Private Kenya & Tanzania

Arrive in Nairobi, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. A microcosm of the African continent, this capital city is your gateway to a dramatic procession of natural spectacles in Kenya and Tanzania, among the most thrilling destinations in the world.

Journey overland this morning to Amboseli National Park, known for its thriving big-game population, especially elephant, more than a thousand of which live in the park. Upon arrival, pause to take in some long views of the highest mountain in Africa, snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro, with its impressive Uhuru Peak soaring to 19,341 feet. Continue to your lodge set beneath acacia trees in the shadow of Kilimanjaro. After lunch, search for wildlife in the park’s acacia woodland, freshwater swamps, scrub brush and open plains as well as in dried-up lake bed, where mirages rise from the shimmering heat.

Set out on early morning and afternoon game drives, crisscrossing the landscape in search of the park’s large herds of elephant, as well as zebra and wildebeest, along the salt pan trails. Prepare for predator sightings as opportunistic animals begin roaming the plains in search of prey. Return to your lodge for dinner followed by a relaxing evening under African skies.

Cross the border into Tanzania and continue to your hotel on the picturesque slopes of Mount Meru. This afternoon, stop at the kennels of the Canines for Conservation training center for a special behind-the-scene visit with the K-9 cadets trained to detect illicit wildlife products in cargo and luggage. Return to your hotel with time at leisure before dinner.

Drive from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park for a morning game drive, searching for nonchalant baboon, dik-dik that forage for food beneath acacia trees, and large herds of buffalo, wildebeest and zebra, which gather on the grassy, sun-drenched plains. Along a narrow belt of acacia woodland, you may even spot examples of the region’s storied tree-climbing lion, ascending branches for a cool breeze. After lunch, continue to a local village, where you ride on a tuk-tuk, viewing rice fields and the local community as you go. Then, travel to Ngorongoro Crater, ascending its outer wall through dense vegetation. Ngorongoro is the largest unbroken ancient caldera in the world and a likely place to view lion, elephant, hyena and gazelle.

This morning, descend into the crater, arriving ahead of most visitors — thanks to the ideal location of your accommodations on the crater’s rim — to view the resident wildlife at its most active time of day. The prairies of this “Lost World” are great spots for watching buffalo and elephant as well as the countless other species that roam the crater’s 100-square-mile floor. You may even sight flamingo (when in season) or the rare black rhino. Following lunch, visit a Maasai village to gain a better understanding of the nomadic cattle-herders’ daily life and culture.

Drive to vast, wildlife-rich Serengeti National Park and through its spectacular mix of savanna grassland and volcanic hills, stopping en route for a privately guided tour of Olduvai Gorge, one of the key sources of prehuman hominid fossils. Renowned paleontologists Mary and Louis Leakey made many notable finds here, including “Nutcracker Man,” who lived approximately 1.75 million years ago. Visit the on-site museum, take in views from the lookout point and examine the excavations, which revealed 3.7-million-year-old footprints and the 1.8-million-year-old skull of a human. Continue to your lodge, which is framed by commanding views of this land of lion, leopard, hyena, cheetah, giraffe and topi. The park also serves as a setting for the Great Migration when it passes through each year. Enjoy your room’s blend of elegant and contemporary design with influences from the traditional Maasai culture.

Today, revel in true safari country, searching for iconic species, such as lion, leopard, Cape buffalo and elephant, as well as giraffe, gazelle and zebra. Along the rivers and rocky outcroppings, you may also spot some of the Serengeti’s more diminutive denizens, such as leopard tortoise and rhinoceros beetle. You may also opt for a hot air balloon ride, at an additional cost, for an exciting new perspective across the boundless Serengeti, home of one of the largest wildlife populations in the world.

Fly to the vast Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya’s finest wildlife spectacle, offering excellent game viewing year-round. The unending landscape hosts some 450 bird species, 95 animal species and all of the great predators, including the country’s largest lion population. After familiarizing yourself with your classic tented accommodations, ideally situated at the confluence of the Mara’s four game-viewing regions, drive through the famed reserve.

Explore a region bestowed with over 500 square miles of savannas, woodlands and tree-fringed rivers on morning and afternoon game drives. You may observe crocodile basking in the sun, see ever-alert hippo wallowing in muddy water and perhaps catch the antics of a mischievous monkey overhead. Watch, too, as African elephant rumble along the forest edge and giraffe snatch leaves from branches high above.

Venture forth a morning game drive or, if you prefer, choose a hot air balloon ride, for an additional cost, floating peacefully above the game-dotted plains and gaining a new perspective on life in the Mara. After lunch, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities: Set Out on a Guided Bird Walk, for the opportunity to spot some of the nearly 500 species of birds in the region. Create Your Own Jewelry with the Maasai, using beads provided by the tribal members who made them. Throw the Rungu with Maasai Warriors, testing your skills with their traditional wooden hunting club. Then, go on a late-afternoon game drive for a final look at the Mara’s treasures. Later, enjoy an iconic sundowner, sipping traditional cocktails while marveling at the incredible open plains just before dusk — a relaxing prelude to a memorable final dinner here in the Mara.

Return to Nairobi. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure in a reserved dayroom before your international departure flight home.