Why this journey is different.
Our most complete East African journey. You cross from the Maasai Mara into the Serengeti, drop onto the Ngorongoro Crater floor, then fly to Zanzibar for four beachfront nights. We hold the permits, the charters, the border paperwork and the lodge relationships ourselves, so you deal with one company and one guide standard from the first morning to the last.
Moments you will remember.
- 1Maasai Mara and Serengeti in one journey, the same ecosystem either side of the border
- 2Ngorongoro Crater floor at first light
- 3All border formalities and charters handled by our own team
- 4Light aircraft transfer to Zanzibar, no commercial connections
- 5Four beachfront nights with a private dhow, Mnemba reef and spa
- 6One senior guide standard throughout, KPSGA certified in Kenya
Your itinerary.
12 chapters, each with the exact landscape you will be standing in that day.
Sign in to your guest account to print your name and travel dates on the cover and every page header. One personalisation per account, so your document stays uniquely yours.
- 1. Maasai Mara
- 2. Serengeti
- 3. Ngorongoro
- 4. Zanzibar
Day 1Nairobi and the road, golden hour game drive Arrive Nairobi
Met at Jomo Kenyatta and transferred to your hotel, with a full itinerary briefing that evening.
Day 2Maasai Mara, sundowners on the plains Fly to the Maasai Mara
Light aircraft to the Mara, afternoon game drive, sundowners looking over the plains.
Day 3Maasai Mara, full day of game drives Maasai Mara
A full day with your guide, big cats along the Talek and Mara rivers, and time with a Maasai family on the conservancy edge.
Day 4Maasai Mara balloon, sunrise balloon flight Maasai Mara
Dawn drive, optional balloon safari with a champagne bush breakfast, and a slow afternoon in camp.
Day 5Serengeti, golden hour game drive Cross into the Serengeti
Charter across the border with all formalities handled, arriving in the northern Serengeti for an afternoon drive.
Day 6Serengeti, full day of game drives Serengeti
Full day tracking lion, cheetah and leopard through the kopjes and riverine forest.
Day 7Serengeti, golden hour game drive Central Serengeti
Move south with game drives through the day, arriving in big cat country by late afternoon.
Day 8Ngorongoro Crater, rhino tracking on foot Ngorongoro Crater
Descend to the crater floor at first light for black rhino, tuskers and the densest predator population in Africa.
Day 9Watamu and Malindi, dawn game drive Fly to Zanzibar
Morning at leisure, light aircraft to Zanzibar, private transfer to your beachfront suite.
Day 10Lake Naivasha, boat ride among the hippos Mnemba atoll
Private boat to the reef for snorkelling and a beach lunch, then an unhurried afternoon.
Day 11Ngorongoro Crater, sundowners on the plains Stone Town and dhow
Private Stone Town heritage walk and spice tasting, then a sunset dhow charter with drinks.
Day 12Nairobi and the road, farewell transfer Departure
Breakfast, late checkout where possible, private transfer to the airport.
- Private open-roof 4x4 Land Cruiser and senior guide on safari
- All park, crater, conservancy and border fees
- Cross-border charter flights and the Zanzibar light aircraft transfer
- Beachfront or ocean-view accommodation on a full board or half board basis
- Private guided Stone Town heritage walk with a resident historian
- Spice farm visit and Jozani red colobus forest walk
- Sunset dhow cruise with drinks and Swahili canapes
- Reserved restaurant tables and spa bookings arranged before you arrive
- 24/7 island concierge on WhatsApp
- International and internal flights unless stated
- Tanzania e-Visa and the Zanzibar infrastructure levy
- Mandatory Zanzibar travel insurance (we book it for you on request)
- Diving, kitesurfing and deep sea fishing charters
- Premium spirits, champagne and cellar wine lists
- Gratuities for guides, skippers and villa staff
- Balloon safaris over the Mara or Serengeti (quoted separately)
Scenes from this journey.
Photographs from our own guests and guides on this exact route. Tap any image to view full-screen, swipe to browse.
Safari Packing Essentials
What to carry on the 12-Day Kenya, Tanzania & Zanzibar Grand Journey
The same preparation brief we send every confirmed guest, written from fifteen years of running these parks ourselves. Read it now and you already know exactly what your safari asks of you.
