12-Day Ultimate East Africa Safari

Day 1 is built around Flamingos and Rhinos. Travel to Lake Nakuru National Park. The afternoon is reserved for a game drive around the alkaline lake shores where thousands of flamingos paint the shoreline pink. This compact park is a designated rhino sanctuary. Look for Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo herds, waterbuck, and leopards in fever trees.

• Flamingos
• Rhinos
• Rothschild's giraffe

The focus today is Boat ride with hippos and Crescent Island. Morning Nakuru drive. Afternoon boat ride with hippos and fish eagles on the freshwater Lake Naivasha. Crescent Island walking safari among free-roaming zebra, giraffe, and gazelle — no fences, no vehicles, just you and the wildlife.

• Boat ride with hippos
• Crescent Island

Today's route brings together First Mara game drive and Big Five begins. Travel to the Masai Mara. The afternoon is reserved for a game drive on the vast golden plains — exceptionally wildlife-rich plains. Begin your Big Five checklist as herds of wildebeest, zebra, elephants, and predators fill the landscape in every direction.

• First Mara game drive
• Big Five begins

Expect the day to center on Big Five and Mara River. Spend the day focused on game drives. Morning predator tracking — lions, cheetahs, leopards. Mara River for hippos and crocodiles, and during migration season the dramatic wildebeest crossings. Bush picnic lunch. Optional balloon safari ($450). Sundowner cocktails watching the spectacular sunset paint the sky.

• Big Five
• Mara River
• Optional balloon
• Sundowner

Day 5 is built around Kilimanjaro views and Giant elephants. Start with a morning game drive. Travel south to Amboseli. Afternoon giant elephant herds with Kilimanjaro as backdrop — Africa's most photographed safari view. Observation Hill for a breathtaking 360-degree sunset panorama.

• Kilimanjaro views
• Giant elephants
• Observation Hill

The focus today is Sunrise Kilimanjaro and Swamp wildlife. Spend the day game drives across marshes, dry lake beds, and open plains with continuous Kilimanjaro views when clear. The swamps attract elephants, hippos, and buffalo. Keep watch for lions, cheetahs, and the park's exceptional birdlife with over 400 recorded species.

• Sunrise Kilimanjaro
• Swamp wildlife
• 400+ birds

Today's route brings together Border crossing and Ancient baobabs. Cross into Tanzania at Namanga. Travel to Tarangire National Park — famous for ancient baobab trees (some over 1,000 years old) and the largest elephant herds in Tanzania. The afternoon is reserved for a game drive through baobab woodlands. Look for buffalo, giraffe, lion, and over 550 bird species.

• Border crossing
• Ancient baobabs
• Tanzania's largest elephant herds

Expect the day to center on Tree-climbing lions and Flamingos. Morning Tarangire drive among baobabs and elephant herds. Travel to Lake Manyara. The afternoon is reserved for a game drive for the famous tree-climbing lions draped in mahogany branches, groundwater forest with baboons and blue monkeys, and thousands of flamingos on the alkaline lake.

• Tree-climbing lions
• Flamingos
• Forest primates

Day 9 is built around Ngorongoro highlands and Olduvai Gorge. Travel through the Ngorongoro highlands with spectacular Rift Valley panoramic views. Descend into the Serengeti. Stop at Olduvai Gorge — Cradle of Mankind. The afternoon is reserved for a game drive on the legendary endless plains teeming with wildebeest, zebra, and predators.

• Ngorongoro highlands
• Olduvai Gorge
• Serengeti plains

The focus today is Vast herds and Predator hunts. Spend the day in the Seronera Valley — vast herds, lion prides at kopjes, cheetah hunts, leopards in trees, hippo pools. The Serengeti is 14,750 square kilometers of wilderness — every game drive reveals new wonders.

• Vast herds
• Predator hunts
• Kopjes

Today's route brings together Final Serengeti and Crater rim sunset. Morning Serengeti game drive for final sightings. Travel to Ngorongoro crater rim lodge. Spectacular sunset views 600 meters down into the world's largest intact caldera.

• Final Serengeti
• Crater rim sunset

Expect the day to center on Crater floor Big Five and Black rhinos. Early morning descent into the crater floor for the grand finale. Big Five game drive — endangered black rhinos, massive-maned lions, elephants, buffalo. Flamingo-fringed soda lake and hippo pools. Picnic lunch. Ascend and drive to Arusha. Safari ends — 12 days, two countries, nine national parks.

• Crater floor Big Five
• Black rhinos
• Grand finale