18-Day Kenya and Tanzania Combined Safari – Tailor-Made Travel & Authentic Local Experiences

Lake Nakuru National Park to Lake Naivasha National Park

After breakfast, enjoy additional wildlife viewing in Lake Nakuru National Park if your departure time and itinerary allow. Explore suitable areas of the park while searching for rhinoceroses, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras and other wildlife. Later, leave Lake Nakuru and travel toward Lake Naivasha, a freshwater lake in Kenya's Great Rift Valley. The journey offers opportunities to enjoy the surrounding countryside, escarpments and scenic landscapes. Upon arrival in the Lake Naivasha area, check in at your accommodation and enjoy time to relax. The lake is known for its birdlife, peaceful scenery and opportunities to observe hippos from suitable viewing areas. Depending on your interests, you may arrange an optional boat excursion to explore the lake and observe waterbirds. A guided nature walk in an approved conservation area may also be available, subject to local regulations, availability and additional charges. Spend the evening relaxing at your lodge or tented camp before continuing your journey toward the Maasai Mara the following day.

Lake Naivasha National Park to Masai Mara National Reserve

After breakfast, depart from Lake Naivasha and travel toward the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. The journey takes you through Kenya's Great Rift Valley and scenic countryside before reaching the Mara ecosystem. Upon arrival, check in at your lodge or tented camp and enjoy lunch, depending on your schedule. If time permits, begin an afternoon game drive in the reserve. The Maasai Mara is renowned for its extensive grasslands, large herbivore populations and predators. During your game drive, search for lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, cheetahs, leopards and other wildlife. Your safari guide will select suitable viewing areas according to wildlife movements and road conditions. The reserve forms part of the wider Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, which is famous for the seasonal movement of wildebeest and zebras. Migration sightings depend on your travel dates and the location of the herds. Return to your accommodation in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Full-Day Masai Mara National Reserve

After breakfast, set out for a full day of wildlife viewing in Maasai Mara National Reserve. Explore the reserve's open plains, riverine habitats and other wildlife areas with your experienced safari guide. The Maasai Mara supports a wide variety of animals, making it an excellent destination for wildlife observation and photography. Look for lions resting in the grass, elephants moving across the plains, giraffes browsing on trees and herds of zebras and wildebeest grazing across the savannah. With good fortune, you may also encounter cheetahs, leopards, hyenas and other predators. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive, allowing more time to explore the reserve before continuing your afternoon wildlife viewing. Your guide will adjust the day's route according to wildlife activity, weather and road conditions while following reserve regulations. Return to your accommodation in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Full-Day Masai Mara National Reserve

Enjoy another full day exploring the remarkable wildlife of Maasai Mara National Reserve. After breakfast, depart with your safari guide to explore different areas of the reserve. The additional day provides more time to observe wildlife behavior, search for predators and enjoy the Mara's distinctive landscapes. Look for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and various antelope species. Your guide will also help you search for lions, cheetahs, leopards and other predators in suitable habitats. Depending on the season, you may encounter large herds of wildebeest and zebras associated with the Great Migration. The timing and location of these herds change throughout the year, so sightings cannot be guaranteed. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive before continuing your exploration through the afternoon.

Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Full-Day Masai Mara National Reserve

After breakfast, continue your Maasai Mara adventure with another full day of guided game drives. Explore additional sections of the reserve and search for wildlife across its grasslands and riverine habitats. Your guide will use local knowledge to select suitable areas based on recent sightings, wildlife movements and the conditions of the day. During the game drive, look for lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas and other wildlife. Cheetahs and leopards may also be encountered, depending on their movements and the habitats visited. Enjoy a picnic lunch in an appropriate designated location before continuing your afternoon wildlife exploration. The extra time in the Maasai Mara allows you to explore at a more relaxed pace and provides further opportunities for photography and wildlife observation. Return to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight.

Full-Day Masai Mara National Reserve

Spend your fourth full day exploring Maasai Mara National Reserve. After breakfast, set out for a final full day of game drives across the reserve's diverse wildlife habitats. Visit additional areas and continue searching for the animals you may not yet have encountered.

Your guide will help you observe animal behavior, understand predator-prey relationships and appreciate the importance of the Mara ecosystem. Wildlife photography opportunities may include elephants moving through the plains, giraffes feeding, zebras and wildebeest grazing, and predators resting or hunting in suitable areas. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive before continuing your exploration through the afternoon. Return to your accommodation in the evening for dinner and overnight, preparing for the journey back to Nairobi the following day.

Maasai Mara National Reserve to Nairobi

After breakfast, check out of your accommodation and begin the journey from Maasai Mara toward Nairobi. Travel through Kenya's countryside, enjoying the changing landscapes as you return to the capital. The road journey can take several hours, depending on your accommodation location, traffic, weather and road conditions. Depending on your arrival time, transfer to your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. You may choose to relax or arrange an optional activity in Nairobi if time permits. Dinner and overnight in Nairobi, according to your confirmed accommodation arrangements.

Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania

After breakfast, prepare for your journey from Nairobi to Arusha in northern Tanzania. Travel by the transportation arrangement confirmed for your booking. Depending on the service selected, the journey may involve a road transfer, a shuttle connection or another suitable option. If traveling by road, the itinerary should allow time for border procedures between Kenya and Tanzania. Upon arrival in Arusha, meet your local safari representative if a transfer has been arranged and continue to your accommodation. Take time to relax and prepare for the Tanzania portion of your safari. Your representative can brief you about the following day's departure to Tarangire National Park and the arrangements for joining your safari vehicle and guide.

