Experience the best of East Africa on a soul-stirring safari from Kenya’s Masai Mara to Tanzania’s Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

Start in Nairobi, then dive into the wild beauty of the Masai Mara, where golden savannas and thriving wildlife offer unforgettable game drives and a chance to witness the Great Migration.

From there, drive across the border into the legendary Serengeti, where endless plains, big cats, and dramatic sunsets define the landscape.

End your journey at the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with rhinos, elephants, lions, and flamingos inside a lush volcanic caldera.

With seamless logistics, expert guides, and boutique lodges throughout, this safari promises extraordinary wildlife and once-in-a-lifetime moments.

We Love Walking: As a Journeys by VDB, we strive to experience the local areas we are visiting and a big part of this is walking around the destination.

Many of our activities include a lot walking throughout the duration of the activity as well as walking to and from activities or meals.  If you are not able to walk long periods of time, please reach out to one of our Journey Experts to see if this trip is right for you.

We Love Food: The best way to experience a destination is through its food.  We strive to include local delicacies and popular culinary delights from each destination we visit.  If you have strict dietary restrictions, please reach out to one of our Journey Experts to see if this trip is right for you.

In November in Kenya & Tanzania brings warm days and refreshing evening breezes—an ideal climate for exploring the country’s breathtaking wildlife and vibrant landscapes. With fewer crowds and dramatic skies as the short rains begin, it’s a magical time for game drives, photography, and immersive safari experiences.

Arrival/Departure: 

Your trip begins in Nairobi, Kenya and ends in Arusha, Tanzania.

Arrival Day: Please schedule to arrive at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi Kenya on November 12 (anytime, however if you arrive early enough you can partake in the Giraffe Center experience, at an additional cost). You will be met by a Journeys by VDB representative to transfer you to the hotel.

Departure Day: Please schedule your international departure to be after 5:00pm.

Optional Add-Ons: Should you wish to partake in the add-on three (3) nights in Zanzibar, please select this option when booking this tour. 

We require a minimum of four (4) travelers for this trip. Please confirm your trip is guaranteed before booking airfare. 

To protect your travel investment and yourself, we strongly encourage purchasing travel insurance. TripAssure is our trusted travel insurance provider and can provide you with an online quote here

Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where you will be met by a Journeys by VDB representative, who will transfer you to your hotel an overnight stay. 

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY AT AN EXTRA COST: 

If your flight arrives in time in the late afternoon we will visit Giraffe Center for a hands-on giraffe encounter and educational experience on giraffe conservation. 

Located 5 km from Nairobi's city center, the Giraffe Centre offers visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with these friendly giants. Founded in 1979 as a core breeding center for the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, the center escalated its conservation efforts in 1983 when it opened an environmental education center for the Kenyan youth. Today, the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife deals with breeding Rothschild’s giraffes, ecology trips, trainers workshops, national environmental competitions, and funding micro-projects, it also monitors, evaluates, and produces resource materials for environmental activities. 

After breakfast, we will head to Wilson Airport for your flight to Masai Mara. The Masai Mara will fulfill your dreams with its iconic, endless African landscapes of golden grass dotted with picturesque acacia trees that are home to year-round wildlife viewing: cheetahs, leopards, large pride of lions, elephants, giraffes, hyenas, huge Nile crocodiles, frolicking hippos and many other species. 

We will meet our driver guide at the airstrip and embark on a game drive transfer to our camp. 

Check in and enjoy a hot lunch. Late afternoon, head out for a game drive. Return to the camp for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, we head out for our morning and afternoon game drive with stunning wildlife views.

Enjoy a picnic lunch under acacia trees in the park. 

The Maasai Mara, a must-visit destination for safari enthusiasts and nature lovers worldwide.

In the late afternoon, we will head back to the lodge for our dinner and overnight stay. 

Immediately following breakfast, we will depart the Masai Mara and drive past Migori to the Isebania border. 

Our driver will help you with the documentation process before handing you over to the Tanzanian driver guide. Continue with your drive to Central Serengeti with a picnic lunch en route. This is not a transfer, it is a game drive in its own right, and seeing the plains of the Serengeti for the first time is an unforgettable moment. 

