East Africa Safari
| country: | Kenya, Tanzania |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 6 Dec, 27 Dec 2009: 17 Jan, 7 Feb, 28 Feb, 21 Mar, 11 Apr, 2 May, 23 May, 13 Jun, 4 Jul, 25 Jul, 15 Aug, 5 Sep, 26 Sep, 17 Oct, 7 Nov, 28 Nov, 19 Dec 2010: 9 Jan, 30 Jan, 20 Feb, 13 Mar, 3 Apr, 24 Apr, 15 May, 5 Jun |
| price: | From £795 (15 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $600. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
read 2 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
The vast open grasslands of East Africa support the largest concentration of wildlife in the world. Massive herds of wildebeest and zebra roam through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara, along with elephant, giraffe, and a substantial supply of predators. The Ngorongoro Crater, (an extinct volcanic caldera which in its day probably rivalled Kilimanjaro) is considered by many to be the ‘jewel in the crown’, with a marvellous variety of wildlife including the highly endangered black rhino. We spend eight days in parks and conservation areas and we also head off the beaten track, first to Lake Victoria and later along the Rift Valley Escarpment, towards Engaruka where we visit some of the lesser-known tribal areas of the Masai. We have the opportunity to interact with several different tribal groups and we take time out to show you some worthwhile community projects we support.
We travel in a custom-built safari vehicle, which comfortably seats 14 passengers, and the onboard library contains useful reference books about the flora and fauna you will encounter during your safari. The large dome tents are spacious and quick to erect; the sides are covered in mosquito netting and foam mattresses are provided to enable you to sleep in comfort. A comfortable folding chair is also supplied for each passenger. In addition, all communal camping equipment is carried on board, together with an onboard refrigerator and a cool box. You will need to bring your own sleeping bag. It s also recommended that you bring a pillow or that you purchase one locally for added comfort. A special feature of the safari is that in addition to our safari guide we are also accompanied by a cook/assistant who cooks and takes care of most of the day-to-day running of the trip.
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £3 - this does not include your international flight.
We travel in a custom-built safari vehicle, which comfortably seats 14 passengers, and the onboard library contains useful reference books about the flora and fauna you will encounter during your safari. The large dome tents are spacious and quick to erect; the sides are covered in mosquito netting and foam mattresses are provided to enable you to sleep in comfort. A comfortable folding chair is also supplied for each passenger. In addition, all communal camping equipment is carried on board, together with an onboard refrigerator and a cool box. You will need to bring your own sleeping bag. It s also recommended that you bring a pillow or that you purchase one locally for added comfort. A special feature of the safari is that in addition to our safari guide we are also accompanied by a cook/assistant who cooks and takes care of most of the day-to-day running of the trip.
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £3 - this does not include your international flight.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Nairobi. Our trip starts today in Nairobi. No activities are planned, so you may arrive at any time. |
| Day 2: | East Africa Mission Orphanage - Nakuru. Leaving Nairobi we travel to the Kenya's fourth largest town, Nakuru. We spend the next two nights camping at the East Africa Mission Orphanage, where more than 100 children are provided with full time care and schooling. Here we are able to interact with the kids with the knowledge that our visit helps to support this worthy project. |
| Day 3: | Lake Nakuru National Park. Today we enter Lake Nakuru National Park for a full day of game driving searching for lion, Cape buffalo, white rhino and the elusive leopard. Lake Nakuru is also a bird-watcher’s paradise, famous for its flamingo population and, at times, the surface of the lake is a carpet of pink feathers. |
| Day 4: | Lake Naivasha. This morning we bid the children at the orphanage farewell and travel the short distance to Kenya's most famous freshwater lake, Lake Naivasha. After setting up camp on the banks of the lake we have the afternoon at leisure where we can enjoy an optional walk in a nature sanctuary, cycle in Hell's Gate National Park or visit Elsamere. |
| Day 5-6: | Masai Mara National Reserve. Leaving Lake Naivasha we head south to outstanding Masai Mara wildlife reserve. Our campsite borders the park and as dusk falls we may see a large variety of animals in the vicinity. We explore the open grasslands on a full day game drive and watch a wonderful procession of Africa's wildlife. Wildebeest and zebra are plentiful and with luck we may spot lion or cheetah. |
