Day 1 Kenya - Lake Naivasha
The tour begins in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. On this first day the tour will meander further inland to Lake Naivasha for a relaxing day on the lakeshore. You can go hiking in the area and activities include game and bird watching. One of the more popular optional activities is to go game viewing from a bicycle. An alternative way to spend your afternoon is to take high tea at Elsamere, the former home of Joy Adams, best known for her autobiographical novel, Born Free. Optional Activities: Cycle hire, High Tea at Elsamere
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2 Lake Nakuru
The morning begins with an included game drive in Hells Gate National Park. This small National Park was established in 1984 and is named after the narrow break in the volcanic cliffs here. There is a wide variety of wildlife to be found here, including Lion, Cheetah and Leopard. In the afternoon we will travel to Lake Nakuru where we will spend the afternoon game driving. Originally created as a bird sanctuary, Lake Nakuru was upgraded to National Park status in 1968. White rhino inhabit the transitional savannah area surrounding the lake, with excellent photographic opportunities.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 Masai Mara Game Reserve
In the morning there will be another game drive at Lake Nakuru before we enter the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve on Kenya’s southwestern border with Tanzania. This afternoon the tour will be entering this huge area of spectacular game viewing to photograph some of Africa’s most abundant wildlife. Famous for the annual migration of around 1.5 million wildebeest, the Masai Mara is also home to many other open plains animals, including lions.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 Masai Mara Game Reserve
The Masai Mara National Reserve is the Kenyan side of the world-famous Serengeti National Park (located in Tanzania). Although we are not allowed to cross the border here, the animals freely pass between the two countries. The more than 1500km2 of reserve is primarily open grassland that supports large herds of plains game as well as the predators that hunt them. While many people are most interested in the big cats there are many other animals here that deserve some attention. Optional Activities: Balloon Safari over Masai Mara (must be pre-booked)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 Nairobi
After a final game drive we will drive back to Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi. In the evening we will venture out in to the city to experience some East African nightlife as well as enjoy a meal at one of the city’s excellent restaurants. Optional Activities: Dinner out in Nairobi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6 Amboseli National Park
We depart Nairobi and take the drive south to the Amboseli National Park. Famed as one of the best places to see free-ranging Elephants the park also boasts a magnificent view of Mt Kilimanjaro on clear days. Predominantly a community run enterprise there will also be opportunity to meet the local people of this area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 Tanzania – Arusha
After a wonderful morning’s game drive in Amboseli NP we will cross over the border at Namanga and enter Tanzania. From there we travel to Tanzania’s safari-hub town of Arusha.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 Tarangire NP
Around 120km southwest of Arusha lies Tarangire NP, at only 2850 km² it is Tanzania’s 6th largest National Park and most famous for the large numbers Elephant, Baobab Trees and the elusive tree-climbing Lions and African Pythons. In the afternoon we enjoy a game drive before setting up camp just outside the park for another evening under the vast African sky.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9/10 Serengeti NP
At 14,763 km² the Serengeit NP is massive and although we will spend 2 whole days traversing the larger and smaller roads through the park, we will still only see a fraction of the area. Serengeti is one of Africa’s most famous wildlife areas and its reputation for excellent game viewing is well deserved. As well as being home to The Big 5 (Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhino) the sheer seasonal numbers of plains game such as Zebra and Wildebeest are often more memorable. It is possible to book the optional Balloon Safari on the morning of the second day in the Serengeti, but this activity has to be pre-booked in advance. Optional Activities: Balloon Safari over the Serengeti
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 Ngorongoro Conservation Area
No visit to this part of the world would be complete without calling in at Olduvai Gorge, site of the Laetoli hominid footprints, Oldupai Museum and many fossilised hominid, animal and plant specimens. Four different types of hominid have been discovered here, with more than 60 remains comprising the archaeological record. A self-guided tour of the museum and a short lecture provides an excellent start to learning more about the history of hominids and other mammals. We will also visit a Masaai Boma in order to spend some time with these remarkable people who live side by side with the animals we have just seen in the Serengeti.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12 Ngorongoro and Lake Eyasi
Although commonly referred to as The Ngorongoro Crater, it is actually a caldera. At over 20 km’s across and 600m deep the Ngorongoro Caldera is the largest unbroken, un-flooded caldera in the world and clear testimony to this region’s volcanic history. The ‘crater’ is the most renowned part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a unique area where more than 25 000 wild animals occupy the crater-floor; we will spend our entire morning game viewing here. In the afternoon we will travel to Lake Eyasi, home to some of East Africa’s last hunter-gather tribes, the Hadzabe, who have lived in this area for over 10 000 years.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13 Lake Eyasi Hadzabe Hunting Tour
This morning we experience a unique way of life when we meet with the Hazabe people of the Lake Eyasi area. Numbering at only around 1000, only 300-400 members of this tribe still live the traditional huter-gather life. Traditionally considered to be the East African branch of the Khoisan people (their language also uses click-sounds), modern genetic research has suggested the Hazabe may be more closely related to the Pygmies! In the afternoon we journey to Mto wa Mbu (pronounced ‘umto wambu’) where we overnight close to the village.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14 Mto wa Mbu
Do not be scared off by the translation of the name Mto wa Mbu, it means River of Mosquitoes, but is far better known as the place where, it is said, you can find members of 120 different tribes. We will be taking a guided walk through the village and surrounding areas including a visit to a Chagga Banana Beer brewery, where you can sample the local brew. We will also visit some small handicraft stalls of the Makonde people. After a traditional lunch we will drive back to Arusha where your tour ends.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
≈AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURS (AAT)'Since 2002.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once you make a booking with Africa Adventure Tours (AAT) we will send you a Tour Dossier and a Pre-Departure Information document. This is a brief overview of the information contained in these documents
Food and Meals. Included are three hearty meals a day, (unless otherwise specified). Vegetarians are easily catered for and they're always impressed by our varied menu. Our guides can produce miracles on a camp-stove. Special dietary requirements can be catered for, but only by special request. In East Africa it is more difficult to cater to certain requirements.
