2026 - 13 Day Kenya & Tanzania (Mkomazi)

You will be warmly welcomed at the airport by your personal guide. Watch the vibrant life of the capital of Kenya on your way to the hotel through Nairobi. At the hotel you can relax from the flight and prepare for the upcoming safari adventure.

Today, we begin our thrilling safari adventure in the magnificent Maasai Mara Game Reserve—a place whose name means “spotted plains” in the Maasai language. This breathtaking reserve is home to the largest concentration of big mammals in Africa and is widely regarded as one of the continent’s ultimate wildlife sanctuaries. The vast savannahs and gentle rolling hills provide an unparalleled backdrop for the incredible array of wildlife living here in their natural habitat.

The Maasai Mara Game Reserve is also the northern extension of the vast Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, world-famous for the spectacular annual Great Migration. This awe-inspiring natural phenomenon sees thousands of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles journeying across the plains in search of fresh grazing grounds.

As we make our way to the camp today, a short but exciting game drive awaits you. Enjoy the rich diversity of sights and keep your eyes peeled for the majestic inhabitants of this unique wilderness—from graceful giraffes and powerful elephants to the sleek big cats that roam these lands.

After an early breakfast, you will embark on exciting game drives both in the morning and the afternoon, exploring the captivating Maasai Mara Game Reserve. The landscape of the reserve is predominantly open savannah, consisting of vast grasslands, with iconic acacia trees dotting the southeastern parts of the park. Gently rolling hills are traversed by the winding Mara and Talek rivers, adding a dynamic beauty to the scenery.

During the rainy season, numerous seasonal rivers flow through the area, transforming the landscape into a vibrant network of waterways. However, these rivers gradually dry up once the rains cease, creating a fascinating cycle that shapes the vegetation and wildlife behavior throughout the year.

The Mara is renowned for hosting Africa’s largest concentration of wildlife. Here, you will encounter the legendary “Big Five” – elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and buffaloes – alongside vast herds of zebras, antelopes, wildebeests, oribis, hyenas, giraffes, warthogs, gazelles, impalas, hippos, crocodiles, and many others. The reserve boasts one of the highest densities of African lions, including the rare and majestic black-maned lions that lend this region its unique character.

Not only mammals but also the birdlife of the Maasai Mara is extraordinarily rich. Over 400 bird species inhabit this remarkable ecosystem, offering birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts countless opportunities for awe-inspiring sightings.

The day begins with the gentle rhythm of the journey - the road winds its way past Nairobi, into the vastness of the south, where the earth shows its true face. The Great Rift Valley, this enormous scar on the earth, is left behind you, but the adventure is far from over.

Your destination: the Swara Plains Conservancy, a place that breathes the soul of the wilderness. Just a short drive from the capital, a world opens up where time ticks differently. Here, between golden grass plains and the endless blue of the sky, live over 3,000 wild animals - a living mosaic of power, grace and primal freedom.

But what makes this place special is the way you experience it. Whether on foot, where every step brings you closer to the heartbeat of the earth, on a bicycle, which lets you feel the wind and the vastness, or in an open vehicle, when the sun goes down and the night reveals its secrets. Here, the savannah is not only seen - it is felt.

Discover Tsavo West - the second largest national park in Kenya with a fascinating history and impressive nature!

Famous are the “man-eating lions of Tsavo”, which became notorious during the construction of the railroad from Mombasa to Uganda. Their dramatic story was immortalized in the film The Ghost and the Darkness.

After a relaxed lunch at the lodge and a restful siesta, you set off on an exciting game drive in the afternoon. Tsavo West also offers ideal conditions for walking safaris with numerous nature trails and the opportunity to explore the impressive Chaimu lava.

An absolute highlight is a visit to the Mzima Springs - a geological wonder where around 230 million liters of crystal-clear water gush out of the dry lava plain every day. You can observe the fascinating underwater world from a glass shelter in the lake: Hippos walking along the bottom and, with a bit of luck, shy crocodiles!

Experience the diverse nature and history of Tsavo West on this unique safari.

