Safaris & Sea

Nairobi to Nairobi (17 days)

Safaris & Sea – 17 days – at a glance

The itineraries and other details are published in good faith as statements of intentions only and reasonable changes in the itinerary, vehicle and equipment used etc. may be made where deemed necessary or advisable by the Company.

We recommend that anyone who joins an expedition should arrive 1 – 2 days prior to the expedition departure date in order to allow themselves time to explore the area and its surrounds.  If required, please contact us for information on pre-expedition accommodation and airport shuttles.

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Safaris & Sea

Nairobi to Nairobi (17 days)

The itineraries and all other details are published in good faith, as statements of intentions only, and reasonable changes in the itinerary, vehicle and equipment used etc. may be made where deemed necessary or advisable by the Company.

We recommend that anyone who joins an expedition should arrive 1 – 2 days prior to the expedition departure date in order to allow themselves time to explore the area and its surrounds.  If required, please contact us for information on pre-expedition accommodation and airport shuttles.

Day 1

The day will start with an early morning pre-departure meeting were we will Welcome you to Africa and provide you an overview of the day to day running of the trip.

After the pre-departure meeting we will visit a Giraffe Centre (included) that was established to protect the endangered Rothschild giraffe and you will have the opportunity to hand feed giraffe from the raised observation platform. We will also visit an Elephant Orphanage (included) run by the pioneering Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which works in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service and offers hope to any orphaned elephant fortunate enough to be found alive.

We will end our first day with a group dinner at The Carnivore Restaurant which boasts an informal indoor/outdoor atmosphere, rhythms of Africa and exceptional snacks.

Day 2 – 3

You embark on the first safari of this expedition, heading into the Masai Mara, where there have been many viewings of the Big 5 – elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo and rhino.

Masai Mara situated in south-west Kenya is one of Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Reserves. Together with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania it forms Africa’s most diverse, incredible and most spectacular eco-systems and possibly the world’s top safari big game viewing eco-system.

It is globally famous for its exceptional population of Masai lions, African leopards and Tanzanian cheetahs. The annual migration of zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and wildebeest to and from the Serengeti every year is from July to October, known as the Great Migration.

Day 4

We return to Nairobi after 3 days and 2 nights on Safari and it is time to have a quick shower and then relax for the night before we continue our journey south tomorrow.

Day 5 – 6

We leave Nairobi early and drive to the Kenya / Tanzania border on our way to Dar Es Salaam. If the weather conditions are right we may get a good view of Mt Kilimanjaro as we pass by.

Mount Kilimanjaro with its three volcanic cones, “Kibo”, “Mawenzi”, and “Shira”, is a dormant volcanic mountain in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa, and rises approximately 4,877 metres (16,001 ft) from its base to 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level.

We continue our long drive to Dar Es Salam. When we arrive we will set up in our beach front campsite. You will be able to have your first swim in the African ocean or the beachside pool before packing for 4 day / night adventure on Zanzibar Island.

Dar Es Salaam “the residence of peace” commonly referred to as Dar (formerly Mzizima) is Tanzania’s largest and richest city and the largest city in eastern Africa by population. It is a regionally important economic centre and Tanzania’s most prominent city in arts, fashion, media, music, film and television. It is Tanzania’s leading financial centre and the largest and most populous Swahili speaking city in the world.

Day 7 – 11

Anticipation is in the air as we ride in tuk tuks to the ferry terminal in preparation for our trip to Zanzibar Island. We spend the next 5 days / 4 nights on Zanzibar Island and have time to explore Stone Town before relaxing on the white sandy beaches at the north of the island.

Our first night on Zanzibar is spent in Stone Town where you can lose yourself in the maze of market streets selling brightly coloured paintings, carvings, fabric and many other souvenirs unique to Zanzibar before relaxing at one of the roof top bars and watching the sun go down. The Stone Town food markets are not to be missed, they sell a large variety of freshly cooked seafood, Zanzibar pizzas and freshly squeezed sugar cane juice.

Our second day on Zanzibar starts with a tour of Stone Town and a local Spice Farm where you will learn about local spices and what they are used for before making our way to the northern beaches to enjoy the tranquillity of white sand, cool blue water and very welcoming beach bar.

The third day on Zanzibar is free to do whatever you want to, whether it be relaxing on the beach, swimming, taking a walk to the far end of the beach, sleeping in your hotel room, reading, scuba diving or enjoying a massage. The day is yours to enjoy this wonderful part of Africa.

On the fourth day we make our way back to Stone Town where we spend our last night on Zanzibar. You will have time to visit the Slave Museum or do some last minute shopping. The night is yours to enjoy the tastes and smells of Zanzibar. There are many little cafes and restaurants where you can have dinner or you may choose to visit the food markets again. After breakfast on the fifth day we catch the ferry back to Dar Es Salaam and make our way back to the truck and our mainland beach campsite.

Day 12 – 13

We leave Dar Es Salaam early this morning on our way to Arusha. We will spend a night in a grassy campsite between Dar Es Salaam and Arusha before continuing on to Meserani Snake Park. At Meserani Snake Park you can enjoy a spectacular tour of the Masai Cultural Museum (included). The Snake Park provides various activities, one of which is a guided tour where you can learn about some of the most dangerous snakes in the world from the Black and Green Mamba, Egyptian Cobra, Puff Adders and many more. Or for those not fond of snakes you can visit the free education centre where local Masai have the opportunity to learn how to read and write.

Day 14 – 16

We set off early this morning from the Snake Park with a local African Safari Travel Company in 4WD vehicles. The next three days / two nights will be spent on safari (included). You will visit the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater where you will have the opportunity to view a wide variety of wildlife such as hippos, lions, cheetah, wildebeest, elephants, warthog, hyena, giraffe, impala and many bird species. There is also a chance to visit a local Masai Village where you can learn about their culture and way of life.

The Serengeti region encompasses the Serengeti National Park itself, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve, the Loliondo, Grumeti and Ikorongo Controlled Areas and the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Two World Heritage Sites and two Biosphere Reserves have been established within the 30,000 km² region. The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth. The essential features of climate, vegetation and fauna have barely changed in the past million years. Some patterns of life, death, adaptation and migration are as old as the hills themselves.

The Ngorongoro Crater is a deep volcanic crater approximately 20 kms across, 600 meters deep and 300 sq kms in area. It is the largest un-flooded and unbroken caldera in the world and is a breath taking natural wonder.

Day 17

We leave Arusha and head to the Tanzania / Kenya border and our final destination of Nairobi.

We will end our last day with a group dinner at The Carnivore Restaurant which boasts an informal indoor/outdoor atmosphere, rhythms of Africa and exceptional snacks.

We hope you enjoyed your African adventure with us and we look forward to seeing you on another adventure in the future.

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