| Day 7-8: | Kenyan Highlands - Lake Victoria. Leaving the Masai Mara we head up amidst the tea estates of Kenya's central highlands and set up camp. Crossing into Tanzania we then camp on the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. There’s time to relax and meet the local fishermen, who are always keen to sell their catch. |
| Day 9-11: | Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti is unrivalled for its beauty and is home to more than three million large mammals spread over vast and seemingly endless plains. We enjoy marvellous game viewing all around us, as our two nights are spent camping in the heart of the game-rich Serengeti Plains. Depending on the season we may encounter some large herds of wildebeest in this area. Traversing the Serengeti we enter the adjacent Ngorongoro Conservation Area and camp on the crater rim. |
| Day 12: | Ngorongoro Crater - Mto Wa Mbu. Transferring to 4WD vehicles we drive down to the crater floor where we spend the morning exploring this world-famous wildlife sanctuary, with its outstanding variety of game and birdlife. We leave the crater in the afternoon and travel to our next campsite in Mto Wa Mbu for a welcome hot shower and cold drink. This colourful town is an interesting place to wander around and has a great curio market. |
| Day 13: | Masai village - Arusha. This morning we visit a Masai village with our specialist local guide. Spending time with our local Masai guide teaches us about the tribal customs and traditions, giving us a fascinating insight into this colourful culture. Leaving the village we continue on to Arusha, the safari capital of Tanzania, for our final two nights together. There is the option of exploring a local Masai museum and snake park en route to Arusha. |
| Day 14: | Arusha - School visit. This morning we visit a very special school in Arusha, created to provide quality education to the poorest children of the region in the belief that these children are the future decision-makers and role-players of their country. On our visit we learn more about the school, spend time with the children and experience the weekly school assembly. Memories of these encounters will surely be something to treasure. |
| Day 15: | Arusha - Nairobi. Our tour ends in Arusha this morning, after breakfast. From Arusha, you can choose to take our free transfer back to Nairobi, arriving in the evening. |
travellers' tales
The most memorable experience was seeing six lion cubs suckling two lionesses right next to our safari jeep at dusk which was an amazing and we were very lucky to see thanks to an amazing guide in Moremi. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
award winner how this holiday makes a difference
|
This trip combines the best game viewing in Africa with plenty of cultural interaction. We spend half of the trip in National Parks and Conservation areas searching for big game such as lion, elephant, rhino and cheetah. We do not disturb the delicate eco-systems of the Masai Mara, Serengeti, Lake Nakuru and Ngorongoro Crater as we camp in designated areas, and rigidly adhere to low impact camping guidelines.
The other half of the trip concentrates on local interaction. A highlight is our stay at a very traditional Masai village in northern Tanzania. Here we learn about this ancient culture first-hand. We shop at the local market, visit the village school, herd goats with the children, watch the women making handicrafts and eat a meal with the tribal elders. We are accompanied throughout by an English-speaking local leader and camp assistant. This trip is focused on respecting and benefiting the local people and the environment of this country. On this trip you will be lead by an experienced local leader passionate about their country's history, heritage and natural beauty that will help you to get 'under the skin' of their country and see it through the eyes of a local. This trip stays at locally run accommodation; we eat at local restaurants and travel on local transport. This ensures the financial return to the local economy opens up training and employment opportunities - and allows for informal and meaningful interaction between our travellers and local people. We are constantly seeking new and innovative ways of neutralising our impact on the environment. We will become the first Australian adventure tour operator to offer a voluntary carbon offsetting option on the land component of all its tours, as well as the accompanying flights. Our Community Trust provides funds for local community projects and initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable tourism development in the destinations in which we operate. First and foremost, but not exclusively, the Trust supports projects and initiatives that advance education and employment within the tourism and hospitality industry. The Trust operates on a not-for-profit basis, with every cent of funds donated by us, our staff and our travellers, going to the nominated projects. The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers – with exception of some African trips (24 max) and in the Polar Regions, where our ship carries a maximum of 110 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |