1. Home
  2. Africa
  3. Kenya
  4. Essential East Africa
Map of Essential East Africa including Kenya and Tanzania, United Republic Of

Game drives by day, star gazing by night

Got 10 days, an adventurous bent, a desire to see as much of East Africa as you can as you can and a tight budget? We’ve designed this trip just for you – it’s a memory-maker, but not a bank-breaker. With multiple 4WD safari drives in the Masai Mara, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Parks, stops at remote market towns, spend a night in a Maasai village and another night by the largest tropical lake in the world, this tour is like a crash course in what East Africa is all about.

This trip is for 18 to 29-year-olds

Some of our under-30 travellers prefer to get around with people their own age. If that’s you, you’re in the right place!

Over 29? We’ve got over 900 other great adventures to choose from for solo travellers, friends, families, food lovers, hiking enthusiasts, and more.

Start
Nairobi, Kenya
Finish
Arusha, Tanzania
Destinations
Kenya, Tanzania
Style
Basix
Theme
18 to 29s, Overland, Wildlife
Code
YGYE
Physical rating
Ages
Min 18, Max 29
Group size
Min 1, Max 22

Travel solo, together

You're never alone when travelling solo with Intrepid

Why you'll love this trip

  • Safari, safari, safari – what East African adventure would be complete without one? Well, this trip has six in three different areas. Which brings us to…

  • The animals! Go in search of hippos, lions, leopards, giraffes and more during 4WD game drives in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Masai Mara with your experienced local leaders.

  • Spend a night hanging with the red-clad Maasai folk in Loita Hills. A local elder will explain what the tribe is all about and show you around their house.

  • Crossing the Masai Mara in a purpose-built truck is just one of those classic East Africa experiences – vast plains spotted with thorn trees and herds of animals.

  • Stops in places like Mto wa Mbu and Musoma mean you’ll get time to chat with locals, and travelling with a local (your leader) makes it even easier.

Is this trip right for you?

  • Staying in Loita Hills is a proper adventure – you'll be in a bush camp with no showers as the Maasai guard you from the animals. Pretty nice for some guys you just met.

  • Similarly, camping in the Serengeti means, well, camping in the Serengeti. No barriers between you and mother nature means there's no fence between you and the animals. We take safety seriously and your leader will brief you in detail on how to set up camp so as not to attract any unwanted visitors (not hanging raw meat to dry on your lines is a good start).

  • This is an overland trip. That means you’ll be travelling with a group in a purpose-built vehicle, visiting remote communities, setting up your own tent, occasionally roughing it in the bush with no facilities, and getting the best possible views of the ‘Big Five’. While the trucks don’t have air conditioning, they do have sliding windows which let in the breeze and make it even easier to take spectacular snaps of the local wildlife. The drive days can be long, but it’s as much about the journey as the destination, and half the fun is the camaraderie. For more info on this style of travel, see our Africa overland page at https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/africa/overland.

Overland Vehicle and traveller
Grab some lunch with your group before heading off on the road
Overland Vehicle
Elephants on Masai Mara game drive, Kenya
Lion resting amongst the tall grass on the Savannah in the Serengeti, Tanzania
Local men performing a traditional dance in the Masai Mara, Kenya
Game reserve camping set up for Intrepid travellers

Itinerary
Expand All Collapse All

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, why not check out the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum or the highly recommended Bomas of Kenya where traditional homesteads of some Kenyan tribes are displayed at an outdoor village.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Petty theft is common in Nairobi. As a general rule, the safest place for your valuables is on your person in a neck wallet or money belt. There may be a safe in your hotel room or located at reception, though there is no guarantee. If you do decide to go exploring before the tour officially gets started, make sure you get local advice on where it is and isn't safe to walk – particularly at night. Be careful not to leave bags unattended on chairs or the floor when you're in a bar or restaurant. Appearing confident and vigilant is often the best deterrence to would-be thieves. Remember to make scans of important travel documents and email them to yourself.

