Kenya, Tanzania & Zanzibar · 20 days · 19 nights · Year-round · best Jun – Oct (migration)
20-Day Kenya, Tanzania & Zanzibar Seniors Safari
This trip gives you time. Two nights in the Mara, the Serengeti and Tarangire, a few unhurried mornings and a long beach stay at the end make it a comfortable choice for travellers who don't want to rush. Along the way there is more than game drives: the Karen Blixen Museum, a boat ride on Lake Naivasha, Olduvai Gorge, time with the Hadzabe at Lake Eyasi and a village visit at Mto wa Mbu. The last five nights are on Zanzibar, split between the beach at Nungwi and the old streets of Stone Town.
From $8,064 per person
Specimen itinerary for planning purposes only — not a confirmed booking document.
Logistics & transport
- Pickup
- Confirmed 24 hours before departure on WhatsApp
- Guide language
- As selected at booking
- Group
- Private / small group · max 12 guests
Where you'll stay
Lodging varies by trip — tented camp, safari lodge, beach hotel, or city hotel as your package requires. The property for this package is confirmed in writing after you book — ask us on WhatsApp if you want options before paying.
Included in your package price — exact camp, lodge, or hotel confirmed after booking.
Indicative schedule — day by day
Planned rhythm for your trip — your guide may adjust on the day for conditions, light and wildlife.
Day 1: Arrive → Nairobi
We meet you at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and take you to your hotel. In the evening your guide runs through the plan for the weeks ahead.
Day 2: Karen Blixen Museum → Sweetwaters
A morning at the Karen Blixen Museum, the author's home from 1914 to 1931. Then north to Sweetwaters in Ol Pejeta, a private conservancy, for a first game drive among species such as Grevy's zebra, oryx, eland and waterbuck.
Day 3: Sweetwaters → Lake Nakuru
A morning game drive in the conservancy, which is also home to a chimpanzee sanctuary, then the drive to Lake Nakuru, a Rift Valley soda lake. You arrive for lunch and go out in the afternoon for flamingos, pelicans, rhino and giraffe.
Day 4: Lake Nakuru → Lake Naivasha
An early drive in Nakuru, then on to freshwater Lake Naivasha for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon a boat ride takes you out among the hippos and the lake's many birds.
Day 5: Lake Naivasha → Maasai Mara
Through the highlands and down the Rift Valley escarpment to the Maasai Mara, game-driving on the way to the lodge. From June to October the migration herds arrive here from the Serengeti.
Day 6: Full day in the Maasai Mara
Game drives across the reserve, with time to rest at the lodge, swim or watch hippos by the river in the heat of the day. An early-morning balloon flight is available as an optional extra.
Day 7: Maasai Mara → Isebania border → Serengeti
After breakfast you drive to the border at Isebania, complete the formalities and continue into Tanzania's Serengeti National Park for two nights.
Day 8: Full day in the Serengeti
A relaxed breakfast, a morning drive over the plains, then lunch and a rest. In the afternoon you explore the rolling Lobo hills towards the Kenyan border, with its rocky kopjes and, in season, the migration.
Day 9: Serengeti → Olduvai Gorge → Ngorongoro
A game drive on the way out of the Serengeti, with a stop at the Olduvai Gorge viewpoint and its small museum, where early human fossils were found in 1959. After a picnic lunch you carry on to the crater rim.
Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater → Lake Eyasi
A morning on the crater floor, looking for lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, hippo and the flamingos on Lake Magadi. After a picnic lunch in the crater you drive on to Lake Eyasi, arriving for dinner.
Day 11: Lake Eyasi → Mto wa Mbu
An early start to spend time with the Hadzabe, one of Africa's last hunter-gatherer communities, and learn how they hunt, gather and live. Then on to Mto wa Mbu, with free time in the late afternoon before dinner.
Day 12: Mto wa Mbu village visit
A day in Mto wa Mbu, a village home to people from many different tribes. You can help cook and share lunch with local families, see the banana farms and irrigation, and visit the village school and craft stalls.
