Best of East Africa - 20 Days

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your trip begins in Nairobi with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive with time to spare, consider getting to know the city on an Urban Adventure like the ‘Nairobi Experience’. This optional 4-hour tour is a great way to get a feel for Nairobi and includes lunch at a local restaurant. After the meeting, maybe join your new travel companions for an optional group dinner and get to know each other better.

Drive north-west past splendid views of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha and Elementaita to Lake Nakuru National Park. Situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru National Park is a great location for spotting wildlife, which you’ll get a chance to do on an early morning game drive tomorrow. For now, head to a nearby village with your leader. This is a fantastic opportunity to interact with the local folk and get a feel for everyday life here. Take a cooking class and return later in the evening to share the results for dinner.

Wake early for a light breakfast this morning and head into the Lake Nakuru National Park for a game drive in the overland vehicle. Lake Nakuru is home to rhinos, and there will be a good chance of spotting and photographing one of these magnificent beasts. Return to camp for lunch, then drive to Lake Naivasha. One of the few freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha has floating islands of papyrus reeds and a border of flat-topped acacias. It's also home to a healthy population of hippos and a huge variety of birds.

Today, you’ll head out for a boat trip across Lake Naivasha – the best way to take in the atmosphere of this lush area. With your experienced guide, look out for the numerous hippo that live here, as well as kingfishers, fish eagles, herons, giraffes, zebras and waterbucks. Set against a backdrop of the Eburru volcanic mountain range and lined by acacia trees, this lake is one of the most renowned in the area. After, you have a free day to choose from a variety of optional activities. Maybe opt for a trip to Hell's Gate National Park, which boasts beautiful cliffs, gorges, rock towers, volcanoes and a range of geothermal phenomena, or hire a bike for the day and make some of your own discoveries, venturing beyond the cacti and olive trees.

Depart Lake Naivasha, making a short stop in Narok for food shopping. Continue to Loita Hills, home of the Maasai people, stopping for lunch on the way. You’ll be camping at Tepesua Village, which is known for championing Maasai women’s health and education. When you arrive, be welcomed by traditional Maasai warrior song and dance, then your host will explain the details of Maasai warrior training. Take a walk to the community village, founded to alleviate the poverty of Maasai widows, who traditionally are not allowed to inherit property. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the Tepesua Widows Income Project. Spend the evening around a campfire and learn more about their age-old culture and traditions as you share stories with Maasai warriors into the night.

Today, you’ll travel from Loita Hills to Maasai Mara. Most of the road there is tarmacked, but the final 5 km is dusty when dry and muddy when wet. The Maasai Mara, with its sparse open plains, dramatic skies and some of the world's most tremendous animals, is the quintessential African experience. After setting up camp, sit down for some lunch. Then, it's time to jump in 4WDs and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara, looking out for all your wildlife favourites form the Lion King – think wildebeest, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, elephants and rhino.

This morning, maybe take an optional balloon ride over the 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 be treated to a bush breakfast before meeting up with the rest of the group. Today you’ll venture into the Maasai Mara National Reserve with expert local driver guides for a day-long 4WD game drive. You'll explore this diverse environment and most likely see a multitude of wildlife.

Leave the open expanses of the African bush behind and return to the urban environment of a Nairobi hotel with ensuite, bar, pool and WiFi.

Your day is free in Nairobi today, until another welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Maybe head out and explore the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum or the highly recommended Bomas of Kenya, where traditional homesteads of several Kenyan tribes are displayed in an outdoor village.

Depart early this morning, headed for Mto Wa Mbu in your overland truck. The trip includes a border crossing from Kenya into Tanzania, so be sure to have your passport ready. While you're on the road, there will be a stop at an ATM and a market or shop to stock up on any supplies you might need for the coming days. Arrive in Mto Wa Mbu and familiarise yourself with this delightful small village – it's a fascinating snapshot of small-town African life, situated well off the tourist trail.

Rise bright and early, put your camping and personal gear into a six-person jeep and head out for an excursion into the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Crater. During your safari through this impressively intact volcanic caldera, watch for black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor offers excellent wildlife viewing all year round (some 30,000 animals live here!) and the photo opportunities are unparalleled. Next, it's on to the wide open plains of the Serengeti. Green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season, this is perhaps the quintessential image of Africa – the home of thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators. Your campsite is located within the Serengeti itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep.

Wake up at dawn and head out on safari at a time when the animals are at their most active. Then, head back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. You’ll have the middle of the day to relax at the campsite, then you’ll head out again as the day begins to cool. You'll return from your second safari in time for dinner. You might also opt to take a balloon safari over the park this morning. If you have booked this activity, you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, take off and glide through the dawn sky, sometimes at tree height, getting some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you'll ascend higher, giving you an overview of the vastness of the plains. After landing, celebrate with a glass of champagne before tucking into a special bush breakfast.

Rise with the sun and go out on another game drive. Then, leave the Serengeti behind and jump back into your overland vehicle, bound for Mto Wa Mbu. When you arrive, set up camp, then you’ll take a guided stroll through the local homes and farmlands, getting to know the local community and their way of life. Later, you’ll enjoy a local dinner in town.

Prepare yourself for a long travel day as you head for the Usambara Mountains. Stretch your legs during a brief supply stop in Arusha, then jump back in the vehicle and watch the ever-changing scenery, read your favourite book or take the chance to get to know your fellow travellers better. Your base in the Usambara Mountains will be Lushoto – home to the Wasambaa people. This highland town sits at an elevation of approximately 1400 m. This evening, you'll camp on the grounds of one of the oldest hotels in Africa.

Explore the striking landscapes of the Usambara Mountains today. Unlike the coast and the north, far fewer tourists visit this part of Tanzania. As beautiful as the surrounding mountains and rainforests are, however, the real highlights here are the local people and villages. You'll experience the local hospitality on a visit to a small community. You’ll also take a walk out to the Irente Viewpoint. It's best to pack some water and snacks in a day pack for this trip. On your way back, visit a local cultural project where you’ll also stop for lunch.

Leaving the mountains behind, travel further south to the coastal town of Kipepeo Beach in Dar es Salaam. Your camp is by the beach, so make the most of it – maybe take a stroll along the shore after you arrive and settle in.

Catch a ferry to Zanzibar, Africa’s famous ‘Spice Island.’ On arrival, enjoy some free time to discover Zanzibar City at your own pace. Lose yourself in the maze of cobblestone alleyways in Stone Town, admire the mix of Arabic, African and European architecture, or soak up the bustling atmosphere of Darajani Bazaar. This afternoon, you’ll have another welcome meeting at 2 pm to meet the new travellers joining you on the next leg of your adventure. After your meeting, perhaps head out together for dinner at a local restaurant – your leader will have the best recommendations.

Once checked out of your Stone Town accommodation, consider booking in to an optional guided tour of the island's spice plantations, learning all about the history of this town's spice trade. You will have the opportunity to smell and taste various spices, such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, plus sample some teas made with these spices too. After lunch, head to the Northern Beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas await. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.

Ease into the day with the sound of gentle waves and soft ocean breezes. With a full day free to enjoy Zanzibar’s coastline, you might choose to take a refreshing swim, stretch out on the beach beneath the palms, or savour the flavours of the island with a seafood dinner by the water. However you spend it, today is all about slowing down and letting the rhythm of island life take over.

After checking out of your accommodation this morning, you will make your way back to Stone Town, arriving at a centrally-located hotel around 12 pm. With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave at any time. That doesn't mean your adventure has to come to an end! If you wish to stay on in Zanzibar, either at the Northern Beaches beach resort or in Stone Town, we'll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).