east africa safari; serengeti; masai mara; elephants

Elephant herds, Masai Mara

Elephants are fascinating to watch on safari, with their complex social interactions. On our East Africa Private Journey, see elephants in the Masai Mara Game Reserve and on game walks with Masai guides. Exclusive safari camps give you the sense of having East Africa all to yourself.

Photo by Art Wolfe / Danita Delimont Agency

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East Africa Private Journey

The Wildlife Paradise of the Serengeti and Masai Mara

Golden savannas, prowling lions, red-robed Masai warriors, the snows of Kilimanjaro—all the mystique and wonder of Africa await you in Kenya and Tanzania. Head off the beaten path in these world-renowned safari destinations with Masai-led walking safaris, incomparable wildlife encounters on private Masai gamelands, and intimate, exclusive tented camps.

Highlights

  • Phenomenal “big five” gameviewing in the famed Masai Mara and Serengeti
  • Exciting game tracking on foot with your Masai guide
  • Optional hot air balloon rides over the Masai Mara

Details

  • 11-day trip begins in Nairobi, Kenya and ends in Arusha, Tanzania
  • 10 nights in luxury tents/game lodges
  • All meals included except 1 dinner
  • Night game drives, Masai-led walking safaris, off-road game drives by 4WD

When to Go

June to October December to March

For our Private Journey trips, you choose your own group and your preferred dates—there are no set departure dates. Private Journeys are available to groups as few as two people or as large as you like. Contact us for availability, questions, or to book your adventure!

Suggested Reading

Reading list, click here.

Tour Costs

$7995 per person double occupancy
Single Supplement: $750
Peak Season Surcharge (June 16–September 30): $790 per person
Internal Airfare: $1550 (subject to change)
Zanzibar Extension: Mnemba Island from: $3995
Zanzibar Extension: Serena Inn, Breezes or Palms Resort from: $1595

Kenya: Campi Ya Kanzi Extension from: $2095

Prices valid through November 30, 2010
Includes all land transportation and guides throughout

Itinerary at a Glance
East Africa Private Journey route-map

Days 1-4
Masai Mara, Magnificent Gameviewing

At an altitude of 5,000 feet, the Masai Mara Game Reserve is breathtakingly beautiful. The wide Mara River snaking through its rich, tree-studded grasslands is full of frolicking hippos, while enormous groups of elephants wander through the rich marshes along its edge. Buffalo graze here in abundance, baboons leap through the brush, and solitary leopards survey from their perches in acacia trees. Kichwa Tembo Bateleur Camp, one of Kenya’s most exquisite tented camps, is on private Masai lands directly adjoining the famed Mara parklands and is not restricted by park rules. This keeps you far from the main safari circuit and allows you the freedom to enjoy spectacular off-road game drives in open 4WD vehicles, interpretive bush walks accompanied by Masai warriors, and night game drives to look for nocturnal animals and lions on the hunt. Optional hot air balloon safaris are an especially amazing experience in the Mara.

Days 5-7
Ngorongoro and Olduvai

At the eastern edge of the Serengeti in Tanzania is the largest unbroken ancient caldera in the world, Ngorongoro, ringed by steep walls and sheltering over 30,000 resident wildlife. Head down to the grassy crater floor to explore by 4WD in this fantastic Eden-like setting, one of the best places in Africa to see the endangered black rhino, and enjoy an optional visit to the famed archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge, “the cradle of mankind.” (Our mid-trip extension to Campi Ya Kanzi begins on Day 5, followed by Ngorongoro and Serengeti.)

Days 8-11
The Serengeti Wilds

The Serengeti is a beautiful mosaic of woodlands and grasslands, laced with wild rivers and riverine forests, and punctuated by rounded granite outcrops called kopjes, a favorite resting spot for lions. Its celebrated untamed tracts have inspired writers from Ernest Hemingway to Peter Matthiessen, as well as renowned photographers and filmmakers. You’ll feel as if you have the Serengeti all to yourself at your small and luxurious safari camp in the wild northern reaches of the park. In this “kingdom of predators,” head out by 4WD to look for lions, cheetahs, and other big cats, clans of spotted hyena, and a breathtaking array of plains game, including more than a million wildebeests and zebras during the annual Great Migration. You’ll see more wildlife than you ever thought possible! Your lodging is strategically located Klein’s Camp or Grumeti River Camp, both offering superlative wildlife encounters and solitude amid Serengeti’s wild beauty. Depart on Day 11.

This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure

Optional Extensions

If you would like to extend your adventure, we offer the following options:

House of Waine

Day 1 (1 night), Nairobi, Kenya

In the leafy suburb of Karen, this 11-room colonial-style manor has spacious rooms, wonderful gardens, and a swimming pool. The service is friendly ...
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Kichwa Tembo Bateleur Camp

Days 2 to 4 (3 nights), Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya

This is a fantastic camp with an absolutely stunning location in the Masai Mara. There are actually two separate camp areas, with nine “luxury ...
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Gibb’s Farm

Day 5 (1 night), Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

This is quite a special place in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The main facilities are situated in the old colonial farmhouse built by German ...
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Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Days 6 to 7 (2 nights), Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

One of the most luxurious lodges in East Africa, Ngorongoro Crater Lodge appeared on Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious Gold ...
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Grumeti River Camp (Option A)

Days 8 to 10 (3 nights), Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Set in a remote valley in the Western Corridor of Serengeti National Park, Grumeti provides excellent year-round gameviewing (particularly in June ...
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Klein’s Camp (Option B)

Days 8 to 10 (3 nights), Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

One of the most strategically positioned wildlife sanctuaries in the world, Klein’s is set on the edge of the Kuka Hills in the northwest ...
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Serengeti Under Canvas (Option C)

Days 8 to 10 (3 nights), Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

This mobile, Hemingway-style camp offers an authentic experience of the African bush in total comfort—the romance of yesteryear without ...
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Extension Accommodations

If you would like to view the accommodations offered with our extensions options:

Note: Listed above are our signature accommodations for this trip. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.