Lake Nakuru's flamingos, Naivasha's hippos, the Maasai Mara, across the Isebania border into the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara's tree-climbing lions, and back through Amboseli under Kilimanjaro — East Africa's greatest road safari in twelve extraordinary days.
This epic 12-day road safari covers the greatest wildlife parks of both Kenya and Tanzania in a single seamless journey. Starting in Nairobi, you sweep through Kenya's spectacular Rift Valley lakes — flamingo-pink Nakuru and hippo-filled Naivasha — before reaching the Maasai Mara, where millions of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle converge on the open plains during the legendary annual migration.
From the Mara, you cross the Isebania border into Tanzania — entering the Serengeti, which nurtures an almost mythical concentration of predators: golden-maned lion prides, solitary leopards in acacia trees, dense cheetah populations and all three species of African jackal. The Ngorongoro Crater — a volcanic caldera 610 metres deep, 260km² on its floor — follows, then the flamingo spectacle of Lake Manyara with its famous tree-climbing lions. The circuit completes perfectly: back through the Namanga border into Kenya for two nights at Amboseli with Kilimanjaro as your backdrop.
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport — met and assisted by your Dawn Safaris Kenya representative and transferred to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Boulevard Hotel or similar.
After breakfast, drive to Lake Nakuru National Park via the dramatic Great Rift Valley escarpment — arriving in time for lunch at the lodge. Afternoon game drive exploring this park which comprises the lake surrounded by wooded and bushy grasslands.
The ecosystem supports an extraordinary ecological diversity: flamingos (both Greater and Lesser) and other waterbirds are the major attraction, with about 56 different mammal species including white rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard — and nearly 450 species of terrestrial birds recorded in the park. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge.
After breakfast and a final morning game drive, depart to Lake Naivasha — the second largest freshwater lake in Kenya. The lake is home to a variety of wildlife including over 400 species of birds and a sizeable population of hippos.
The fish community in the lake has been highly variable over time, influenced by changes in climate, fishing pressure and invasive species introductions, making it a fascinating ecological case study. An optional boat ride at extra cost lets you drift among the hippos and enormous fish eagles. Dinner and overnight at Naivasha Sopa Lodge.
After breakfast, depart for the Maasai Mara National Reserve — arriving in time for lunch. The Mara is the northernmost section of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, which covers some 25,000km² across Tanzania and Kenya, and is widely considered the greatest wildlife reserve on earth.
Millions of wildebeest, topi, zebra and Thomson's gazelle migrate into the Mara from the Serengeti plains to the south and the Loita plains to the north-east from July to October. Your afternoon game drive delivers the first sightings of this extraordinary spectacle — along with resident lion, elephant, cheetah and leopard. Dinner and overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge.
After breakfast proceed on a full day of game viewing within the reserve. The landscape here is scenic savannah grassland on rolling hills — the best park for game in Kenya with an extensive road and track network that allows for close-range viewing and photography.
Break for picnic lunch at the hippo pool, watching hippos and Nile crocodile in the Mara River — one of Africa's most dramatic wildlife sites. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. For those here between July and October, today is likely to include the thundering drama of wildebeest river crossings.
After breakfast, check out and drive through the western escarpment of the Mara region to the Isebania border for immigration formalities — then cross into Tanzania and enter the famous Serengeti National Park. Dawn Safaris handles all border paperwork.
The Serengeti is famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest's trek for fresh grazing. Afternoon game drives deliver the first Tanzanian wildlife encounters. Dinner and overnight at Seronera Kati Kati Camp.
A full day game drive to see all the Big Five. The spectacle of predator versus prey dominates this greatest of parks. Golden-maned lion prides feast on the abundance of plain grazers. Solitary leopards haunt the acacia trees lining the Seronera River, while a high density of cheetahs prowls the southeastern plains.
Almost uniquely, all three African jackal species occur in the Serengeti — alongside spotted hyena and a host of elusive smaller predators ranging from the insectivorous aardwolf to the beautiful serval cat. Elephant, buffalo, hippo and giraffe complete the picture. Overnight at the same camp. Full board.
A final morning game drive in the Serengeti before departing to tour one of the great natural wonders of the world — the Ngorongoro Crater. This vast volcanic caldera, recognised as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself two to three million years ago.
The crater is 610 metres deep and its floor covers 260 square kilometres — sheltering an extraordinary concentration of wildlife year-round: lion, elephant, buffalo, black rhino, hippo, wildebeest, zebra, hyena and an enormous variety of birds in a self-contained ecosystem. Descend into the crater for a full afternoon drive before ascending to the rim for dinner. Overnight at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge.
After breakfast, journey to Lake Manyara National Park — home to the tree-climbing lions that have made this park internationally famous. Lake Manyara provides a perfect introduction to Tanzania's extraordinary birdlife: more than 400 species have been recorded, and a first-time visitor to Africa might reasonably expect to observe 100 species in a single day.
Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration, as well as large waterbirds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks. Elephant herds browse through the forest edge, and the views across the soda lake from the escarpment are magnificent. Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge.
After a final game viewing drive in Lake Manyara, drive through the Great Rift Valley into Arusha town for lunch. After lunch, proceed to the Namanga border point for immigration formalities before entering the southern Kenyan savannah and Amboseli National Park.
Arrive at Amboseli Sopa Lodge in time for an evening game drive — your first views of Africa's largest elephant herds silhouetted against Kilimanjaro's snow-capped summit as the day cools. Dinner and overnight at Amboseli Sopa Lodge.
A full day exploring Amboseli — home to one of Africa's most iconic landscapes: enormous elephant bulls wading through the swamps with Kilimanjaro's gleaming summit rising 5,895 metres above the plains. Dawn in Amboseli, before the clouds build, is one of Africa's most photographed scenes.
Morning and afternoon game drives cover the swamp areas, dry woodland and open plains. Lion, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest all inhabit the park alongside the elephants. Dinner and overnight at the lodge. Full board.
After a final morning game drive, return to the camp for a full breakfast and check out. Drive to Nairobi and drop at JKIA to connect your flight home — carrying memories of twelve extraordinary days across two countries and eight of East Africa's greatest wildlife destinations.
All itineraries are fully tailor-made. We can adjust lodges, dates, duration and budget — just let us know.