12-Day Luxury Kenya & Tanzania Safari with Zanzibar

A tailor made safari guide meets the party in Nairobi, and the road heads west, over the lip of the Great Rift Valley and across its floor, until the farmland gives way to the long grass of the Maasai Mara. Lunch is at Enchipai Camp, a luxury tented camp on the edge of the reserve with no fences between the tents and the wildlife.

The afternoon brings the first game drive, into a reserve famous for its Big Five and, between July and October, for the Great Migration. Even a first outing here tends to deliver: elephant families, giraffe, herds of zebra and wildebeest, and usually a pride of lions somewhere in the grass.

A full day on the Mara, with game drives in the morning and again in the afternoon. The morning drive leaves early, when the predators are most active, and the Mara lives up to its name as some of the best predator country in Africa: lion, cheetah, leopard and hyena all hold territory across these plains.

The middle of the day is for lunch and a rest at camp, where animals sometimes wander past the unfenced grounds. A Maasai cultural visit can also be arranged, a chance to meet the families who have lived alongside this wildlife for generations.

A short game drive after breakfast is a last look at the Mara, and then the road runs to the Isebania border. With the formalities complete, the journey continues into Tanzania and on toward the Serengeti, the open grassland carrying on as if no border existed.

Lunch is at Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, and in the afternoon the first Serengeti game drive heads out across plains that seem to have no end.

The day can begin in the air. An optional hot air balloon safari lifts off before sunrise and drifts silently over the Serengeti as the light spreads across the plains and the herds below begin to stir, followed by breakfast out in the bush.

Otherwise, breakfast at the lodge comes first, then a morning game drive among the lion prides and grazing herds, lunch and a rest through the heat, and another drive in the soft afternoon light.

The game drives push deeper into the Serengeti, looking beyond the famous big cats for the park's less obvious treasures: cheetah on the open plains, the elusive serval hunting in the long grass, and a remarkable variety of birdlife, from ostrich and secretary birds to lilac breasted rollers.

Morning and afternoon drives fill the day, and an optional Maasai cultural experience can be added for anyone curious about the people of this region.

The road leaves the Serengeti heading east, climbing into the cool, green Ngorongoro Highlands, and then drops down the steep wall of the crater onto its floor. Inside, the wildlife is extraordinary: elephant, rhino and lion live alongside great herds of zebra and wildebeest, with hippo in the pools and flamingos on the soda lake in season.

After the game drive the road climbs back to the rim, and the night is at Ngorongoro Lion's Paw Camp, with the crater spread out below and cool air coming off the highlands.

The road descends from the highlands to Tarangire National Park, a landscape of ancient baobabs, river valleys and some of the largest elephant herds in Tanzania. Lunch comes first, then an afternoon game drive along the Tarangire River, where the elephants gather to drink and the birdlife is superb.

The night is at Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp, a luxury tented camp on the edge of the park with no fences, where the sounds of the bush carry through the evening. It is the last night of the safari before the coast.

After breakfast the transfer runs to Arusha Airport for the short flight to Zanzibar. The plane follows the coast until the island comes into view: white beaches, turquoise water and dark green palms, a world away from the dust of the safari circuit.

Zanzibar has been known as the Spice Island for centuries, a trading hub for cloves and cinnamon, and its pace is gentle. The rest of the day is free to settle into Meliá Zanzibar Hotel and take in the coast.

A day of pure leisure on Zanzibar's coast. The reef lies just offshore, and snorkelling over the coral gardens reveals a world of tropical fish in water that is warm and clear.

As the day cools, a traditional dhow can be arranged for a sunset sail along the coastline, the lateen sail catching the breeze as the sky turns orange over the Indian Ocean.

The beach retreat continues, and the day can go either way. An optional excursion reaches Stone Town, the island's old heart, with its narrow streets, carved wooden doors and the old Arab, Persian and Indian trading quarter, or a spice farm, where cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon grow on the trees and vines.

Or the day can be spent entirely on the sand, with nothing more demanding than a swim and a long lunch.

The last full day is for the resort, the coastline and the warm waters of Zanzibar, spent in whatever way suits best: in the water, in the shade, or wandering the shore as the tide goes out and the fishing boats come home.

After breakfast, the transfer reaches Zanzibar Airport for the onward journey, closing a safari and beach escape that began on the Mara's plains and ended on the Indian Ocean.