of Makuyuni, you turn west and continue the journey up through a scenic escarpment with stunning views over the distant Lake Manyara. Descend the Great Valley and enter Lake Manyara National Park for a half-day game drive. Enjoy your packed lunch.
Leaving Lake Manyara behind, the journey continues northwest across the stunning hilly countryside of Karatu and the highlands, which are filled with wheat and coffee plantations. Arrive at the lodge for dinner.
Day 13 Ngorongoro Crater
- This morning, drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Taking along a picnic lunch, descend into the crater
Ngorongoro Oldeani Mountain Lodge or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The intact rim rises 1800 feet above the base and offers the finest game viewing in Africa. It is considered one of the world's greatest natural wonders, and its great game includes rare species such as black rhinos and cheetahs. The magnificent scenery will thrill even the most experienced safari traveler.
Taking along a picnic lunch, descend into the crater. Over time, the crater floor has become grassland with a lake in the middle, a sanctuary and source of water for the abundance of wildlife found here. Later this afternoon, return to your lodge.
Day 14 Ngorongoro, Arusha & Depart Nairobi
- Heading southeast, travel back to Arusha through the scenic Rift Valley
- Enjoy lunch
- Bid farewell to Africa as you transfer to the airport for your return flight
- Your amazing adventures come to an end as you arrive in the USA tomorrow morning
Breakfast & lunch
Full Day ItineraryHeading southeast, travel back to Arusha through the scenic Rift Valley escarpment with great views of Lake Manyara in the distance. Pass by the Masai Steppe, filled with picturesque African villages and banana plantations. Enjoy lunch in Arusha. This evening, transfer to the Kilimanjaro Airport for your short flight back to the USA via Nairobi. Your amazing adventures end as you arrive in the USA tomorrow morning.
Hotels
Tamarind Tree Hotel is ideally located just 5 kms to the southwest of Nairobi near iconic Carnivore Restaurant. The hotel offers easy access to all parts of the city, its national park, as well as to the country’s many diverse attractions via the neighboring Wilson Airport and Southern Bypass. The nearby Langata and Karen suburbs are among the liveliest and most popular in Nairobi with world-class shopping malls and excellent restaurants.Tamarind Tree Hotel's outstanding leisure facilities and genuine service ensures that all our guests experience the very best of Tamarind hospitality.
Located 345 kilometers north of Nairobi, this tented lodge offers 28 modern and newly refurbished tents with a private view over the wildlife-rich riverbanks. All the tents are large and spacious under palm-thatched roofs with netted screens. This allows for the river breeze to keep them cool and give you stunning views of Samburu.Behind the bar, surrounded by a shady sunbathing area, is our freeform swimming pool - a soothing drop of blue in this otherwise arid land
The exclusive Sweetwaters Serena Camp is a tented camp located in a private conservancy with a higher wildlife-to-area ration than any of Kenya's national parks. The camp lies in the center of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy which is host to elephants, rhinos, lions, buffalo, and leopard.
Sarova Maiyan Nanyuki is a luxurious hotel nestled in the heart of Nanyuki, Kenya, offering a serene escape amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Mount Kenya and Lolldaiga Hills. This idyllic retreat boasts a perfect blend of modern comfort and natural beauty. The hotel's highlights include stunning views of Mount Kenya, lush gardens, a rooftop pool lounge, horseback riding, and a rejuvenating wellness spa.
Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge is nestled along the Lion Hill overlooking the spectacular flamingo pink rimmed Lake Nakuru. Its location affords panoramic views of the lake and the picturesque Lake Nakuru National Park. A short two-hour drive from Nairobi, it is cleverly laid out in such a way that most rooms and sitting areas afford stunning views of the lake and the park. The Lodge incorporates natural landscaping with tall acacia trees, winding walkways and greens dotted with bird feeds.
Mara Intrepids Camp is located in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The camp is a short drive to the Mara River, home of the iconic wildebeest migration. The camp’s outdoor pool is surrounded by sun-loungers. There is a library with board games and a playground for children. Hot air balloon rides can be organised at Mara Camp.
Established in 1894, the Four Points by Sheraton Arusha is one of the most historical hotels in East Africa. The hotel seamlessly blends the history of a bygone era and traditional ambience into the style and service that today's discerning traveler expects. Take a dip in the outdoor swimming pool or work out in 24-hour fitness center.
The Tarangire Sopa Lodge, built as a 'low profile' structure, nestles into a wooded hillside valley overlooking Tarangire Hill. Tarangire Sopa Lodge is the only luxury 'hotel-like' lodge in Tarangire. The Lodge offers spacious rooms with good views over the bush; a pleasant lounge and restaurant, and a unique swimming pool located at the edge of a rocky gorge.
This 5 star colonial lodge is situated on a picturesque hill with spectacular views onto Oldeani Mountain and The Ngorongoro Crater Rim. The lodge is elevated with 360 degree views that extend all the way to Lake Eyasi and Lake Manyara. The property is set on 40 acres of pristine lush green gardens and local vegetation with over 130 species of birds. The lodge is accessed over a pond and one's first impression is the grand central hallway with wooden trusses looking out over the fire place, infinity pool and out onto Mount Oldeani, which is part of the caldera of the would famous Ngorongoro crater, only 7.5 miles away.Ngorongoro Oldeani Mountain Lodge has a year-round outdoor pool. The property features a garden and sun terrace, which guests can enjoy if the weather permits. Ole Sere Spa offers a great chance to rejuvenate and re-energize after your bumpy safari adventures.
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
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