Your Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi
Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. When you arrive, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Nairobi, where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers for a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe browse the artistic and cultural displays at the Nairobi Gallery or lounge by the pool at your home for the night – a central hotel complete with bold pan-African art and a sauna and steam room. After your welcome meeting, you’ll head out for dinner with your group. Sharing food is a big part of the culture here and a great way to get to know your new travel companions – maybe try samosas, fried plantains and tilapia.
Day 2: Lake Nakuru
Today, you’ll travel to the Great Rift Valley of East Africa. Along the way, you’ll stop in Elsamere – the former home of writer Joy Adamson, whose 1960 book helped bring wildlife conservation into the mainstream. The house is a veritable museum dedicated to the works of Joy and George Adamson, with many photos of Elsa (the lioness that started it all). Then, embark on a boat trip on Lake Naivasha, the highest lake in the Great Rift Valley and home to many hippos. Later, sit down to a high tea lunch on the very grounds Joy cherished for so many years, with the lake as a serene backdrop. After lunch, continue to your Lake Nakuru lodge, arriving in the early evening. From your lodge, take in the magnificent views of Lake Nakuru and the surrounding national park, alive with the call of birds and rich in wildlife. What better way to take it all in than from your lodge’s infinity pool!
Day 3: Lake Nakuru
This morning you’ll visit Lake Nakuru National Park – situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley. As you explore, look for some of the many birds and wildlife who call this national park home – including waterbuck, Rothschild’s giraffes, gazelles and leopards. After a morning spent learning about this diverse landscape with your knowledgeable local leader, you’ll return to your lodge for lunch, before heading out for a game drive this afternoon. Keep your eyes peeled for one of Africa's most endangered creatures, the elusive black rhinoceros.
Day 4: Maasai Mara National Reserve
Travel to the Maasai Mara this morning – one of the most active and beautiful game reserves in Africa. Today is a bit of a long travel day, so it’s a good idea to get stuck into a book or favourite podcast. Along the way you’ll cross the Great Rift Valley and pass by the remote region of Loita Hills, home of the Maasai people. This is one of the few places where they still practice their traditional way of life with little influence from the western world. Stop at Tepesua Village where you’ll be welcomed by Maasai warriors through traditional song and dance. When you arrive, you’ll meet your Maasai hosts and take a walk to the community village. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the Tepesua Widows Income Project, where widowed women sew eco-friendly handicrafts to sell to visitors and locals. Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home and cattle enclosure. Later, move on to Zebra River Camp – your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three nights. Here, you can watch the sunset and share stories over the bonfire (maybe with a cocktail) before retiring to your room.
Day 5: Maasai Mara National Reserve
Explore more of the park by 4WD today with game drives from morning to afternoon. You’ll drive to the further part of the Maasai Mara National Reserve to look for wildlife including wildebeest, zebra and gazelles. Elephants, giraffes and elands are also commonly sighted, along with plenty of bird life. The area is known for its green plains and riverine woodlands. As the sun starts to set, stop and take a moment to soak it all in with a drink in hand – which is just what you’ll do during your Premium Exclusive Experience. Set against the backdrop of the open wilderness, indulge in canapes, light bites and a sundowner as the atmosphere comes alive with traditional Maasai dance performances and a cosy bonfire. As dusk falls, a variety of animals might be visible in the vicinity of your camp.
Day 6: Maasai Mara National Reserve
This morning, maybe take an optional hot balloon ride over Maasai Mara at sunrise. If you’ve pre-booked this activity, you’ll be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. You’ll then glide through the skies, sometimes at tree height, for some amazing photo opportunities. After landing, you’ll sit down to a bush breakfast before meeting up with the rest of your group. Today you’ll venture into the Maasai Mara National Reserve with expert local driver guides for a day-long 4WD safari. Explore this diverse environment and look for roaming wildlife like lions and cheetahs along the way.
Day 7: Nairobi
Say goodbye to the Maasai Mara and make the drive back to Nairobi, arriving in the late afternoon. This is a bit of a long travel day, so have your favourite playlists or podcasts ready. When you arrive, settle into your hotel and spend the evening at your leisure.
