Your 14 Days Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Masai Mara & Zanzibar Holiday starts at Nairobi’s wild city edge, slides past Nakuru’s lakeshore, moves into big cat country in the Mara, crosses to the endless Serengeti, drops into Ngorongoro’s ancient bowl, then slows down on Zanzibar’s beaches. You feel the change each day, from engine hum at dawn to waves at dusk.
We handle border formalities, park fees, timing, and the tiny logistics that keep the trip smooth. You decide when to linger at a sighting and when to keep rolling. You shall finish with stories, not stress, and a camera roll that keeps you smiling on the flight home.
Day 1: Nairobi arrival, easy start
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Our team welcomes you, helps with bags, and transfers you to your hotel near Nairobi National Park. If time allows, you shall take a brief city spin or relax by the pool with a fresh juice. Sleep early to set up tomorrow’s dawn game drive.
After check in, you shall feel the quick reset from transit to safari. The city sits close, yet zebra and giraffe roam minutes away. You notice the air, softer than the cabin, and the quiet before your alarm.
Depending on your time of arrival, you may proceed for Nairobi National park short adventure and finalize this exciting park next day.
Lodging, Nairobi Area
Day 2: Nairobi National Park game drive, skyline and sundowners
Rise before sunrise and enter Nairobi National Park as first light catches the grass. You shall look for rhino near acacia thickets, scan for lions along the tracks, and laugh when an ostrich sprints past your vehicle like it trained for it. If you wish, visit the Giraffe Centre or Sheldrick Wildlife Trust later in the morning.
After the encounter, you shall embark on a midday rest to recharge, organize your photos, and reset your expectations for the days ahead. Later, you enjoy a gentle afternoon loop and a sundowner with the skyline glowing as you further experience the beautiful attractions of Nairobi National park. Tomorrow, you leave the city behind.
Lodging, Nairobi Area
Day 3: Lake Nakuru, rhinos and rim views
Drive the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park. After check in, you shall explore the lakeshore where pelicans raft together and buffalo wade. White rhinos graze calmly, horns catching the light. You continue to Baboon Cliff for a wide look at the lake.
Look out for subtle shifts along the shore, from wind ripples to birds lifting in waves. By late afternoon, you shall find a quiet stretch of track and watch a rhino and calf cross with steady confidence. Proceed for further exciting game viewing in the Lake Nakuru NP.
Lodging, Lake Nakuru
Day 4: Road to Maasai Mara, plains and big cats
After breakfast, you head for the Maasai Mara. The road widens, and the first plains appear like a new chapter. You arrive by midday, settle in, then roll out for an afternoon game drive. The first lion sighting often silences the vehicle in the best way.
After the encounter, you shall embark on a slow return to camp, talking about the moment when the cub lifted its head and the whole world paused. You shall notice how sound travels farther on the plains and how quickly darkness collects the stars. Eat well and rest.
Lodging, Maasai Mara
Day 5: Full day in the Mara, picnic under an acacia
Carry a packed picnic to stay out all day. You shall track cheetah prints along sandy stretches, listen to hippos honking from a pool, and wait near small crossings where life gathers. From July to October you might meet migration herds. Outside those months, resident wildlife fills the hours.
At midday, you shall open the picnic under an acacia and watch a lilac breasted roller flash by, bright as a small firework. After the encounter, you shall embark on a different loop back, because the Mara rarely repeats itself. The campfire conversation will run long.
Lodging, Maasai Mara
Day 6: Transfer to Tanzania, enter Serengeti
After breakfast, you drive toward the Isebania border. We time the handover and manage the paperwork. Once stamped, you meet our Tanzania guide and continue into Serengeti.
The drive is a long one, so prepare for it and later relaxa as you await tomorrows wildlife viewing in the famed Serengeti. You sleep with the sense of a much larger landscape ahead.
Lodging, Serengeti
Day 7: Serengeti sunrise, endless plains
Leave camp before dawn. You shall find hyenas trotting home, lions yawning on warm rocks, and the grass turning gold as the sun climbs. Your guide reads tracks like a map, turning small clues into big sightings. Kopjes become stages, with lionesses and cubs in the first light.
After the encounter, you shall embark on a midday rest to recharge batteries and reset aim for the afternoon. Later, you return to the plains and sit quietly with elephants as they fan dust. You end the day with a calm mind and tired cheeks from smiling.
