Day 1
Road transfer
NBO (Nairobi, Kenya) to Hemingways Eden Residence, Nairobi, Kenya
i
Photo: A&K Sanctuary · Source ↗
An Explore Africa journey
Masai Mara & Zanzibar
Ref EA2026018·Indicative from A$8,500 per person·9 nights
When to go
July to October for the migration in the Masai Mara, and Zanzibar is dry in the same months. January and February are also good for both.
Country information
Kenya is the birthplace of the safari: the Masai Mara's big cats and migration, elephants beneath Kilimanjaro at Amboseli and the private conservancies of Laikipia. What to know from the start: • Entry requirements: confirm passports, visas, digital entry forms and transit rules at smartraveller.gov.au and each destination's official immigration website before travel. • Health: seek route-specific advice from a travel-health professional and smartraveller.gov.au; vaccination and malaria guidance varies by itinerary. • Currency: Kenyan Shilling (KES). • Getting around: light aircraft from Nairobi's Wilson Airport to the camps; soft bags of about 15kg. Tanzania is home to the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire's elephant country, with the white sand of Zanzibar a short flight away. What to know from the start: • Entry requirements: confirm passports, visas, digital entry forms and transit rules at smartraveller.gov.au and each destination's official immigration website before travel. • Health: seek route-specific advice from a travel-health professional and smartraveller.gov.au; vaccination and malaria guidance varies by itinerary. • Currency: Tanzanian Shilling (TZS); US dollars are widely used on safari. • Getting around: road safaris on the northern circuit and light-aircraft hops, which usually cap soft luggage at about 15 to 20kg.
The journey
Day by day
Big cats and white sand
Day 1
Hemingways Eden Residence
Nairobi · Kenya · 1 nights
Booking guidance
Book rooms online on a bed and breakfast basis. The Main House and full estate are also available for exclusive use.
Day 2
Light aircraft transfer
WIL, Wilson Airport, Nairobi to Maasai Mara, Kenya
Days 2–5
Olonana Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary
Maasai Mara · Kenya · 4 nights
Booking guidance
Book through the lodge enquiry form on the A&K website. The single supplement is waived from January to May and September to December in 2026, 2027 and 2028 for up to four rooms per booking, excluding the Geoffrey Kent Suite.
Selected experiences
- Game drivesBook with the official operator or ask Explore Africa to include this in a tailored itinerary.
Selected experiences
- Maasai Mara dawn balloon safariBook with the official operator or ask Explore Africa to include this in a tailored itinerary.Public booking link ↗
Day 6
Scheduled flight
Maasai Mara, Kenya to ZNZ (Zanzibar, Tanzania)
Arrival timing cannot yet be checked against the property. Please confirm the flight, transfer time and check-in arrangements.
Usually routed via Nairobi
Days 6–9
Kisiwa on the Beach
Zanzibar · Tanzania · 4 nights
Booking guidance
Use the official property website to enquire about availability or booking. Explore Africa can add Kisiwa on the Beach-Luxury Villas and Spa to an itinerary, but does not make the booking.
Selected experiences
- Zanzibar spice farm tourBook with the official operator or ask Explore Africa to include this in a tailored itinerary.Public booking link ↗
Selected experiences
- Zanzibar Classic Reef semi-submarine tourBook with the official operator or ask Explore Africa to include this in a tailored itinerary.Public booking link ↗
Day 10
Road transfer
Kisiwa on the Beach, Zanzibar, Tanzania to ZNZ (Zanzibar, Tanzania)
The route
How to book this trip
This is a plan you can book yourself. We’re a planning service, not a booking platform. Here’s the order of play:
- 1Camps first. Enquire with each camp below to confirm availability and rates, and book direct.
- 2Then transfers & regional flights. Arrange these once your camp dates are locked.
- 3International flights last. Booked separately from Australia, once the ground trip is confirmed.
Hemingways Eden Residence
Enquire ↗Kenya · 1 night
Olonana Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary
Enquire ↗Kenya · 4 nights
Kisiwa on the Beach
Enquire ↗Tanzania · 4 nights
Safari packing checklist
Pack a soft duffel, not a hard case, as light aircraft cap luggage at ~15–20 kg including hand luggage. Neutral colours, and layers for cold mornings.
Documents & money
- Passport (6+ months validity)
- Visas / e-visas as required
- Travel insurance details
- Vaccination certificates
- Cards + some USD cash
- Copies of key documents
Clothing: neutral tones
- Lightweight long sleeves & trousers
- Warm fleece / layer (cold dawns)
- T-shirts
- Swimwear
- Sleepwear
- Smart-casual for dinners
Footwear
- Closed walking shoes
- Sandals / camp shoes
Gear
- Binoculars
- Camera + spare batteries & cards
- Sunglasses & wide-brim hat
- Headtorch
- Small daypack
- Reusable water bottle
Health & toiletries
- Antimalarials (if advised)
- Insect repellent (DEET)
- High-SPF sunscreen & lip balm
- Personal medication
- Hand sanitiser
- Basic first-aid kit
Want this route tailored to you?
Love this route, but travelling with children, need malaria-free options, or want to fit in Victoria Falls? Generate your tailored blueprint or request a one-to-one itinerary review with Explore Africa.
This itinerary is a planning tool: indicative, not a quote or a booking. Price lines include only the items they explicitly identify. Transfers, activities, meals and flights are excluded unless stated. Availability, rates and flight times change, so please confirm them directly. Submitting a trip sends an enquiry to our team; it does not create a reservation.
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