Essential East Africa

10 Days | Game drives by day, star gazing by night

4.9 out of 5 based on 53 reviews submitted.
18 to 35s
Overland
Wildlife
From
ZAR  32,504
View dates and book
This trip is for 18 to 35 year olds

Got 10 days, an adventurous spirit and a desire to see as much of East Africa as you can on a tight budget? Then this is the trip for you! With multiple 4WD safari drives in the Masai Mara National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park, you’ll have the best opportunity spot the Big Five and all your bucket list wildlife! Stop at remote market towns, spend a night in a Maasai village and another night by the largest tropical lake in the world and soak up all the chances to chat with the locals and learn about their culture. This trip is like a crash course in what East Africa is all about!

Trip overview

Map of Essential East Africa including Kenya and Tanzania, United Republic Of
Start
Nairobi, Kenya
Finish
Arusha, Tanzania
Theme
18 to 35s, Overland, Wildlife
Destinations
Tanzania, Kenya
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Basix
Ages
Min 18 - Max 35
Group size
Min 1 - Max 22
Trip code
YGYE
This trip generates 18 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.
Bucket list destinations

Tick off all the popular spots and enjoy unique local experiences

Great value

Affordable trips with the freedom to choose how you spend your time

Meaningful experiences

Connect to the places you go and the communities at the heart of every Intrepid experience


Why you'll love this trip
  • Safari, safari, safari – what East African adventure would be complete without one? On this trip, you’ll embark on multiple safaris within three different areas.
  • Go in search of hippos, lions, leopards, zebrasand more during 4WD game drives in the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and the Masai Mara National Park with your experienced local leader.
  • Spend the night in a Maasai village to learn about life from community elders, visit a widows’ community and maybe even learn to throw a spear.
  • Cross the Serengeti in a purpose-built truck for one of those classic East African experiences – think vast plains spotted with thorn trees and herds of animals.
  • Stop in places like Mto wa Mbu and Musoma for the best opportunities to chat with locals, swap stories and get to know their culture.

Is this trip right for you?
  • In Loita Hills, you'll be staying in a secure bush camp with basic facilities, cold showers and no wi-fi.
  • 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 to deter animals from entering the camp.
  • 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.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024

Map of Essential East Africa including Kenya and Tanzania, United Republic Of

Inclusions

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)

Activities
  • Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
  • Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
  • Ngorongoro Crater - 4WD Safari
Add on activities
  • Masai Mara National Reserve - Balloon ride (from price) - USD625
  • Serengeti National Park - Balloon Ride (from price) - USD745
  • Mto wa Mbu - Village bike ride and lunch - USD32
  • Mto wa Mbu - Village walk and lunch - USD20

Dates and availability

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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.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 based on 53 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

Filter by rating

Francesca · Traveled September 2024
Great trip to explore Kenya and Tanzania’s National Parks. Expect many hours of driving on bumpy roads. The Masai Mara experience was unique. A special mention to our Chef David who prepared us lovely traditional dishes.
Review submitted 22 Sep 2024

Grace · Traveled September 2024
Of the 10 day trip, it’s really only 8 days and only 4 of these are spent on safari (the rest driving long distances up to 12 hours). 1 of the 4 days on safari is in a huge overland truck that makes it virtually impossible to see anything in the Serengeti so really you only have 3 days of proper game drives. Enjoyable but very expensive for essentially 3 days of safari.
Review submitted 22 Sep 2024

Ellen · Traveled August 2024
The Essential East Africa tour was an amazing 10 days. There was a mix of cultural activities, as well as an opportunity to see wildlife. Travelling overland was a lot of fun - you really got to see Kenya and Tanzania properly. There are quite a few early starts (for the sunrise) but it’s worth it given the extensive and fun activities. I would recommend all the optional activities.
Review submitted 28 Aug 2024

Chris · Traveled August 2024
The truck rides were long and the seat wasn't quite the level of comfort for how long we spent in the truck. The Serengeti game drives in the truck are rather underwhelming. There were also plenty of early wake ups that you should be wary of. As a whole though I had a great time with Susan, Maxine, and Amos.
Review submitted 26 Aug 2024

Lisa · Traveled August 2024
I had a fantastic time on this trip. The itinerary is amazing, we saw the big 5 and lots more animals! The group on the trip was amazing and I made some really good friends and memories. Can't recommend it more!
Review submitted 31 Aug 2024
Essential East Africa
From
ZAR  32,504