Serengeti, or “Seringit” in Maa, meaning ‘endless plains’, is one of the oldest ecosystems on earth. The essential features have changed little in a million years; Serengeti’s famous plains are interspersed with wooded hills, towering termite mounds, rocky kopjes, and rivers lined with acacia trees. 

Late afternoon we head to our camp to check-in and enjoy dinner.

Discover Serengeti National Park over a full day of game viewing, taking a picnic lunch at one of the picnic sites. The Serengeti National Park was established in 1952, however, the Serengeti ecosystem is far older and greater than the park. The ecosystem reaches over 30,000sq km/12,000sq mi and was previously inhabited by the Maasai. This is home to the famous annual migration of more than a million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebras, and all kinds of antelopes, following the rains undertaking their long journey to new grazing grounds. Also be on the lookout for lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. 

In the late afternoon, we will head back to the lodge for dinner and an evening of leisure.

Leaving at 05hr15, heading out to the launch site of the hot air balloon. This is a good opportunity to get a glimpse of some of the elusive nocturnal inhabitants of Serengeti whilst you enjoy the sunrise in the distance across the Serengeti plains. As dawn breaks, start your hot air balloon adventure. Enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience viewing the animals and the vast landscape of the Serengeti plains from a different perspective. Each journey is different and will be dictated by the direction of the wind. Return safely to the ground. Enjoy a glass of bubbly, then drive to a special breakfast spot where you will be treated to an exceptional bush breakfast (Activity time: 3 hours) 

From here, continue to explore the Serengeti before heading back to the lodge for lunch.

Relax in the afternoon and head out for our late afternoon game drive.

Return to the lodge for dinner.

After breakfast, we will check out and proceed with an on-route game drive to Naabi Hill Gate, the exit point of Serengeti National Park, where we will have a picnic lunch. 

Continue to drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Not only is Ngorongoro Conservation Area a UNESCO World Heritage Site but it is also considered one of the natural wonders of the world. It is unique in that it allows over 40,000 Maasai pastoralists with their cattle goats and sheep to live alongside the abundant wildlife in a natural setting. The conservation area gives you a rare insight into how people lived in harmony with nature and wildlife in ancient times all over the globe. 

Head to our lodge for dinner.

After an early breakfast, we will descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive. Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact caldera measuring 600m/1970ft in depth and covering 250sqkms/96sqmil. It is a spectacular setting and contains an abundance of wildlife with over 20,000 large animals, including Tanzania’s remaining critically endangered black rhino. There are good chances of seeing the Big Five in this natural enclosure.

Picnic lunch at the Crater. 

Ascend back onto the crater rim, exit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and drive past the highland town of Karatu, and the town of Mto Wa Mbu literally meaning 'River of Mosquito, situated adjacent to Lake Manyara National Park.

Head to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport for your departure flight. 

While we have carefully planned and organized our itinerary, there may be circumstances beyond our control that necessitate changes to hotels, tours, or restaurants during the course of our trip.

Please rest assured that should any changes occur, our priority will be to ensure that the replacement accommodation, tour, or restaurant is of equal or higher quality and standards.

For guests who will be heading to Zanzibar, you will board a flight from Arusha Airport to Zanzibar. Upon arrival, our ground handlers will transfer us to our resort.

Day 9:

Spend the day at leisure, relaxing on Zanzibar's pristine beach, or take advantage of the lodge's amenities. 

In the afternoon we will head out for an afternoon sunset cruise with Mimi the Dhow. As you glide across the calm waters of the Indian Ocean, you’ll enjoy breathtaking coastline views and the golden hues of the setting sun. Relax aboard the traditional wooden dhow while sipping refreshing drinks and savoring light snacks. With some luck, you might spot dolphins swimming alongside the dhow. The peaceful sound of the ocean, combined with the gentle breeze, makes this the perfect way to wind down your day. 

Sail back to the beach and head back to our resort for dinner.

Day 10:

Enjoy another day at your own pace, whether relaxing by the beach, soaking in the serene surroundings, or making use of the lodge's facilities to enhance your stay. Enjoy your breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the hotel. 

Day 11:

After breakfast, our driver will pick us up from the hotel and transfer us to Zanzibar airport for your onward journey. 

Please note: Zanzibar extension is an extra cost and needs to be confirmed at time of booking.