Day 1: Nairobi to Samburu National Park – Arrival & Welcome at Samburu Sopa Lodge

Your 9 day Kenya and Tanzania tour begins at Wilson International Airport with a pickup by your tour guide. From there, travel to Thika town, where you see textile factories along the roadsides on your way to Samburu National Park. Also, see lively markets on your way to Nanyuki town, stop and take pictures at the equator stop while grabbing snacks and refreshments, and stretch your legs. After board the safari vehicle, head to the Samburu Sopa Lodge and be greeted by Maasai entertainers.

Receive a drink before being escorted to your cottage. The journey from Wilson International Airport starts from around 10 AM, taking approximately 6 to 7 hours on the road towards the Samburu Sopa lodge. Therefore, you are likely to arrive in the evening just in time for a bush meal that you will enjoy after freshening up.

Day 2: Full Day Samburu Safari Game Drive – Special Five Wildlife Experience

On the second day you are to spend it exploring and unveiling the hidden gems of the Samburu National Reserve. As early as 8:30 AM, breakfast is already done, and then join your safari guide in the 4×4 safari vehicle. So, navigate the brownish desert-like plains of the Samburu National Reserve, and throughout the day, observe the Beisa Oryx hiding from the lion that has been stalking it.

Also, see the leopard moving on the branch of the sausage tree and the Kirk’s dik-dik going through the bush thickets. Lastly, spot herds of African elephants drinking water from the Ewaso Ng’iro River and the olive baboons socializing at the nearby rock ridges. Throughout the day, have a packed kind of lunch prepared by the lodge. Later, in the evening, dine at the restaurant of the Samburu Sopa Lodge.

Day 3: Samburu Cultural Visit & Afternoon Game Drive

Around 8:00 AM, a busy meal is set up on the terrace. So, receive a briefing from your tour guide before you leave for the Samburu community, where an elder will greet you upon arrival. There, learn about the Samburu people’s traditional way of life as they demonstrate their beadwork. Also, have the opportunity to respectfully engage with them by exchanging cultures. Then, be driven back to the Samburu Sopa lodge for your lunch, and then go for an afternoon game drive in this reserve.

See a leopard resting on top of a termite mound, while the Somali ostrich just moves gracefully through the grasslands and the reticulated giraffe browses on the acacia leaves. In the evening, after going back to the Samburu Sopa Lodge, enjoy a barbecue meal experience as you interact with other guests of the lodge, along with refreshments like wine.

Day 4: Samburu to Masai Mara – Scenic Transfer to Mara Intrepids Camp in Masai Mara

Breakfast will still be served on the terrace on the fourth day. But since it’s your last day and you’ll be traveling for seven to eight hours to reach the Masai Mara National Reserve, which is more than 450 kilometers away, it’ll be a hearty buffet. After leaving the winding hills of Nanyuki behind, pause at the Rift Valley View Point for a breathtaking view before continuing to Narok Town. Have a meal and move your body by going for a walk to lessen the fatigue that comes with sitting still.

Then, go off the smooth road into the rough road till you reach Masai Mara National Reserve gate. So, clear at the gate and show your Masai Mara entry permit, then be driven towards the Mara Intrepids Camp. Check in and head to your tented camp in Masai Mara with an organic drink in hand that has been provided by the staff members. Also, enjoy the Talek River views from your private balcony, which are magnificent. Later, have a delightful meal with lanterns lighting up the atmosphere in the evening as you look at the radiant stars in the dark sky.

 Day 5: Big Cats & Predator Action in Masai Mara National Reserve

The 5th day starts with a bush breakfast set up in the grasslands in the compound of the Mara Intrepids Camp. Then, go for a game drive around the Talek area, where leopards inhabit the riverine forests and are seen scanning the landscape for their next victim. In the afternoon, watch the prides of lions becoming very active, most especially around the Mara triangle. So, capture them stalking the herds of wildebeests alongside the zebras that are crossing towards the Mara River, and they can at least capture a weak wildebeest calf.

In the evening, spot the smaller cats, like the hyenas, with a carcass of a dead impala, while the serval cat moves with a mole rat in its mouth. During the day, have a picnic lunch at a designated area near the Talek River, and in the evening, have another bush dinner.

Day 6: Dramatic Wildebeest Migration River Crossings from Serengeti to Masai Mara

Get up at around 6:00 AM for a sunrise game drive, where you can witness orange-painted clouds. Also, see the lions resting in swamp marshes after a good morning hunt and a warthog standing motionless and staring at you from the topis on the other side of the driveway. After returning to the Mara Interpids camp, where breakfast is given on the deck, be driven in the direction of the Mara River to observe the drama that takes place during the crossings. Alongside the zebras, witness wildebeests in the reserve lining up at the same time and leaping erratically into the murky waters.

Also, watch the Nile crocodile jumping mid-air to capture the wildebeest that was almost reaching the other edge. Trust me, you get goosebumps witnessing this event. Lastly, have a packed lunch before you go for an evening game drive, as you are to track some wildebeests grazing harmoniously with the impalas. As the day comes to pass, return to the Mara Interpids camp for dinner before you rest.

Day 7: Trip to Serengeti from Masai Mara – Border Crossing to Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge

As early as 6:00 AM, start your journey from the Mara Interpids Camp to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. So, head towards the dirt roads of Migori town as you observe the tobacco and maize plantations on the roadside. So, on the way, you enjoy the packed breakfast that would have been prepared for you by the Mara Interpids Camp. However, you can stop over in this town to buy more drinks and refreshments if needed before you cross via the Isebania border.

After clearing with the immigration authorities, continue to the Tanzanian rural town of Tarime, and this time observe the banana plantations. Then, continue driving towards the Serengeti gate and then transfer and check into the Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge. This trip to Serengeti from Masai Mara takes approximately 9 hours. You will be tired, and your dinner will be brought to your room so that you can have enough time to rest and regain energy for the next day.

Day 8: Full Day Exploration of Seronera Valley in Central Serengeti

This entire park can be explored in a single day, but some Serengeti areas, such as the Seronera Valley, have a high concentration of wildlife, hence perfect for game drives. Nevertheless, you are to be driven to this area at 8:30 AM after a bush breakfast. You might see cheetahs, lions, and leopards drinking from the Seronera River while the elephants roam freely in the endless savannahs.

Also, observe cape buffaloes wallow in the mud to reduce the heat, most especially in the afternoon, when the hot temperatures are at their peak. Additionally, see the mongoose leave their hiding as the Kori bustard searches for a grasshopper in the grasslands. In the evening, have a sundowner meal around the Kopjes area, and in the afternoon, enjoy a packed lunch.

Day 9: Hot Air Balloon Safari in Serengeti & Departure Flight to Nairobi

At six in the morning, get accompanied by your safari guide to the Seronera region, and first, witness the hot air balloon’s setup. After the captain gives you a briefing, climb the basket and soar above the Mara cliff edge. So, see the dark lines of wildebeests moving towards it. Meanwhile, the Seronera River meanders through the landscape, bringing with it elephants, rhinos, zebras, and giraffes. After this Serengeti balloon safari experience, have a bush breakfast; this time it’s a buffet alongside champagne and wine as a sign of fulfillment for accomplishing the past day’s experiences.

Later, head back to the Serengeti Serena Lodge, and say farewell, and go for your domestic bush flight from Seronera Airstrip to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Lastly, depart, and this fulfills your 9 days Samburu, Masai Mara and Serengeti safari in Tanzania and Kenya.