Classic Kenya and Tanzania Adventure: Small Group

On arrival in Nairobi, you’ll be warmly met and transferred to your hotel for overnight. Spend the afternoon at leisure, settling into the rhythm of East Africa’s vibrant capital.

Depart Nairobi after breakfast and travel through Kenya’s fertile highlands, descending the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment along a historic road built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II.

Pass a charming stone chapel at the foot of the escarpment before crossing the vast Rift Valley floor. Continue past sweeping views, rolling farmlands, and the striking silhouette of Mount Longonot. After passing through the Maasai town of Narok, the landscape opens up into wide golden plains—your gateway to the world-famous Masai Mara.

Arrive in time for lunch, then head out on your first exhilarating game drive. As the sun dips toward the horizon, watch the Mara come alive with wildlife: grazing herbivores, prowling predators, and endless skies painted in warm sunset hues.

Spend the day exploring one of Africa’s most iconic wilderness areas. Morning and afternoon game drives offer the chance to spot the “Big Five,” along with cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, hyenas, and countless other species that thrive on these vast savannahs.

For an unforgettable perspective, you may choose to take an optional hot air balloon flight over the plains at dawn—floating above the Mara as the landscape awakens is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The Masai Mara forms the northern section of the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem and is renowned for its abundant wildlife and the dramatic annual Great Migration, when millions of wildebeest and zebras journey across the Mara River in search of fresh grazing.

Depart the Masai Mara after breakfast and journey across Kenya’s fertile heartlands, passing expanses of wheat and barley as you travel toward Narok, the administrative centre of traditional Maasailand.

Continue across the sweeping plains of the Great Rift Valley, arriving at Lake Nakuru around midday. Enjoy wildlife viewing as you make your way through the park, followed by lunch and some time to relax. In the afternoon, set out on a game drive as the sun sinks toward the horizon.

Lake Nakuru National Park is renowned for its birdlife—most famously flamingoes—alongside Black and White rhinos, lions, leopards, buffalos, and the endangered Rothschild Giraffe. The alkaline lake forms the heart of this 188 km² sanctuary, which shelters more than 400 bird species and an impressive variety of mammals.

After an early breakfast, travel to nearby Lake Naivasha for a tranquil boat ride across its shimmering waters. Leave the Rift Valley behind as you continue to Nairobi for lunch (or enjoy a picnic lunch depending on road conditions).

In the afternoon, head south toward Amboseli National Park, arriving by late day.

Amboseli is one of Kenya’s most iconic landscapes, known for its sweeping views of Mount Kilimanjaro—Africa’s highest peak—and its dramatic open plains. The park is famous for its large, relaxed elephant herds, offering exceptional photographic opportunities. Other wildlife includes lions, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, numerous antelope species, and rich birdlife with more than 400 recorded species.

Spend the day enjoying scheduled game activities. The park’s striking contrasts—wetlands fed by underground springs, dusty plains, acacia woodlands, and views of snow-capped Kilimanjaro—set the stage for unforgettable wildlife encounters.

After breakfast, bid farewell to the dramatic silhouette of Mount Kilimanjaro and drive toward the Namanga border. Here, you’ll meet your Tanzanian driver/guide before travelling on to Arusha for lunch.

After meeting any joining travellers, head toward Tarangire National Park, where your safari adventure continues the moment you pass through the park gates.

Named for the Tarangire River that flows year-round through its heart, the park is known for its giant baobab trees, sweeping views of the Maasai Steppe, and immense elephant herds. Spanning 2,850 km² and home to more than 550 bird species, Tarangire offers diverse wildlife, including lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and numerous plains game.

After a morning game drive and lunch, continue toward Lake Manyara National Park. Ascend the Rift Valley escarpment, arriving in time for dinner.

Lake Manyara is celebrated for its shimmering alkaline lake, dense groundwater forests, and sweeping vistas of the Rift Valley. Wildlife includes elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, baboons, and various antelope species. The park is also known—at times—for its tree-climbing lions. Bird enthusiasts will find more than 400 recorded species, from flamingos and pelicans to storks and raptors.

Enjoy a morning game drive in Lake Manyara before returning for lunch. In the afternoon, continue to Serengeti National Park, entering through the iconic Naabi Hill Gate. Game viewing begins immediately as you journey across the world-famous plains.

Spanning roughly 14,750 km², the Serengeti is synonymous with vast savannahs, dramatic skies, and abundant wildlife. It is home to the legendary Great Migration—over one million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles moving in a continuous cycle in search of fresh grazing. The Serengeti also hosts the full Big Five and countless predators, including cheetahs, lions, and hyenas.

Spend the day exploring the Serengeti on scheduled safari activities.

Optional: Experience a hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti at sunrise—an unforgettable way to witness the "endless plains" from above. (Supplement applies.)

Beyond the wildlife, the Serengeti is also home to the Maasai people, custodians of a deep and enduring cultural heritage.

Depart the Serengeti and enjoy wildlife sightings en route to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. A picnic lunch is provided during the journey.

Arrive at the crater rim for an afternoon at leisure, taking in spectacular views across the largest intact volcanic caldera on earth.

Descend early into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full-day game drive.

Home to around 30,000 resident mammals within a compact 260 km² crater floor, this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Lion prides, large bull elephants, Black rhinos, and abundant plains game roam this self-contained natural sanctuary.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in one of the designated scenic areas before ascending the crater walls in the afternoon and returning for dinner.

Rise early for a stunning sunrise over the crater rim if you wish, then enjoy breakfast before beginning the return journey to Arusha. After lunch, continue to Nairobi, Arusha, or Kilimanjaro Airport, where your East African adventure concludes.