Explore the most famous wildlife areas in Kenya and Tanzania ‘Masai Mara National Reserve’, ‘Serengeti National Park’, Ngorongoro Conservation area and Lake Manyara known for year-round exceptional and abundant wildlife including the spectacular tree-climbing lions. Certainly, a thrilling African Big 5 safari experience. End your safari by exploring the famous island of Zanzibar!
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Join us on this Big 5 Safari Vacation in Kenya, Tanzania and finishing in Zanzibar. Upon arrival at Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will perform clearance at the immigration. Proceed to collect your luggage and then move out to the area where guides and others await their guests.
Accommodation: (Ibis styles Nairobi: 3-Star) | Meals: Dinner | Transfer time: Approx. 30-40 minutes.
This Big 5 Safari Vacation heads to Masai Mara. You will be picked from the hotel in Nairobi and depart for Masai Mara National Reserve via the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. Enjoy a drive via typical African savanna country dotted with local homesteads.
Along the way, we shall have a brief stopover at the spectacular Great Rift Valley, which is a fault line some 3,500 miles (5,600km) long stretching from Ethiopia’s Red Sea through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and into Mozambique. We will arrive at the lodge with enough time to settle in before lunch with a little time to relax before we head out for our first game drive in the Mara. After a satisfying encounter, we will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: (AA lodge Masai Mara:: 3-Star) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 5-6 hours.
Head out with picnic lunch box for a full day tour of the reserve in your safari vehicle. On this Big 5 Safari Vacation, roll down the windows or stand up through the customized pop up roof hatch and enjoy this unhindered 360 views, and the possibilities for what lies ahead.
Masai Mara is Kenya’s most popular game sanctuary where you will have the best opportunity of spotting the Big Five – lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant. In the Mara River, throngs of hippos and crocodiles lurk waiting for their unsuspecting prey. The park is also known for providing excellent predator sightings in their natural habitats thanks to its relatively large populations of lions, cheetahs, and leopards.
You will also see lots of Elephants, Masai giraffe, common zebra, impala, Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelles, Topi, Hartebeest, Black-backed jackal, spotted hyena, various bird species and many more. Return to your safari lodge for dinner and the overnight.
Accommodation: (AA lodge Masai Mara:: 3-Star) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. n/a
Our next stop on this Big 5 Safari Vacation is the Serengeti National Park. After breakfast you will be transferred to Isebania at Tanzania/Kenya Border where you will be met by our Tanzania-based Tour Driver-guide who will be with you for the rest of the stay in Tanzania. Drive to Serengeti doing shallow game drives. You will arrive and check in at your hotel in Central Serengeti. Spend the rest of the day on rest and relaxation in your camp waiting for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: (Tanzania Bush Camp Central Serengeti: 3-Star) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 7-8 hours
On this day of this Big 5 Safari Vacation, we will spend the day exploring Serengeti National Park. Game drives are flexible, with the option of going out with picnic lunch boxes to spend entire day in the park, or you can choose to have early morning and late afternoon game drives.
Serengeti is Africa’s largest national park that provides abundant of wildlife and made it considered as one of the world heritage sites for its nature. Serengeti is home to Cheetah, lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Topi, Eland, Thomson and Grant Gazelle and many more. Birds: Kori bustard ostrich, secretary birds and many more including the migrant birds from Eurasia. Dinner and overnight at safari camp.
Accommodation: (Tanzania Bush Camp Central Serengeti: 3-Star) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: n/a
Our next stop on this Big 5 Safari Vacation is Ngorongoro. After breakfast, you’ll depart with picnic lunch box(es) for Ngorongoro Crater – considered by some to be the Eighth Wonder of the World. When you get your first glimpse of this vast, verdant caldera from the panoramic viewpoint, you’ll soon understand why it has earned such a lofty reputation.
Home to over 120 species of mammal including the fabled Big Five, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the most sought after safari destinations in the world. It’s a particularly good place to see the endangered black rhinoceros enjoying a lonely meal out on the grass plains, as well as a place to see large numbers of hippopotamus enjoying the cool water.
From the comfort of your open-top vehicle, you’ll be able to observe and photograph some of Africa’s most recognizable faces. In the mid-afternoon, you will be transferred Karatu to rest and overnight.
Accommodation: (Eileens Tree Inn: 3-Star) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: 3-4 hours.
After an early morning breakfast, you depart Karatu for Lake Manyara National Park. Lake Manyara provides the perfect introduction to Tanzania’s birdlife. More than 400 species have been recorded, and even a first-time visitor to Africa might reasonably expect to observe 100 of these in one day.
Inland of the floodplain, a narrow belt of acacia woodland is the favored haunt of Manyara’s legendary tree-climbing lions and impressively tusked elephants. In the evening, you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport to catch a flight destined to Zanzibar. *Note: Remember to secure this flight directly. On arrival at the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport – Zanzibar, you will be received and taken to the booked hotel for your relaxation.
Accommodation: (Tembo House Hotel: 3.5-Star) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: Approx. 5 hours.
On this Big 5 Safari Vacation, we will explore the Stone Town. You will be picked from your beach hotel and head out to Stone Town for historical Tour. Stone town is so rich in History, culture and architecture.
Explore the Town wondering in the labyrinthine narrow streets, there are over 1000 coral Stone buildings having architectural significance and more than 200 craved doors but despite the crumbling, historic architecture, Stone Town is still very much alive with busy, narrow streets linking homes, shops, workshops and Schools. A Town declared as a World Heritage Site by the UN.
Among the many buildings of interest are; Former Slave Market, House of wonders, the old Fort and to see the famous Zanzibar Doors. If you love culture and history, then you are in for a mind-blowing experience exploring Stone Town. We will return to the beach hotel and have the remaining part of the afternoon at your disposal (on your own).
Accommodation: (Tembo House Hotel: 3.5-Star) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Transfer Time: n/a
Have a relaxed breakfast at your beach hotel. Thereafter, you will be transferred to the airport to catch flight home bringing to an end what we believe is a lifetime bush and beach safari experience under the African blues. Thank you for choosing and travelling with Rays Safaris. This Big 5 Safari Vacation has come to an end.
Note: In case you have a late flight (past midday), you can check out of the hotel room but stay around possibly enjoying your last moments at the beach. Alternatively, you can pay for day use and have access to your room until time to be transferred to the Airport.
Accommodation: (Recommended on request) | Meals: Breakfast | Transfer Time: Approx. 30 minutes.
What's Included
- All Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking Permits
- Private 4×4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Full Board Accommodations & Meals
- All National Park & Game Reserve entrance fees
- Airport transfers & unlimited bottled drinking water
What's Excluded
- International Flight Tickets
- Tourist Entry Visas ($50 East Africa Visa)
- Personal Travel Insurance
- Alcoholic beverages & personal laundry
- Tipping for guides and lodge staff
Book This Safari
Send us your details and our safari team will get back to you.
Explore the most famous wildlife areas in Kenya and Tanzania ‘Masai Mara National Reserve’, ‘Serengeti National Park’, Ngorongoro Conservation area and Lake Manyara known for year-round exceptional and abundant wildlife including the spectacular tree-climbing lions. Certainly, a thrilling African Big 5 safari experience. End your safari by exploring the famous island of Zanzibar!
