East Africa Great National Parks

Arrival early morning at Jomo Kenyatta (depending on your flight time, you might require a pre-night in Nairobi).

Meet with your guide and make your way to the stunning Solio Game Reserve in the Aberdare Region. This private game reserve is a leading example for rhino conservation – it is arguably the best place in all of East Africa to see rhinos in large numbers. And the best part: it is a well-kept secret and you won’t meet many other travellers on your game drive in this exclusive reserve. Solio is also home to lions, buffaloes, waterbucks and many bird species, living amongst the beautiful yellow fever acacia forests. You will spend your first night on safari at the intimate Rhino Watch Safari Lodge. With a bit of luck, you can even see Mt Kenya in the distance.

Mornings start early on safari and after a tasty breakfast you drive towards Lake Nakuru National Park. On your way, make a stop at Kenya’s highest waterfall in Nyahururu and watch the water plunge down from 72 metres. Passing by local villages, you will arrive at Lake Nakuru for your afternoon game drive. This paradise for bird-lovers is well-known for its large flamingo population which colours the lake in a pink hue, depending on water levels and time of the year.

Lake Nakuru is also home to the rare Rothschild’s giraffe and the endangered black and white rhinos. In only two days you will have seen more of the animals of East Africa than you might imagine. When the sun sets, it is time to relax at the Flamingo Hill Tented Camp, your home for the night.

Be prepared to be amazed! Today, you will drive south, your destination is the magical Masai Mara. On your way across the Great Rift Valley, you pass Lake Naivasha, the flower-capital of Kenya and Mt Suswa, an inactive volcano. Driving deeper into the land of the Masai, you will arrive at one of the most spectacular places for wildlife sightings on the continent. Your first of many game drives in the Mara starts in the afternoon. Home of the Big Five – elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard – and many other species, you will spend the next days looking for and observing the Masai Mara’s wildlife together with your guide. Your home for the next two nights is Julia’s River Camp, an intimate tented camp at the banks of the Talek River. Animals don’t adhere to borders, so you can expect wildlife in close proximity.

Heading out bright and early you have the whole day to explore the Masai Mara Game Reserve. If you visit during the Great Migration when hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebras follow the rain and migrate to Kenya from Tanzania’s Serengeti, make a stop at the Mara River. Here you may be in luck and witness a river-crossing when the herbivores cross the river, trying to avoid the snatch of a hungry crocodile. The beautiful thing about today: you have time. You are in no rush and can experience each moment to the fullest. Once you have seen the Big Five, turn your eye to the other animals: hyenas and cheetahs roam the savannah, waterbucks and zebras come to the rivers to quench their thirst, while hippos protect their sensitive skin from the sun in the murky waters. Return to Julia’s River Camp for stories around the dinner table and another night in the bush.

Another day of wildlife adventures in the Mara awaits you. Today, you explore the western part of the game reserve, thus getting a thorough understanding and feel for the Mara ecosystem. You will be surprised about how much you have learned about Kenya’s flora and fauna by now. With the help of your guide you see more than picture-perfect sunsets and proud lions but understand the context and fragility of your natural surroundings. Tonight you will stay in the remotely situated Mara West Camp. From here, enjoy panoramic views across the Masai Mara and think back on the memories you have made here, while bush babies jump through the near-by trees.

Your last morning in Kenya starts early. Take in the views of the Mara one last time before you head out towards the Tanzanian border at Isebania. After clearing immigration, you head to your destination for the day: Lake Victoria. Along the shores of the largest lake on the continent, you can spend the afternoon at leisure in the Speke Bay Lodge, where you will also spend the night. Dust-off from the past adventurous days, take a walk along the lake shore, visit the local fishing village or even catch up on your emails so you have peace of mind for the coming days. Above all, enjoy the calming views of Lake Victoria.

Your first morning in Tanzania starts with a canoe trip across Lake Victoria. Together with a local fisherman, you sail across the largest lake in Africa, while he explains how to catch fish the traditional way. Back at the fishing village, you can admire last night’s catch. It is now time to return to the bush for more wildlife encounters. After a short one hour drive, you will reach the gate of the Serengeti and your game drive begins. Together with the Masai Mara, the Serengeti is host to the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras. If you have missed the herds in Kenya, this is your chance to see this natural spectacle in Tanzania. The name Serengeti translates to “endless plains” and you will quickly notice why: open grassland as far as you can see will take your breath away. These seemingly endless plains are dotted with kopjes, large rock formations, and preferred spot for lions to take a nap. In the late afternoon, you will arrive at the Kati Kati Tented Camp. In the middle of the Serengeti this exclusive and unfenced tented camp will get you as close to nature as few others.

Wake up to the sound of birds chirping and the sun rising and enjoy a delicious bush breakfast in the Central Serengeti. Together with your guide you have all day to continue your exploration of the national park. Go right when others go left and you will experience private moments amongst Tanzania’s wildlife. The Serengeti is known for its large prides of lions, lazing under shade-giving acacia trees. Keep your eyes peeled on the branches of the trees and you may spot a leopard, devouring its recent kill. No day on safari is like the other and you will be amazed about new sightings on day eight of your great East African safari. Return to the Kati Kati Tented Camp and join the other guests in front of the “bush TV”, the campfire crackling in the night.

Leaving the Serengeti early this morning you should take this opportunity and watch out for more predators – when the temperatures are cooler, big cats are more active and embark on the hunt. You will arrive in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the late morning and drive into the world-famous Crater just before lunch time for a spectacular last game drive of your safari. This large inactive volcanic caldera is seasonally home to more than 25.000 animals. Large herds of zebras, buffaloes and prides of lions roam the crater floor. The steep crater walls covered in thick mountain forest are always visible, marking the boundaries of this haven for wildlife – a truly unique place. After your game drive you continue to nearby Karatu and spend the last night of your safari in one of the three beautifully located Tanganyika Wilderness Adventure Lodges.

After a relaxed breakfast you make your way to Arusha where you will arrive around midday and drop off at the airport for your onward flight.

Contact us to continue with your travel plans, you could fly to Zanzibar to dust-off from your exciting adventures in the bush and relax on tropical sandy beaches.