From
$3,820
NZ $3,056 per person

Essential East Africa

10 days
From Nairobi to Arusha
4.7
11 traveler reviews
From
$3,820
-20%
NZ $3,056 per person
Find this price
Save and compare this adventure
Payment plan $400 now + easy payments of $185 Learn More

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:
Overland Truck
Off-the-grid adventures with a rugged edge
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Guided in English
Group Size 12 - 22
Ages 18-35
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Meet the fun-loving red-clad Maasai people.
  • Indulge in traditional chipsi mayai and ol' konyago.
  • Sleep under starry skies meters away from wildlife.
  • Come face-to-face with the legendary Big Five.

Itinerary

Expand All
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Nairobi
  2. Day 2 Loita Hills Maasai Experience
  3. Day 3 Masai Mara National Reserve
  4. Day 4 Masai Mara National Reserve
  5. Day 5 Lake Victoria
  6. Day 6 Serengeti National Park
  7. Day 7 Serengeti National Park
  8. Day 8 Karatu
  9. Day 9 Mto Wa Mbu
  10. Day 10 Arusha / Nairobi
Want to read it later?

Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline

What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Operated by

Intrepid Travel

Number of tours

1,534

Age Range

5 to 99 years old

Response time

8 hours

Response rate

96%

Back in 1989, two guys from Melbourne, Australia by the names of Darrell and...

Read more

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Overall Rating
    Excellent
    4.7
  • Itinerary
    Excellent
    5.0
  • Guide
    Excellent
    5.0
  • Transport
    Excellent
    4.8
  • Accommodation
    Excellent
    4.4
  • Food
    Excellent
    5.0
  • 4.5
  • Most Recent
  • Most Popular
  • Highest First
  • Lowest First
  • Essential East Africa reviewer 1
    · July 5th, 2025
    Absolutely phenomenal trip. It is the first trip I've ever done where I want to do the exact same thing all over again
    Show more
    Intrepid Travel commented on this review
    Thank you for taking the time to share your review. We’re thrilled to hear that you had such a phenomenal trip. Especially since it was your first experience that left you wanting to do it all over again! We offer many exciting itineraries across... Show more
    Trip date: June 2025
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    I believe that Sam, James and Ibrahim did an amazing job on making my trip to Kenya Africa AMAZING
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    The team leader, cook and driver were absolutely fantastic. They all went above and beyond for every person on tour. Samantha had fantastic knowledge, was passionate and truly committed to providing excellent service. Ibrahim was an excellent chef who served amazing food each meal. His service was friendly and catered to the needs of each member of the group. Hygiene was spot on. James was such a friendly, easy going and great driver. He was skilled and knew where to go. I loved every moment of this trip thanks to those three staff members who worked exceptionally well together.
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    The tour was organised well and it was an amazing, all-inclusive trip. Absolutely loved it!
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    I have participated in a number of group travel experiences and this was by far the most organised and well run program. Everything was planned out for us, and we did not have to worry about arranging side trips, meals or experiences. The staff (Samantha, James and Ibrahim) were all fantastic in their roles - going above and beyond to make the experience special for us.
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    Travelling with a group of same aged people. Well organised. Can trust leaders. Excellent guide (Sam Nyaga)
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    Great balance of time between maasai Mara locals, maasai safari, Serengeti, crater. The service was excellent and the food was perfect considering its a budget trip and we were camping in the wild. Our guide had a great knowledge of all things Africa from politics and history to the animals and was so kind and courteous to everyone's needs.
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    Our Crew was amazing, and we had a lot of fun. The Number of Members on this tour was very fine (not too much) and the crew was well prepared!
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    All three team members were excellent. They were friendly, polite, funny and knowledgeable.
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018
  • A
    · September 18th, 2019
    Excellent service from all three staff members. Had a truely wonderful time and they went above and beyond to satisfy every request from us.
    Show more
    Trip date: December 2018

Dates & Availability

10 days
Essential East Africa
From Nairobi to Arusha

Why book with TourRadar?

    • Trusted and vetted operators
    • Rated excellent on
    • Best price guarantee
    • 24/7 customer support
    • Earn $50 in travel credits
    • Free eSim with every purchase

    To protect your payment and ensure your booking will be processed in Australia, never transfer or communicate outside of the TourRadar website or app.

