Opt for a game drive through Nairobi National Park in an overland truck, watching waterholes and open grassland for wildlife. One of the park’s defining sights is the contrast between animals on the plains and Nairobi’s skyline beyond them.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that can be arranged on tour. Sightings depend on wildlife movements, but the chance to experience a national park beside a capital city makes the setting distinctive.

Opt to canoe on Lake Manyara and experience the lakeside landscape from the water. Paddling offers a quieter perspective than a game drive, with space to notice the broad setting beneath the Rift Valley escarpment.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. Availability may depend on local conditions; check arrangements with the tour team. As with any nature-based outing, what you see along the way cannot be guaranteed.

Choose a night game drive near Lake Manyara to experience the safari landscape beyond daylight hours. Search for signs of animals active after dark and notice how limited light changes the sounds and atmosphere around the vehicle.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. It offers a distinct complement to the included daytime drive, although wildlife encounters depend on animal movements and local conditions.

Opt for a game drive in Tarangire National Park, a Tanzanian landscape known for two imposing sights: elephants and baobab trees. Scan for wildlife among the park’s distinctive trees and open terrain from your safari vehicle.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. Tarangire offers one more opportunity for wildlife viewing and a landscape noticeably different from the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Sightings are never guaranteed.

• 7 Lunch (L)
• 8 Dinner (D)
• 10 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Picnic Lunch (PL)

• Nairobi National Park: Yep – and it’s so worth it. After the Free Time Add-On Nairobi National Park game drive, you’ll have the option to swing by the Sheldrick Elephant Nursery. Note, however, that you’ll need to grab your own ticket in advance directly from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust website. This costs around $20 USD.
• Maasai Mara National Reserve: Hot air balloon rides may be available in the Maasai Mara and Serengeti through independent local operators. While floating over the savannah sounds pretty iconic, this isn’t an activity Contiki promotes, sells or books, as local provider insurance does not meet our required standards. If you’d like to take a hot air balloon ride, you’re free to arrange and pay directly with a local operator while on tour. This is completely independent of Contiki and follows the operator’s own terms, safety standards and insurance cover.
• Amboseli: Premium camping is classic camping, levelled up. Our road crew will set up these tents for you – all with premium facilities like chill-out zones, communal bathrooms and all the creature comforts.
• Amboseli: Nope, you’re all good! All equipment (tents, sleeping bags, etc) will be provided for you.
• Amboseli: You don’t have to. Your road crew will set up camp, cook meals, and clean up afterwards – but you’re always welcome to help!
• Amboseli: You’ll have access to proper bathrooms with real toilets, hot showers and everything you need – just shared with the crew.

• Nairobi: Meet the dedicated team and see for yourself the work being done to help the women and children who live here in the Kibera slum.
   
• Maasai Mara National Reserve: Known for its grassy plains and rolling hills, home to lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and hippos, the Maasai Mara is a jewel in Africa’s wildlife crown, so don’t miss your chance to explore it from sunrise to the afternoon, with a picnic lunch in the wild. 
• Amboseli: Get that iconic wildlife shot with the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. 
   
• Amboseli: Get up early in search of the famous elephants in this iconic Kenyan National Park. 
• Arusha: Support this social enterprise that employs local disabled people with artisanal skills. Watch weaving, glass blowing, beading, paper making and metal work. 
• Serengeti: Watch out for local wildlife as we head to our camp, which is bang in the middle of these endless plains. Could the location be any more epic? 
   
• Serengeti: Was that lion we heard last night? Let’s go find out. Take an incredible morning drive in search of the wildlife we heard throughout the night. 
• Serengeti: Cruise around the plains at sunset to explore new areas and spot a few more animals before they head off to bed. 
• Serengeti: Another day, another game drive, giving us the most amount of opportunities to see the wildlife that roams these plains.

Visit Mirror of Hope in Nairobi’s Kibera neighbourhood and meet the team working with local women and children. Hear about the community-led support they provide and the people behind it.

