Tanzania & Kenya: The Ultimate Safari Adventure
- Tour code
TZAKENADV01
- Start
Arusha
- End
Nairobi
- Min. age
16 years old
- Group size
Max 6-16 travellers
- Trip style
Explorer
- Trip pace
Active
- Language
English
This safari covers a lot of ground in eight days, and the logistics are handled for you: a driver-guide, road transfers, lodges and tented camps, and breakfast, lunch and dinner once you're underway.
Before the game drives begin, you'll head to Lake Eyasi to meet the Hadzabe, among the last hunter-gatherer peoples in Africa, and the Datoga, pastoralists known for their metalwork and herds of cattle.
Then it's all about wildlife. You'll descend to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, spend a day and a half tracking big cats and elephants on the Serengeti, and cross into Kenya for two days in the Maasai Mara, where lions, cheetahs and huge herds of grazers roam the grasslands.
Why This Journey
Most safaris stay in one country. This one links Tanzania's northern circuit with Kenya's Maasai Mara by road, so the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti and the Mara all fit into a single week without internal flights, and you finish in Nairobi rather than doubling back.
Starting with the Hadzabe and Datoga at Lake Eyasi gives the wildlife days a human context, and the full-board arrangement once you leave Arusha means you can simply focus on the drives. It suits first-time safari travelers who want a lot of variety in a short trip.
Where You'll Stay
Arusha (1 night): Gran Meliá Arusha. Lake Eyasi (1 night): Kisima Ngeda Tented Camp, on the lakeshore. Karatu (1 night): Ngorongoro Farm House, near the Ngorongoro gate. Serengeti (2 nights): Serengeti Pioneer Camp, then Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge. Maasai Mara (2 nights): Sand River Masai Mara. Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation. Prices are based on two people sharing a double room with two beds.
Getting There
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi; arrival and departure airport transfers are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
What you will see and do
Search for the Big Five in the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara
Spend time with Hadzabe and Datoga communities on the shores of Lake Eyasi
Watch the sun go down over open savannah, volcanic highlands and crater walls
What's included
All activities mentioned on the itinerary
Accommodations in double rooms
Experienced Soca Islands Host with you throughout the trip
One farewell group activity when possible
Max 16 travellers per group
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Group transportation
What's excluded
- International flights (travelers arrange their own)
- Travel insurance (required; proof of cover must be provided)
- Visas and border fees for Tanzania and Kenya
- Optional activities (Maasai village visit, hot air balloon flight) and personal expenses
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Single room supplement (single rooms on request, subject to availability)
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Group itinerary
Land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where your driver-guide will be waiting. After a quick briefing, you'll drive to Arusha through the green foothills of Mount Meru and check into your hotel.
Arrived early? Take a wander through town. Otherwise, rest up before dinner and an early night ahead of the road west.
The road west leaves Arusha behind for farmland, small villages and eventually the remote Lake Eyasi basin, below the escarpment of the Rift Valley.
Here you'll spend time with the Hadzabe, learning how one of Africa's last hunter-gatherer communities lives off the land, then meet the Datoga to see their crafts and cattle-herding way of life. Tonight's camp sits by the lake, with the sunset over the water to end the day.
Climb into the green highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend to the crater floor, a collapsed volcano that is now home to rhinos, buffalo, lions, elephants and pink-tinged flamingos.
You'll game drive for most of the day, with a picnic lunch in the crater, then head back up to a quiet countryside lodge near Karatu for the night.
Cross the highlands and roll down onto the open grass of Serengeti National Park, spotting animals from the vehicle as you go.
After lunch at your camp, you're straight back out on an afternoon game drive, returning for dinner beneath a sky full of stars.
Head out at first light, when predators are most active, then return for breakfast before exploring further: granite kopjes, river plains and everything living among them, from giraffes and hippos to elephants and big cats.
Late in the day you'll move to a lodge with wide views across the savannah.
With a packed lunch on board, drive north to the Isebania border post. Once immigration is done, you'll continue into Kenya toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve, game driving on the way in before reaching your camp for the night.
A whole day in the Mara, with game drives in the morning and again in the afternoon. Look for the Big Five alongside cheetahs, hyenas and the endless herds of plains game.
Lunch is either a picnic out in the bush or back at camp. A Maasai village visit or a hot air balloon flight can be added as optional extras.
After a final breakfast in the reserve, drive back to Nairobi through the Kenyan countryside and the Great Rift Valley.
The trip wraps up with a transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) for your flight home.
Accommodations
Here's a glimpse of the hotels we selected for this adventure.