Lodging, Serengeti
Day 8: Serengeti full day, follow the herds
Today you explore a different zone based on seasonal movements. You shall carry a picnic and decide whether that distant rumble is thunder or hooves. Either answer works. Both change your photos and your heart rate.
After the encounter, you shall embark on a gentle return, stopping for a secretary bird walking like a dancer through the grass. You review photos before dinner, then put the camera down to listen. Night sounds take over.
Lodging, Serengeti
Day 9: To Ngorongoro, crater rim chill
Exit the Serengeti with a morning game drive, then continue to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As you climb, the air cools and the view opens. Look out for the drastic change in the crater views as clouds slide and lift along the rim.
After the encounter with altitude and view, you shall embark on a cozy evening by the fire. The night air calls for a light fleece, and the stars feel close. Sleep arrives quickly with the promise of the crater floor.
Lodging, Ngorongoro
Day 10: Ngorongoro crater descent, then Arusha
Descend into the crater at first light. You shall often meet several of the Big Five in a single morning. Picnic near the hippo pool and watch the water ripple with lazy ears. After lunch, you drive to Arusha for a softer city night.
After the encounter with Ngorongoro’s packed wildlife, you shall embark on a slower tempo. The shift to town gives you restaurants, a comfortable bed, and time to reorganize. Tomorrow, you fly to the island.
Lodging, Arusha
Day 11: Flight to Zanzibar, Stone Town
Fly from Arusha to Zanzibar. Our island team greets you at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport and transfers you into Stone Town. You shall wander narrow alleys, carved doors, and courtyards touched by spice and sea breeze. Choose a sunset dhow or a rooftop dinner.
Take a short drive to your Stone Town hotel, then step back out when the light softens. You shall hear a call to prayer float over the rooftops, then laughter from a café around the corner. The pace eases without effort.
Lodging, Stone Town
Day 12: Spice farm and beach switch
Join a spice tour in the morning. You shall see clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla, then taste fruit that tastes like sunshine. After lunch, you transfer to the coast for your beach chapter.
Take a short drive to your beach hotel. By late afternoon your feet touch sand and the sea looks like someone lowered the sky to eye level. After the encounter with salt and light, you shall embark on a slow evening with a coconut in hand.
Lodging, Zanzibar Coast
Day 13: Ocean day, your call
Pick your adventure. You shall snorkel at Mnemba reefs, try a dolphin trip off Kizimkazi, learn kite basics in Paje, or read in a hammock and call it perfect. We arrange the logistics and timing around tides and wind.
After the encounter with the reef or the kites, you shall embark on an easy evening. Fresh seafood, feet in the sand, and a quiet beach walk finish the day. Sleep comes with the sound of waves.
Lodging, Zanzibar Coast
Day 14: Last swim, fly out
Take a final swim before checkout. We transfer you to the airport for your flight home. You carry Serengeti dust on your boots and a little sand in your bag. Both tell the story.
After the encounter with farewell hugs and final photos, you shall embark on your journey home with a clear thought. You did this right.
When should you travel this route?
You enjoy strong wildlife year round. July to October favors migration action between the Mara and northern Serengeti. January to March suits southern Serengeti calving and predator activity. Zanzibar is usually warm most of the year, with short rains in November and long rains in April to May.
How does the Isebania crossing work?
We prepare documents, time the drive, and meet you on both sides. You carry your passport and visas. The handover to our Tanzania guide happens at the border, then you continue into the Serengeti without delay.
How long are the drives?
Most transfer days run 3 to 6 hours. The longest is the Mara to Serengeti day via Isebania. We plan a picnic and add a light game-viewing route upon arrival. If you prefer fewer road hours, ask for a short flight segment.
Can you tailor the Zanzibar section?
Yes. Choose more Stone Town nights, a full beach stay, or a split between north and east coasts. Popular activities include Mnemba snorkeling, Prison Island, Jozani Forest, a sunset dhow, and spice tours.
What vehicle and guide will you get?
You travel in a private 4×4 Land Cruiser with a pop up roof. Your guide adjusts pace to your interests, from photography angles to birding stops. You decide how long to stay at a sighting.
What should you pack?
Park neutral layers, a warm fleece for crater mornings, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable shoes, a soft sided bag, and a camera with spare cards. For Zanzibar, add swimwear and light cotton.
Stay in Zanzibar, relax on sugar-white beaches, then fly to Serengeti or Nyerere for big cats, returning to sunset dhows and spice markets; you enjoy safari action with beach downtime with the experts.
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