12-Day Luxury Kenya & Tanzania Safari – Masai Mara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Arrival in Nairobi & Relaxation

Evening Arrival
Your journey begins with a private VVIP transfer from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to your luxury hotel . Upon arrival, enjoy a welcome drink and smooth check-in. Take time to relax in your elegant room, refresh after your journey, and settle into the tranquil gardens and surroundings of the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Dinner on arrival day)
Transport: Private airport transfer; minimal hotel transfers
Distance: Minimal; activities within Nairobi and hotel grounds

Evening & Night
Relax in your room or stroll the hotel’s lush gardens. Enjoy a multi-course dinner in a calm and elegant setting to unwind after your journey.

Travel Note: We recommend that clients flying long hours to Nairobi consider arriving one day earlier to better acclimate and reduce jet lag. This approach will help ensure a more enjoyable and productive stay

Nairobi Wildlife & Giraffe Experience

Morning – Optional Early Nairobi National Park Safari Drive & Elephant Orphanage Visit
Guests who wish to start early can enjoy a private transfer to Nairobi National Park for a gentle morning safari drive. Spot lions, giraffes, rhinos, and zebras at a relaxed pace from a luxury 4x4 with pop-up roof—perfect for photography.

After the optional drive, proceed to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (Elephant Orphanage). This is a must-visit activity: enjoy a guided tour with short walks and seating while watching baby elephants being fed and learning about ongoing conservation efforts.

Afternoon – Giraffe Centre Encounter
Visit the Giraffe Centre for an unforgettable encounter with Rothschild’s giraffes. Feed, photograph, and learn from expert guides about giraffe conservation. Then proceed to a Nairobi city hotel or restaurant for a gourmet lunch. Options include:

• Carnivore

• Talisman

• Tamarind Brasserie

• Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages

• Caltiva Restaurant

Evening – Return & Dinner at the Hotel
Return to the hotel for a scenic gourmet dinner. Spend the evening relaxing in your room, hotel gardens, or lounge areas.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Transport: Private SUV / 4x4 transfers; on-site relaxation
Distance: Approx. 40–50 km, including optional game drive; minimal for hotel and Giraffe Centre transfers

Morning: Depart Nairobi after breakfast and drive through the Great Rift Valley escarpment toward Lake Nakuru.

The journey offers panoramic viewpoints before descending to the acacia-dotted plains surrounding the alkaline lake.

Arriving in time for lunch, you’ll enjoy a relaxed afternoon before heading out for your first game drive.

Lake Nakuru is renowned for its protected rhino population and Rothschild’s giraffes.

Afternoon: Embark on an afternoon gamedrive in search of the animals that reside here, like the buffalo, lions, flamingos, and possibly elusive leopards, along fever tree forests and lakeshore tracks.

The compact park allows for rewarding sightings within a short time.

Distance: Approx. 160 km | 3–4 hours

Transport: by pop-up roof 4x4 Land Cruiser
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning: After breakfast, depart for the Masai Mara via Narok town, traveling across rolling Maasai plains.

You’ll arrive at your luxury camp in time for lunch before preparing for your first Mara game drive.

The Masai Mara offers one of Africa’s densest predator populations.

Afternoon: exploration may reveal lions resting under acacias, cheetahs scanning open plains, and large elephant herds moving toward seasonal rivers.

Distance: Approx. 300 km | 5–6 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Transport: Comfortable 4x4 safari jeep

Today is dedicated to exploring the vast plains of the Masai Mara.

Morning and afternoon game drives maximize wildlife sightings, with chances to witness dramatic predator-prey interactions.

If traveling during migration season, massive wildebeest herds may dominate the horizon.

Optional experiences include a sunrise hot air balloon safari followed by a champagne bush breakfast.

The reserve’s varied ecosystems, riverine forests, grasslands, and escarpments support exceptional biodiversity.

Transport: Unlimited Game drives within the reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Drinking water

Another full day allows deeper exploration of different Mara regions, including the Mara River area known for crocodiles and hippos.

Your guide tailors routes based on wildlife movement, ensuring personalized encounters.

