Ngorongoro's Ancient Crater Descending into the Wild
The Mara's Final Chapter Grasslands Without End
16-Day Grand East Africa Safari
(Trip Overview)
This Grand East African Safari brings together three of East Africa's most celebrated wildlife destinations into a single, elegantly sequenced adventure. It begins in Tanzania with a descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the continent's most extraordinary natural amphitheaters, offering exceptional Big Five viewing within a landscape unlike anywhere else on earth. From there, six nights across two distinct regions of the Serengeti allow the journey to unfold at a pace few itineraries permit - enough time to follow the Great Migration's movement, encounter resident predators, and take in the sheer scale of the savannah without rushing between camps. The journey then crosses north into Kenya's Maasai Mara, where the trip reaches its natural crescendo. Sweeping grasslands and some of Africa's densest wildlife concentrations provide a fitting finale to a route that has already covered two countries and three ecosystems - each destination distinct, yet connected by the same thread of exceptional guiding and elegant, well-placed camps throughout. For travelers with time to spare, the adventure can extend further still to Zanzibar, trading savannah for the Indian Ocean's white sand and warm waters. Whether concluded in the Mara or carried through to the coast, this itinerary represents East Africa distilled to its finest destinations - a journey built not around covering ground, but around experiencing each landscape at the depth it deserves. Highlights • Availability: 9 January–31 March, 1 June–31 October, and 1–31 December • Duration: 13 days • Locations: Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Serengeti National Park, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Nairobi and optional Zanzibar • Accommodation: The Highlands, Dunia Camp, Olakira Migration Camp, Rekero Camp, Karen Blixen Cottages and optional Breezes Beach Club & Spa • Start: Kilimanjaro International Airport, Tanzania (JRO) • End: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya (NBO), or Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, Zanzibar (ZNZ) if extending to Zanzibar
3 National Parks
Lodge & Tented Camp
16 Days
Ideally - Minimum 7 Guests
Safari Inclusions
Daily game drives in 4x4 safari vehicle
Full-board accommodation (lodge/tented camp)
Professional English-speaking driver-guide
Park entry & conservation fees
All meals & bottled water included
Airport & lodge transfers
Flying doctor / medical evacuation cover
Sundowner drinks & evening campfire
Daily housekeeping at camps/lodges
Guided nature walk or cultural village visit
(Itinerary Gallery)
(Trip Details)
Days 1–2 | Ngorongoro – Crater & Highlands
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and relax in the VIP Lounge before your connecting flight to Lake Manyara Airstrip. From there, meet your guide from The Highlands and begin a scenic drive into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Travel through Karatu and gradually climb the outer slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater, passing through lush forest before reaching the crater rim. Enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the crater before continuing through the highlands towards The Highlands camp.
Settle in beside the fireplace and take time to acclimatise to the altitude. Later, enjoy dinner in the dining tent beside a warm fire.
The following morning begins early, allowing you to reach the crater floor among the first safari vehicles of the day. Descend through the caldera and explore this extraordinary natural setting in search of rhino, lion, hippo and other wildlife.
After a picnic lunch beside the hippo pool, ascend the crater walls and return to camp for a relaxing afternoon. You can choose to enjoy a spa treatment or sauna, or visit the neighbouring Maasai community for a cultural experience.
End the day with drinks at the bar followed by dinner beside the fire.
The Highlands, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Days 3–5 | Serengeti – Dunia Camp
After breakfast, descend from the Ngorongoro highlands and return to Lake Manyara Airstrip for your flight to the Serengeti.
On arrival at Seronera Airstrip, meet your Dunia Camp guide and begin a leisurely game drive towards camp. Leave the busy Seronera area behind as you travel towards the Moru Kopjes and your home for the next three nights.
Dunia Camp is a unique property with an all-female team, creating a welcoming and distinctive safari experience. After lunch beneath the acacia trees, relax on your private veranda or in the elevated lounge before heading out for an afternoon game drive.
As evening approaches, pause on the plains for a sundowner before returning to camp for drinks around the fire and dinner beneath the stars.
The following two days are dedicated to exploring the Serengeti on morning and afternoon game drives. Picnic breakfasts are ideal for making the most of the cooler morning hours and maximising time in the wilderness.
