A special solo woman safari in Kenya & Tanzania

July 12 – 21, 2027

9 nights, 10 days

Safari for 5 minimum to 9 maximum

Overview:

Explore East Africa’s rich wildlife and diverse cultures, a tropical paradise on the Equator, the denizen of big game – elephants and rhino; lions, leopards and cheetahs; rhinos and mighty raptors.

Wake up every day to a magnificent sunrise lighting the savannah plains teeming with wildlife, a tapestry of sweeping grasslands, arid plains and lush swamps with snow-topped mountains that is home to spectacular life.

July is an exciting months to be on safari to see the spectacular annual wildebeest migration of a million-plus antelopes enter the Maasai Mara and then return to the neighbouring Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It’s feast time for the carnivores and the raptors!

Highlights

• Explore two fascinating East African countries
• Luxury Safari in four diverse game parks in Kenya and Tanzania
• Seeing Africa’s big game in the wild, it’s a lot different than the zoo!
• Study Wildlife with amazing safari guides
• Stay in unique tented camps, one on the lip of a crater and one frequented by Elephants
• See 3 of Africa’s tallest mountains with snow on Kilimanjaro and Kenya
• Visit an African village
• See the Samburu 5, rare endemic animals only found in Kenya north of the Equator adapted to life in the desert.
• Check in at the Kempinski Villa Rosa in Nairobi like Lupita and Obama did
• Savour sundowners after exciting game drives
• Indulge in mouth-watering foods from international to local

Contemplate watching elephants in the world’s largest intact caldera and waking and ending the day with a game drive to catch the ‘golden light’. Or be surprised by surreal meals in the midst of wildlife.

You will meet dynamic safari guides who will give you the inside story of elephant lives, big cats and the imperial zebra that’s the rarest on earth.

->Surprised by an imperial zebra, then you got to safari in Kenya!

 Here’s what’s so special about it!

More on the African safari

This specially curated safari is for you to be awed by Africa’s big game in the 21^st century.

Your camps are luxurious with en suite baths and toilets, spas, swimming pools and gourmet meals. This safari is for people who love nature, want to see big and small game, birds and plants while also enjoying the finer things in life. Nature walks are optional and can be arranged at the camps.

More on the safari curator, Rupi Mangat

Rupi is a travel writer with a particular concentration on wildlife conservation and sustainability. She is 3rd generation Kenyan who has been on safari countless times since she started writing professionally in 1998. She works with the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya as the editor of Komba, the magazine to promote wildlife conservation amongst schoolchildren. With her strong connections with conservation organizations like Action for Cheetahs in Kenya, Grevy’s Zebra Trust and the Mara Meru Cheetah Project which are not-for-profits you have an insiders’ view of the amazing and often challenging world of wildlife. 

You will be accompanied by:

Diana Jerop, a professional safari guide, a founding member of Kenya Women Birders and an active citizen scientist. Her knowledge of African flora and fauna is immense drawing you into the realm of nature .

Day 1 July 12, Monday

Fly into Nairobi the capital city of Kenya. You will be met at the airport by our representative who will guide you through arrival. You will then be driven by your driver-guide to your hotel, Villa Rosa Kempinski.

Villa Rosa Kempinski overlooking Nairobi’s skyline, lavish and soaked in tropical sunlight, has played host to Barack Obama, Lupita Ny’ongo and many more.

The day is at leisure. Villa Rosa Kempinski is a few minutes’ drive to the central business district. Nairobi is a fast-paced city. The core of the city centre boasts early colonial architecture and modern high-rise towers.

You can pop into the Nairobi National Museum that boasts galleries dedicated to prehistory, ornithology, ethnography and the making of modern Kenya including a snake park on the grounds. A guided walking tour can be arranged if you want to see city life or the museum.

Or go on a safari in the city in Nairobi National Park. We can arrange it for you.

Or spoil yourself in the wonderous spa, or indulge in epicurean feasts at the fine restaurants that include spicy Moroccan and Mediterranean fare.

6.30 p.m. – We will enjoy a welcome drink at the resident’s lounge and introduce each other.

7.15 p.m. –  Take a few minutes to stroll into the Tambourin Restaurant  for a delicious dinner with lively chats about your exciting safari before calling it a night.

Read more about the Tambourin Restaurant here.

