Serengeti Trail

Resort: Serengeti Trail
Operator: Intrepid
Destination: Tanzania
Price From: £1187.00

Over View

Bless the rains of East Africa on an eight-day safari adventure through Kenya and Tanzania. The famed national parks in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater region are home to an astounding array of animals, from miniature dik-dik antelopes and lions to the noble African elephant. With local guides and all of your needs taken care of, head on a number of game drives in search of the Big Five in the back of specially designed safari vehicles. With stops at a local community in Mto wa Mbu, the vast Lake Victoria and bustling Nairobi, your curated Lonely Planet Experience is fit for the most curious traveller, eager to explore the fascinating towns and fertile savannahs of Africas east.

Highlights

  • Explore the Serengeti National Park in depth with two early-morning and two late-afternoon game drives through this spectacular wildlife arena, youll have the best chance to spot the Big Five.
  • Embark on an unforgettable safari across the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater in an open-roof 4WD with your small group for a chance to see the endangered black rhinoceros in full view.
  • Learn about the Maasai cultures, and join a local community for a guided afternoon stroll around the farming area of Mto wa Mbu, before enjoying a traditional meal together.
  • Swap the safari vehicle for two wheels on a guided biking adventure near Lake Victoria, stopping to shop for local wares and meet townsfolk at the Mwigobero Market.
  • Your expert local crew will keep you well informed (and well fed!) filling you in on all you need to know about the Great Rift Valley and the annual migration of some two million wildebeest.

Itineraries

Day 1 Nairobi

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm, and you can arrive at any time as there are no activities planned until this important briefing. If you arrive early, perhaps head out and explore the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum or the highly recommended Bomas of Kenya, where traditional homesteads of several Kenyan tribes are displayed in an outdoor village.

Day 2 Kisii

Board your safari vehicle and travel west (approximately 89 hours). Todays destination is near the hilltop town of Kisii, which will be the last chance to stock up on supplies before heading into Tanzania. Crossing the incredibly scenic Great Rift Valley on your way to the tea-growing highlands is a fantastic introduction to the landscapes of Kenya. You will pass through the ancient homeland of the Maasai. Keep a look out for these tall tribesmen dressed in distinctive scarlet robes as they tend to their prized herds of cattle. The roads on the way are pretty rough, but there will be chances to stop and stretch your legs, including a local homestead lunch in the town of Kaprong. The food for the lunch is grown and sourced locally, plus the lunch is a great way to learn from and interact with the women from the local village.

Day 3 Lake Victoria

Travel towards the KenyaTanzania border and to the shores of Lake Victoria (approximately 78 hours). This is not only Africa’s largest lake it’s the largest tropical lake in the world. Its shores are shared by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The guided bike excursion is a great activity to stretch the legs, learn about the town, visit an African marketplace and meet some locals. Or you can simply chill out on the lakeside sand with a cold drink. Make the most of the ATM and local market to stock up for your next three days of adventuring in the wilderness. You will camp on the shores of the lake tonight, at one of its least visited campgrounds, on the outskirts of a small town called Musoma.

Day 4 Serengeti National Park

Travel from Lake Victoria to the gate of Serengeti National Park on a smooth road (approximately 3 hours). Enter the Serengeti and enjoy a game drive and picnic lunch en route to your campsite. The wide-open plains of the Serengeti see myriad colours during the year green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season but one thing is a constant: this never-ending landscape is home to thousands upon thousands of animals travelling as herds across the plains. This region gets its name from the local Maasai word siringet, meaning the place where the land moves on forever, and youll begin to understand why on your game drive today. Enjoy a picnic lunch, then head to your campsite which is right in the action located within the park itself! At night, listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep.

Day 5 Serengeti National Park

Start the day nice and early with a game drive at dawn. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. This morning, theres also the option of a balloon ride over the park today. If you have pre-booked this activity, you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, where youll get some amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the vastness of the plains and the early morning movements of the herds. After landing, dig into a delicious bush breakfast, then return to your camp. After spending the warmer part of the day relaxing with your herd just as the animals do depart again at dusk for another adventure through the wild, returning in time for dinner.

Day 6 Ngorongoro Crater

Enjoy a leisurely game drive and picnic lunch on your way out of the park today. Soak up final views of the animals and landscapes that make the national park such an incredible spot, before entering the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Your destination today is the rim of the crater about 3 hours away. Your campsite overlooks jagged volcanic peaks and rolling grasslands thousands of feet below you can be sure that there are few campsites in the world with a better view than this!

Day 7 Ngorongoro Crater Mto wa Mbu

A gigantic, perfectly intact volcanic crater, Ngorongoro is home to some 30,000 animals. Among these are endangered black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor offers excellent wildlife viewing all year round, and the photo opportunities here are unrivalled. Later, join the local community for a guided afternoon stroll around the farming areas, milling machine and local homes before enjoying a traditional meal. Your campsite this evening is located in Mto wa Mbu.

Day 8 Arusha / Nairobi

Set off early this morning, around 7.30 am, heading for the border with Kenya after passing through Arusha to say goodbye to some travellers. You also have the option to travel back to Nairobi if it is more convenient for you (approximately 78 hours). On arrival, you’ll be dropped at a centrally located hotel, and with no accommodation provided for tonight, you are free to leave at any time. If you would like to extend your stay in Nairobi, well be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

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