Best of East Africa

Intrepid Travel · 20 days

5.0

1 Reviews

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Duration

20 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Basic

Physical Rating

Light

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Take 20 days to uncover the best of eastern Africa as you travel across Kenya and Tanzania. Turn your attention to the wild as you search for flamingos in Lake Nakuru, the black rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Big Five in the Serengeti.

Highlights

Venture into the incredible Masai Mara National Reserve for a full-day game drive in an open-top 4WD, looking for lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes and more.
An early morning game drive through Lake Nakuru National Park might be your best chance of seeing black and white rhinoceroses in the flesh.
Take a cooking class in a small village and learn some Kenyan recipes, then share your creations at a camp dinner under the stars.
Explore the Serengeti, a wildlife arena like no other. You're bound to spot most of Africa's iconic Big Five game on your adventures at sunrise and sunset – when the animals are most active.
Meet with local community members and join in on village activities in Mto wa Mbu with a guided stroll around the farming areas.

Trip Details

Duration

20 days

Transportation

Overland vehicle,4x4 Safari Vehicle,Ferry,Minibus

Tour Type

Small Group

Guide Language

English

Starts

Nairobi, Kenya

Finishes

Stone Town, Kenya

Accommodations

Basic

Travel Style

Overland Expedition

Physical Rating

Light

Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your trip begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive with time to spare before the meeting, consider getting to know the city on an Urban Adventure like the ‘Nairobi Experience’. This optional 4-hour tour is a great way to get a feel for Nairobi, and includes lunch at a local restaurant. After the welcome meeting, perhaps join your new travel companions for an optional group dinner.

Optional Activities:

Nairobi - City Experience Urban Adventure (45 USD)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 2: Lake Nakuru National Park

Drive north-west past splendid views of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha and Elementaita to Lake Nakuru National Park. Situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Nakuru National Park is a great location for spotting wildlife, which you will do in an early morning game drive tomorrow. For now, head to a nearby village with your leader. This is a fantastic opportunity to interact with the local folk and get a feel for everyday life here. Enjoy a cooking class and return later in the evening to share the results for dinner.

Included Activities:

Lake Nakuru - Village Walk & Cooking Class

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 3: Lake Naivasha

Wake early for breakfast and head into the Lake Nakuru National Park for a game drive in the overland vehicle. Along with the other members of the Big Five, Lake Nakuru is home to rhinos, and there will be a good chance of spotting and photographing one of these magnificent beasts. Return to camp for lunch before driving to your camp near Lake Naivasha. One of the few freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley, Lake Naivasha has floating islands of papyrus reeds and a border of flat-topped acacias. It's also home to a healthy population of hippos and a tremendous variety of birds.

Included Activities:

Lake Nakuru - Overland Vehicle Game Drive

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 4: Lake Naivasha

Enjoy a free day to choose from a variety of optional activities available around Lake Naivasha. Perhaps venture to Hell's Gate National Park, which boasts beautiful cliffs, gorges, rock towers, volcanoes and a range of geothermal phenomena. Another great choice is to take a boat trip across Lake Naivasha – perhaps the best way to take in the atmosphere of this lush area. If you're looking for something active, why not hire a bike for the day and make some of your own discoveries, venturing beyond the cacti and olive trees.

Included Activities:

Lake Naivasha - Boat trip

Optional Activities:

Lake Naivasha - Bike hire (12 USD)
Lake Naivasha - Game Walk in Crater Lake Game Sanctuary (entrance fee) (50 USD)
Lake Naivasha - Hell's Gate NP (Game Drive) (65 USD)

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 5: Loita Hills Maasai Village

Depart Lake Naivasha, making a short stop in Narok to do a spot of food shopping. Continue to Loita Hills, home of the Maasai people, stopping for lunch on the way. You’ll be camping at Tepesua Village, which is known for championing Maasai women’s health and education. When you arrive, be welcomed by traditional Maasai warrior song and dance, then your host will explain the details of Maasai warrior training. Take a walk to the community village which was founded to alleviate the poverty of Maasai widows, who traditionally are not allowed to inherit property. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the ‘Tepesua Widows Income Project’. Spend the evening around a campfire and learn more about their age-old culture and traditions as you share stories with Maasai warriors into the night.

