13 Days Explore East Africa Safari

An  driver will be ready to meet you as you exit the arrivals terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Transfer across town, skirting the perimeter of the Nairobi National Park, as you make your way towards the tranquil neighbourhood of Karen and the Hemingways Nairobi Hotel. The warm comfort of this luxury boutique hotel creates the perfect environment in which to relax and unwind after a long flight. If time allows, the spa will re-energise tired muscles and the swimming pool will refresh. The Brasserie serves a wide variety of international dishes, ensuring the most discerning palates are catered for. Overnight Hemingways Nairobi Hotel, Nairobi

After breakfast, an Asilia driver will meet you for your short transfer to Wilson Airport for your flight to Ol Seki Airstrip. On arrival, a guide from Naboisho Camp will meet you at the airstrip to welcome you to the Mara Naboisho Conservancy. After a quick briefing of the area, set off on a game drive as you slowly make your way towards camp. After a short introduction to camp, settle in for lunch, followed by the opportunity to relax and acclimatise to your new surroundings. In the late afternoon, gather in the lounge for a cup of tea and perhaps a pastry, before setting out for an afternoon game drive across the plains of Naboisho. This wildlife-rich environment offers a remarkable game viewing experience, from large prides of lion to families of cheetah and large herds of elephant. As sunset approaches, enjoy a cold drink and some snacks whilst watching the sun slip below the horizon. On return to camp, there’s time to enjoy a hot shower and some conversation by the fire before sitting down to a delicious dinner. As you lie in bed on your first night in the African bush, enjoy the sounds of the night as they gently lull you to sleep. Overnight Naboisho Camp, Mara Naboisho Conservancy

Mornings on safari are generally an early start as you aim to be out in the bush at first light while wildlife is most active. Walking safaris are most pleasant during the cooler hours of the morning before the temperature begins to climb and can be tailored in length to suit the requirements of the group. An excursion to a neighbouring Maasai community allows the opportunity for insight into a very different culture and way of life. While this activity replaces a morning or afternoon game drive, it is generally considered a unique and insightful experience. Game drives will go out in the early morning, usually with a packed breakfast to enjoy as a picnic in a suitable location, returning to camp in the late morning. A second game drive departs in the late afternoon and will usually incorporate a sundowner. For something different, head out on a night game drive into the darkness in pursuit of some of the lesser spotted nocturnal animals. Overnight Naboisho Camp, Mara Naboisho Camp

After breakfast it’s time to pack your bags for your flight back to Nairobi. You will be met by your Asilia driver when you land at Wilson Airport and then transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. This takes approximately an hour, depending on traffic. It’s the end of your safari and time to check in for your flight home with many wonderful memories of Kenya. Overnight Naboisho Camp, Mara Naboisho Camp

Game drives are the primary activity from Olakira, departing twice a day in the morning and afternoon equipped with a picnic breakfast or a sundowner kit, or heading out for a full day game drive with a picnic lunch only returning to camp in the mid-afternoon. Game viewing in the Serengeti is prolific with an abundance of wildlife. The Great Migration adds another level of excitement into the mix, with sensational river crossings to be seen in the northern Serengeti and frenetic excitement in the southern plains as predators pick off the easy prey of new-born wildebeest and zebra. Overnight Olakira Migration Camp

Capitalise on the travel day and enjoy a slightly more relaxed start with the opportunity to eat breakfast in camp before departing for the airstrip and your flight to Seronera. On arrival at Seronera Airstrip, you will be met by a guide from Dunia Camp and provided with a short introduction to this new area. Enjoy a slow game drive towards camp, leaving the busy Seronera region behind you as you head west towards the Moru Kopjes and the sanctuary of Dunia Camp. After a lunch enjoyed under the trees, there’s the opportunity to settle into camp and soak up the views from your private veranda or the elevated lounge. As the afternoon temperatures begin to drop off, regroup for a cup of coffee or a cold drink before heading out for an afternoon game drive across the Serengeti plains. When the sun starts to dip towards the horizon, it’s time to find a good viewpoint and enjoy a cold drink whilst soaking up the beauty of your surroundings. Once back in camp, there’s time to freshen before fireside drinks and a delicious dinner. Overnight Dunia Camp, South Central Serengeti

Game drives are the primary activity from Dunia, departing twice a day in the morning and afternoon equipped with a picnic breakfast or a sundowner kit, or heading out for a full day game drive with a picnic lunch only returning to camp in the mid-afternoon. Game viewing in the Serengeti is prolific with an abundance of wildlife. Dunia Camp’s central location allows for access to the herds of the Great Migration at many different times of the year. With a picnic lunch, a full day game drive can reach the southern plains, some of the western corridor and most of the central regions, providing a diverse game viewing experience. For an additional cost, there is the option of enjoying a hot air balloon safari and the opportunity for an entirely different perspective on game viewing. Overnight Dunia Camp, South Central Serengeti

After breakfast in camp, make your way towards Seronera Airstrip for your flight to Lake Manyara. On arrival, you will be met by a guide from The Highlands for your 3 hour transfer up into the heights of Ngorongoro. Enjoy the scenic drive, passing through the bustling town of Karatu and in through the gates to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The steep road ascends the outer slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater through lush and dense tropical jungle, until you arrive on the crater rim road with a spectacular viewpoint over the crater. This is the perfect location in which to stretch the legs, take in the view and enjoy the picnic lunch you have brought with you from Dunia Camp. From here, your journey takes you in an anti-clockwise direction around the crater rim, eventually heading away from the crater rim and into the green rolling highlands of Ngorongoro. Pass by goat herders and waving school children as you circumnavigate the base of Ol Moti Crater, arriving on its northern slopes and the warmth of The Highlands. After the long drive, relax in camp and acclimatise to the altitude before sitting down to a dinner feast in the dining tent. Overnight The Highlands, Ngorongoro Conservation Area

It’s an early start to the day as you aim to be amongst the first cars on the crater floor. It’ll likely be cold and dark when you depart from camp, bundled under warm jackets and Maasai blankets. However, the cold is quickly forgotten as you begin your journey down the inner walls of the unbroken caldera that is the Ngorongoro Crater. Once on the crater floor, there’s time for coffee and some breakfast snacks to see you through the morning, whilst enjoying the game drive experience in this unique location. A picnic lunch can be enjoyed alongside the hippo pool, where grunting rafts of hippo will keep you company whilst you refuel. By mid-afternoon, it’s time to start the return journey up the walls of the caldera to the rim, and onwards back to camp for a chance to freshen up and enjoy a drink in the bar before dinner.

After breakfast in camp, depart The Highlands and make your way back around the crater rim and down the outer slopes of Ngorongoro, back to Lake Manyara Airstrip. If this marks the end of your itinerary, you will fly into Kilimanjaro Airport to collect your bags and connect with you onward travel. If you are continuing to Zanzibar, your longer flight will provide you with ample time to enjoy your packed lunch while taking in the changing views from your vantage point. And will be end of safari of 13 days.