HOTEL: Villa Rosa Kempinski       

Day 2 July 13, Tuesday

Today the adventure begins.

It’s an early start to the day.

Please ensure all personal bills are settled before breakfast or the night before.

Please call reception to collect your luggage.

7 a.m. –  Residents’ Restaurant

Enjoy a hearty breakfast.

8.30 a.m. –  You will be driven to Wilson Airport from where all safari flights depart.

9.00 a.m. – Check in.

10.00 a.m. – Your flight departs for Samburu – Kalama airstrip. You will fly over Karen Blixen’s (Out of Africa) famed Ngong Hills and  Nairobi National Park, the only wildlife park in a capital city that is still home to black rhinos, the big cats and more even before humans settled in the city!

The 60-minute flight to Samburu National Reserve in the arid lands, north of the equator is exciting.

Have your cameras ready. If it’s clear you will see Mount Kenya on the equator. This volcanic mountain at 17,057 feet (5,199 meters) is Kenya’s tallest. When the first explorers reported of the snow-capped mountains on and near the equator, they were ridiculed – for who had ever heard of snow on the equator?

Samburu is the land of the Samburu Special, wildlife only found north of the equator and adapted to life in the arid lands such as the Reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, Beisa oryx, gerenuk and Somali ostrich. These species have adapted to life without water, surviving just on the morning and evening dew. The life-lung of the land is the Ewaso Nyiro River that is to this region what the Nile is to Egypt.

On arrival at Samburu National Reserve we will be transferred from the airstrip to the camp with a game drive en route before checking in and enjoying time at the camp frequented by elephants by the River.

1 p.m. – lunch al-fresco

3.30 p.m. – Embark on another exciting game drive through the arid bush and the lush oasis by the river. Look out for cheetahs, leopard, lions and elephants and raptors before returning to camp at sunset.

Samburu’s cheetahs are charismatic and being studied by Action for Cheetahs in Kenya and its elephants have been studied over 30 years giving insight to these magnificent giants who ‘call’ each other by name. You may see Cinnamon one of the oldest matriarch’s and others. Read more on Save the Elephants fascinating studies that will have you spell-bound.

6.30 p.m. – You’ll be back just in time for cocktails by the campfire before a sumptuous dinner freshly prepared under the stars of the northern hemisphere. If you’re a star gazer, this is the perfect spot close to the equator to see the constellations straddling the two hemispheres.

You may be entertained by local Samburu dancers with the songs and dances of their ancestors.

The Samburu like the Maasai belong to the Nilotic ethnic group that came into present day Kenya from the north along the Nile some five centuries ago. Interestingly, in addition, the Samburu believe that they hail from Venus the planet.

Enjoy your evening and a good night’s sleep in your luxurious tent.

Hotel: Elephant Bedroom Tented Camp

Day 3 July 14, Wednesday

Another glorious morning in Africa. Rise and shine for an early morning game drive.

6.15 a.m. – Enjoy a quick cuppa.

6.30 a.m. – Depart for early morning game drive. The landscape is surreal with mountains and rocky insels.

9 a.m. – Return for breakfast.

After breakfast, it’s ‘me’ time. Enjoy a quiet repose on the banks of the river and be surprised by a herd of elephants quietly drink in midstream or enjoy a massage in the privacy of your tent.

1 p.m. –  Lunch.

Samburu is the home of Grevy’s Zebra Trust who pioneered research of the rare equid, the Grevy’s zebra (named after the French president from the 1800’s because a Frenchman first described this imperial zebra). Thanks to the work of Grevy’s Zebra Trust, these rare zebra which were poached for their skin and meat are today seen as an asset by the Samburu women, warriors, elders and the children who are involved in zebra conservation.

Samburu is also part of the lion project started by Ewaso Lions. The driver-guides will point out to some on the game drives.

6.30 p.m. – Return for a starlit dinner followed by a night cap by the campfire and finally to a peaceful slumber in your ‘tent’.

Hotel: Elephant Bedroom Tented Camp

Day 4 July 15, Thursday

7.30a.m. – Enjoy breakfast by the river and be ready for departure.

10 a.m. – Depart for the airstrip.