Gran Meliá Arusha
A hotel set within a coffee plantation on the edge of Arusha, with views of Mount Meru and, on clear days, Kilimanjaro. It is a comfortable stop between the mountain and the safari circuit, with easy road access for groups.
Facilities include an outdoor pool, a spa and several restaurants and bars.
Hotel websiteKisima Ngeda Tented Camp
A small camp on the shore of Lake Eyasi, looking across the soda lake to the Rift escarpment, set among palms watered by a natural spring. It is a natural base for time with the Hadzabe and Datoga communities.
Seven en-suite tents sit under wood and thatch roofs, with an open dining room and bar, a spring-fed swimming area and walking trails on the property.
Ngorongoro Farm House
A lodge on a working coffee farm near Karatu, a few minutes from the Lodoare gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which makes early starts for the crater straightforward.
Rooms are in thatched cottages spread through the gardens, and the farm grows much of the produce served in its restaurant. There is an outdoor pool with views of the surrounding hills.
Serengeti Pioneer Camp
A classic tented camp in the southern part of the central Serengeti, built in the style of early safari camps and set on a ridge near the Moru Kopjes area.
Its small number of tents keeps the atmosphere intimate.
Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge
A tented lodge on a hillside in the central Serengeti, looking out over the Seronera area, which holds wildlife year-round and is a good base for morning and afternoon game drives.
Spacious tents with private bathrooms, an infinity pool facing the plains and a restaurant make it a comfortable camp for two nights in the park.
Sand River Masai Mara
A tented camp on the banks of the Sand River in the southern Maasai Mara National Reserve, close to the border with Tanzania's Serengeti. Its position puts game drives straight into the reserve's open plains, where the big cats and large herds are often seen.
The camp's canvas tents have private bathrooms and verandas facing the river, and meals are served in a main mess tent, with a pool for the middle of the day.
Rooms
- Included
Shared double
Shared with the person you book with, or a fellow traveller of the same sex.
- Extra cost
Single room
A room to yourself, subject to availability.
You choose your room when you book.
Tour FAQS
Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO).
Proposed accommodation is Gran Meliá Arusha (1 night), Kisima Ngeda Tented Camp at Lake Eyasi (1 night), Ngorongoro Farm House in Karatu (1 night), Serengeti Pioneer Camp and Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge in the Serengeti (1 night each) and Sand River Masai Mara (2 nights), or similar, subject to confirmation.
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
Yes. Your arrival transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and departure transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
The trip includes 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 dinners. Meals are full board once you are underway on safari, as shown in the itinerary; anything not listed is at your own cost.
Extra nights can be requested, subject to hotel availability; contact our Customer Experience team for a quote.
There are no scheduled activities on the final day, so feel free to book your departure at your own convenience.
We recommend arriving before 3 pm on Day 1 to make it in time for the welcome event. But don’t worry no matter when you land, we’ll have an airport transfer ready for you.
Please Refer to your government’s travel advice or consult your local consulate. Remember, passport and visa requirements can change, so make sure to stay updated.
Excluding alcohol, we suggest budgeting around USD $40.00 per day for extras.
While we’re not medical professionals, we want to help you prepare for a safe and healthy adventure. Here are some tips:
- Consult with a healthcare professional: Schedule an appointment with your travel nurse or doctor at least eight weeks before your adventure to get any necessary vaccines or medications.
- Up-to-date medical advice:
- US residents: Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
- UK residents: Visit the NHS Fit For Travel website.
- Australian residents: Refer to the Smart Traveler Health website.
3. Government travel advice:
- US residents: Consult the US Department of State Travel Advice.
- UK residents: Check the FCDO Travel Advice.
- Australian residents: Visit the Smart Traveler website.
4. Medication tips: If you take prescription medication, bring enough to last the entire trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays. Carry a copy of your prescription in case you need to visit a clinic abroad.
We hope this helps you prepare for a safe and enjoyable adventure.
Please keep in mind that our itinerary, activities, and hotels might change. These adjustments could happen with little notice due to factors like availability, weather conditions, seasonal shifts, or other circumstances beyond our control. Rest assured, we always aim to minimise any impact on your experience. Occasionally, we may tweak the itinerary to try out fresh ideas and keep the adventure exciting.
We believe solo travelers shouldn’t have to pay extra to explore the world. That’s why our group trips are designed around shared accommodation and do not include a single supplement. Solo travelers joining our group trips are paired in twin or multi-share rooms with another traveler of the same sex for the duration of the trip.
Some of our Independent trips are structured differently. For these itineraries, solo travelers will need to book at the single occupancy rate.
Tips are not included in the cost of this tour. Remember, tipping is entirely at your discretion and based on what you feel comfortable with.
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