12 Days Explore Kenya/Tanzania combined budget Road safari holiday

Day 1 : Nairobi – Maasai Mara
Pick up from your hotel at 0730 hrs and drive via the scenic Great Rift Valley, to the Mara Reserve arriving in good time for lunch. Afternoon game drive is taken. Dinner and overnight at Mara sidai camp

Day 2/3: Maasai Mara
Full day spent exploring the park in search of the Big 5. Dinner and overnight at Mara sidai camp

The Maasai Mara Game Reserve is arguably Kenya’s most popular game sanctuary. It is the most famous and most visited game reserve in Kenya. The film ‘Out of Africa’ was made to a great extent in this reserve. Virtually every type of wildlife can be seen at the Mara. A spectacle worth seeing is the annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle from Serengeti plains across the Tanzania border and the Mara River to reach Maasai Mara grazing fields from late June. The dramatic crossing of the river and the preying on the migrants by predators can be viewed from early July to August. The reserve abounds with birdlife since dose to about 452 species have been recorded. Hot air balloon safaris are readily available in this park

Day 4: Maasai Mara – Lake Nakuru
After breakfast proceed northwards to arrive in Lake Nakuru National park in time for lunch. Afternoon game drive in the park where you will have a chance to visit a unique sanctuary catering for a sizeable number of the endangered rhinocerous and the Rothschild giraffe. Waterbucks as well as the predators such as the lion and leopard are common at the park. Also to be seen is a myriad different variety of birdlife in and around the lake. Flamingoes are also plenty at the lake. Dinner and overnight at the budget hotel.

Day 5: Lake Nakuru – Amboseli National park
Game is viewed as we exit the park and drive to Amboseli National reserve at the foot of snowcapped Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. Packed lunches enroute Afternoon game drive is taken. Dinner and overnight at Amboseli Kibo Safari Camp

Day 6 : Amboseli National park
full day in this photogenic park. Morning and afternoon game drives. Meals and overnight at Amboseli Kibo Safari camp

Amboseli National park is one of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in Kenya. It is situated close to Kenya. It is situated close to Kenya- Tanzania border, The Park lies at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa (5,896m) whose snow-capped summit presents a splendid view on clear days. Amboseli National Park is often referred to as “The home of Elephants’ some of the largest Elephant herds are found here. The Game Park also contains vast groups of Zebras, Wildebeests, Giraffes, Buffalos, Hippos and Antelopes. Also to be found in Amboseli are lions, leopards, Cheetahs, Rhinos and many species of plain game

Day 7 : Amboseli - Lake Manyara
After breakfast, we drive into Tanzania via the Namanga border. We also pass through Arusha for lunch and proceed to Lake Manyara National park with Regardless of the direction we approach Manyara from, the view is always fantastic. Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara campsite

Lake Manyara is a shallow, alkaline lake that is part of the Rift Valley wall; the lake is at the base of this dramatic western escarpment giving it a beautiful and serene setting. In addition to this peaceful setting, Lake Manyara’s main attractions are its rich bird life, tree climbing lions and its hippos, which you can see at a closer range than many other places. Lake Manyara also hosts thousands of flamingos at certain times of the year and has diverse vegetation ranging from savannah, to marshes and acacia woodland, enabling a variety of wildlife habitats including butterflies.

Day 8: Lake Manyara - Serengeti National park
Morning gamedrives at Lake Manyara national park before proceeding to Serengeti national park with packed lunches. Game is viewed as we proceed to Serengeti camp  for overnight stay.

Day 9: Serengeti National park
Full day spent exploring the park in search of the big 5. Morning and afternoon game drives are offered. Dinner and overnight stay at Serengeti campsite

Serengeti is Africa’s most famous and Tanzania’s largest park covering 14,736 sq km and is adjoining with the Masai Mara National reserve in Kenya. With a wildebeest population of about 2 million and several other hoofed species (which include zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, impala, topi, Grants gazelle, Kongoni, Eland, Kirk’s dik dik, klipspringer, roan, Oryx, oribi, waterbuck, buffalo, giraffe and warthog), the Serengeti is sure to attract a string of prey such as lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, golden jackals and bat eared foxes. Elephants are relatively scarce and the few remaining black rhinoceros are restricted to the Moru Koppies area.

Serengeti also offers rewarding bird viewing with ostrich and kori bustard being common, a variety of larks, finches, and raptors can be seen but the most distinctive small bird is the lilac breasted roller.

Day 10 : Ngorongoro via Olduvai Gorge
After an early breakfast, we drive south to the magnificent Ngorongoro crater via the historical Olduvai Gorge whilst game watching only interrupted by a Packed lunches enroute. We stop and set camp at the Ngorongoro campsite

The Olduvai Gorge cuts through rock beds layered in time sequence from 2 million years ago to the present. It is here where humanoid bones have been found dating back to over 1.75 million years including a direct ancestor of modern man. Fossil footprints (over three million years old) have also been found here and are the most ancient footprints yet discovered. There is an excellent site museum where you can explore the diggings with a guide and it is also a great place to view birds.

Day 11 : Ngorongoro Crater tour
Descend the crater soon after breakfast for a full day crater tour with packed lunches - ascend for dinner and overnight stay at Ngorongoro campsite beautifully set by the crater rim for dinner and overnight stay

The Ngorongoro crater is the world's biggest whole volcanic caldera at 8300 sq km and is arguably the most stunning arena. It is frequently described as one of the wonders of the world, not only because of its geological magnificence, but also because it serves as an extraordinary natural sanctuary for some of Africa's largest populations of large mammals. Ngorongoro and other freestanding mountains are volcanic in origin, formed during the fracturing process that created the Rift valley 15 to 20 million years ago. When it peaked in size 3 million years ago it was a similar height to Mt. Kilimanjaro today

Day 12 : Ngorongoro - Arusha- Nairobi
Early morning game drives then return to the lodge for breakfast ,drive to Arusha town for lunch then board an afternoon shuttle bus to Nairobi departing at 1400 hrs - drop off at the airport to board your home bound flight .

N.B you could add a few relaxing days at Zanzibar beach

Tour price includes
-Guarantee price/guarantee safari on confirmation
-Ground transport on safari in a comfortable safari van in Kenya and Land cruiser in Tanzania
-Full board accommodation whilst on safari except in Nairobi
-Accommodation in camp
-All park entrance fees to include government taxes
-Service of an English speaking professional driver/guide
-All game drives as detailed in the itinerary
-Arrival and departure transfers
-Bottled mineral water whilst on safari
-Arusha – Nairobi Shuttle transfers
-Tour starts/ends in Nairobi

Tour price excludes:-
-All personal travel insurance
- Personal travel insurance
- Hotel accommodations in Nairobi after the safari
- All personal expenses; e.g. laundry, telephones, beverages, tips,
-Any other extras not stated as included above
-Cultural visits to Masai villages