Guide

On this trip you will be accompanied by three crew members - Group Leader, Cook and Driver who will usually be Kenyan. In Zanzibar you will be unaccompanied however our local representatives will be on hand should you require any assistance. Your Group Leader’s role involves organizing the overall operation and smooth-running of the trip, managing trip logistics, coordinating the tipping kitty (where applicable) and will form work groups to take turns cooking, cleaning and shopping. (From time to time your leader may drive as well) Your Group Leader will work towards making the trip as safe and enjoyable as possible for all travellers. Intrepid trips are built around the co–operation and participation of all the group members under the supervision of the group leader. The group leader will show the group how to set up and use the equipment. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting, especially when tracking and identifying game - we think it's the best of both worlds. Regardless of the country of origin, our Group Leaders are chosen for their leadership skills and are wonderful ambassadors for our company and our beautiful continent and its people. Your Cook is responsible for the cooking and will help to coordinate the work groups for preparing the meals and washing up! Cooks are also responsible for organizing food shopping (they are always happy to have you on board) and most importantly, they make sure high hygiene standards are kept at all times while camping. Your Driver’s main responsibility is to get you to your destination safely; they are also responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles along the way. Everyone is expected participate and carry their share of the workload/duties, making camp chores easier. The duties Rota system is adopted where all members share in general camp duties – cooking, shopping, washing up etc. If the whole group participates it will be quicker, easier, and more fun. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader and crew; however, situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.

Meals

12 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners

Others

Included activities Nairobi - Farm to Feast Community Visit Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit Masai Mara - Full Day 4x4 Game Drive Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive Ngorongoro Crater - 4x4 Game Drive Zanzibar - Snorkelling

Transport

Overland vehicle,4x4 Safari Vehicle,Plane,Private Vehicle Our trucks are purpose-built, self contained safari vehicles. Our fleet of vehicles varies depending on your group size, trip route and style. Your vehicle type may differ from those listed above. It is also important to note that our overland vehicles are not air-conditioned, but all vehicles have windows that can be opened to allow for fresh air. Each seat will have access to a power socket to charge your devices. This outlet will use a UK/K: enyan 3 pronged outlet. There are many early starts with long hours spent driving on rough roads on all African itineraries. While most people love the chance to watch the changing landscape and daily village life, feedback shows that long periods of inactivity does not appeal to all clients. We provide the approximate distance covered each day and how many hours this normally takes to drive so that you can choose the safari experience that is right for you. African conditions are extremely tough on vehicles. While we fastidiously maintain our vehicles at our workshops, you should not expect Africa to be your traditional touring experience. While it's certainly our aim to avoid them, it's important that you set off on your trip knowing that the occasional breakdown can happen and are best treated as part of the African adventure. Due to wet weather there may be times when we have to take an alternative route which will mean longer travel times.

Accommodation

Accommodation within the Serengeti is in two-person canvas dome tents with sleeping bags and camping mattresses supplied. The campsite does have facilities but they are very basic and are not to the same standard you would find in western countries. There is rarely toilet paper provided and shower pressure is often reduced to a trickle of cold water. If you require a Sleep Apnea Machine to sleep please ensure that it is battery operated. Lodges and Permanent Tented Camps are often powered by generators which are turned off during the night. Hotel (5 nights),Lodge (1 night),Permanent Tented Basic Lodge (2 nights),Camping with basic facilities (2 nights),Beach Cottage (2 nights)

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services not included

Flights

International flights not included.

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Nairobi
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Nairobi

Welcome to Nairobi, Kenya’s buzzing capital city. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm where you’ll meet your local leader and the other travellers joining you on your journey. If you arrive early, perhaps 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. Once you've met your new travel buds, join them for an optional group dinner or alternatively strike out on your own.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 2 Day 2: Masai Mara National Reserve
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Masai Mara National Reserve

Transfer from Nairobi to the famous Masai Mara, one of the best game reserves in all of Africa. On the way you'll stop in Loita Hills, a remote region that's home to the traditional Maasai people. This is one of the key places where the Maasai people still practice their traditional way of life, with little influence from the western world. Make a stop at Tepesua Village, which is known for championing Maasai women’s health and education. You’ll be welcomed by Maasai Warriors by way of traditional song and dance. Meet your Maasai hosts and enjoy a fascinating talk, full of insights into this remarkable and ancient culture. Take a walk to the community village which was founded for widows who had lost their cows due to drought, and can never remarry. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the ‘Tepesua Widows Income Project’. Here the women are engaged in making handicrafts and sewing eco-friendly handbags, washable sanitary pads, and backpacks to sell to visiting travellers and locals. Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home, and their cattle enclosures. Continue to the outskirts of the Masai Mara, where your permanent tented camp can be found.Accommodation: Permanent tented camp
Day 3 Day 3: Masai Mara National Reserve
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Masai Mara National Reserve

Explore the Masai Mara in 4WD safari vehicles with game drives in both the morning and the afternoon. This is the quintessential African experience and with sparse open plains, dramatic skies and some of the world's most impressive animals, one you won't soon forget. Keep your eyes peeled for wildebeest, lions, leopards, antelope and giraffes, to name but a few.Accommodation: Permanent tented camp
Day 4 Day 4: Lake Victoria
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Lake Victoria

