An African safari is a truly awe-inspiring and humbling experience where we become immersed in the rich history and culture of the local people as well as the spectacular wildlife of the region. After many years of very successful tours, we are delighted to again offer this tour to the regions of Kenya and Tanzania. With perhaps the most amazing and famous game reserves and national parks of anywhere on earth, this region offers an astonishing amount of game in the midst of ravishingly beautiful and dramatic panoramas that will simply take your breath away. Discover and experience the landscapes, the wildlife and the culture in the ultimate Big Safari areas of Kenya and Tanzania, from the open plains of the Masai Mara, to the snowy peaks of Mt Kilimanjaro. This adventurous safari (in absolute comfort) showcases the ultimate in East Africa’s national parks and diverse scenery and provides the perfect opportunity to spot the “Big Five” as well as the myriad of other wildlife that populate the region.
Your tour highlights
- Highlights include:The tour is full of daily highlights but some of the more prominent highlights include:
- Diverse modern Dubai
- Nairobi, the Kenyan capital – including visit to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Orphanage
- Mt Kenya & Mt Kilimanjaro
- The Great Rift Valley
- Masai Mara National Reserve
- Visit a Masai Village
- Serengeti National Park
- Outstanding hotel, lodge and tented camp accommodation
- Accommodation:For this tour, we have chosen some of the very best of luxury lodges and wildlife camps available. These include:
- Lake Elmenteita Serena Luxury Camp
- Mara Intrepid Tented Camp
- Mara Elatia Camp
- Kirawira Serena Tented Camp, Serengeti
- Mbuzi Mawe Camp
- Serena Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Some of the camps offer tented accommodation but these tents are something else. All of the accommodation tents include ensuite bathrooms, wooden floors, electricity and heating and the finest of bed linen. The “mess” and lounge tents are furnished with your comfort in mind even to the point of chandelier lighting, grand sofas and bookcases. Enjoy sundowner drinks around the campfire in the evening before retiring to the “mess” tent for “silver service” dinner. “Out of Africa” safari camp luxury!
Tour itinerary
Late this afternoon, we report to the airport and join the flight to Dubai.
We start our day with a visit to the Museum of the Future. One of Dubai’s most famous landmarks, the museum takes pride of place along the city’s superhighway, Sheikh Zayed Road. Founded by the Dubai Future Foundation and launched on 22 February 2022, the museum explores how society could evolve in the coming decades using science and technology. Termed a ‘living museum’, it incorporates elements of traditional exhibitions, immersive theatre and themed attractions, so visitors can look beyond the present and towards the future’s limitless possibilities. Visitors have the chance to engage with this game-changing technology. Each floor of the museum is designed like an expansive, interactive movie set, brought to life by expert storytellers, technologists and visionary artists. Early afternoon, we return to the hotel to relax. The remainder of the day is at leisure, until we meet up again for dinner this evening.
A morning transfer to the airport where we join the 5 hour flight to Nairobi. We are met on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta Airport and transferred to the Nairobi Serena Hotel, Nairobi’s finest hotel, for our overnight night stay.
After a leisurely morning, we visit the nursery at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Orphanage. Working across Kenya, their projects include anti-poaching, safe-guarding the natural environment, enhancing community awareness, addressing animal welfare issues, providing veterinary assistance to animals in need, rescuing and hand rearing elephant and rhino orphans, along with other species that can ultimately enjoy a quality of life in wild terms when grown. We then depart Nairobi and travel to our accommodation at Sweet Waters Tented Camp, with magnificent views across the plains to the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya. The luxury tents overlook the waterhole, floodlit at night, providing excellent and rarely seen game viewing. We stay here for two nights.
This morning, we enjoy our first game drive before returning to our lodge for breakfast. There is the opportunity for another game drive in the afternoon, or you can opt to relax and enjoy the facilities.
After breakfast, our drive takes us to the floor of the Great Rift Valley up the Mau Escarpment, destination Lake Nakuru National Park where the waters of the lake are often coloured shimmering Flamingo pink from thousands of birds lining the shore. We enjoy a hot lunch before proceeding on an afternoon game-viewing drive. We end the day at Soysambu Conservancy, where we can relax for 2 nights at our stunning accommodation, Lake Elmenteita Serena Luxury Camp.
After breakfast, the drive will take us to Lake Nakuru game reserve. This is another famous lake that has a plentiful population of aquatic birds who enjoy the alkaline lake environment.
