Real East Africa & Zanzibar

Trip Type: 18 to 35s|Overland|Wildlife|
Kenya | 14 Days | 1 - 22 People
Starts From:

NZD 4,890.00 /Person

Got 13 days, an adventurous bent, a desire to see as much of East Africa as you can and cap it off by unwinding on white-sand beaches? Welcome to y...

Real East Africa & Zanzibar

Got 13 days, an adventurous bent, a desire to see as much of East Africa as you can and cap it off by unwinding on white-sand beaches? Welcome to your trip! Multiple 4WD safari drives in the Masai Mara and Serengeti National Parks, stops at remote market towns, a night in a Maasai village and plenty of time on the powdery beaches of Zanzibar – this trip is the perfect introduction to the diversity of East Africa.

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight in Nairobi. If you arrive early, why not check out the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum or the highly recommended Bomas of Kenya where traditional homesteads of some Kenyan tribes are displayed at an outdoor village. After your meeting tonight, maybe head out for an optional welcome dinner with your new fellow travellers.

Depart Nairobi this morning, stopping in Narok along the way for some food shopping. Today's drive crosses the Great Rift Valley – Africa's huge divide – to the remote region of Loita Hills. This is the home of the Maasai people and when you arrive, you’ll grab some lunch then visit the Maasai, known for their dazzling red dress and elaborate jewellery. Gain an insight into the culture and ancient ways of this proud East African community. A local elder will deliver a fascinating talk about the Maasai and what they're about. You'll also be shown around a traditional Maasai home and see where the resident cattle are kept.

Travel from Loita Hilla to Masai Mara today. The Masai Mara is one of the classic African experiences – wide open plains, perfect blue skies and some of the world's great wild animals. After setting up camp, sit down to some lunch. Then, it's time to jump aboard your 4WD vehicle and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara.

Adventure into the reserve for a full day's 4WD game drive. You'll explore this diverse environment and most likely see a lots of different wildlife. An optional balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise is well worth considering. If you have pre-booked this activity, you’ll be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then, glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you’ll ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you'll be treated to a bush breakfast, then return to your campsite to meet up with your group. The rest of the day is free.

Travel towards the Kenya-Tanzania border and to the shores of Lake Victoria. This is not only Africa's biggest lake – it's the largest tropical lake in the world. It shares its shores with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. You'll arrive in the late afternoon, with time to chill out lakeside with a cold drink at sunset. Make the most of the ATM and local market to stock up for your next three days of wilderness adventures. You’ll be camping on the shores of the lake tonight, at one of its least visited campgrounds on the outskirts of a small town called Musoma, far from the tourist track.

Today, you’ll travel from Lake Victoria to the gate of Serengeti National Park on a smooth road. Stop for a picnic lunch at the entrance to the park, then enter the Serengeti and start your overland vehicle game drive on the way to your campsite. These plains – green after rain and brown and burnt in the dry season – are home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators, so see how many you can spot! Your campsite is right in the action, within the park itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep tonight.

Start the day with an overland vehicle game drive at dawn. You’ll head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch. After spending the warmer part of the day relaxing as the animals do, depart again in the afternoon for another adventure through the wild. You'll return in time for dinner. There's the option of an early-morning balloon ride here too, so if you didn't take one in the Mara, today's your chance!

Rise and shine for a final chance to spot Serengeti wildlife as you make your way out of the park this morning. At Nabi gate, hop aboard a jeep and descend into Ngorongoro Crater. This gigantic, perfectly intact volcanic crater is home to some 30,000 animals. Among these are endangered black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor is great for game viewing all year round and the photo-opportunities here are next level. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the crater before heading back out on safari all afternoon. After, travel on to Karatu town and arrive at camp for a freshly prepared dinner with your group.

Take it easy this morning with a relaxed breakfast at camp before setting off for Mto Wa Mbu with your group. You’ll have the rest of the day free to explore. Mto wa Mbu offers a snapshot of small-town East African life. You might consider joining a guided village walk or maybe take a bike ride around the farming areas, spotting milling machines, local homes and farmlands. Or, round up your fellow travellers to check out the craft market.

