Into the World's Largest Crater Serengeti's Endless Plains
New World-Class Properties Elephants Against the Sky
Kenya & Tanzania Wildlife Safari
(Trip Overview)
Across three of East Africa's most storied landscapes, this journey spends three unhurried nights in each - the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti, and Amboseli - rather than rushing through a wider circuit for the sake of covering ground. The Ngorongoro Crater alone, the world's largest intact volcanic caldera, offers the rare possibility of encountering all of Africa's Big Five within a single day, while a camp positioned to allow early entry means mornings unfold before the crater's other visitors arrive. From there, the journey opens into the Serengeti's vast, open plains, where lions, leopards, cheetahs and, depending on season, the movement of the Great Migration itself define days shaped entirely around the wilderness rather than a schedule. The final chapter shifts into Kenya's Amboseli, set beneath the snow-capped presence of Mount Kilimanjaro, where large elephant herds move across open savanna and seasonal wetlands in one of the most photographed backdrops in African safari travel. Three nights at Kitirua Plains Lodge, a newly built A&K Sanctuary on a private concession, closes the journey in a setting as considered as the wildlife around it. Throughout, carefully selected camps provide a genuine retreat at the end of each day, allowing the pace of the trip to match the scale of what it covers. This is a journey for travelers who want depth over breadth - three distinct ecosystems, each given the time to reveal itself fully, rather than a rapid tour stitched together from fleeting stops. Highlights • Three nights each in the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park and Amboseli National Park - enough time to experience each landscape fully, not just pass through it • A rare chance to encounter all of Africa's Big Five in a single day within the Ngorongoro Crater • Early entry into the crater, ahead of the day's crowds, thanks to a conveniently positioned camp • Sweeping views across the Serengeti's endless plains, with the possibility of witnessing the Great Migration in season • Iconic sightings of elephant herds moving beneath the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in Amboseli • Three nights at Kitirua Plains Lodge, a newly built A&K Sanctuary on a private concession bordering Amboseli • Expert-guided game drives throughout, led by guides with deep knowledge of wildlife behaviour and tracking • A classic bush sundowner and a final evening dinner beneath the African night sky to close the journey
4 National Parks
Lodge & Tented Camp
11 Days
Ideally - 2 Guests Minimum
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)
Day 1 | Arrive in Arusha, Tanzania
Arrive in Arusha, situated beneath the slopes of Mount Meru and serving as the gateway to Tanzania’s northern safari destinations.
After your flight, settle into your hotel and enjoy a relaxing evening before beginning your journey into the wilderness.
Overnight: Gran Meliá Arusha
Day 2 | Ngorongoro Crater – Into the Volcanic Wilderness
Fly to Ndutu before continuing overland to your camp in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact ancient volcanic caldera and one of Tanzania’s most extraordinary wildlife habitats. The surrounding landscape supports lions, elephants, hyenas, gazelles and many other species.
Arrive in time for lunch before heading out on an afternoon game drive through the Ndutu Conservation Area.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Crater Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3 | Ngorongoro Crater – A World of Wildlife
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater and explore its vast grasslands, wetlands and wildlife-rich plains.
Towering crater walls surround this extraordinary ecosystem, creating a natural sanctuary where an impressive concentration of animals can be found. Look for lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, hyenas and other wildlife moving across the crater floor.
With favourable conditions, the crater can offer the rare opportunity to encounter all of Africa’s Big Five in a single day.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Crater Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4 | Ngorongoro Crater – Wildlife at First Light
Return to the crater early in the morning, taking advantage of your camp’s nearby location to arrive before most visitors.
The early hours offer some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing as animals become active across the crater floor. Keep watch for elephants, buffalo, flamingoes when in season and the elusive black rhino.
Later, enjoy another game drive through the Ndutu Conservation Area, exploring its lush landscapes and abundant wildlife.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Crater Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5 | Serengeti National Park – Into the Endless Plains
Fly to Serengeti National Park, one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations.
Stretching across an enormous expanse of grassland, the Serengeti supports vast populations of wildlife, including wildebeest, zebra, lions, leopards, cheetahs and many other species.
After landing at a local airstrip, continue by road to your camp, positioned among open plains, grasslands and rocky kopjes. Depending on the season, you may also witness the extraordinary movement of the Great Migration.
Overnight: Kichakani Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6 | Serengeti National Park – Wildlife in Every Direction
Spend the day exploring the Serengeti on game drives across its vast wilderness.
Search for some of Africa’s most recognisable animals, including lions, leopards, elephants, Cape buffalo, giraffes, gazelles and zebras.
Beyond the larger animals, pay attention to the smaller inhabitants of the ecosystem. Along rivers, rocky outcrops and open plains, you may spot creatures such as leopard tortoises and rhinoceros beetles.
Overnight: Kichakani Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7 | Serengeti National Park – One Last Day in the Wild
Make the most of your final full day in the Serengeti with morning and afternoon game drives.
Continue searching for the wildlife that makes this ecosystem so remarkable, from powerful predators to enormous herds of plains game.
Depending on the season and location of the migrating herds, you may also have the chance to witness the Great Migration as thousands of animals move across the landscape in search of water and fresh grazing.
Overnight: Kichakani Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8 | Amboseli National Park, Kenya – Beneath Mount Kilimanjaro
Fly back to Arusha for lunch before crossing into Kenya and continuing to Amboseli National Park.
Famous for its large elephant herds and extraordinary views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli combines open savanna, woodlands, wetlands and seasonal lakebeds.
The park is also home to giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, cheetahs, lions and hundreds of bird species.
Settle into your Maasai-inspired lodge on a private concession adjoining the park before heading out for your first Amboseli game drive.
Overnight: Kitirua Plains Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 9 | Amboseli National Park – Safari at Sundown
Continue exploring Amboseli on morning and afternoon game drives.
Watch elephants moving across the plains and look for Cape buffalo, wildebeests, hippos and hyenas among the park’s diverse habitats.
As the day draws to a close, enjoy a classic bush sundowner, relaxing with a refreshing drink as the African landscape transforms beneath the evening sky.
Overnight: Kitirua Plains Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 10 | Amboseli National Park – Final Safari Moments
Spend your final full day on safari exploring more of Amboseli’s remarkable landscapes.
Keep your camera ready for the iconic sight of elephants crossing the plains with the snow-capped summit of Mount Kilimanjaro rising behind them. You may also encounter cheetahs, lions and other predators during your game drives.
The park is equally rewarding for birdwatchers, with hundreds of species including African fish eagles, flamingoes, pelicans and grey crowned cranes.
End your safari with a special dinner beneath the African night sky, reflecting on the wildlife and landscapes experienced across Kenya and Tanzania.
Overnight: Kitirua Plains Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 11 | Nairobi – Departure
Fly to Nairobi and enjoy some time to relax in a reserved dayroom before your onward transfer.
Later, transfer to the airport for your departing flight, bringing your Kenya and Tanzania safari to a close.
Dayroom: JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi
Meals: Breakfast
We debated whether three nights in each park would feel like too much, and it turned out to be perfectly judged. The Ngorongoro Crater gave us all five of the Big Five before lunch on our second day there, the Serengeti's scale was almost impossible to process, and then Amboseli closed everything out with elephants walking beneath Kilimanjaro like something out of a painting. Kitirua Plains Lodge was a beautiful surprise to end on. Nothing about this trip felt rushed.
Eleanor Whitcombe
Bristol, United Kingdom
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