More benefits
Select a departure month
  • Upcoming departures
  • August 2025
  • September 2025
  • October 2025
  • December 2025
  • February 2026
  • May 2026
  • June 2026
  • July 2026
  • August 2026
  • September 2026
  • October 2026
  • November 2026
  • December 2026
  • February 2027
  • May 2027
  • June 2027
  • July 2027
  • August 2027
  • September 2027
  • October 2027
  • November 2027
  • December 2027
Select The Travel Month

Upcoming departures
Hurry, deals only available for a limited time!
Ends on 5 Aug, 2025
  • Instant Confirmation
    -20%
    From Saturday
    23 Aug, 2025
    To Monday
    1 Sep, 2025
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    $3,820
    NZ $3,056 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    -15%
    From Saturday
    20 Sep, 2025
    To Monday
    29 Sep, 2025
    English
    Filling Fast
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    $3,890
    NZ $3,306 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    18 Oct, 2025
    To Monday
    27 Oct, 2025
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    NZ $3,795 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    13 Dec, 2025
    To Monday
    22 Dec, 2025
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    NZ $3,740 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    14 Feb, 2026
    To Monday
    23 Feb, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    NZ $3,540 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    16 May, 2026
    To Monday
    25 May, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    NZ $3,470 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    13 Jun, 2026
    To Monday
    22 Jun, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    NZ $3,470 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    27 Jun, 2026
    To Monday
    6 Jul, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    NZ $3,680 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    11 Jul, 2026
    To Monday
    20 Jul, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    NZ $4,095 per person
    Multiple Room Types
  • Instant Confirmation
    From Saturday
    1 Aug, 2026
    To Monday
    10 Aug, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    From:
    NZ $4,095 per person
    Multiple Room Types

What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
  • J

    Jennifer

    Asked on June 17th, 2025

    Information about tent accommodations

    Accommodation
    • Intrepid TravelOperatorWritten June 2025

      Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied. Campsites do have facilities, but they usually aren't to the same standard you would find in Western countries. Toilet paper is rarely provided, and shower facilities can be as simple as a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Wild camps have no facilities at all.

  • P

    Pauline

    Asked on September 25th, 2023

    Hello, what port on the Kenyan/Tanzanian border will we be entering through and which one are we leaving through?

    Tour Details
    Visa
    • Intrepid TravelOperatorWritten September 2023

      Border crossings on this trip: Exit Kenya - Isebania (Day 5), Enter Tanzania - Isebania. Exit Tanzania - Namanga (Day10), Enter Kenya - Namanga.

    • P

      Pauline

      TravelerWritten September 2023

      I'm applying for my evisa to Tanzania, and would also like to know the address of the hotel we are staying at in Tanzania.

    • Intrepid TravelOperatorWritten September 2023

      For Visa Applications in Tanzania, please use: Kibo Palace Hotel, PO Box 2523, Old Moshi Road, Arusha - Tanzania

    • P

      Pauline

      TravelerWritten September 2023

      Is it possible to know how many people will be on the trip and the average age?

    • Intrepid TravelOperatorWritten September 2023

      We do have 08 passengers on the trip. 2 passengers in the age <20, 6 passengers in the age range of 20-29.

    • P
      4 more answers
  • K

    Kelly

    Asked on August 2nd, 2023

    I am interested in the trip and would like to know how you can arrange to end the trip in Nairobi.

    Flights / Transfers
    Tour Details
    • Intrepid TravelOperatorWritten August 2023

      Your trip comes to an end in Arusha and a departure transfer can be booked at an additional expense, to either Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK). Alternatively, you can continue on with our crew to finish in Nairobi around 5 pm. Any flights out of Nairobi should not be booked to depart prior to 9 pm. We highly recommend you book accommodation for the last day and depart on the next day. Extra accommodation can be booked through us and the drop off point in Nairobi is the Kenya Comfort Hotel Suites.

  • N

    Nancy

    Asked on April 19th, 2023

    Could an alternative start date around 24-25 July be possible?

    Tour Details
    • Intrepid TravelOperatorWritten April 2023

      Unfortunately, no we are not able to add additional departures. We may be able to find you a comparable trip however with dates that better suit. I would recommend checking out Serengeti Trail (tour code YGOT) perhaps, it has a departure on 26JUL23.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Intrepid Travel with your enquiry, they usually respond within 8 hours.
From
$3,820
-20%
NZ $3,056 per person
Find this price
Save and compare this adventure
Payment plan $400 now + easy payments of $185 Learn More

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 92943

  • Currencies
    Sh
    Kenyan Shilling
    Kenya
    Sh
    Tanzanian Shilling
    Tanzania
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from New Zealand you will need an adaptor for type G.

    Type G
    Kenya and Tanzania
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Kenya and Tanzania. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Kenya and Tanzania. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Cholera - Recommended for Kenya and Tanzania. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Tuberculosis - Recommended for Kenya and Tanzania. Ideally 3 months before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Kenya and Tanzania. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Rabies - Recommended for Kenya and Tanzania. Ideally 1 month before travel.
    • Meningococcal meningitis - Recommended for Kenya and Tanzania. Ideally 3 weeks before travel.
    • Yellow fever - Recommended for Kenya. Ideally 10 days before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before September 29th, 2025 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after September 29th, 2025, a minimum payment of $400 is required to confirm your booking with Intrepid Travel. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Intrepid Travel will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Intrepid Travel" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.