Option 1: Depart early morning, then return for breakfast and morning at leisure, then depart in the afternoon for another game drive, returning at sunset.

Option 2: Depart with a picnic lunch and spend the day exploring the savannah, have lunch inside the savannah, and thereafter return to the camp late evening.

Late evening: Evenings are spent relaxing at your lodge, enjoying sundowners overlooking the savannah as the sounds of Africa settle in around you.

Optional activities: You can book a balloon ride today, which takes off early in the morning. After landing, the crew helps you out of the basket and escorts you to a lovely setting for a champagne bush breakfast, a lifetime experience worth the price. Later, you can join your driver guide at a location and proceed with your full-day game drive.

Transport: 4x4 safari jeep with a pop-up roof

Distance: Unlimited Game drives within the reserve
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning – Flight transfer to Serengeti

Today, after breakfast, you will be transferred to the Masai Mara airstrip for your scheduled flight to Serengeti. On arrival at Serengeti, you will meet your professional driver-guide who will welcome you and take you to your lodge through the expansive Serengeti National Park, arriving in good time for lunch.

Afternoon – Relaxation & First Game Drive
 During the hottest part of the day, unwind and refresh. Enjoy reading, journaling your safari experiences, or simply observing birds and smaller wildlife from your private deck. After a leisurely Lunch, head out on a first private game drive till late afternoon, exploring new areas of the Serengeti and enjoying the golden light of sunset across the savannah.

Evening – Gourmet Dinner Under the Stars
Conclude the day with a multi-course gourmet dinner at your lodge, accompanied by the serene sounds of the wilderness. Optional stargazing or a quiet evening on your private deck provides a perfect end to an immersive Serengeti day.

Optional Experiences:  sundowners can be arranged—coordinate with your Driver guide and your tour manager when booking this tour for an unforgettable safari experience.

Spend the day exploring the central Serengeti’s Seronera Valley, famous for year-round wildlife and big cat sightings.

Lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas thrive here due to abundant prey.

The vast plains create ideal photographic conditions, especially during golden hours.

Your guide adjusts routes depending on seasonal wildlife concentrations.

Transport: 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof

Distance: Unlimited Game drives within the park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Another immersive safari day allows exploration of different Serengeti sectors.

Morning: Start with an early morning gamedrive and thereafter return to the lodge for a leisurely breakfast.

Afternoon: Return for an afternoon game drive in the afternoon as the day starts to cool off.

River systems attract elephants and buffalo, while kopjes (rock outcrops) serve as lion lookout points.

With three nights in the Serengeti, you enjoy both depth and flexibility, avoiding rushed transitions between parks.

Transport: 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof

Unlimited Game drives within the park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & drinking water

After breakfast, depart Serengeti and drive toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The journey passes Maasai villages and scenic highlands before reaching the crater rim.

Descend 600 meters into the crater for a half-day game drive.

This UNESCO-listed caldera supports one of Africa’s highest wildlife densities, including black rhinos and large lion prides.

Transport: Land Cruiser 4x4 with a pop-up roof.

Distance: Approx. 145 km | 3–4 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a morning or afternoon game drive.

The park’s groundwater forest contrasts beautifully with open lake shores filled with birdlife.

Tree-climbing lions, elephants, and thousands of flamingos create a unique ecosystem experience before continuing to your lodge near the park.

Transport: 4x4 Land Cruiser jeep

 Approx. 60 km | 1–1.5 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before departing for Arusha.

The short drive allows time for last-minute souvenir shopping or optional cultural visits, depending on your departure schedule.

Upon arrival in Arusha, you’ll be transferred to the airport or your onward hotel, marking the end of your Luxury Kenya & Tanzania Safari adventure.

Optional Safari Extension: You have the flexibility in your travel plans. You can either head to Kilimanjaro Airport or Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta Airport for your outbound flight home. Alternatively, you can fly from Arusha to Zanzibar Island if you wish to extend your stay with a beach holiday.

Transport: Land Cruiser 4x4 with a pop-up roof

Distance: Approx. 130 km | 2–3 hours
Meals: Breakfast