Kenya & Tanzania · 13 days · 12 nights · Year-round · best Jul – Oct (migration)
13-Day Kenya & Tanzania Photography Safari
Built for people who want to come home with pictures: the route takes in lake birdlife at Nakuru, the Mara and Serengeti plains, the Ngorongoro Crater floor, Tarangire's baobabs and Kilimanjaro behind Amboseli's elephants. The Mara stay includes a sunrise hot-air balloon flight, and your guide works to put you in good positions for photography on every drive. You travel privately in a 4x4 with a pop-up roof, so you have room to move and shoot. Most parks get two nights, which gives you both morning and evening light.
From $13,797 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 drive you to your hotel. A quiet first night on bed and breakfast before the safari starts.
Day 2: Nairobi → Lake Nakuru
After breakfast you head for Lake Nakuru National Park, known for flamingos, birdlife and rhino. The afternoon game drive looks for rhino, buffalo and giraffe.
Day 3: Lake Nakuru → Maasai Mara
A final drive around Nakuru, then west to the Maasai Mara. You arrive for an afternoon game drive over the open savannah before settling in for two nights.
Day 4: Balloon flight & Maasai Mara
An early start for a sunrise hot-air balloon flight of up to an hour over the Mara, followed by a champagne breakfast where you land. In the afternoon you go out on a game drive, then visit a Maasai village before getting back to camp at sunset.
Day 5: Maasai Mara → Isebania border → Serengeti
You leave the Mara by the Oloololo Escarpment and cross into Tanzania at Isebania, with a lunch stop on the way. The drive continues through the Lake Victoria highlands near Musoma, and animals often start to show up before you reach the Serengeti.
Day 6: Full day in the Serengeti
Morning and afternoon game drives across the Serengeti plains, with your guide looking for the best angles on lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, wildebeest and zebra.
Day 7: Serengeti → Ngorongoro Crater rim
A game drive on your way out of the Serengeti, with a picnic lunch, then on to the Ngorongoro Crater. You stay two nights at a lodge on the crater rim.
Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater floor
You descend the crater walls in the morning for a full day on the floor, with a picnic lunch among the animals. In the afternoon you return to the rim for the wide views over the crater.
Day 9: Ngorongoro → Lake Manyara
Down the escarpment to Lake Manyara National Park in time for lunch. The afternoon drive looks for tree-climbing lions, elephants, hippos and flamingos.
Day 10: Lake Manyara → Tarangire
A last morning drive in Manyara, then on to Tarangire National Park for lunch at your lodge. The afternoon is spent among the park's baobabs and large elephant herds.
Day 11: Tarangire → Arusha → Namanga border → Amboseli
An early breakfast, lunch in Arusha, then immigration at Namanga and back into Kenya. You reach Amboseli National Park, below Kilimanjaro, by late afternoon for two nights.
Day 12: Full day in Amboseli
Morning and afternoon game drives for elephants against the Kilimanjaro skyline, plus the chance of lion, cheetah, giraffe and gazelle. The swamps are good for birds.
Day 13: Amboseli → Nairobi
After breakfast you drive back to Nairobi. We drop you at the airport for your flight home, or at your hotel if you are staying on.
Trip inclusions
- Accommodation in lodges and camps as listed (bed & breakfast in Nairobi, full board on safari)
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and driver-guide
- Experienced guides for wildlife viewing and photography
- Sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the Maasai Mara with champagne breakfast
- All national park, reserve and Ngorongoro Crater entry fees
- All game drives as per itinerary
- Airport arrival and departure transfers in Nairobi
- 24/7 WhatsApp support from the Bookara team
Trip exclusions
- International flights
- Kenya eTA (government fee — we help you apply)
- Tanzania visa (government fee — we help you apply)
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for guides, drivers and lodge staff
- Optional excursions and extra activities
- 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 13-Day Kenya & Tanzania Photography 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.