12-Day East African Magic

Tour Overview

This luxury East Africa safari in Kenya and Tanzania is the ultimate gateway to the most beautiful and exciting scenes in the wilderness with a luxe touch. This classic tour starts in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, before heading off into the Maasai Mara for your first safari experience, guided by Maasai. Hop across the border to the volcanic grasslands and vast plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Moving into the Highlands, visit the Ngorongoro Crater, known for its diverse array of wildlife. Finally, your journey comes to a close in Tarangire National Park, home to the second highest concentration of game in the country.

Nature Bound Africa Big Cat Safari Kenya Tanzania

Bonnie Rakhit The Ultimate African Safari Adventure With Fairmont Hotels The Style Traveller

General Information

Safari types:

Big Five Safari, Birding Safari, Guided Safari, Walking Safari, Wildlife Safari
You will visit:

Masai Mara National Reserve, Nairobi National Park, Nairobi, Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha National Park
Wildlife:

Big Five, Birds, Antelope, Topi, Eland, Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Hippo, Hyena, Wild Dog, Cheetah, Jackal, Warthog, Baboon, Waterbuck, Oryx, Thomson's Gazelle, Hartebeest, Dik Dik, Blue Monkey, Mongoose
Activities:

Game Drive, Walking Safari, Nature Walk, Sauna/Hot Tub
Getting around:

4x4 Safari Vehicle, Light Aircraft
Start/end:

Start in Nairobi, end in Arusha

Overview

1 night in Nairobi | Kenya
3 nights in Maasai Mara National Reserve | Kenya
3 nights in Serengeti National Park | Tanzania
2 nights in Ngorongoro Crater | Tanzania
2 nights in Tarangire National Park | Tanzania
11 nights total | 12 Days total

Day by Day Overview

Day 1

Welcome to Nairobi

The gateway to Kenya is its capital city, Nairobi. As the transportation hub of the country, the city’s airports, roads, trains, and bus stations are responsible for ferrying guests to the aquamarine waters of the coastline, the expansive Rift Valley Lake region, wide open savannahs of the Maasai Mara and the verdant landscapes in the central highlands. Nairobi is, however, well worth exploring in its own right. The continent’s largest and second-largest mountains, Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, are visible from the city on a clear day. Just west of the city, Karen Blixen’s legendary Ngong Hills rest against the landscape.

THE GIRAFFE MANOR

This is Africa’s ultimate giraffe experience. Feeding an endangered Rothschild’s giraffe through your window does not happen just anywhere, but at Giraffe Manor on the outskirts of Nairobi, this is an everyday occurrence. Set in a 1930s manor house with gardens and a resident herd of endangered giraffes, this luxe all-inclusive hotel is 6 km from the Karen Blixen Museum and 7 km from Bomas of Kenya, a tourist village with cultural shows. It’s 26 km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Girraffe Manor Beautifully Lit Courtyard

Girraffe Manor The Dining Room At Giraffe

Days 2-4

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Go on safari in Kenya’s most renowned nature reserve, Maasai Mara National Reserve, undoubtedly Kenya’s most notable and revered reserve. Its sheer size, extending to and eventually joining Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, and stringent anti-poaching systems have made it famous for its remarkable populations of lion, cheetah, and leopard. It is also celebrated for being one of the stomping grounds of the Great Wildebeest Migration.

SANCTUARY OLONANA

Sanctuary Olonana is an exceptional luxury lodge nestled in the heart of Kenya’s most famous game reserve and commands a dramatic view over the Mara River. Contemporary architecture is juxtaposed with time-tested building practices such as Maasai mudding and stone walls, with soothing organic tones and a variety of textures adding warmth and character.

Sanctuary Retreats Olonana Lodge, Masai Mara, Kenya.

Days 5-7

Serengeti National Park

Witness the Great Migration on safari in the Serengeti. Stretching across 1.5 million hectares of land, the Serengeti National Park is known for its impressive population of wildlife, mst notably the Big 5, as well as being renowned for being part of the stage on which the annual Great Migration plays out. Each year, over two million wildebeest, a fair number of gazelles, and a small following of zebra, seek better grazing areas by migrating south in the Serengeti, then west and north into the Maasai Mara before eventually returning. It is unsurprising that the Serengeti’s bustling plains offer some of the most remarkable safari opportunities in the country, and visiting in the right season will promise astonishing wildlife views.

NAMIRI PLAINS TENTED CAMP

Completely refurbished and upgraded in 2019, Namiri Plains in Tanzania’s eastern Serengeti is a remote camp with a conservation initiative, protecting an area crucial to cheetah and other big cats. Before Namiri Plains was built, these grasslands were closed for 20 years to allow the cheetah population to restore. The nearest other camps are over an hour’s drive away so you can experience the vast plains all to yourself. When not out in the bush spotting lion and other big cats or watching huge wildebeest herds, while away an afternoon around the pool or schedule a massage in the spa. Feed your mind in the library and information centre, or simply chill out and soak up the views from your own private deck.

Namiri Plains Tent Interior Looking Out Onto The Plains

Namiri Plains Tent Deck With Bath Sunbeds And Cushion Corner

Days 8-9

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Home to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Ngorongoro highlands in northern Tanzania offer a multitude of fascinating experiences to engage visitors. A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, the conservation area allows visitors to sample locally grown and brewed coffee, safari through a crater, hike up another and walk in the footsteps of early man. The Ngorongoro Crater is famed for being the only intact caldera in the world. A wildlife sanctuary flourishes in its basin where the floor has been fertilised by the volcanic soil, attracting an array of wildlife ranging from lions and leopards to elephants and hippos.

THE HIGHLANDS DOMES

Set on the lush slopes of Olmoti Volcano, The Highlands has sweeping views right across to the Serengeti. The eight tents are canvas and perspex domes – a design inspired by traditional Maasai bomas. At the heart of the camp is the library with its indoor fireplace that replaces the typical safari campfire. At night, gather around a crackling fire with a glass of wine or whiskey before sitting down to a delicious three-course dinner. Luxury in every imaginable way!

Highlands Interiors Old Moti Whisky Bar 01 767w

Days 10–11

Tarangire National Park

See predator and prey side-by-side in nature’s beautiful spectacle, Tarangire National Park, a hidden gem in Tanzania’s famed northern safari circuit. With herds of elephant, lions and other game animals flocking to its river banks and swamps during the dry season, it offers an excellent East African safari. As many safari goers refer it as a second Serengeti, Tarangire surely lives up to the expectation of the name.

OLIVER’S CAMP

Oliver’s Camp, located in Tarangire National Park in the remote south of the Serengeti, is a place for those who want to experience an adventurous safari with ample comforts. Join our knowledgeable guides for a walking safari, soar over the plains in a hot-air balloon or examine leopard tracks along a dusty road. At Oliver’s, you can get to know the landscape from all angles. Our 10-tent camp is relaxed and comfy, imitating the original safari camps. The team at Oliver’s have worked together for years, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Join us for delicious meals and interesting conversation in the main lodge and sundowners under the stars.