Compare Essential East Africa by Intrepid Travel vs East Africa Private Safari by Globus
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| Trip |
4.5 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 10 days | 11 days |
| Price From | $ 1,684 | $ 7,209 |
| Price Per Day | $ 168 | $ 655 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Basic | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | No |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description |
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. |
Leave the rat race and monkey business of everyday life at home and revel in your independent spirit on this Independence by Globus Africa tour. If that spirit of adventure includes the dream of a daring adventure with the best Driver/Guides in East Africa, then you can kick your bucket list to the curb on this private safari in some of the world’s most famous game areas. From Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve and Mount Kilimanjaro looming above Amboseli National Park to the legendary plains of the Serengeti and spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, you’ll get an eyeful of East Africa’s fantastic beasts and breathtakingly primitive panoramas. We pick the perfect spots for the chance to spot the “Big 5” (lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, elephant, and rhino), not to mention other locals like cheetah, giraffe, gazelle, and hyena. This Independence by Globus tour of Africa takes you to where the wild things are – while giving you the freedom to unplug and recharge in luxury. |
Day 1 Nairobi
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.
Day 2 Loita Hills Maasai Experience
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.
Day 3 Masai Mara National Reserve
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.
Day 4 Masai Mara National Reserve
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.
Day 5 Lake Victoria
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. Your campsite tonight has Wi-Fi, and depending on availability, you might be able to upgrade to a room.
Day 6 Serengeti National Park
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 start your overland vehicle 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.
Day 7 Serengeti National Park
Start the day with an overland vehicle 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!
Day 8 Karatu
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.
Day 9 Mto Wa Mbu
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.
Day 10 Arusha / Nairobi
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.
Day 1: ARRIVE IN NAIROBI, KENYA
Welcome to Kenya! Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in.
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Day 2: NAIROBI–MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE AREA
• Fly to Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya’s most famous game area. • After lunch, embark on your first game drive this afternoon in search of the “Big 5”—lion, leopard, Elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 3: MAASAI MARA
• The “Mara,” as it is called by the locals, is part of the Serengeti ecosystem and boasts a strong permanent population of game. When the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra arrives the population grows by almost 2 million. This provides a great food source for lion, leopard, and hyena. You’ll have ample opportunity to spot these predators and many other animals on morning and afternoon game drives with your expert Driver/Guide.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
Today’s I-Time Tips Between game drives, relax by the pool or take a safari siesta!
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Day 4: MAASAI MARA AREA–NAIROBI–AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK AREA
• A short flight brings you back to Nairobi for a drive to Amboseli National Park. • Upon arrival, embark on a game drive and take in the spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at some 19,341 feet. Arrive at your lodge or camp in time to freshen up for dinner.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 5: AMBOSELI AREA
• Morning and afternoon game drives offer you a great opportunity to get close to the mighty elephant. You might also spot Cape buffalo, zebra, wild dog, and more.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)Today’s I-Time Tips Between game drives, dive into a good book on your private patio or take a dip in the pool.
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Day 6: AMBOSELI AREA–ARUSHA, TANZANIA–LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK AREA
• This morning, cross the border into Tanzania. • After lunch in Arusha, proceed to the Lake Manyara National Park area.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 7: LAKE MANYARA AREA–NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
• Lake Manyara National Park is a small, ecologically diverse park with groundwater forests, grassy plains, and alkaline Lake Manyara itself. The park is also home to the world’s largest concentration of baboon. Watch for these mischievous primates, giraffe, hippo, and more on your morning game drive. • Drive to your lodge on the slopes of Ngorongoro Crater.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
Today’s I-Time Tips Visit a local primary school to meet the children and learn about the educational system in rural Tanzania.
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Day 8: NGORONGORO AREA
• Today, enjoy a full-day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater. The crater is the world’s largest unflooded caldera—at more than 2,000 feet deep with a floor covering over 102 square miles. Game viewing here is fantastic, as most of the animals stay in this area year-round. You can see lion, elephant, flamingo, and a variety of other animals. This is also your best chance to see the rare black rhinoceros. A picnic lunch will be served in the crater.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 9: NGORONGORO AREA–SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
• Today, drive to Serengeti National Park, Tanzania’s largest and most famous park. Home to the annual Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra, it attracts visitors from around the world and is great for game viewing year round. • Enjoy lunch prior to your afternoon game drive.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 10: SERENGETI
• Covering an area of roughly 5,700 square miles, the name Serengeti comes from the Maasai word siringit (endless plains.) • Join your expert Driver/Guide for morning and afternoon game drives to further explore this vast park. Search for leopard, rhino, and an abundance of other animals, including cheetah, giraffe, gazelle, and eland.
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)Today’s I-Time Tips Between game drives, relax by the pool or take a safari siesta!
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Day 11: SERENGETI–ARUSHA
• One last game drive this morning.• Fly back to Arusha, where a day room has been reserved for your use. Schedule departing flights after 5 pm.
(Breakfast)
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