17 Day Kenya & Tanzania
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
This tour is fully escorted by a dedicated tour leader who will accompany you throughout the tour. If your tour includes multiple countries, you will be met by a new tour leader in each country and any internal flights included will be unescorted.
Experience a superior level of comfort. Our Small Group tours have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Travel with no more than 26 people, allowing for a more personalised and immersive experience. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for the exact group size.
✓ Small, personal group experience – no more than 12 people
✓ Return international airfares with a full-service airline
✓ All airport transfers and station transfers
✓ 14 nights twin share 4-star hotel & lodge accommodation
✓ Daily breakfast, 13 lunches, 14 dinners
✓ Incredible sightseeing as per the itinerary
✓ Get close to baby elephants, visit a Maasai Boma to see how the Maasai people live, see the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Crater, explore the lively city of Nairobi
✓ Experience dramatic African landscapes, like the endless grass savannah and rocky outcrops of the Serengeti
✓ Multiple game drives in renowned parks to witness the incredible wildlife, including the famed Big Five
✓ Stay in the Rift Valley, known for its spectacular scenery
✓ Dedicated 4×4 safari vehicle transportation
✓ 24/7 customer service and your own Dedicated Support Agent
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Depart home today to begin your African safari.
Welcome to Kenya! On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel.
Nairobi is a cosmopolitan, lively and interesting city. Its central business district is nicely compact and it’s a great place to tune into modern urban African life.
While also a thriving modern capital, it’s known as the safari capital of Africa. Some of the world’s most exciting national parks are right on its doorstep – it’s not uncommon to see animals as you drive along the highway from the airport.
The rest of the day is free for you to relax in Kenya’s capital city.
We’ll start exploring Nairobi with a visit to the Karen Blixen Museum. This historic farmhouse is where the author of Out of Africa lived between 1917 and 1931, before leaving Kenya after a series of personal tragedies. It’s an interesting insight into Kenya’s colonial past.
We’ll then head to the Giraffe Centre and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage. It’s named after the late famous naturalist David William Sheldrick, the founder warden of Kenya’s Tsavo East National Park when it opened in 1948. They’ve been caring for and rehabilitating baby elephants since the late 1970s. At 11am, the baby animals from the national park arrive for a mud bath at the orphanage. For an hour you’ll be able to get close to them and sometimes touch them!
Lunch will follow before driving down to Amboseli National Reserve. We’ll arrive in the afternoon. With five main wildlife habitats – open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush country, swamps and marshland – it’s famous for its big game and scenic beauty. There are over 80 different mammals to be found and more than 400 bird species.
We’ll head into Amboseli National Park for a full day of game viewing in one of Kenya’s most famous parks, just a few hours outside of Nairobi. Amboseli is known for its huge elephant bulls with their magnificent tusks, which makes for the ultimate safari picture with snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. There are over 1000 elephants in the park – visitors can see herds of up to a hundred at a time.
This morning we’ll make our way to the border and onwards to Arusha.
On the way we’ll visit the Marangu waterfalls, a moderately strenuous walk. We recommend sturdy shoes and a degree of walking fitness.
We’ll continue to Arusha via the town of Moshi, one of Tanzania’s major coffee-growing regions and gateway to Kilimanjaro National Park.
After breakfast we’ll set off towards Lake Manyara National Park. This incredible reserve is located at the northwestern corner of the hollow soda lake, which lies at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment. The Great Rift Valley is spectacular, stretching all the way from Lebanon to Mozambique.
We’ll enjoy a scenic drive in the park known not only for its large flocks of flamingos and huge herds of baboons, but also for its elusive tree-climbing lions.
Today we’ll experience the cultural diversity of the Mto wa Mbu community, a melting pot of many different tribes. We’ll start at the market and visit a Chagga family producing banana beer. We’ll pass by many farms on the way and your guide will introduce you to the various fruits and vegetables growing in the area, explaining the irrigation system that sustains local crops.
After enjoying a delicious, home-cooked meal in a local Mama’s home, we’ll embark on a walking tour to Lake Papyrus. Here you’ll view this magnificent lake, with abundant birdlife and hippos. If time allows we’ll do some trekking up to the waterfall. From here you’ll view the lake from the top of the Rift Valley wall, then onto the banana plantation and rice field. We’ll end the tour with a visit to a local village.
In the late afternoon, we’ll enjoy a visit to a Maasai Boma for the cultural encounter of a lifetime. The Maasai people are semi-nomadic herders, who live a traditional lifestyle and are known for their distinctive attire.
We’ll return to the lodge for dinner.
It’s a full day of game drives in Tarangire National Park today, a relatively smaller park that boasts rugged and varied landscapes. The breathtaking views of the Maasai Steppe and the mountains to the south make this a truly memorable experience. Tarangire is well known for its huge elephant population and baobab trees.