Accommodation. On our camping tours you will be staying in two-man dome tents. We supply a mattress and you supply your own sleeping bag. The accommodated tours stay in traditional huts, permanent tented camps and hostel-style rooms.
Health. All people who join an adventure tour need to be in good health. Medical facilities are not always available. If you have a specific medical condition it is compulsory for you to advise us before departure.
Malaria. Malaria is a real concern in many areas of Africa, especially during the rainy season. Our advice is simple, prevent getting bitten by using an insect repellent and use an effective prophylactic. Speak to your doctor before selecting your Malaria medication.
Vaccinations. Please ensure you have the relevant vaccinations. Proof of inoculation is required on certain tours.
Terms & Conditions. All travellers will be required to sign our indemnity form on departure. Any person refusing to do so will not be allowed on the tour.
Currency, Money and Banking. This is covered comprehensively in the pre-departure dossier. South African Rand and Credit Cards work in Southern Africa. In East Africa (incl. Zimbabwe and Zambia) USD cash is best.
Age Restriction. Passengers under the age of 18 must have signed permission from a parent or guardian. Passengers over the age of 65 require a medical clearance certificate from their doctor stating they are fit enough to travel.
What to Bring? A sense of fun and a flexible attitude! A full checklist of essential items is included in the pre-departure info document.
What to Leave Behind. Your watch, cell phone, laptop, work, stress, concept of time, pre-conceptions about anything and any attitude that is not pure adventure.
Changes to Routes/Schedules. Although we will do our best at all times to ensure that the tour remains on schedule we want to make it very clear that this is not always possible. There is always something unexpected on a tour, sometimes the truck gets stuck in mud, or sand, sometimes it rains... Anything can happen, but nothing that a good sense of humour cannot overcome.
How to Make a Booking. You need to complete our booking form and pay a 25% non-refundable deposit to secure your seat. Full payment is due 28 days prior to departure.
Do I Need Travel Insurance? YES! Make sure your insurance covers being airlifted in case of serious illness/injury as good hospital facilities are often a long way from where our tours travel. Free credit card insurance is often insufficient, so a separate policy is recommended. As travel insurance is compulsory, you will be asked for the policy number before being allowed to board our vehicle.
How Many People Can Go On This Tour? The average number of passengers on a tour is 18. On the camping tours there is a maximum of 24 and minimum of 4. On the Accommodated tour the minimum is 4 and the maximum is 18. The maximum number on Gorillas, Serengeti and Masai Mara tours is 18. Single Supplements are limited to 4 per tour on all tours.
Do I Have To Help With Camp Chores? Of course not, but you will not make many friends! On our tours our guides do most of the work. On a camping tour your participation in camp chores is limited: taking turns to assist with washing-up duties, putting up and taking down your tent and loading your bags. On some of our accommodated tours we include a camp assistant.
Who Is Responsible For My Visas? You are responsible for your own visas. Please check the itinerary of your tour carefully and if you need a multiple entry visa be sure to get one. Your passport needs to be valid for 6 months after your departure date from Africa and you must have at least 3-4 blank pages available. Some countries will not allow you to enter without 2 blank pages in your passport.
What Are Local Payments (LP) For? The Local Payment is a USD cash portion of the tour payment that needs to be paid directly to your guide in Africa. This payment covers fluctuating expenses such as flights, National Park Fees, entrance fees etc. and also ensures that we have a reliable amount of hard currency on each tour. Our Local Payment is not a kitty, your food and accommodation are included in the tour price. All Local Payment amounts are subject to change without notice. Changes are very rare and are normally due to a sudden or unexpected price increase by a local service provider or National Park.
What Is a Single Supplement? All of our tours are priced on twin share accommodation. The single supplement is not compulsory on our camping tours but if you want your own tent you need to pay the single supplement. If you are booking one of our accommodated tours alone you have to pay the single supplement. There are a maximum of 4 single supplements available on all tours.