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Real East Africa & Zanzibar
Real East Africa & Zanzibar
Nairobi
Lake Victoria
Karatu
Mto wa Mbu
Stone Town
$3435
Real East Africa & Zanzibar
13 Days Starting in Nairobi, Kenya and ending in Zanzibar, Tanzania
Visiting: Nairobi, National Museum of Kenya, Nairobi, Karen Blixen Museum, Nairobi, Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, Narok, Great Rift Valley, Loita Hills, Masai Mara National Reserve, Lake Victoria, Musoma, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Karatu, Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania, Manyara, Tanzania, Arusha, Tanzania, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Stone Town, Zanzibar Spice Plantations, Northern Beaches, Zanzibar, Zanzibar
Tour operator:
Tour code:
YGYZC
Specialist Group:
18-30 Somethings
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 22
Age range:
18-35
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart of East Africa with the "Real East Africa & Zanzibar" tour. This adventure takes you from the bustling city of Nairobi to the serene beaches of Zanzibar, exploring the rich wildlife and vibrant cultures of Kenya and Tanzania along the way. Experience thrilling game drives in the iconic Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Masai Mara National Park, where you can spot majestic lions, elusive leopards, and herds of zebras. Immerse yourself in Maasai culture with a village stay, and unwind on Zanzibar's pristine beaches. Travel in purpose-built safari vehicles and camp under the African sky, making memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you're seeking wildlife encounters or cultural insights, this tour offers a perfect blend of adventure and relaxation.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi
Location: Nairobi, National Museum of Kenya, Nairobi, Karen Blixen Museum, Nairobi, Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi
Accommodation: Hotel
Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight in Nairobi. 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. After your meeting tonight, maybe head out for an optional welcome dinner with your new fellow travellers.
Day 2: Loita Hills Maasai Experience
Location: Nairobi, Narok, Great Rift Valley, Loita Hills
Accommodation: Camping (with basic facilities)
Accommodation Name: Camping (with basic facilities)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Depart Nairobi this morning, stopping in Narok along the way for some food shopping. Today's drive crosses the Great Rift Valley – Africa's huge divide – to the remote region of Loita Hills. This is the home of the Maasai people and when you arrive, you’ll grab some lunch then visit the Maasai, known for their dazzling red dress and elaborate jewellery. Gain an insight into the culture and ancient ways of this proud East African community. A local elder will deliver a fascinating talk about the Maasai and what they're about. You'll also be shown around a traditional Maasai home and see where the resident cattle are kept.
Included Activities:
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Day 3: Masai Mara National Reserve
Location: Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Accommodation Name: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel from Loita Hilla to Masai Mara today. The Masai Mara is one of those classic African experiences – wide open plains, perfect blue 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 and go for a game drive through the wilderness of the Mara.
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Masai Mara National Reserve
Location: Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Accommodation Name: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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, you’ll be picked up before sunrise and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing from your pilot. Then, glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you’ll 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 return to your campsite to meet up with your group.Â
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 5: Lake Victoria
Location: Lake Victoria, Musoma
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Accommodation Name: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travel towards the Kenya-Tanzania border and to the shores of Lake Victoria. 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 in the late afternoon, with time to chill out lakeside with a cold drink at sunset. Make the most of the ATM and local market to stock up for your next three days of wilderness adventures. You’ll be camping on the shores of the lake tonight, at one of its least visited campgrounds on the outskirts of a small town called Musoma, far from the tourist track.
Day 6: Serengeti National Park
Location: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Accommodation: Camping (with basic facilities)
Accommodation Name: Camping (with basic facilities)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, you’ll travel from Lake Victoria to the gate of Serengeti National Park on a smooth road. Stop for a picnic lunch at the entrance to the park, then enter the Serengeti and start your overland vehicle game drive on the way to your campsite. These plains – green after rain and 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 tonight.
Included Activities:
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Day 7: Serengeti National Park
Location: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Accommodation: Camping (with basic facilities)
Accommodation Name: Camping (with basic facilities)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Start the day with a game drive in your overland truck at dawn. You’ll head out while the animals are at their most active, then head back to camp for brunch. 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!
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 8: Karatu
Location: Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Karatu
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Accommodation Name: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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 on to Karatu town and arrive at camp for a freshly prepared dinner with your group.
