12 Days / 11 Nights Kenya & Tanzania Luxury Safari Family Safaris

12 Days Luxury Family Safari Kenya & Tanzania

An Unforgettable 12-Day Luxury Safari Experience in Kenya & Tanzania

Safari Overview & Highlights

This 12 Days Luxury Family Safari Kenya & Tanzania combines Tanzania’s spectacular wildlife destinations with Kenya’s famous safari landscapes. Starting in Arusha, the journey continues through Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti before crossing into Kenya for an exciting Maasai Mara experience.

Furthermore, the safari continues to Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha, providing a balanced combination of wildlife, scenery and relaxation. Finally, the family spends the last night in Nairobi with an optional visit to the Giraffe Centre before departure.

Detailed Day-by-Day Itinerary

Follow your complete day-to-day schedule, wildlife tracking routes, meal plans, and premier lodge stays for this 12-day East African expedition.

Day 1 Arrival & Scenic Transfer to Lake Nakuru National Park

Drive through the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park. Known as a world-class bird sanctuary and a premier rhino conservancy, the park surrounds the shimmering alkaline lake. Check in at your lodge and set out on an afternoon game drive along the lake shores, home to both southern white rhinos and endangered black rhinos.

Accommodation: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge / The Cliff Nakuru Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 2 Full Day Exploring Lake Nakuru National Park – Big Five Wildlife & Landscapes

Full day exploring Lake Nakuru. Drive up to Baboon Cliff and Out of Africa viewpoints for sweeping vistas of the lake and surrounding euphorbia forest. Track Rothschild's giraffes, waterbucks, lions, and leopards inhabiting the yellow fever acacia woodlands.

Accommodation: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge / The Cliff Nakuru Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 3 Transit Game Drive to Lake Naivasha & Hell's Gate

After a hearty breakfast at your lodge, depart for Lake Naivasha & Hell's Gate. Drive down into the Great Rift Valley to freshwater Lake Naivasha. Board a motorboat for a scenic cruise on the lake, observing resident hippo families and fish eagles plunging for tilapia. Step ashore onto Crescent Island Game Sanctuary for a unique walking safari with giraffes, zebras, and waterbucks.

Accommodation: Enashipai Resort & Spa / Great Rift Valley Lodge Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 4 Full Day Exploring Lake Naivasha & Hell's Gate – Big Five Wildlife & Landscapes

Full day adventure visiting Hell's Gate National Park. Rent mountain bikes to cycle alongside wildlife through the towering cliffs, then hike with a local guide through the spectacular lower gorges with natural geothermal hot springs.

Accommodation: Enashipai Resort & Spa / Great Rift Valley Lodge Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 5 Transit Game Drive to Maasai Mara National Reserve

After a hearty breakfast at your lodge, depart for Maasai Mara National Reserve. Depart Nairobi in your custom 4x4 Safari Land Cruiser, descending down the Great Rift Valley escarpment with a scenic stop at the panoramic viewpoint. Continue across the Narok plains to the legendary Maasai Mara National Reserve. Check in at your lodge or luxury tented camp, savor a hot buffet lunch, and set out on your inaugural afternoon game drive tracking pride lions, elephants, giraffes, and zebras across the golden plains.

Accommodation: Mara Serena Safari Lodge / Sarova Mara Game Camp / Governors' Camp Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 6 Full Day Exploring Maasai Mara National Reserve – Big Five Wildlife & Landscapes

Spend a full day exploring the Maasai Mara savannah. Head out at dawn when big cats are active on the hunt. Explore diverse ecosystems from the Talek and Mara riverbanks to open grasslands teeming with wildebeests, topis, and gazelles. Enjoy a scenic bush picnic lunch under an acacia canopy while watching hippos wallow in the river pools, followed by an afternoon game drive.