Included Activities:

Loita Hills - Cultural talk and village visit

Accommodation:

Camping (with basic facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 6: Masai Mara National Reserve

Today you’ll travel from Loita Hills to Masai Mara. The road is dusty when dry, and could be slippery and muddy when wet, so the going may be slow. The Masai Mara is the quintessential African experience, with sparse open plains, dramatic skies and some of the world's most tremendous animals. After setting up camp, sit down to some lunch. Then it's time to jump in 4WDs and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara.

Included Activities:

Masai Mara - 4x4 Game Drive

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 7: Masai Mara National Reserve

Venture into the Masai Mara National Reserve for a full day's game drive in 4WDs. You'll explore this diverse environment and most likely see a multitude of wildlife. An optional balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise is available today. If you have pre-booked this activity you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, to get some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and of the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you'll be treated to a bush breakfast, then be returned to your campsite.

Included Activities:

Masai Mara - 4x4 Game Drive

Optional Activities:

Masai Mara National Reserve - Balloon ride (from price) (470 USD)

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 8: Nairobi

Leave the open expanses of the African bush behind and return to the urban environment of a Nairobi hotel with ensuite, bar, pool and WiFi.

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 9: Nairobi

Your day is free in Nairobi today, until another welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Maybe head out and explore the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum or the highly recommended Bomas of Kenya, where traditional homesteads of several Kenyan tribes are displayed in an outdoor village.

Optional Activities:

Nairobi - City Experience Urban Adventure (45 USD)

Day 10: Mto wa Mbu

Depart early for Mto wa Mbu in your overland truck. The trip includes a border crossing from Kenya into Tanzania, so be sure to have your passport handy. While you're on the road, there will be a stop at an ATM and a market or shop to stock up on any supplies you might need for the coming days. Arrive in Mto wa Mbu and acquaint yourself with this delightful small village – it's a fascinating snapshot of small-town African life, situated well off the tourist trail.

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 11: Ngorongoro Crater / Serengeti National Park

Get up early, put your camping and personal gear into a six-person jeep and head out for an excursion into the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Crater. Enjoy a safari in the crater, spending 3 to 4 hours exploring this incredible, perfectly intact volcanic caldera. Watch for black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor offers excellent game viewing all year round (some 30,000 animals live here) and the photo opportunities are unrivalled. Next, it's on to the wide-open plains of the Serengeti. Green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season, this is perhaps the quintessential image of Africa – the home of thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators. Your campsite is within the Serengeti itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep.

Included Activities:

Ngorongoro Crater - 4x4 Game Drive
Serengeti National Park - Afternoon 4WD Safari

Accommodation:

Camping (with basic facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 12: Serengeti National Park

Awake at dawn and embark on a game drive. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the middle of the day relaxing, just like the animals do, head out again as the day begins to cool. You'll return from this second game drive in time for dinner. There's also the option of a balloon ride over the park this morning – in place of some of today’s game drives. If you have pre-booked this activity, you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, getting some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, indulge in a five-star bush breakfast, then be returned to camp.

Included Activities:

Serengeti National Park - Morning 4WD Safari

Optional Activities:

Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) (800 USD)

Accommodation:

Camping (with basic facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 13: Serengeti National Park / Mto wa Mbu

Rise with the sun and enjoy another game drive as you leave the Serengeti in your dust. Jump back into your overland vehicle and head for Mto wa Mbu. Once camp is set up, join the local community for a guided stroll around the farming areas, milling machine, and local homes and farmlands. After, we'll share a local dinner in town and if time permits you may have the oppertunity to watch how it's made with a local cooking demonstration. After setting up camp, we'll take a guided stroll through the farming areas, milling machines, and local homes and farmlands, getting to know the local community and their way of life. Later, we'll enjoy a scrumptious local dinner in town. If time permits, you might even get to witness a local cooking demonstration and see how it's made.

Included Activities:

Mto Wa Mbu - Village walk & local dinner

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 14: Usambara Mountains

Prepare yourself for a long travel day heading for the Usambara Mountains. Stretch your legs during a brief supply stop in Arusha, then jump back in the vehicle and watch the ever-changing scenery, read your favourite book or get to really know your fellow travellers. Your base will be Lushoto – an old German colony and home to the Wasambaa people. This highland town sits at approximately 1400 metres and this evening you'll camp in the grounds of one of the oldest hotels in Africa.