Included Activities:
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Day 9: Mto Wa Mbu
Location: Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania, Manyara, Tanzania
Accommodation: Camping (with facilities)
Accommodation Name: Camping (with facilities)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Take it easy this morning with a relaxed breakfast at camp before setting off for Mto Wa Mbu with your group. 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 a guided village walk or maybe take a bike ride around the farming areas, spotting milling machines, local homes and farmlands. Or, round up your fellow travellers to check out the craft market.
Optional Activities:
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Day 10: Arusha - Stone Town
Location: Arusha, Tanzania, Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Pack up camp after breakfast and bid farewell to your crew. Transfer to Arusha Airport and take an included flight to Stone Town, Zanzibar. Your tour will be unescorted from here on; however, our local representatives will be on hand to look after you. Zanzibar is an archipelagic gem filled with idyllic beaches, vibrant markets and a varied and sometimes dark history. This is a place rooted in slavery, where Arabian sultans once lived, and Swahili and Islamic influences blend together to create an exotic island paradise steeped in centuries of history. Why not throw yourself into the midst of Stone Town’s maze of narrow streets – every twist and turn alive with an enticing mix of fragrant bazaars, enchanting mosques and charming ruins. Perhaps head to one of the bars on the seafront and soak up the salty ocean air with a cocktail in hand. Alternatively, if you would like to hear more about Stone Town and the island's history, our local representative can organize an afternoon tour.
Day 11: Zanzibar Beaches
Location: Stone Town, Zanzibar Spice Plantations, Northern Beaches, Zanzibar
Accommodation: Bungalow
Meals Included: Breakfast
Venture out of Stone Town this morning and drive to the spice plantations for your optional guided tour, or head directly to the perfectly pristine northern beaches. If you choose to explore the spice plantations, you’ll learn all about the history of this town's renowned spice trade. Take the opportunity to touch, smell and taste various spices – such as cinnamon, vanilla and ginger – then sample some delicious teas! After lunch, head to the northern beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas await, and reunite with your group for an afternoon at leisure. This is the Indian Ocean at its best.
Optional Activities:
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Day 12: Zanzibar Beaches
Location: Zanzibar
Accommodation: Bungalow
Wake up in paradise and enjoy a full day of freedom to indulge in the beautiful island surrounds. Take the opportunity to snorkel in the transparent waters, walk the stretch of powder white sand and paddle in the bath-like Indian ocean, dine on freshly caught sumptuous seafood or simply relax in a hammock underneath a coconut tree with a good book. There are many ways you can spend your day – perhaps talk to your leader for any recommendations.
Optional Activities:
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Day 13: Zanzibar Beaches
Location: Zanzibar
Meals Included: Breakfast
Your trip comes to an end today. Please advise us at the time of booking if we can help with transfers to the airport or ferry terminal. If you’d like to spend more time in this island paradise, post-trip accommodation can be pre-booked at your beach resort or in Stone Town.
What's Included
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Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
Experience a visit to a Maasai village in Loita Hills, where you can learn about the culture and ancient ways of the Maasai people.
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Masai Mara National Reserve - Full Day 4WD Safari
Enjoy a full day 4WD safari in the Masai Mara National Reserve, exploring the diverse environment and wildlife.
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Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Participate in an overland vehicle game drive in the Serengeti National Park, home to thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators.
What's Not Included
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Optional Balloon Ride
The optional balloon ride over the Masai Mara and Serengeti is not included and must be booked in advance.
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Zanzibar Spice Tour
The optional guided tour of Zanzibar's spice plantations is not included in the package.
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Snorkelling in Zanzibar
Snorkelling activities in Zanzibar are optional and not included in the tour package.
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Transfers in Zanzibar
Transfers back to Stone Town from the northern beaches of Zanzibar are not included but can be pre-booked.
Transport
- Our trucks are purpose-built, self contained safari vehicles. Our fleet of vehicles varies depending on your group size, trip route and style. Your vehicle type may differ from those listed above. It is also important to note that our overland vehicles are not air-conditioned, but all vehicles have windows that can be opened to allow for fresh air. Each seat will have access to a power socket to charge your devices. This outlet will use a UK/Kenyan 3 pronged outlet.
- There are many early starts with long hours spent driving on rough roads on all African itineraries. While most people love the chance to watch the changing landscape and daily village life, feedback shows that long periods of inactivity does not appeal to all clients. We provide the approximate distance covered each day and how many hours this normally takes to drive so that you can choose the safari experience that is right for you.