Depart Nairobi, with a short stop in Narok for a spot of food shopping. Continue to Loita Hills (approximately 5–6 hours), then stop, chill out and get some lunch. Today's drive crosses the Great Rift Valley, Africa's huge great divide, takes you into the remote region of Loita Hills. This is the home of the Maasai people. You will visit the Maasai, who are known for their dazzling red dress and elaborate jewellery, and gain an insight into the culture and ancient ways of this proud East African community. After setting up your tent, meet your Maasai hosts. A local elder will deliver a fascinating talk about the Maasai and what they're about. You'll be shown around a traditional Maasai home and see where the resident cattle are kept. Upgrades and Wi-Fi are not available at tonight's bush camp.
Accommodation
  • Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Travel from Loita to Masai Mara (approximately 1–2 hours).The Masai Mara is one of the classic African experiences – wide open plains, postcard-perfect skies and some of the world's great wild animals. After setting up camp, sit down to some lunch. Then it's time to jump aboard your 4WD vehicle and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara. Your campground tonight is located outside of the national reserve and has flush toilets and showers. There is an option to upgrade, depending on availability. Wi-fi is not available here though.
Accommodation
  • Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Game Drive
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Adventure into the reserve for a full day's 4WD game drive. You'll explore this diverse environment and most likely see a lots of different wildlife. An optional balloon ride over the Mara at sunrise is well worth considering. If you have pre-booked this activity (see the 'Important Notes' section) you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you'll be treated to a bush breakfast, then be returned to your campsite to meet up with your group.
Accommodation
  • Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Game Drive
Optional Activities
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Balloon ride (from price) - USD500
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Travel towards the Kenya-Tanzania border and to the shores of Lake Victoria (approximately 7–8 hours). This is not only Africa's biggest lake – it's the largest tropical lake in the world. It shares its shores with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. You'll arrive late afternoon, in time to chill out lakeside with a cold drink and watch the sunset. Make the most of the ATM and local market to stock up for your next three days of wilderness adventures. You will camp on the shores of the lake tonight, at one of its least visited campgrounds, on the outskirts of a small town called Musoma. Depending on availability, you might be able to upgrade to a room, but no Wi-Fi is available.
Accommodation
  • Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Today you will travel from Lake Victoria to the gate of Serengeti National Park on a smooth road (approximately 3 hours) and enjoy a picnic lunch at the entrance to the park. Enter the Serengeti and take a game drive en route to your campsite. These plains – green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season – are home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators, so see how many you can spot. Your campsite is right in the action, within the park itself, so listen out for the sounds of nocturnal animals as you drift off to sleep at night. There are no upgrades or Wi-Fi available here.
Accommodation
  • Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Our camp within the Serengeti National Park does not have a fence to separate the camp from the animals. This is quite the experience as animals such as buffalo and hyenas often come close to camp after sundown. On arrival at the camp your leader will give a detailed safety briefing on what is required to ensure the safety of the group.

Start the day with a game drive at dawn. You will head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch at around 11 am. After spending the warmer part of the day relaxing, as the animals do, depart again in the afternoon for another adventure through the wild. You'll return in time for dinner. There's the option of an early-morning balloon ride here too, so if you didn't take one in the Mara, today's your chance!
Accommodation
  • Camping (with basic facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Optional Activities
  • Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD599
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
The balloon ride is offered as a pre-booked service which will guarantee you a place. If you would rather wait and try to get a better price by booking this locally on the ground, you are welcome to, but keep in mind that this is a popular activity and places are limited.

Rise and shine for a final chance to spot Serengeti wildlife as you make your way out of the park this morning. At Nabi gate, hop aboard a jeep and descend into Ngorongoro Crater. This gigantic, perfectly intact volcanic crater is home to some 30,000 animals. Among these are endangered black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. The crater floor is great for game viewing all year round, and the photo-opportunities here are next level. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the crater before heading back out on safari all afternoon. After, travel onwards to Karatu town and arrive at camp by 6 pm where a freshly prepared dinner awaits.
Accommodation
  • Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Ngorongoro Crater - 4WD Game Drive
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Take it a tad easier this morning with a relaxed breakfast at camp before setting off at 9 am for Mto Wa Mbu with your crew. You’ll have the rest of the day free to explore. Mto wa Mbu offers a snapshot of small-town East African life. You might consider joining in a guided village walk or bike ride around the farming areas, spotting milling machine and local homes and farmlands, or round up your fellow travellers to check out the craft market.
Accommodation
  • Camping (with facilities) (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Mto wa Mbu - Village bike ride and lunch - USD32
  • Mto wa Mbu - Village walk and lunch - USD20
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Pack up camp after breakfast for the final leg of your journey to Arusha where your adventure comes to an end. A departure transfer can be booked, at an additional expense, to either Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK). Alternatively, you can continue on with our crew to finish in Nairobi around 5 pm. Please see 'Special Information' below for more details.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
There is also an option of continuing to Nairobi with your crew. Any flights out of Nairobi should not be booked to depart prior to 9 pm. We highly recommend you book accommodation for tonight and depart tomorrow. Extra accommodation can be booked through your sales agent.

The drop off point in Nairobi is the Kenya Comfort Hotel Suites:

Kenya Comfort Hotel Suites
junction of Milimani/Ralph Bunche, Milimani, Nairobi,
Nairobi
KENYA
Phone: 254 737 111 111
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 8 dinners

Transport

Overland vehicle

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night), Camping (with facilities) (6 nights), Camping (with basic facilities) (2 nights)

Included activities

  • Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Game Drive
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Ngorongoro Crater - 4WD Game Drive

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Essential East Africa trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

Prices may go up, so secure your trip today!
Jump to a departure month

Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. This trip starts in Nairobi on Day 1 at 6pm. This allows time after the welcome meeting to explore. You have the choice on Day 10 of finishing your trip in Arusha or Nairobi. If you are continuing on to Nairobi, please do not book any flights until after 9pm this evening.
3. An optional sunrise balloon ride in the Masai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park are possible on this itinerary. Please see Days 4 & 7 for full details of this activity. As the balloon only holds 16 people, places are limited and we recommend that you book in advance. Please inquire when booking your trip to book this optional activity.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

View Essential Trip Information

Reviews

Go to dates