It’s an early start this morning for a game drive in the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest caldera. For many, this wildlife spectacle is the pinnacle of their safari adventure. The world-renowned Ngorongoro Crater boasts all of the Big Five game animals, including a small population of endangered black rhino.
After a picnic lunch, we’ll head towards the Serengeti through the stunning southern plains. This is the landscape the Serengeti is best known for; the endless, undulating grass savannah with rocky outcrops that serve as isolated wildlife refuges. These rocky granite outcrops are known as kopjes – the Simba Kopjes, a great spot for lion-spotting, inspired Pride Rock in The Lion King.
It’s a full day game driving around the Seronera area of the Serengeti today. The Serengeti is divided into three main areas; Seronera (Central Serengeti) is the most central and accessible region. This is where the park’s main headquarters and visitor centre are located, as well as most of the larger lodges and communal campsites.
This part of the Serengeti is characterised by its quintessential African scenery – open plains of grassland, packed with animals. The Seronera River is the lifeblood of the Serengeti and this area is renowned for great game viewing year round. Also referred to as the big cat capital of Africa, It’s particularly good for lion and cheetah sightings, as well as the most elusive of all big cats – the leopard.
We’ll have another exciting day of exploring this thrilling park today. With lunch boxes provided, we’ll continue with game drives throughout the afternoon. It’s a day spent scanning endless plains, spotting magnificent animals and realising just why this national park is so famous.
In the late afternoon we’ll return to the lodge.
Optional Activity - This morning you may choose to take a hot air balloon flight over the Serengeti (booked locally).
We’ll head for Lake Victoria this morning, the largest lake in Africa. We’ll pass through the villages of the Sukuma people, who grow ground nuts, sorghum and cassava as well as keeping livestock. This is the largest tribe in Tanzania.
You’ll have some free time in the afternoon, perhaps for a bird walk along the lake shore. Fishing is also excellent here.
This morning you’ll have the chance to take part in a boat excursion to one of the local fishing villages.
We’ll bid Lake Victoria farewell and continue our journey north, across the border into Kenya. Here we’ll head to the Masai Mara National Reserve, the traditional land of the Maasai people, who are permitted to graze their cattle in this area. The Masai Mara covers an area that includes the riverine forests along the banks of the Mara and Talek Rivers, acacia forests and the open plains of the savannah.
Today we’ll spend the whole day game viewing in the world-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve. This is one of Kenya’s oldest and most loved safari destinations. Here the various habitats are home to a great variety of game including lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest (gnu), giraffe, buffalo, jackal, topi, gazelle, impala and elephant. Hippopotamus and crocodile are also plentiful in the rivers and the bird life is abundant.
The Great Wildebeest Migration here is world famous, with around two million animals – mainly wildebeest, with some zebra and antelopes – arriving here from the Serengeti, from about July through to October.
We’ll leave today for Nairobi, approximately a six-hour drive.
When we arrive, the afternoon is free to explore the city. If we have time, we’ll visit the Kazuri Beads Factory. Kazuri means ‘small and beautiful’ in Swahili and perfectly describes each striking ceramic bead, shaped by hand by the women employed at the Kazuri workshop.
We’ll then head to the hotel for dinner.
Enjoy one last delicious breakfast this morning, before your African adventure comes to an end. You will be transferred to the airport to board your flight home.
Arrive home today after your amazing adventure, we hope you have been Inspired!
Deposit & Payment
Booking Process
Airfare Information
Full-service airline used will be Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airlines, Qatar Airlines, Qantas or similar
Flights are not direct and include a maximum of two connections
If you would like to travel with a preferred airline, please ensure you mention this in the special request field. Please note that appropriate fare and tax difference will be applicable in order to confirm your request.
Adelaide customers will likely require two stops in either direction
All tickets will include 20 kilos checked baggage per person, along with 7 kilos of hand luggage.
Despite the airlines baggage allowance, we recommend travelling with 20 kilos per person due to restrictions with internal flights (where applicable), as well as coach and train transportation. Also, you will be responsible for handling your luggage at all times as the services of porters is not included. If travelling over this amount, you will be liable for any excess baggage fees enforced by the airline, payable direct.
Once ticketed, flights are non-refundable; any changes will be subject to the airline rules and change fees
Full names as per passport (including all middle names) are required
Any airline schedule changes or cancellations are beyond our control
Premium Economy or Business Class upgrades
Please specify this as a 'Special Request' when completing your booking and you will be quoted for the additional fare. In the event your selection is unavailable, or that you are dissatisfied with the quote, you will be provided with a full refund.