- African conditions are extremely tough on vehicles. While we fastidiously maintain our vehicles at our workshops, you should not expect Africa to be your traditional touring experience. While it's certainly our aim to avoid them, it's important that you set off on your trip knowing that the occasional breakdown can happen and are best treated as part of the African adventure. Due to wet weather there may be times when we have to take an alternative route which will mean longer travel times.
Accommodation
- Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied.
- The type and variety of accommodation are determined by conditions on each of our routes. Each route is different - on some, we use a mixture of campsites and wild camps; on others, we also use hotels. In Africa, it's not usually practical to camp when staying in towns and cities, so we use hotel accommodations and eat out in local restaurants.
- There may be the occasional night stop when we stay on the grounds of a hotel or at a campsite, which may also have rooms/cabins available. In this case, there may be a choice of camping or upgrading to a room. Rooms cost approximately USD 40-100 per room per night for a twin room and cannot be pre-booked. Standards of these rooms vary greatly, and we recommend viewing the room before purchasing the night's accommodation. The day-by-day itinerary advises when upgrades may be possible (subject to availability).
- Keep in mind that if we are staying in dormitory accommodation, you may have to share with other passengers or be split into same-sex rooms.
- Campsites do have facilities, but they usually aren't to the same standard you would find in Western countries. For example, the bathroom facilities can be very basic. Toilet paper is rarely provided, and shower facilities can be as simple as a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Wild camps have no facilities at all.
- At times, there may be spare tents in the vehicles. Unfortunately, these cannot be used without the purchase of a single supplement. This is to ensure the tents avoid wear and tear or are clean and ready for the customers arriving on the next section of the trip.
Included Activities
- Loita Hills - Maasai Village Visit
- Masai Mara National Reserve - Overland Vehicle Game drive
- Masai Mara National Reserve - Overland Vehicle Game drive
- Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
- Serengeti National Park - Overland Vehicle Game Drive
Important Information
- 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. 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.
- 3. You will be unescorted for the flight and Zanzibar portion of this trip. However, our local representatives will be on hand to look after you.
- 4. This trip finishes on the northern beaches of Zanzibar. Pre-bookable transfers back to Stone Town are available through your bookings consultant or your hotel can assist in arranging a taxi.
Mode of Transport
Travel is conducted in purpose-built, self-contained safari vehicles. These overland trucks are not air-conditioned but have windows for ventilation and power sockets for charging devices. Long drives on rough roads are common, and occasional breakdowns are part of the adventure.Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour primarily consists of two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses. Depending on the route, a mix of campsites, wild camps, and hotels are used. In towns, hotel accommodations are preferred. Campsites offer basic facilities, while wild camps have none.Check out our Q&As
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What type of accommodation can I expect during the tour?
Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied. In towns and cities, hotel accommodations are used. There may be opportunities to upgrade to a room at campsites, but this cannot be pre-booked and is subject to availability.
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What should I know about the transport during the tour?
The tour uses purpose-built, self-contained safari vehicles. These vehicles are not air-conditioned, but all have windows that can be opened for fresh air. Each seat has access to a power socket using a UK/Kenyan 3 pronged outlet. Be prepared for early starts and long hours on rough roads.
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Are there any optional activities available during the tour?
Yes, there are optional activities such as a balloon ride over the Masai Mara and Serengeti National Park, a guided village walk or bike ride in Mto Wa Mbu, and a spice tour in Zanzibar. These activities are subject to availability and may require advance booking.
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What kind of wildlife can I expect to see on the safaris?
During the safaris in the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Masai Mara National Park, you can expect to see a variety of wildlife including hippos, lions, leopards, zebras, elephants, impalas, and possibly endangered black rhinos.
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What is the Maasai village experience like?
During the Maasai village visit in Loita Hills, you will gain insight into the culture and ancient ways of the Maasai people. A local elder will deliver a talk about the Maasai, and you will be shown around a traditional Maasai home and see where the resident cattle are kept.
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What should I expect during the Zanzibar portion of the tour?
In Zanzibar, you will have the opportunity to explore Stone Town, visit spice plantations, and relax on the northern beaches. The tour is unescorted in Zanzibar, but local representatives will be available to assist you.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit for future tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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