We drive to the Masai Mara National Reserve offering wonderful scenery and plenty of game. It is perhaps the only region left in Kenya where the visitor may see animals in the same super abundance as existed a century ago. We arrive at our camp in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive. Our overnight accommodation is Mara Intrepid Tented Camp. It is on this very terrain where the great annual migration takes place, when millions of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle traverse the landscape to feed on rich new grass and give birth to their young calves. The Masai Mara National Reserve is home to gazelle, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, the legendary black-maned lion and many more. Our lodge is ideally located to enjoy this unique phenomenon.
Today we enjoy a full day here in the Mara. We have morning and afternoon game drives to make the most of witnessing the plentiful game in this part of the Mara. The lodge has a splendid swimming pool overlooking the Mara river where you can watch the Hippos in their own natural habitat.
Today we travel to our next lodge, Mara Elatia Camp – nestled in the peaceful Northwestern plains, gracefully perched along the Oloololo escarpment of the Masai Mara. The camp overlooks the Mara River which is famous for the annual wildbeest migration between the months of July and September and faces one of the three “Kalema Hills” where the epic movie “Out of Africa” was filmed.The game viewing is excellent with a large population of the “Big Five” – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard, together with prolific wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, cheetah and hyena.
Today, we can take some time out to relax and enjoy our surroundings. The early risers may wish to enjoy an optional balloon ride offering spectacular views over the region or you may wish to have another morning game drive. For some, just sitting by the wonderful pool enjoying the view will suit just fine.
Today, we cross the border into Tanzania as we drive to the Serengeti National Park, undoubtedly the most famous wildlife sanctuary in the world, unequalled for its natural beauty and the greatest concentration of game anywhere. The exquisite Kirawira Tented Camp stands high on the bluff of a bush-cloaked ridge, commanding panoramic views over the endlessly rolling reaches and volcanic reefs of the Serengeti National Park. The tented camp is the epitome of colonially-styled safari luxury.
A full day in the Serengeti with game drives and the opportunity to relax. (Look out for the surprise breakfast today!). It was 1913 and great stretches of Africa were still unknown to the white man when Stewart Edward White, an American hunter, set out from Nairobi. Pushing south, he recorded: “We walked for miles over burnt out country… Then I saw the green trees of the river, walked two miles more and found myself in paradise.” He had found Serengeti which has come to symbolize paradise to many, especially the Masai, who have grazed their cattle on the vast grassy plains for millennia. To them it was Siringitu – “the place where the land goes on forever.”
We spend another full day in the Serengeti, enjoying the surroundings and viewing wildlife. The wildlife is plentiful, the landscape is fascinating and our lodge is filled with all the comforts one could need. We stay at Mbuzi Mawe this evening.
Take time to enjoy this very special part of the Serengeti today. More game drives, or maybe time to sit and watch the landscape unfold before you.
We drive to the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest intact caldera in the world. Its endearing charm stems from its overwhelming physical beauty and the abundance of wildlife permanently resident on the crater floor. En route, we visit Olduvai Gorge, site of archeological findings where traces of pre-historic man dating back 3.5 million years have been discovered. We arrive at our lodge in time for lunch with the remainder of the day at leisure. We spend 2 nights at Serena Ngorongoro Lodge.
The jewel in Ngorongoro’s crown is the deep volcanic crater, the largest un-flooded and unbroken caldera in the world. About 20kms across, 600 meters deep and 300 square kms in area, the crater is a breath-taking natural wonder. It contains a huge number and variety of wildlife and fauna. We have the full day to explore the crater. Tonight we enjoy our last dinner together in Africa overlooking the Crater.
Today we drive to Kilimanjaro airport where we join our charter flight to Nairobi and connect on to Dubai. Arrival time is late evening and overnight accommodation is reserved at the airport.
Time for the last leg of our journey on our flight home.
Arrive Auckland early afternoon
What you’ll see on the tour
Tour pricing:
from 22,500.00
Supplement for Single Room NZD $4,000.00pp
Total Cost for Single Room NZD $26,500.00pp
To secure your place now:
Phone: 03 364 3400 or 0800 747 737
Email: [email protected]
Tour Inclusions:
- Economy Class Air Travel from Auckland
- Upgrade to Premium Economy or Business Class
Air Travel available at additional cost - First Class hotel accommodation
- Air-conditioned coach transportation
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
(B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) - Prepaid airport/government taxes, security and fuel
surcharges (as at 01/09/25) - Sightseeing & entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary
- English speaking local hosts/guides in each country
- Tips/gratuities to guides, drivers & staff
- Baggage handling of one (1) piece per person –
where possible - Fully escorted by a Maher Tours Leader