East Africa Safari Adventure - 18 Days

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm in Nairobi. If you arrive early, why not kickstart your exploring – you could go on a 4WD safari in Nairobi National Park, visit the Karen Blixen Museum or join an Intrepid Day Trip to see the city through the eyes of a local. For something more hands-on, you could head to Kazuri Beads to take part in a jewellery workshop using clay sourced from the foothills of Mt Kenya. After your meeting, get to know your group over a welcome dinner.

Leave Nairobi after breakfast, headed for the Samburu National Reserve. On the way, you’ll stop to visit local beekeepers to get an insight into their sustainable beekeeping practices and learn how they provide education and training to women and youth working in beekeeping in rural communities. You’ll listen to an educational talk, then take a guided tour of the manufacturing area, where you’ll see how honey is produced and processed. Next, visit the apiaries to see both honeybees and stingless bees. Take part in a tasting session where you’ll try a variety of honey and bee products, then you’ll have some time to browse the local produce before continuing to Samburu. Your lodge tonight is within the Samburu National Reserve. This evening, there’s the option to take part in an astro-tourism experience – a bonfire storytelling session blending cultural storytelling with astronomy and stargazing.

Spend a full day exploring Samburu National Reserve on a 4WD safari. Set on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River and spanning 165 sq km, this reserve is known for its abundance of endemic northern Kenyan wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for the famous ‘Samburu Special Five’ – the Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, oryx beisa, gerenuk (AKA the ‘giraffe gazelle’) and Somali ostrich. You might also see elephants, lions, leopards and birds like the golden-breasted starling, Von der Decken's hornbill, martial eagle and the vulturine guinea fowl, with its distinctive bright blue plumage. With fewer crowds compared to Kenya's more popular wildlife reserves, you’ll get a more authentic, raw encounter with these incredible creatures and the sweeping landscape they call home – open plains scattered with acacia woodlands and doum palms.

Depart from your lodge this morning and drive south to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, located between the foothills of Mt Kenya and the Aberdare Range. This conservancy is home to lions, elephants, giraffes and more than 165 critically endangered black rhinos. This afternoon, you’ll go on a 4WD safari and learn about the innovation behind Ol Pejeta’s conservation work.

Travel south towards the slopes of Mt Kenya – a UNESCO World Heritage site that forms a critical ecosystem supporting biodiversity and wildlife corridors. When you arrive, you’ll head to the Intrepid-adopted forest for a tree-planting activity. Play your part in contributing to ongoing reforestation work by planting an Indigenous tree – these trees help to support long-term habitat restoration, soil recovery and climate resilience. Next, go on a guided nature walk through the forest to the Mau Mau Caves. This historic cave system served as a hideout for Mau Mau fighters during the Mau Mau Uprising in the 1950s. Step inside the cave, learn about its history from your leader and see the waterfall at the cave’s entrance.

Journey to the Great Rift Valley, watching the landscape transform from farmland to volcanic plains as you approach Lake Naivasha. When you arrive, you’ll explore the lake on a boat cruise. Bird lovers, be sure to keep an eye out for African fish eagles, kingfishers, spoonbills, great crested grebes and great egrets. The lake is also home to a significant population of hippos, which you might see wading in the water or strolling along the shoreline. After, continue to Lake Nakuru National Park. Venture out to explore the park’s various habitats including acacia woodlands, grasslands and the alkaline (soda) lake, each of which attracts a diversity of wildlife including leopards, buffalo, zebras and giraffes.

Spend a full day exploring Lake Nakuru National Park on 4WD safaris in the morning and afternoon. This park is known for its birdlife – there are more than 450 bird species found throughout the park. You might see egrets, pelicans, storks, spoonbills and raptors. During today’s excursions, you may spot black and white rhinos, gazelles, warthogs, lions, buffalo, leopards, giraffes and zebras. You’ll also head to some of the park’s best viewpoints like the Baboon Cliff for a panoramic vista over the lake.

After breakfast, travel south through the Great Rift Valley, bound for the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Along the way, you’ll visit Tepesua – a community-based organisation focused on supporting women’s health and education. Be welcomed by traditional Maasai warrior song and dance, then hear about Maasai culture and traditions from the locals. After, continue to the Maasai Mara, arriving in the afternoon. Settle into your accommodation – you have a full day of exploring the reserve ahead of you tomorrow.

Venture out into the Maasai Mara National Reserve on a full-day 4WD safari. Search the vast savannas for lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, cheetahs, hippos, elephants, rhinos and buffalo. Make sure you have your phone or camera fully charged – this is a great opportunity to sharpen your wildlife photography skills! If you’re up for an early start this morning, you have the option to take part in a hot air balloon ride, giving you a rare chance to see the Maasai Mara from a bird's-eye perspective. As the sun rises, you'll drift through the sky, sometimes floating at tree level, offering great photo opportunities. At other times, you'll soar higher, taking in sweeping views of the vast plains and the early morning movements of the wildlife below. After landing, enjoy a bush breakfast before returning to camp to rejoin your group.