11.15 a.m. – A 120-minute flight from Samburu will have you land in the Maasai Mara, after flying over the Great Rift Valley. It is the planet’s longest valley on land stretching 6,000km from Lebanon in the Middle East to Mozambique in South-eastern Africa and best seen in Kenya. The flight then enters the savanna grassland in the mighty Mara that is home to the Big 5 – elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard (and cheetah). This is lion country famous for its black manned lions and it is possible to see all the three big cats – lion, leopard and cheetah – in a day.

1.15 p.m. – You will be collected from the airstrip and driven to Africa’s first permanent glam camp with a short game drive en route. After check-in and enjoy an exquisite lunch.

4 p.m. – Depart for the afternoon game drive to return at sunset to the camp.

7 p.m.- Take a few minutes to refresh before you meet for cocktails on your first night in the Mara, dubbed one of the seven natural wonders of the modern world.

NOTE: The balloon pilot will drop in to brief those on the balloon safari. Do wear warm clothes (layered because once you are back on earth, it can be pretty hot. Wear a sturdy hat and shoes).

7.30 p.m. – Dinner will be under the stars with lots of lively exchanges about the wonders of the Mara.

Finally it’s lala salama, ‘a peaceful sleep’ in Kiswahili.

Hotel: Governors Camp, Maasai Mara

Day 5 July 16, Friday

6.15 a.m. – Enjoy a cuppa tea/coffee in the lounge.

6.30 a.m. – Leave for a morning game drive at. It’s the best time for a game drive with more chances of seeing the big cats in the cool of the day.

5.30 a.m. – Those on the balloon safari will be collected separately and aftr an hour in the balloon over the Mara, will land for a champagne breakfast on the plains.

9 a.m. The rest will return for breakfast.

The morning is at leisure. The lodge has several activities ranging from a bird walk to visiting a local school – see how you feel.

1 p.m. – Lunch by the river and be surprised by some grunts from the river.

3.30 p.m. –  Embark on another exciting game drive in search of the Marsh Pride (one of the world’s most famous lion pride featured on BBC and other documentaries) and many of Mara’s denizens like her stately giraffes.

7 p.m. – Tonight, enjoy your night in the African bush with dinner under the stars before ‘lala salaama’.

Hotel: Governors Camp, Maasai Mara

Day 6 July 17, Saturday

6.30 a.m. – Savour a sumptuous breakfast in the Mara before your flight to Tanzania, Kenya’s neighbouring country.

7.15 a.m. – You will be transferred to the airstrip. PLEASE have your passports, Tanzania Electronic Travel Authorization and vaccination cards ready.

8.15 a.m. – The 20-minute flight departs for Migori on the Kenyan side. Upon landing you will identify your luggage and board the airline bus for a 25-minute drive through rural Kenya countryside to arrive at Isebania (Kenya side/Sirare (Tanzania side) – the one-stop border post. Here you go through the Kenyan and Tanzanian immigration. The counters are in the same room.

Welcome to Tanzania.

After clearing with immigration, you board the bus for a 20-minute drive to Tarime. Those of you into rocks will be amazed by the rock-scape en route.

11 a.m. – Flight departs Tarime over the vast expanse of the Serengeti.

12.20 p.m. – Flight lands at Grumeti airstrip in the Serengeti National Park.

Enjoy a game drive en route to the stunning wildlife camp.

1.30 p.m. – After check-in. settle down for lunch and relax after.

4.00 p.m. – After a hearty lunch followed by a siesta, embark on the late afternoon game drive in our custom-made safari cruisers driven by expert driver guides.

The Serengeti lies in the greater 30,000-square-kilometer ecosystem that the Maasai call ‘the endless plains’ adjoining Kenya’s Mara. The park is spectacular for its wildlife and tapestry of landscapes. You might pass by a sun-sculpted stone kopje that is a favourite of the lions.

6.30 p.m. – Watch the sunset as you return to camp.

7.30 p.m. – Meet for a cocktail at the bar and then dine on delicious foods reliving the day’s magical moments.

Camp: Kirawira Serena Camp, Serengeti

Day 7 July 18, Sunday

6.15 a.m. – Enjoy a cuppa coffee or tea and biscuits before you set out for an early morning game drive.

6.30 a.m. – This is the best time to enjoy wildlife as well as late afternoons before the sun goes down. It’s the time when the animals are most active before the sun becomes too hot for them and lethargy sets in. The lionesses would rather hunt when it’s cooler but being opportunistic the hunt is on if the quarry is easy. Lions like many animals do not have sweat glands and that’s why you hear them panting a lot.