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 15: Usambara Mountains

Explore the beautiful Usambara Mountains today – a lovely unspoilt area of Tanzania. Unlike the coast and the north, very few tourists visit this part of the country, so it has a freshness that can be hard to find elsewhere. As beautiful as the surrounding mountains and rainforests are, however, the real jewels here are the local people and villages. You'll experience some hospitality on a visit to some of the small local communities. From your base, you will take a walk out to the gorgeous Irente viewpoint. It's best to pack some water and snacks in a day pack for this trip. On your way back, visit a local cultural project based at an Irente farm and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Included Activities:

Irente - Lushoto hike
Irente - Local lunch

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 16: Dar es Salaam

Leaving the mountains behind, travel further south to the coastal town of Kipepeo Beach in Dar es Salaam. Your camp at Kipepeo is by the beach, so make the most of it – perhaps take a stroll along the shore after you arrive and settle in.

Accommodation:

Camping (with facilities) (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 17: Stone Town

Catch a ferry to Africa's 'Spice Island' of Zanzibar. Filled with pristine white-sand beaches, winding cobblestone alleyways and fragrant bazaars, Zanzibar has had a colourful history – everything from slave traders to Arabian sultans and fruit exporters. The sight of traditional dhows sailing along the coast evokes what the island must have been like in centuries ago. The old part of Zanzibar's main city is known as Stone Town, and the best way to see this is on foot, exploring the markets, shops, mosques, palaces and courtyards. Explore the many charms of Stone Town, the historic part of Zanzibar's main city, with a local guide. Sample some local food and gain insight into daily local life living on Zanzibar. When the sun is setting, why not grab a drink from a bar overlooking the seafront. A seafood curry at a local restaurant is also a great choice. You'll spend the night in Stone Town at a basic inn.

Optional Activities:

Stone Town Tour - Dharajani Market, Joseph's Cathederal, Palace Museum, Forodhani Food Market (20 USD)
Zanzibar - Prison Island Tour (25 USD)

Day 18: Zanzibar Northern Beaches

Once checked out of your Stone Town accommodation, consider booking in to an optional guided tour of the island's spice plantations, learning all about the history of this town's spice trade. You will have the opportunity to smell and taste various spices, such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, plus sample some teas made with these spices too. After lunch, head to the Northern Beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas await. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.

Optional Activities:

Zanzibar - Spice tour (25 USD)

Accommodation:

Bungalow (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 19: Zanzibar Northern Beaches

Enjoy free time in this beautiful archipelago today. There are many ways you can spend your day – perhaps talk to your leader for any recommendations they might have. Snorkelling in search of exotic fish is an excellent option, or you could take a traditional dhow boat on the water. You might also like to feast on a sumptuous lunch of grilled local seafood, or just relax in a hammock underneath a coconut tree with a good book. It's totally up to you!

Optional Activities:

Zanzibar - Snorkelling (50 USD)
Zanzibar - Dhow Trip (35 USD)

Accommodation:

Bungalow (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 20: Stone Town

After checking out of your accommodation this morning, you will make your way back to Stone Town, arriving at a centrally-located hotel around 12 pm. With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave at any time. That doesn't mean your adventure has to come to an end! If you wish to stay on in Zanzibar, either at the Northern Beaches beach resort or in Stone Town, we'll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

Exclusions

Flights to and from origin and destinations
Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
Recommended gratuities/tipping
Optional activities/tours
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.

Important Information

Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We willdo our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an Average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling. (Note: I assume each tour has a different description depending on level of fitness required).

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.

Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.

AUD $6,645

(Tour only)

Per Person Twin Share

Duration: 20 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Light

Check Availability Brochure

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 16 Jan 2027

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Customer Reviews

Overall Rating

Excellent

4.5

Guide

Excellent

4.5

Itinerary

Excellent

4.5

Accommodations

Excellent

4.5

Transportation

Excellent

4.5

Tour Operator

Excellent

4.5

Food

Excellent

4.5

5.0

Melanie

Traveled, September 2023

10/16/2023

Personally I would spend your money elsewhere. The hotels are of a very poor and filthy standard and well below basic. This trip overall is not enjoyable and I certainly would not book with Intrepid again. The Kenyan guide spent most of his time on his phone, very basic communication was lacking for our daily activities. I enjoyed it so little I didn't go on the second part and flew straight to Zanzibar. I booked an amazing hotel for under £40 per night that was absolutely beautiful and directly on the beach. I joined the group once they got to the bungalows in Zanzibar and what a disgraceful hotel once again ... exactly as bad as the one in Nairobi. I'm unsure what Intrepid pay for the hotels but it can't be much considering what I got booking independently. Poor all round!

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.

In Business Since 1989

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