This morning, bid farewell to your leader, crew and some of your fellow travellers as they head back to Nairobi. Enjoy a relaxed day at your accommodation, with time to unwind or choose from the optional activities available. Maybe join a guided nature walk or visit a nearby Maasai village to learn more about the local community and way of life. Later, you’ll transfer to your new accommodation and meet your new group and trip leader. Your leader will hold a briefing covering the days ahead, before you settle in and spend the evening getting to know your new travel companions.

This morning, explore the Maasai Mara on a 4WD safari in the morning and the afternoon today to give you the best chance to spot iconic African wildlife. This is the quintessential African experience, and with sparse open plains and some of the world's most impressive animals, you won't soon forget this one. Keep your eyes peeled for wildebeest, lions, leopards, antelope and giraffes along the way. You also have the option to take a balloon safari this morning, giving you a rare chance to see the open plains at sunrise, teeming with wildlife. You'll be picked up before dawn and taken to the launch site for a safety briefing with your pilot. Then float through the sky, sometimes at tree level, offering incredible photo opportunities. At other times, you'll soar higher, taking in sweeping views of the vast plains and the early morning movements of the wildlife below. After landing, enjoy a glass of bubbly and bush breakfast before returning to camp to rejoin your group.

Get ready for a long travel day as you journey toward the Kenya-Tanzania border and make your way to the magnificent Lake Victoria. This vast lake is the main source of the Nile, the longest river in the world, and spans the shores of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. On arrival, unwind with a lakeside dinner while you ponder the magnitude of the world’s largest tropical lake.

Enjoy a relaxed morning, taking in the magnificent views of Lake Victoria in the morning light. Travel to Serengeti National Park, renowned for its incredible wildlife and vast, open landscapes. After passing through the park gate, experience the greatest commute possible as we slowly make our way to our permanent tented camp via the 'scenic safari route.' Along the way, stop to take photos of the abundant wildlife and stunning views. Tonight, you'll have a true African safari experience – with your comfortable safari camp set right in the heart of the Serengeti. After dinner, gather around the campfire to share stories, then fall asleep to the sounds of the wild.

Wake to another glorious day in the Serengeti National Park. Start the day with an early morning 4WD safari to spot the wildlife when they're at their most active. Then, return to camp for a relaxed brunch. This afternoon, head off again for another drive through the park. Return to camp for dinner and another night under the Serengeti's stars. 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.

Enjoy a final game drive through the Serengeti National Park this morning as you exit your camp inside the park and make your way to the park gate. From here, drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation area, where you'll hop in the park's 4WD jeeps and descend to the crater floor. The jeeps have an open roof, and the animals here are less wary of humans and vehicles, which makes watching them up close easier. Take in the spectacular views from the crater's rim as you make your way to the bottom, where animals roam the lakes, rivers, woodlands and hills. Keep an eye out for wildebeest, lion, zebra, cheetah, buffalo, gazelle, and endangered black rhino. This afternoon, leave the Ngorongoro Crater and drive to Karatu – a small town on its outskirts and your base for the next two nights.

After breakfast, make your way towards Lake Eyasi, a vast seasonal soda lake, stopping at a scenic viewpoint to take in the magnificent views across its shimmering waters. The area surrounding Lake Eyasi has been home to the Hadzabe people for more than 10,000 years and is one of the few places in Africa where traditional tribal life continues with little modern influence. Today’s visit to the Hadzabe lands offers fascinating insight into this ancient culture and a chance to learn about their way of life. Meet community members and take part in daily activities such as hunting, gathering, and traditional dance, while learning about their unique ‘click’ language — believed to be one of the oldest still spoken today. Return to your lodge in Karatu later in the day to relax and unwind.

Today is a free day to relax or choose from the various optional activities available from your base in Karatu. You might like to head to a local coffee plantation or take a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Maybe opt for a hike through the Ngorongoro Reserve Forest to Elephant Caves accompanied by an expert local guide and armed ranger. This is the perfect way to stretch your legs after a few days of travel. You'll hike through the Ngorongoro rainforest as your local guide explains the ins and outs of the area and points out interesting animal tracks and footprints. Marvel at the wild landscape and spot the varied birdlife as you walk. In the afternoon, you’ll head to Arusha, where you spend your last night.

Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast today. A departure transfer to either Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) can be booked at an additional expense. Alternatively, you can continue with your crew to finish in Nairobi where you'll be dropped at a centrally located hotel, however, no accommodation will be provided tonight. If you want to extend your stay in Arusha or Nairobi, just get in touch with your booking agent to organise additional accommodation.