Pack up camp after breakfast and bid farewell to your crew. Transfer to Arusha Airport and take an included flight to Stone Town, Zanzibar. Your tour will be unescorted from here on; however, our local representatives will be on hand to look after you. Zanzibar is an archipelagic gem filled with idyllic beaches, vibrant markets and a varied and sometimes dark history. This is a place rooted in slavery, where Arabian sultans once lived, and Swahili and Islamic influences blend together to create an exotic island paradise steeped in centuries of history. Why not throw yourself into the midst of Stone Town’s maze of narrow streets – every twist and turn alive with an enticing mix of fragrant bazaars, enchanting mosques and charming ruins. Perhaps head to one of the bars on the seafront and soak up the salty ocean air with a cocktail in hand. Alternatively, if you would like to hear more about Stone Town and the island's history, our local representative can organize an afternoon tour.

Venture out of Stone Town this morning and drive to the spice plantations for your optional guided tour, or head directly to the perfectly pristine northern beaches. If you choose to explore the spice plantations, you’ll learn all about the history of this town's renowned spice trade. Take the opportunity to touch, smell and taste various spices – such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger – then sample some delicious teas! After lunch, head to the northern beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas await, and reunite with your group for an afternoon at leisure. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.

Wake up in paradise and enjoy a full day of freedom to indulge in the beautiful island surrounds. Take the opportunity to snorkel in the transparent waters, walk the stretch of powder white sand and paddle in the bath-like Indian ocean, dine on freshly caught sumptuous seafood or simply relax in a hammock underneath a coconut tree with a good book. There are many ways you can spend your day – perhaps talk to your leader for any recommendations.

Your trip comes to an end today. Please advise us at the time of booking if we can help with transfers to the airport or ferry terminal. If you’d like to spend more time in this island paradise, post-trip accommodation can be pre-booked at your beach resort or in Stone Town.

Meals
11 Breakfast(s), 8 Lunch(s), 8 Dinner(s)

Transport
Overland vehicle , Plane , Private Vehicle

Accommodation
Camping with facilities (6 nights), Camping with basic facilities (2 nights), Bungalow (2 nights), Hotel (2 nights)

Included Activities
  • Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Ngorongoro Crater - 4WD Safari
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Safari, safari, safari – what East African adventure would be complete without one? Well, this trip has five (with the option to book one more) in two different areas. Which brings us to…
  • The animals! Go in search of hippos, lions, leopards, giraffes and more during game drives in the Serengeti and Masai Mara with your experienced local leaders.
  • Spend a night hanging with the red-clad Maasai folk in Loita Hills. A local elder will explain what the tribe is all about and show you around their house.
  • Relax on the powdery white beaches of Zanzibar, the perfect place to unwind after days spent searching for wildlife
  • Stops in places like Mto wa Mbu and Musoma mean you’ll get time to chat with locals, and travelling with a local (your leader) makes it even easier.
  • Staying in Loita Hills is a proper adventure – you'll be in a bush camp with no showers as the Maasai guard you from the animals. Pretty nice for some guys you just met. Similarly, camping in the Serengeti means, well, camping in the Serengeti. No barriers between you and mother nature means there's no fence between you and the animals. We take safety seriously and your leader will brief you in detail on how to set up camp so as not to attract any unwanted visitors (not hanging raw meat to dry on your lines is a good start). This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent, occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities, and getting the best possible views of the ‘Big Five’. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page at https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/africa/overland. The section of this trip that takes place in Zanzibar is unescorted. While your flight to Zanzibar is included in the trip price, you will not have any planned activities or designated local leader while you are here. However, local representatives are on hand should you need any advice or assistance.

Departing

Finishing

Availability

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Price: NZD 5,630.00

Price: NZD 4,890.00

Price: NZD 4,995.00
Provided by
Intrepid Travel
Reference Code:
YGYZC
Trip Location
Trip Starts:
Nairobi, Kenya
Trip Finishes:
Zanzibar North Coast, Tanzania, United Republic Of
Countries Visited:
Kenya
Tanzania, United Republic Of
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Destination Details
Kenya | 14 Days | 1 - 22 People

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