Land Only discount
A reduction of $1800 per person applies if you wish to arrange your own airfares. To purchase a land-only fare, please select this option in the booking process under 'Departure City'.
Please note, if you are selecting this option, airport transfers are still included.
Extending Your Stay
Some customers like to enhance their holiday by extending their stay pre- and/or post-tour or including a stopover in another destination. If you wish to do so, please follow these steps:
By choosing to extend your stay, please note that a supplement of $150 per person, plus applicable fare and tax differences will apply. We will contact you via email with a quote and proposed flight itinerary, and then proceed with collecting the additional payment required to confirm your request.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour, adding a stopover package en-route or booking a tour extension. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Airport chauffeur
Take the hassle out of getting to the airport with private chauffeur transfers to and from your home airport. Your personal chauffeur will meet and greet you, attend to your luggage and drive you to your destination in a luxury vehicle.
Additional surcharges may apply depending on pick-up time, tolls and government levies.
Airport Chauffeur can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add this service, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance.
Airport lounges
Escape busy airport terminals and relax at a cosy and catered lounge instead. Departure lounge access in Sydney $70 per person (up to 6 hours); Melbourne & Brisbane $55 per person (up to 3 hours).
Airport lounge passes can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add this service, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers. As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available. This particular tour is categorised as a “2”:
2 – Easy Tour: An average level of fitness and mobility is required for this tour. There is a considerable amount of free time throughout the itinerary, though some sightseeing may be conducted on uneven terrain, including some incline and walking over short distances. For Safari tours, you will be required to get on and off vehicles with minimal assistance.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. While tipping is not customary, it's of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many destinations. To remove the uncertainty and stress of not knowing how much is appropriate to tip we recommend AUD$5-7 per person per day for your guide and AUD$3-4 per person per day for your driver to be paid in local currency or USD. The amount you wish to contribute is dependent on the services received and at the complete discretion of the guest. Thank you for your understanding.
Accommodation
The accommodation for this package is a range of boutique properties and depending on the style of accommodation, are more often than not locally rated. All accommodation used is thoroughly researched by our Product experts to ensure that it is of the appropriate standard. The accommodation used throughout will be a mix of lodges, camps and hotels ranging from 3-5 star and we encourage you to review each property online to ensure you have appropriate expectations prior to travel. The accommodation listed within the itinerary is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however, any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $2,499 per person in addition to the twin share price.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book comprehensive or budget cover simply by clicking HERE to arrange your policy.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller’s responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from your intended date of return.
KENYA - Australian passport holders will require a visa to enter Kenya.
Please note that a visa is required for travel to Kenya (Multiple Entry). Travellers can obtain visas upon arrival or obtain an e-visa before departure.
However, we strongly advise travellers to obtain visas prior to arrival to avoid possible lengthy delays or denied entry. Please visit http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html to obtain your Kenyan visa.
Please note the e-visas are limited to 90 days validity from the date of arrival and travellers should apply for the e-visas no more than two months prior to travel.
TANZANIA - Australian passport holders will require a visa to enter Tanzania.
Travellers can obtain a visa upon arrival at the port of entry into Tanzania or obtain an e-visa before arrival. However, we strongly advise travellers to obtain a visa prior to arrival to avoid possible lengthy delays or denied entry. Please visit http://www.tanzaniaembassy.or.jp/english/e_index.html to obtain your Tanzanian visa.
Please note the e-visa is limited to 90 days validity from the date of arrival and travellers should apply for the e-visa no more than two months prior to travel.
Please note that the information provided is subject to change at any time. For the most up-to-date information, we recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au
Tour Documentation
Final documentation, including e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Group Size
4 to 12 people
Children
Children must be 11 years old or over and share a room with parents at all times. Children are the same price as adults.
Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent in flight and is subject to change depending on the flight schedule, please refer to the day by day itinerary for the time spent on land.
Refundable deposit within 28 days of purchase:
For cancellations made within 28 days of paying the deposit on any tour, your deposit can be refunded in full or can be transferred to a new booking should you decide to change to another package or destination. Please note this change of mind guarantee does not apply for bookings made within 120 days of departure, after which time our standard 48 hour cooling off period applies. After this time, your booking becomes non-refundable.
All cancellation or change requests must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.
Refund times will vary and the timeframe of which will be advised at the time of cancellation. Any refund of deposit will be issued back to the original form of payment.
Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions.
Transferrable second installment up until 120 days before scheduled departure:
Following the second installment payment and up until 120 days before your departure only, should you wish to postpone your travel or transfer to another package, we can provide you with a credit note of the current balance paid on your booking, to be used to rebook within 18 months of the credit being issued.
Any change request must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.
Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions.
Please refer to our full Terms and Conditions for more details
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