Dunia’s central location provides access to key wildlife areas around the Moru Kopjes and Seronera, as well as opportunities to encounter the herds of the Great Migration. A hot-air balloon safari can also be arranged at an additional cost for a spectacular aerial view of the Serengeti.
Dunia Camp, Serengeti National Park
Days 6–8 | Serengeti – Olakira Migration Camp
After breakfast, transfer to Seronera Airstrip for your flight to either Kogatende or Ndutu, depending on the season. Your Olakira guide will meet you and transfer you to camp in time for lunch.
Settle into your tent before enjoying afternoon tea and cake, followed by your first game drive across this spectacular section of the Serengeti. Return to camp for fireside cocktails and dinner before settling into your comfortable tent beneath the African night sky.
Game drives are the main focus at Olakira, with morning and afternoon outings timed around wildlife activity. Morning drives can begin with a picnic breakfast on the plains, while afternoon drives often conclude with sundowners overlooking the savannah.
The Serengeti offers remarkable wildlife diversity, from hippos and elephants to lions and other predators. Depending on the season and location, the Great Migration can add another dimension to the experience, with dramatic river crossings in the north and calving activity across the southern plains.
Olakira Migration Camp, Serengeti National Park
Days 9–11 | Maasai Mara – Into the Wild
After breakfast, enjoy a final game drive through the Serengeti before heading to the airstrip for your flight to Kenya’s Maasai Mara.
On arrival at Ol Kiombo Airstrip, meet your Rekero Camp guide and begin your introduction to the Maasai Mara with a game drive en route to camp. Arrive at Rekero and settle in before lunch on the deck overlooking the Talek River.
Later in the afternoon, enjoy tea and freshly baked cake before heading into the reserve for your afternoon game drive. The Mara offers exceptional opportunities to see large lion prides, cheetahs, elephants and a wide range of plains wildlife.
Pause for sundowners and snacks as the sun drops over the open horizon before returning to camp. After dinner around the fire, retreat to your tent and listen to the sounds of hippos along the river.
Over the following days, explore different areas of the Maasai Mara on morning and afternoon game drives. Early departures offer cooler conditions and increased wildlife activity, while picnic breakfasts provide an opportunity to spend more time out on the plains.
Return to camp for lunch and a midday break before heading out again in the afternoon. As temperatures cool, wildlife becomes active once more, creating another opportunity for memorable sightings before sunset.
Rekero Camp, Maasai Mara National Reserve
Day 12 | Nairobi – A Relaxing Finale
After breakfast, transfer to Ol Kiombo Airstrip for your flight to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport. From there, an Asilia driver will take you to the leafy Karen neighbourhood.
Stay at Karen Blixen Cottages, a boutique property connected to Nairobi’s history and named after the celebrated author of Out of Africa. The property incorporates historic buildings dating back to 1908 and is located close to the Karen Blixen Museum.
Enjoy a relaxed final evening in Nairobi before continuing your onward journey.
Karen Blixen Cottages, Nairobi
Days 13–15 | Zanzibar – From Savannah to the Indian Ocean
If you choose to extend your safari, transfer to Wilson Airport for your flight to Zanzibar. On arrival, meet your representative and continue by private transfer to Breezes Beach Club & Spa on the island’s southeast coast.
Exchange the savannah for the white sands and turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Spend your days relaxing by the beach or choosing from a range of island experiences.
For an active escape, explore Zanzibar’s underwater world through diving or water-based activities. For a cultural experience, take part in a Swahili cooking class or try traditional palm weaving. Or simply slow down beneath the palms and enjoy the tranquillity of the coast.
Breezes Beach Club & Spa, Zanzibar
Optional extension
Day 16 | Zanzibar – Island Farewell
Enjoy a final beachfront breakfast while taking in the peaceful Indian Ocean views. Afterwards, transfer to Zanzibar Airport for your flight home, bringing your East African safari and optional island escape to an end.
Descending into Ngorongoro Crater felt like entering another world entirely, and six nights across the Serengeti's two regions meant we caught the migration at its most dramatic. By the time we reached the Maasai Mara, we thought nothing could top what came before - yet it did. Every camp was elegant, every transition seamless. This is East Africa's finest, distilled into one unforgettable arc.
Olivia Marchetti
Milan, Italy
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