Day 8: Arusha
Start the day with an early breakfast, then drive to Arusha to begin the Tanzanian leg of your journey. When you arrive, get settled into your hotel – nestled on the woodland slopes of Mount Meru in the heart of a traditional coffee farm, your accommodation offers fantastic views of Lake Duluti. You’ll have a second welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight to meet the new travellers joining you for the next part of your adventure. After the meeting, join your leader for a welcome dinner.
Day 9: Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, you’ll travel to Tarangire National Park. Dotted with baobab trees, this area experiences its own small-scale migration, as animals travel from Tarangire to Lake Manyara in search of water and grass. Your accommodation here is a permanent tented camp in the heart of the park with wonderful views of the Tarangire River. During the migration periods, you may see zebras, wildebeest and elephants passing by the veranda of your tent – a true African bush experience. In the afternoon, set out in search of wildlife on a 4WD game drive through the national park.
Day 10: Karatu
After breakfast, set out on a sunrise 4WD game drive. Tarangire National Park is populated with elephants, herds of cape buffalo, gazelles, Burchell’s zebras, giraffes and warthogs. Their predators also roam the park – look out for lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jackals and even African wild dogs. If you look to the skies, you’ll see the park’s abundant array of birdlife. After, continue your journey to the Ngorongoro Highlands. Along the way, stop at a local farmer’s market for a look at local life. Watch traders and buyers haggle over the prices of a colourful array of fruits and vegetables – your leader will pick up some seasonal fruits for you to try.
Day 11: Serengeti National Park
Today, you’ll make your way to the wide-open plains of the Serengeti. Travel through the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ngorongoro Conservation Area, skirting the mighty volcanic Ngorongoro Crater. Arrive at the endless plains of the Serengeti – they span some 14,700 sq km (5676 sq mi), home to about three million animals! Here, you might see wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, lions, cheetahs, warthogs, hyenas, hippos and ostriches. This afternoon, head out on a 4WD game drive in the southern regions of the Serengeti for your first look at the park’s wildlife. In the evening, retire to your Feature Stay accommodation in the breathtaking wilderness of the Serengeti near the Seronera Valley – an excellent big cat viewing area. Built on a hill, the permanent tented camp offers spectacular, 360-degree views – perhaps best viewed from the swimming pool!
Day 12: Serengeti National Park
You may like to spend the morning on a hot air balloon safari over the great plains. After, you’ll have a full day wildlife drive. The interactions between the many species of the Serengeti plains often provide some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the world! Watch the landscape change in the park from the vast treeless central plains to thick scrubs and forests in the north. Linking these areas is the savannah, punctuated by acacia trees and rock outcrops. For lunch, you’ll stop in the bush for a fresh meal prepared and served right in the middle of the wilderness! Then, return to camp and take some time to relax in the shade. Once it’s cooled down and the animals are more active, set out again for an afternoon drive. No evening here is complete without sundowners, so tonight you’ll hop back in your safari vehicle and head to the hilltop above the lodge. As the sun dips low and the sky turns to fire, enjoy a drink, some snacks and toast to the magic of Tanzania.
Day 13: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
This morning, say goodbye to Serengeti National Park and travel back to the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area – one of Africa’s most beautiful nature reserves and the world’s largest intact caldera. Within this crater lies every type of ecosystem, including riverine forests, open plains, freshwater and alkaline lakes. On your game drive through the crater, look for roaming wildlife like the highly endangered black rhinoceros! Then, stop for a picnic lunch on the crater floor before continuing with your game drive. After, you’ll continue to the Ngorongoro Highlands.
Day 14: Karatu
This morning is free for you to explore at your own pace Then, set off on a hands-on tour of a local coffee plantation. Learn all about the coffee process, from seed to bean to cup! In the afternoon, spend some time relaxing by the pool or speak to your leader about the other activities available.
Day 15: Arusha
This morning, depart the lodge and make the drive back to Arusha. On the way, stop at the Pastoral Women’s Council in Makuyuni, where you’ll be welcomed with traditional Maasai song and dance. While you’re here, learn about Intrepid’s partnership with the Council, and visit Shanga to learn about intricate Maasai beadwork and how it’s a significant source of income and independence for women. Try spear throwing and fire-making with the locals and gain insight into Maasai traditional medicine. Continue to Arusha, arriving around 1 pm, where your adventure comes to an end. If you would like to extend your stay in Arusha, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.