Kenya & Tanzania · 12 days · 11 nights · Year-round · best Jul – Oct (migration in the Mara)
12-Day Kenya & Tanzania Group Camping
This is the long, good-value way to see Kenya and northern Tanzania together. You join other travellers on a set departure, which keeps the cost down, and sleep in simple tented camps in Kenya and campsites in Tanzania. The Kenya half takes in two nights in the Mara, Lake Nakuru and two nights at Amboseli; after crossing at Namanga you spend six nights on the Tanzanian circuit, including two in the central Serengeti and a picnic lunch on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater. It suits travellers who are happy to trade some comfort for more parks and more days out.
From $4,037 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: Nairobi → Maasai Mara
We pick you up from your Nairobi hotel between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. and drive via the Rift Valley viewpoint and Narok, stopping for lunch. You reach camp in the early afternoon and, after a short rest, set out on your first game drive in the Mara.
Day 2: Full day in the Mara
A full day exploring the reserve's grasslands and rolling hills, with plenty of tracks for close viewing. Lunch is a picnic at the hippo pool, where you can watch hippos and crocodiles before carrying on.
Day 3: Maasai Mara → Lake Nakuru
An early game drive before breakfast, while it's cool and the animals are moving, then the drive north. You pass Mount Longonot and Lake Naivasha on the way, with lunch en route, and spend the night in Nakuru.
Day 4: Lake Nakuru → Amboseli
A morning game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park for its birdlife, flamingos and rhino sanctuary, with buffalo and waterbuck often along the shore. Then a long drive south to Amboseli, arriving at camp in the late evening.
Day 5: Full day in Amboseli
A full day of game drives in Amboseli, whose swamps draw elephant and hippo, along with plains game and plenty of birds. Lunch is a picnic in the park, and on a clear day Kilimanjaro fills the skyline.
Day 6: Amboseli → Namanga border → Arusha
An early game drive, breakfast at camp, then on to the Namanga border to clear immigration into Tanzania. From the border a shuttle takes you to Arusha, where your Tanzanian guide meets you; dinner tonight is your own, so you can try somewhere in town.
Day 7: Arusha → Tarangire
You reach Tarangire National Park in time for lunch and spend the afternoon on a game drive among its old baobab trees. Look out for elephant, lion, lesser kudu, eland and gerenuk.
Day 8: Tarangire → Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast you drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend about 600 metres to the crater floor, with a picnic lunch inside. The crater mixes forest, open grassland and a lake, so you can see elephant, monkeys, lions and, at times, flamingos in a single drive.
Day 9: Ngorongoro → Olduvai Gorge → Serengeti
You cross into the Serengeti by way of Olduvai Gorge, where Louis and Mary Leakey made their early-human finds; the small museum there can be visited at extra cost. After lunch at Seronera you head out on an afternoon drive across the plains.
Day 10: Full day in the Serengeti
A full day of game drives in the central Serengeti with a picnic lunch out in the park. Lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest all live on these plains, and your guide will plan the day around where they've been seen.
Day 11: Serengeti → Lake Manyara
An early drive before a late breakfast at camp, then a mid-morning drive before leaving the Serengeti. After lunch on the road you reach Lake Manyara for a game drive until sunset.
Day 12: Lake Manyara → Arusha
A morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, home to hippos, monkeys, flamingos and a wide range of birds. Lunch is back at camp, then you drive to Arusha, where the safari ends at the Arusha Sterio Hotel.
Trip inclusions
- Eleven nights' accommodation: tented camps and a hotel in Kenya, campsites and a hotel in Tanzania, as listed
- Meals as described in the itinerary (dinner in Arusha on day 6 is not included)
- All national park, reserve and crater entry fees
- 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and driver-guide, shared with other travellers on the departure
- Game drives in the Mara, Nakuru, Amboseli, Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti and Lake Manyara
- Pick-up from your Nairobi hotel
- 24/7 WhatsApp support from the Bookara team
Trip exclusions
- International and domestic flights
- Kenya eTA (government fee — we help you apply)
- Tanzania visa (government fee — we help you apply)
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for guides and camp staff
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Dinner in Arusha on day 6
- Optional extras such as the Olduvai Gorge museum
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 12-Day Kenya & Tanzania Group Camping? 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.