14 Day Safari combining the best of Kenya and Tanzania

Your East African journey begins with your arrival in Nairobi, Kenya’s bustling capital. After a warm welcome at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, a private transfer whisks you to your boutique hotel or lodge in a leafy suburb like Karen or Gigiri. After settling in, you enjoy a light lunch and a relaxing afternoon exploring local sights such as the Giraffe Centre, where endangered Rothschild giraffes gently take pellets from your hand, or the Karen Blixen Museum, the former home of the famed Out of Africa author. In the evening, you gather for a welcome dinner at a charming garden restaurant, sampling Kenyan dishes like nyama choma, tilapia, and spiced vegetables while fire lanterns glow under the acacia trees.

After breakfast, you drive through the Great Rift Valley, with breathtaking views of escarpments and volcanic lakes, heading toward Lake Nakuru National Park. En route, you stop at a scenic lookout over the valley floor, where zebras graze below and shimmering lakes stretch into the distance. Arriving by midday, you check in to a lodge near the lake and enjoy lunch with sweeping views. In the afternoon, your first game drive reveals a world of wildlife—flamingos carpeting the alkaline lake, white rhinos grazing in the open grassland, and endangered Rothschild giraffes browsing in the woodlands. Lions may be spotted resting near the rocky outcrops, while pelicans, storks, and African fish eagles patrol the sky and water. As the sun dips low, you return to the lodge for a lakeside dinner and a peaceful night surrounded by nature.

This morning, you journey a short distance to Lake Naivasha, a freshwater gem surrounded by lush vegetation and birdlife. After arriving, you set off on a boat safari across the lake’s calm waters, passing hippos lounging in the shallows and colorful kingfishers flitting from papyrus reeds. Fish eagles swoop for prey with dramatic dives, and colobus monkeys leap in the lakeside trees. You disembark at Crescent Island, a unique walking sanctuary where you stroll among giraffes, wildebeests, and zebras—no predators here, just serene, up-close encounters. After a lakeside picnic and some relaxation at your lodge, you return for a cozy evening by the fireplace, preparing for the adventure ahead.

After breakfast, you set off for Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya’s premier safari destination and home to the famed Great Migration. The drive takes you through scenic hills and pastoral lands before the plains open wide. You arrive in time for lunch at your luxury tented camp or lodge, situated near the Mara River or a prime wildlife corridor. In the afternoon, your first Mara game drive introduces you to this wild theatre of nature—lion prides sprawled in the grass, elephants meandering through acacia groves, and cheetahs scanning the savannah. As the sun sets over the vast plains, you return to camp for dinner under the stars, the night alive with the sounds of Africa.

Today is a full-day immersion in the Masai Mara, with a packed picnic lunch allowing you to venture deep into the reserve. With your expert guide, you track the Big Five and witness the intricate balance of predator and prey. Depending on the season, you may catch dramatic river crossings of wildebeest and zebra, watched by crocodiles and lions. You pause for lunch under a lone acacia tree before continuing your search for elusive leopards, hyenas, and African wildcats. Optional visits to a Maasai village offer cultural insight into one of East Africa’s most iconic pastoral tribes. Back at camp, you gather around the fire for stories, drinks, and the magic of a wild African night.

After breakfast, you head south through the Mara Triangle, crossing the border into Tanzania at the Isebania or Sirari crossing. Once on Tanzanian soil, the Serengeti welcomes you with its sweeping plains and golden light. As you drive toward your camp, wildlife sightings begin almost immediately—topis, hartebeest, jackals, and possibly lions on the move. You arrive at your Serengeti lodge or mobile camp in the late afternoon, welcomed with warm towels and cool drinks. As dusk paints the horizon, you enjoy dinner in the wild, surrounded by lanterns and the calls of distant hyenas and owls.

A full day in the central or northern Serengeti offers the quintessential safari experience. You rise early to catch the golden light and heightened predator activity. Perhaps you witness a cheetah sprinting across the plains, a lion pride finishing a buffalo hunt, or a massive herd of wildebeest and zebra rumbling across the landscape. The rhythm of the day includes long drives through kopje-dotted grasslands, picnic lunches by riverbanks, and time to simply pause and absorb the vastness. In the afternoon, your guide may track a leopard lounging in a sausage tree or lead you to a quiet watering hole where giraffes kneel to drink. As evening falls, you return to camp for storytelling around the fire and the distant roar of lions lulling you to sleep.