Prepare for a long travel day as you head towards the border separating Kenya and Tanzania, then on to the small town of Musoma on the shores of Lake Victoria. Not only is this the largest lake in Africa, it's also the largest tropical lake in the entire world and shares its shores with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The next three days will be spent in the wilderness, so make the most of your afternoon and evening by stocking up at the local market, grabbing cash from the town's ATM and kicking back with a beach side cold drink as the sun goes down.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 5 Day 5: Serengeti National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Serengeti National Park

Travel on from Lake Victoria to Serengeti National Park and enjoy a picnic lunch at the entrance to the famous expanse. Continue to your campsite on your first Serengeti game drive, keeping an eye out for the hoofed animals and predators that call this place home. Tonight you'll have a true African safari experience, camping in an unfenced site within the national park, right in the heart of the animal action. Your leader will give you a full safety briefing once you arrive.   Accommodation: Camping (with basic facilities)
Day 6 Day 6: Serengeti National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Serengeti National Park

Wake to another glorious day in the Serengeti. Start the day with an early morning game drive to search for animals when they're at their most active, then return to the campsite for a relaxed brunch. Spend the hottest part of the day relaxing in camp – don't stress, the animals will be doing the same – then head off again in the afternoon for another drive through the park. Return to the campsite for dinner and another night under the Serengeti's stars. Note: there's also an option of an early hot air balloon ride here. Please ask your leader at the start of your trip if you're interested.  Accommodation: Camping (with basic facilities)
Day 7 Day 7: Karatu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Karatu

Enjoy a final game drive through the Serengeti as you exit the park this morning and cross over to the Ngorongoro Conservation area where you'll descend to the Ngorongoro's crater floor for a 4WD excursion. If all goes to plan, you'll see some or maybe even all of the Big Five animals that reside here and better yet, the vehicle has an open roof so you can really feel like a part of the action. The animals here are less wary of humans and vehicles and as a result it's easier to watch them from up close. Take in the spectacular views from the rim of the crater as you make your way to the bottom, where animals roam the lakes, rivers, woodlands and hills. Keep an eye out for wildebeest, lion, zebra, cheetah, buffalo, gazelle and the endangered black rhino, as well as the colorfully dressed Maasai people who often water their cattle at the lake here. In the afternoon, we leave the Ngorongoro Crater and drive to Karatu, a small town on its outskirts and your base for the next two nights.Accommodation: Lodge
Day 8 Day 8: Karatu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Karatu

After breakfast this morning, you’ll make your way to Lake Eyasi, a huge seasonal soda lake. Lake Eyasi has been home to the Hadzabe people for more than 10,000 years and is one of the few places in Africa where traditional tribal life continues without modern influence. Today’s visit to the Hadzabe lands offers incredible insight into this ancient culture and a chance to learn about their way of life today. You’ll have the opportunity to meet members of the community and join in on daily activities like hunting, gathering and traditional dance. You’ll also learn about their unique ‘click’ language, which is thought to be one of the oldest languages still in use today. Return to your lodge in Karatu later in the day for a chance to put your feet up and relax.Accommodation: Lodge
Day 9 Day 9: Arusha
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Arusha

Today is a free day to relax or choose from the various optional activities available from your base in Karatu. You might like to head to a local coffee plantation or take a Game Drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Perhaps opt for a hike through the Ngorongoro Reserve Forest to Elephant Caves accompanied by an expert local guide and armed ranger. It's the perfect way to stretch your legs after a few days of overland travel. You'll hike through the Ngorongoro rainforest as your local guide explains the ins and outs of the area here and points out interesting animal tracks and footprints. Marvel at the wild landscape and spot beautiful birdlife as you walk. In the afternoon, we head to Arusha.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 10 Day 10: Stone Town
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Stone Town

This morning 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 in, 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 islands history our local representative can organise an afternoon tour.Accommodation: Hotel
Day 11 Day 11: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)

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 for an afternoon at leisure. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.Accommodation: Beach Cottage
Day 12 Day 12: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)

Wake up in paradise and perhaps take the opportunity walk along this pristine coast before a beach side breakfast. Today is an included dhow cruise and snorkelling trip in the transparent waters among the incredible tropical fish. The late afternoon is free to dine on freshly caught sumptuous seafood or simply relax in a hammock underneath a coconut tree with a good book.Accommodation: Beach Cottage
Day 13 Day 13: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 13: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)

Your trip comes to an end today. Please advise us at the time of booking if we can help with transfers to Stone Town 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.

+10

13 days tour

East Africa Safari & Coast

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip East Africa Safari & Coast

Day 1: Nairobi

Day 2: Masai Mara National Reserve

Day 3: Masai Mara National Reserve

Day 4: Lake Victoria

Day 5: Serengeti National Park

Day 6: Serengeti National Park

Day 7: Karatu

Day 8: Karatu

Day 9: Arusha

Day 10: Stone Town

Day 11: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)

Day 12: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)

Day 13: Zanzibar Northern Beaches (Nungwi)

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