By 9 a.m. – Be back at the lodge for breakfast.

Take time to relax, read a book and enjoy the grounds.

1.00 p.m. Meet for lunch and after some ‘me’ time leave for the afternoon game drive.

3.30 p.m. – Game drive. Serengeti is where Elsa’s cubs – the lioness of the epic Born Free fame -were released and her lineage continues in this great wilderness.

6.30 p.m. – Return to Camp.

Take some time to refresh with a cold beer at the bar or a cool shower.

7.30 p.m. Meet for another gourmet feast and a nightcap by the fire pit to end the day.

Camp: Kirawira Serena Camp, Serengeti

Day 8 July 19, Monday

8 a.m. – Breakfast

9.30 a.m. – Depart Camp with game drive en route for flight to Lake Manyara.

11.00 a.m. – Flight for Lake Manyara departs from Grumeti airstrip.

11.35 a.m. – Arrive Manyara airstrip on the escarpment.

You will see Lake Manyara (salt lake famous for its birdlife)in the Great Rift Valley and then be driven to Ngorongoro Crater to check into Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp set in a picturesque grove of acacias close to the crater’s rim.

1.35 p.m. – Arrive at the Camp. Enjoy lunch and the day at leisure. The reception offers many activities like nature walks at an extra cost.

6.30 p.m. – Meet for sundowners and dinner

Lodge: Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp 

Day 9 July 20, Tuesday

6.15 a.m. – Depart with a picnic breakfast for an exciting early morning drive to the crater’s floor in search of its black rhino, lion, leopard and more.  You will enjoy the day in the crater that’s 610 metres (2,000 feet) deep and 260 square kilometres -100 square miles – in area.

1 p.m. – Enjoy a picnic lunch in this exciting crater.

Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago.

Since it’s inactive, you can enjoy a fascinating time in search of the wild.

4.00 p.m. – Make your way out of the crater to return to camp.

6.30 p.m. – Meet for sundowners and dinner and later a night cap by the campfire to enjoy your last night out in the wilds of Africa.

And finally to a peaceful slumber.

Lodge: Lemala Ngorongoro Tented Camp 

Day 10 July 21, Wednesday

9 a.m. – Depart for Arusha, driving through the Great Rift Valley with a stop to see Lake Manyara, a birders’ paradise on the Valley’s floor.

8 a.m. – Relish a delicious breakfast on the crater and checkout.

1p.m. – Arrive in Arusha, Tanzania’s picturesque city towered by Mt Meru.

2 p.m. – Drop off, depending on your flight, from KILIMANJARO International Airport in the late evening or the following day where you may see Mt Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest stand-alone mountain and Africa’s tallest.

The airport has a restaurant and coffee shop for lunch or snacks at your own cost.

Those spending the night will be dropped off at Airport Planet Lodge that will provide you with your airport transfer.

To paraphase the words of Dr Bernhard Grzimek of the ‘Serengeti Shall Not Die’ fame, he wrote : “The Serengeti  is a place where you can feel the pulse of the Earth, the rhythm of life that has been playing out for millions of years.”

May you find the same pulse in Africa.

COST:

Per Person: USD 15,000

Per Person Sharing: US$ 14,500

Included:

• All domestic flights as described. 
• All statutory taxes for the flights mentioned above
• Full board accommodation, drinks (EXCEPT premium wines &spirits), and laundry services in some of the safari locations

•Bed and breakfast accommodation at city hotel 
• Shared daytime game drives in specially adapted 4×4 game drive vehicles
• Services of an English-speaking driver-guide

• Accompanied by a professional safari host
• AMREF Flying Doctor insurance
  • All transfers, including to/from Kilimanjaro International Airport

Excluded

• International flights,
• Visa fees,
• All personal bills such as laundry services, premium drinks 
• Tips and porterage’s to the drivers and hotel staff
• Medical, personal and travel insurance
• Travel Insurance – we strongly recommend that comprehensive travel insurance be purchased for the duration of your journey to protect against any missed or delayed flights, illnesses etc that may cause cancellation of your travel plans.
• Any expense not expressly specified in the above Itinerary.

To Reserve a spot: Please email: rupi.mangat@yahoo,com