11D10N On safari in Kenya & Tanzania (3550)

Welcome to Africa! Check in to your hotel and prepare for your safari adventure!

This morning, depart for Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya's most famous game area. After lunch at your lodge, set out on your first game drive in search of the "Big 5"-lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo.

Today, enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in the "Mara," as it is called by locals. Part of the Serengeti ecosystem, the reserve boasts a strong permanent population of game. When the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra arrives, the population enlarges by almost 2 million. This provides a significant food source for resident predators including lion, cheetah, leopard, and hyena.

Today, board a plane for the quick flight to Nairobi. Drive to Amboseli National Park, best known for spectacular views of 19,341-foot Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Embark on an afternoon game drive before settling in at your lodge.

Morning and afternoon game drives offer you a terrific opportunity to get close to the mighty elephant. You might also spot Cape buffalo, zebra, wild dog, and more. During the heat of the day, relax and enjoy the amenities at your lodge.

This morning, cross the border into Tanzania. After lunch in Arusha, proceed to your camp overlooking Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara National Park is a small, ecologically diverse park with groundwater forests, grassy plains, and the alkaline namesake Lake Manyara. The park is also home to the world's largest concentration of baboon. Watch for these mischievous primates, giraffe, hippo, and more on your morning game drive. Then, journey to your lodge and enjoy time at leisure this afternoon. Perhaps join an optional trip to a local primary school to meet the children or venture to a village to witness colourful local culture in daily life.

Descend into the crater for a full-day game drive. Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest unflooded caldera, more than 2,000 feet deep with a floor covering over 102 square miles. Game viewing here is fantastic, as most of the animals stay in this area year-round. Witness lion, Cape buffalo, hippo, elephant, and flamingo in a unique habitat. This is also your best chance to see the rare black rhinoceros! A picnic lunch will be served in the crater.

Today, drive to Serengeti National Park, Tanzania's largest and most famous park. Home to the seasonal Great Migration of vast numbers of the Serengeti's wildebeest, accompanied by zebra, Grant's gazelle, Thomson's gazelle, eland, and impala. The Serengeti remains an extraordinary ecosystem for game viewing year round. Enjoy lunch at your lodge before an afternoon game drive.

The biologically diverse Serengeti covers an area of roughly 5,700 square miles and is home to a variety of animals. The name comes from the Maasai word siringit, meaning "endless plains," and Maasai tribes co-exist with wildlife living in the Serengeti. Continue your exploration during morning and afternoon game drives. You have the chance to see the big cats-lion, leopard, and cheetah-as well as an abundance of other animals, including the Nile crocodile, giraffe, gazelle, and eland. 

Fly back to Arusha, where a day room is reserved for your convenience. Schedule departing flights after 5 pm