Packed for 12-Day Kenya, Tanzania & Zanzibar Grand Journey: Nairobi and the road, Maasai Mara and Maasai Mara balloon
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Equator sun is unforgiving
We also keep a pair per vehicle
200mm or longer for big cats
Charging points onboard too
Hell's Gate, Crescent Island
Keeps the cabin uncluttered
What to wear on safari
Neutral, breathable fabrics photograph better and keep wildlife relaxed. Skip bright white, neon and anything camouflage, camouflage is restricted in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Long trousers2 to 3
One zip-off pair is ideal for long game drives
- Shorts2
Knee-length, for warm midday hours
- Long-sleeve shirts3
Your best defence against sun and insects
- T-shirts2
Quick-dry fabric, our laundry turnaround is same-day at most lodges
- Fleece or light jacket1
Mara and Amboseli mornings start cold in an open roof 4x4
- Windbreaker1
Waterproof if you travel April, May or November
- Hat, beanie or scarf1 each
Beanie for dawn, wide-brim hat for the equator sun
- Walking shoes1 pair
Closed and comfortable for Hell's Gate and Crescent Island walks
- Sandals1 pair
For camp, lodge decks and pool time
The small pouch that saves the whole trip
Pack it once, forget about it, and let your guide handle everything else on the road.
Stay well, so nothing interrupts the wildlife
Our vehicles carry a stocked first-aid kit and every guide is first-aid certified, but personal medication is yours to bring.
- Repellent with DEET or picaridin
- Long sleeves for evenings around the fire
- Calamine or hydrocortisone cream
- Anti-malarial tablets, started before you fly
- Prescription medication for the full trip, in original packaging
- Painkillers, allergy tablets, plasters, antiseptic
- Rehydration sachets, the equator sun is deceptive
- Motion sickness tablets for murram park roads
- Eye drops, sanitiser, tweezers
Paperwork we double-check before you board
Once your dates are confirmed we send a personal checklist and verify your visa and park-entry requirements ourselves.
- Passport valid 6+ months beyond travel
- Kenya or Tanzania e-visa, we send the exact link
- Vaccination certificate where required
- Travel insurance including medical evacuation
- Emergency contact list, ours included
- Photocopies plus a cloud backup
- USD notes printed after 2009, small bills for tips
- Split your cash across two secure places
- Leave heavy jewellery at home, travel quietly
- M-Pesa and card work in Nairobi, carry cash for the parks
- Save your insurer's 24/7 line in your phone and on paper. We keep a copy in the vehicle file too.
We plan around the youngest and the eldest guest
Tell us who is travelling and we adjust drive lengths, seating and meal timing before you arrive, not on the road.
- Daypack with snacks, wipes, sunscreen and games
- Offline films and music, lodge Wi-Fi is limited
- Child-safe insect repellent
- Enough nappies and formula, stock up in Nairobi
- Tell us allergies early, we brief the lodge kitchens
- Extra prescriptions and a spare pair of glasses
- Tell your guide about mobility needs, we reseat and shorten drives
- A portable cushion or cane travels well
- Hydrate often, we pause in shade through midday
We supply the rest: refrigerated drinking water on every drive, binoculars in each vehicle, charging points, a stocked first-aid kit, and a guide who has driven these parks for over a decade. You bring the list above, we bring everything else.
Read us where it counts.
Good to know.
How do I secure my booking?+
A 30% deposit confirms your villa, your dates and your dhow charter. The balance is due on arrival, before your holiday begins. Peak beachfront suites over Christmas and New Year sell out nine to twelve months ahead.
Can we combine Zanzibar with a safari?+
That is how most of our guests travel. We fly you straight from the Serengeti or the Mara to Zanzibar on the same booking, one contract, one point of contact, bags handled at every transfer.
When is the best time for Zanzibar?+
June to October and December to February are dry, hot and clear. Long rains run late March into May, when the island is quietest and villas are at their best value.
Is it suitable for honeymoons?+
Zanzibar is our most requested honeymoon finish. We arrange private beach dinners, floating breakfasts, couples spa treatments and a sunset dhow for two.
Do you handle the Zanzibar insurance requirement?+
Yes. Every arriving visitor needs the mandatory island cover, and we buy it in your name and send the certificate before you fly.