Spend another unforgettable day in Tsavo West National Park and enjoy exciting game viewing in the midst of a fascinating, varied landscape. Tsavo West impresses with its volcanic formations, which were created at the same time as the volcanic activity on Kilimanjaro.

The impressive ecosystem of rugged wilderness and savannah includes vast grasslands, dense bushland, majestic acacia woodlands, lush riverine vegetation zones and rocky ridges. A particular highlight is Poacher's Lookout - from here you have a breathtaking view of the lively herds of animals on the plains below.

The animal inhabitants include elephants, rhinos, hippos, lions, cheetahs, leopards and buffalo. Plant and bird species also delight visitors, including the endangered corncrake and the rare Basra reed warbler.

Experience the impressive diversity and wild beauty of Tsavo West up close!

Today, you cross into Tanzania and enter Mkomazi National Park, a beautiful and relatively untouched wilderness tucked against the Kenyan border. The park is renowned as a vital black rhino sanctuary and for its healthy population of African wild dogs, as well as elephants, giraffes, oryx, and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro on clear days.

Your afternoon game drives will focus on the park’s rolling plains and acacia scrub, with opportunities to search for the elusive rhino and the highly endangered wild dog. The more intimate, less crowded nature of Mkomazi allows for a peaceful and authentic safari experience away from the main tourist circuits.

After a leisurely breakfast with views of the surrounding countryside, you depart Loitoktok and make the scenic drive across the border into Tanzania toward Arusha, a journey of roughly three to four hours. Upon arrival in the bustling yet charming town of Arusha, you check into African View Lodge for a comfortable stay on a bed-and-breakfast basis. In the afternoon, you participate in the highly recommended Sidai beading class, an immersive two-hour cultural workshop where local Maasai women guide you through traditional beading techniques. This hands-on experience allows you to create your own piece of jewelry while learning about Maasai culture, craftsmanship, and the empowering stories behind the women’s cooperative. It’s a meaningful and creative interlude before heading deeper into the wilderness. (Beading Class $35 per person).

To day you travel to the Tarangire National Park, often referred to as the “land of giants” due to its massive elephant herds and iconic ancient baobab trees. The park follows the course of the Tarangire River, which acts as a vital lifeline for wildlife during the dry season, attracting huge concentrations of animals.

On your first full day here, you will undertake morning and afternoon game drives through riverine woodlands, open grasslands, and baobab-studded plains. Expect frequent encounters with large elephant families, buffalo, lions, and an impressive variety of birdlife. Your guide will help you discover both the big game and the smaller wonders of the park.

You enter the iconic Serengeti National Park, whose name means “endless plains” in the Maasai language. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is world-renowned for the Great Migration and supports one of the largest concentrations of wildlife on Earth.

Your first day in the Serengeti includes morning and afternoon game drives across the vast golden savannah. With your expert guide, you will search for lions, cheetahs, leopards, and the enormous herds of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle that roam these plains. The sheer scale of the landscape and the constant possibility of dramatic predator-prey interactions make every drive unforgettable.

You spend a second full day in the Serengeti National Park, continuing your exploration of this legendary wilderness. Today’s game drives will once again focus on the incredible predator populations and the vast herds that define the Serengeti. Whether witnessing a lion pride on the hunt or simply soaking in the endless horizons, this additional day gives you more time to fully experience the magic and drama of Africa’s most famous national park.

Today, you travel to the Ngorongoro region. There you  descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa’s greatest natural wonders. This immense volcanic caldera, formed millions of years ago when a volcano collapsed, creates a self-contained ecosystem teeming with wildlife.

You will enjoy an afternoon game drive on the crater floor, complete with a picnic lunch amid the scenery. The crater offers some of the best chances in Africa to see all of the Big Five in a single day: black rhinos, lions, elephants, buffalo, and leopards. You may also see flamingos on the soda lakes, hippos in the pools, and hyenas patrolling the grasslands, all set against the dramatic backdrop of the towering crater walls. Afterwards, you will travel to Karatu and your lodge for the night.

After breakfast at Martinas Retreat, you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your onward flight. This marks the end of your unforgettable East African safari adventure through Kenya and Tanzania’s most iconic wildlife destinations.