Day 13: Mto wa Mbu → Tarangire
A slow morning, then the drive to Tarangire National Park, known for its elephant herds and baobabs. After checking in at your tented camp there is a guided walk nearby.
Day 14: Full day in Tarangire
A full day of game drives in Tarangire, where large elephant herds often move through together. Lion, cheetah, buffalo and plenty of birds are also around.
Day 15: Tarangire → Arusha → fly to Zanzibar
Back to Arusha for lunch and the flight to Zanzibar. On landing you are driven up to Nungwi on the north coast in time for sunset over the Indian Ocean.
Day 16: Nungwi beach
A free day on the beach at Nungwi. Swim, snorkel or dive, or simply rest after the safari.
Day 17: Nungwi at leisure
Another easy day by the sea, with time to wander the village along the coast and watch the sun go down.
Day 18: Nungwi → Kizimbani spice farm → Stone Town
On the way south you stop at the Kizimbani spice farm to see how local spices, fruit and plants are grown and used, with lunch at the farm. You reach Stone Town in the afternoon and finish with dinner.
Day 19: Stone Town & sunset dhow sail
A morning walk through Stone Town's markets, alleys and old buildings. In the afternoon you sail out on a traditional dhow at sunset, then have a farewell dinner.
Day 20: Depart Zanzibar
A slow last morning by the sea, then a transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Trip inclusions
- Accommodation in hotels, lodges and tented camps as listed
- Full board on safari (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and driver-guide
- Experienced safari guides in Kenya and Tanzania
- All national park, reserve and Ngorongoro Crater entry fees
- Airport arrival transfer in Nairobi and departure transfer in Zanzibar
- 24/7 WhatsApp support from the Bookara team
Trip exclusions
- International flights
- Flight from Arusha to Zanzibar (we can quote it)
- Kenya eTA (government fee — we help you apply)
- Tanzania visa (government fee — we help you apply)
- Olduvai Gorge museum entry
- Village visit fees
- Optional Maasai Mara balloon flight
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff
- Drinks and personal expenses
Preparation & packing
Before you go
- This section is general Kenya travel guidance — not a substitute for official advice or your doctor.
- We confirm trip-specific details (property, pickup times, park rules) with you on WhatsApp before departure.
- Questions about 20-Day Kenya, Tanzania & Zanzibar Seniors Safari? Message us anytime — we'd rather you ask than guess.
Visa & entry
- Most visitors need a Kenya eTA before travel — apply at etakenya.go.ke and check the current fee and rules.
- Passport usually needs 6+ months' validity and blank pages — verify with your airline and immigration.
- Keep a printed copy of this itinerary and your eTA approval for border control.
Health
- Yellow fever certificate may be required depending on where you are travelling from — check Kenya's latest entry rules.
- Malaria prevention is commonly recommended for safari areas — ask your doctor well before you fly.
- Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly recommended.
- Bring personal medication in original packaging.
Weather & clothing
- Safari mornings and evenings are often cooler than midday — layers work better than one heavy coat.
- Neutral colours (khaki, olive, beige) are standard for game drives.
- Rain can appear in any season — a light waterproof layer is worth packing.
- We send a short weather note for your dates once your trip is confirmed.
Packing list
- Comfortable closed shoes for walking + sandals for camp or lodge
- Sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
- Binoculars if you have a pair (optional — ask us if you'd like a recommendation)
- Power bank + travel adaptor (Kenya commonly uses Type G plugs, 240V)
- Soft bag often works better than a hard suitcase if your trip includes light-aircraft legs — we'll confirm luggage limits for your routing
- Some cash in USD (clean, newer bills) or KES for tips and small purchases
- Insect repellent
Money & connectivity
- Cards work in Nairobi and at many properties; cash is still useful for tips and markets.
- M-Pesa is widely used in Kenya — we can walk you through it on arrival if helpful.
- Wi‑Fi varies by property (lodge, camp, or hotel) — signal on game drives is usually limited.
- Tipping customs vary by property and guide — we share current guidelines for your trip before you travel.