Accommodation: Mara Serena Safari Lodge / Sarova Mara Game Camp / Governors' Camp Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 7 Cross-Border Transfer to Tarangire National Park (Kenya to Tanzania)

Depart after breakfast and travel to the border crossing between Kenya and Tanzania (Namanga or Isebania). After smooth customs and immigration clearance with the assistance of your guides, enter Tanzania and journey directly to Tarangire National Park, taking in magnificent scenery and en-route game viewing before checking into your lodge.

Accommodation: Tarangire Elephant Springs / Tarangire Treetops / Kuro Tarangire Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 8 Full Day Exploring Tarangire National Park – Big Five Wildlife & Landscapes

Full day in Tarangire National Park. Witness massive congregations of elephants digging for water in sandy riverbeds, flanked by herds of oryx, wildebeests, zebras, and impalas. Keep your eyes trained on the branches of grand acacia trees for Tarangire's famous tree-climbing lions and leopards. Enjoy a scenic picnic lunch overlooking the river valley.

Accommodation: Tarangire Elephant Springs / Tarangire Treetops / Kuro Tarangire Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 9 Transit Game Drive to Serengeti National Park

After a hearty breakfast at your lodge, depart for Serengeti National Park. Drive through the scenic highlands and enter the boundless golden plains of Serengeti National Park, "the place where the land moves on forever." Enjoy game viewing en route through the central Seronera Valley, home to large lion prides, cheetahs on the prowl, and sweeping herds of grazers. Arrive at your safari camp for sunset dinner around the campfire.

Accommodation: Signature Serengeti Luxury Tented Camp / Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge / Oleserai Camp Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 10 Full Day Exploring Serengeti National Park – Big Five Wildlife & Landscapes

Dedicate a full day to tracking the legendary wildlife of the Serengeti. Following the seasonal movements of the Great Wildebeest Migration or central predator territories, navigate through diverse ecosystems including riverine woodlands, open savannahs, and towering granite kopjes. Enjoy an open-air picnic lunch in the wild surrounded by untamed African wilderness.

Accommodation: Signature Serengeti Luxury Tented Camp / Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge / Oleserai Camp Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 11 Transit Game Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Crater

After a hearty breakfast at your lodge, depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Crater. Ascend the slopes of the ancient Ngorongoro volcanic massif into the mist-shrouded highlands. Take in panoramic vistas from the crater rim overlook, gazing 600 meters down onto the caldera floor below. Settle into your lodge perched on the rim or in the nearby Karatu coffee estates, preparing for tomorrow's descent.

Accommodation: Meliá Ngorongoro Lodge / Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge / Neptune Ngorongoro Lodge Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Full Board)

Day 12 Final Sunrise Game Drive & Departure from Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Crater

Ascend the crater walls and travel through the scenic highlands of Karatu, stopping at local artisan markets before transferring back to Arusha or onward to Tarangire National Park.

Accommodation: Drop-off at Airport or City Hotel Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch En Route

What's Included & Excluded

Included in Package

Exclusive transport in a 4x4 Safari Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and high-clearance suspension
Services of a professional, licensed English-speaking safari guide & driver
All national park conservation fees, concession fees, and government entry permits
Full-board accommodation at selected safari lodges and luxury tented camps as per itinerary
Daily game drives with unlimited mileage within statutory park hours
Unlimited chilled bottled mineral drinking water in the safari vehicle throughout the tour
AMREF Flying Doctors 24/7 Emergency Medical Evacuation Cover across East Africa
All government taxes, tourism development levies, and 18% VAT included
Complimentary airport meet-and-greet road transfers upon arrival and departure

Excluded in Package

International and intercontinental airfares to and from East Africa
Tourist entry visa fees (Kenya ETA $35 / Tanzania Single Entry Visa $50-$100)
Comprehensive international travel, baggage, and medical cancellation insurance
Discretionary gratuities and tips for your safari driver-guide ($15–$25 per car per day) and lodge staff
Optional hot air balloon safari with champagne bush breakfast ($599 per person)
Optional cultural visits to Maasai or Hadzabe tribal villages ($30–$50 per person)
Premium alcoholic beverages, vintage wines, and personal laundry services at lodges
Personal expenses, telephone calls, souvenir shopping, and excess baggage fees