Today you leave the plains behind and journey toward the Ngorongoro Highlands. On the way, you stop at Olduvai Gorge, one of the world’s most important paleoanthropological sites, where you explore the small museum and learn about early human fossils discovered in the area. Continuing through the fertile highlands, you reach the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the afternoon. Your lodge, perched on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, offers jaw-dropping views into the ancient volcanic caldera. The air is cool and crisp, a sharp contrast to the lowland heat. As mist settles across the forested rim, you enjoy a warm drink by the fire and prepare for the next day’s descent into a world unlike any other.

After an early breakfast, you descend 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most concentrated wildlife areas on earth. The morning mist gives way to a spectacle of life—elephants, rhinos, lions, flamingos, and a staggering variety of herbivores roam the crater floor. You follow hippo trails through marshlands, search for leopards in fig trees, and marvel at the pink glow of flamingos along the alkaline lakes. After a picnic lunch in a shaded grove, you continue exploring until the afternoon sun casts golden light across the grasslands. Back at the crater rim, you return to your lodge for a final highland dinner surrounded by clouds and starlight.

This morning offers a choice depending on your pace. You may opt for a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, known for its groundwater forest, flamingo-fringed lake, and tree-climbing lions. Alternatively, explore the lively village of Mto wa Mbu, a cultural mosaic of Tanzania’s diverse tribes. You visit banana farms, meet local artists, and share a Swahili lunch with a welcoming family. By afternoon, you begin your return toward Arusha, where you settle into a peaceful lodge for the night, reflecting on the wild journey so far.

After breakfast, you cross back into Kenya via the Namanga border and make your way to Amboseli National Park, renowned for its dramatic views of Mount Kilimanjaro. The park’s open plains are dominated by vast herds of elephants, often photographed with the snow-capped peak in the background. You arrive at your lodge in time for lunch, and then head out on an afternoon game drive. Lions lounge in the grass, zebras graze near swampy pools, and elephants march in formation across the plains. The landscape glows in the evening light, and back at camp, you dine beneath the shadow of Africa’s tallest mountain.

You spend the full day exploring Amboseli’s unique landscape—swamps, arid plains, and acacia woodlands, all fed by underground water from Kilimanjaro’s melting glaciers. Morning drives reveal elephants covered in red dust, buffaloes wallowing in water, and perhaps cheetahs scanning the plains. You break for lunch at the lodge, then venture out again in the cooler afternoon, visiting Observation Hill for sweeping views of the park. The day ends with a quiet sunset and dinner around a fire, surrounded by the soft rumble of elephant herds nearby.

You enjoy a final breakfast with Kilimanjaro in view before beginning your return journey to Nairobi. Depending on your arrival time, you can stop at Kazuri Beads Women’s Cooperative, the Nairobi National Museum, or even enjoy a meal at the famous Carnivore Restaurant. In the late afternoon, you check in to a boutique hotel for your final night, with time to unwind or shop for last-minute souvenirs.

On your final day, you enjoy a relaxed breakfast, perhaps a walk in the garden or one last view of the city skyline. Depending on your flight time, you’re transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, carrying with you unforgettable memories: the roar of lions, the mist of mountain forests, the rhythm of hooves on the Serengeti plains, and the warmth of the people who welcomed you into their homelands. East Africa has touched your soul, and the wild magic of Kenya and Tanzania will remain with you always.

Travel south to Amboseli National Park, famous for its elephant herds and stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Check in at Ol Tukai Lodge or Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge. Bird the swampy areas for Long-toed Lapwing, African Swamphen, and Greater Painted-snipe. The drier plains support Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, and White-backed Vultures. With Kilimanjaro as your backdrop, Amboseli offers some of the most photogenic birding in Kenya.

Spend the day exploring Amboseli’s mix of acacia woodlands, open plains, and wetland springs. Spot Lesser Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt, and African Marsh Harrier. The clear skies often reveal raptors such as Steppe Eagle, Black-chested Snake Eagle, and Lanner Falcon. Evening birding around the lodge often yields African Scops Owl and Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl.

Return to Nairobi, stopping for birding en route along seasonal wetlands. Back in the city, visit Nairobi Arboretum or Langata Forest Sanctuary for final species such as the African Goshawk, White-browed Robin-Chat, and Speckled Mousebird. It’s a day to unwind and reflect on the extraordinary diversity you’ve seen—over 600 species likely recorded.

After breakfast, transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home. The rhythm of wings, the dawn songs, and the colors of Kenya’s skies go with you. Your binoculars may rest, but the echo of this journey stays alive—etched in memory, forever calling you back.