Arusha to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, depart from Arusha and drive toward Tarangire National Park, one of Tanzania's best-known wildlife destinations.

Upon arrival, begin your game drive through the park's open savannah, woodland, seasonal wetlands and distinctive baobab landscapes. Tarangire is particularly famous for its elephants, which may be seen moving through the park in family groups or gathering near water sources.

Look for giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, antelopes and a variety of bird species. With good fortune, you may also encounter lions and other predators. Your experienced safari guide will select suitable wildlife-viewing areas according to current animal movements, weather and road conditions. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive before continuing your exploration through the afternoon. After leaving the park, continue to your confirmed accommodation in the Tarangire, Karatu or Mto wa Mbu area, depending on the final arrangements. Dinner and overnight.

Mto wa Mbu to Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, depart from the Mto wa Mbu area and continue toward Serengeti National Park. Travel through changing landscapes as you approach the famous Serengeti plains. Depending on the route and park-entry arrangements, you may pass through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and enjoy scenic views along the way. Upon entering Serengeti National Park, begin wildlife viewing while traveling toward your accommodation. The Serengeti's extensive grasslands and varied habitats support lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, hyenas and numerous bird species. Your safari guide will look for wildlife along the route and choose suitable areas for viewing according to the time available and current conditions. Continue to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight.

Full-Day Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, enjoy your first full day exploring Serengeti National Park. Travel through different wildlife-viewing areas with your safari guide, searching for the animals that make the Serengeti one of Africa's most celebrated safari destinations. Look for lions resting in the grass, elephants moving through the plains, giraffes browsing on trees and large herds of zebras and wildebeest. You may also encounter buffaloes, hyenas, gazelles and other antelope species. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive before continuing your wildlife exploration through the afternoon. The Serengeti is part of the wider Serengeti-Mara ecosystem and is famous for the Great Migration. The location of migrating herds changes throughout the year, so the areas visited will depend on your travel dates and the best available wildlife information. Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Full-Day Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, set out for another full day of game drives in Serengeti National Park. Explore additional areas of the park with your experienced safari guide. The Serengeti's wide-open plains, rocky kopjes and scattered woodlands create varied habitats for wildlife and provide excellent opportunities for observation and photography. Search for lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes and other animals. Your guide will adjust the day's route according to recent sightings, wildlife movements, weather and road conditions. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive before continuing your exploration through the afternoon. Return to your lodge or tented camp in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Full-Day Serengeti National Park

Spend another full day discovering the wildlife and landscapes of Serengeti National Park. After breakfast, depart with your safari guide to explore different sections of the park. Having several full days in the Serengeti allows more time to observe wildlife and explore different habitats rather than relying on a single game drive. Look for elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, lions, cheetahs, leopards and other wildlife. Depending on your travel dates, your guide may focus on areas with the best available opportunities to observe the Great Migration. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the day's game drive and continue wildlife viewing through the afternoon. Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Full-Day Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, enjoy your fourth full day exploring Serengeti National Park. Your guide will select suitable areas for wildlife viewing according to the season, recent sightings and the time available. Continue searching for the Serengeti's abundant wildlife while appreciating the scenery of the vast plains and surrounding habitats. You may encounter lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, hyenas and a variety of bird species. With good fortune, you may also see cheetahs or leopards in suitable habitats. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive before continuing your afternoon exploration. Use the additional time to take photographs, observe animal behavior and enjoy the Serengeti's remarkable wilderness. Return to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight.

Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, enjoy a morning game drive in Serengeti National Park before departing toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Continue through scenic landscapes as you leave the Serengeti plains and approach the Ngorongoro Highlands. Depending on wildlife movements and the route taken, there may be opportunities for additional wildlife viewing along the way. Arrive at your confirmed accommodation near the Ngorongoro Crater or in the Karatu area. Relax after the journey and prepare for the following day's crater experience. Dinner and overnight at your lodge or tented camp.

Ngorongoro Crater to Mto wa Mbu

After an early breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive. The crater floor supports a remarkable variety of wildlife and offers opportunities to see lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, hippos and numerous bird species. The crater's enclosed landscape, grasslands and wetlands create an exceptional setting for wildlife observation. Your safari guide will help identify animals and select suitable areas for viewing while following conservation rules and park regulations. Enjoy a picnic lunch during the crater visit before continuing your wildlife exploration. After completing the game drive, ascend from the crater and continue toward Mto wa Mbu. The journey passes through scenic highland landscapes before descending toward the Great Rift Valley. Arrive at your accommodation in Mto wa Mbu or the surrounding area, where you can relax and enjoy dinner.

Mto wa Mbu to Lake Manyara National Park to Arusha

After breakfast, depart from Mto wa Mbu and travel to Lake Manyara National Park for your final game-drive experience. Explore the park's varied habitats, including groundwater forest, woodland, open areas and lakeside environments. Lake Manyara is known for its diverse birdlife and offers opportunities to see elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, baboons and other wildlife. Your guide will select suitable areas for wildlife viewing according to the available time, weather and current animal movements. With good fortune, you may also encounter lions, although specific sightings cannot be guaranteed. Enjoy your final wildlife-viewing and photography opportunities before leaving the park. After the game drive, begin your journey back to Arusha. Depending on the day's schedule, enjoy lunch during the journey before arriving in the city later in the day. Your 18-Day Kenya and Tanzania Combined Safari – Tailor-Made Travel & Authentic Local Experiences concludes upon arrival in Arusha.