This included visit offers a perspective on Nairobi beyond its safari gateway role. It is an opportunity to listen to residents and learn about work rooted in the neighbourhood, rather than view Kibera simply as a sightseeing stop.

Explore the Maasai Mara on game drives across its grassy plains and rolling hills, watching for lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and other wildlife. A picnic lunch in the reserve gives you time to take in the open landscape between sightings.

The Mara forms part of the wider Serengeti ecosystem. At certain times of year, migrating wildebeest and zebra may be present, although their movements and all wildlife encounters depend on nature.

Search for elephants on game drives through Kenya’s Amboseli landscape, where open plains offer wide views of wildlife. Watch for the park’s celebrated elephant herds, including the possibility of seeing an exceptionally large-tusked bull.

On clear days, Mount Kilimanjaro rises beyond the plains, creating one of East Africa’s most recognisable wildlife settings. The mountain’s visibility changes with the weather, making each view from the safari vehicle distinct.

Visit the Shanga Community Project in Arusha and see artisans at work across weaving, glassblowing, beading, paper-making and metalwork. The project provides employment and opportunities for people with disabilities through skilled craft.

Watching the making process reveals the time and dexterity behind each piece. This included visit connects Tanzania’s creative traditions with a contemporary social enterprise and the people whose skills sustain it.

Descend to the Ngorongoro Crater floor for a game drive across grassland and other habitats, looking for members of the Big Five and the many other animals that live within the conservation area. Keep your camera ready as the scenery changes beneath the crater rim.

Formed within an ancient volcanic caldera, Ngorongoro concentrates varied habitats in a striking natural setting. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but the enclosed landscape makes this a safari experience unlike the open plains.

Explore the Serengeti on multiple game drives, including a full day on the plains and a morning outing. Scan the grasslands for big cats, elephants, giraffes and grazing herds from a safari vehicle, with time to observe behaviour rather than simply count sightings.

The name Serengeti evokes the landscape’s seemingly endless reach. If the migrating wildebeest and zebra are in the area, you may see large herds; their location varies by season and rainfall.

Head onto the Serengeti plains toward sunset to explore another part of the reserve and look for wildlife in the changing light. Watch for animals moving through the grass as the heat eases and the landscape takes on warmer tones.

This included drive offers a different atmosphere from a daytime safari. The broad horizon and shifting light are part of its appeal, while the species and number of animals you encounter remain unpredictable.

Take a game drive at Lake Manyara and discover a safari setting distinct from the Serengeti’s vast grasslands. Look for wildlife around the park’s varied landscapes, with the lake and the steep wall of the Rift Valley shaping the views.

Lake Manyara is known for its tree-climbing lions, though seeing them is a matter of luck. The mix of scenery makes this included drive valuable even when the park’s most famous residents remain out of sight.

Watch young elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery in Nairobi as they play and bathe, and hear about their rehabilitation. The visit offers insight into the care involved in raising orphaned elephants.

This is an optional visit at additional cost, but it is not bookable through the tour. You must obtain your own ticket in advance directly from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust; the itinerary indicates time for a visit if you choose to go.

Visit a Maasai village near the Maasai Mara and meet community members who share aspects of their traditions. The experience offers a chance to learn directly from hosts about cultural practices connected to this part of Kenya.

This is an optional experience at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. Approach the visit as an exchange with a living community, rather than a glimpse of a culture fixed in the past.

Add another game drive in the Maasai Mara for more time searching its plains and rolling hills for wildlife. A further outing brings fresh possibilities: animals move continually, and a quiet stretch can give way to an absorbing sighting.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. It suits travellers who want to maximise their time in the reserve, while recognising that no particular encounter can be promised.

Opt for white-water rafting in Sagana and experience the river from a raft rather than its banks. Paddling through moving water makes this a hands-on contrast to the tour’s vehicle-based wildlife viewing.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. Sagana’s riverside setting is a hub for outdoor pursuits; ask the local activity team about current river conditions and the requirements for taking part.

Try rock climbing in Sagana for an active challenge at the tour’s riverside adventure base. Concentrate on each hold and movement as you experience a different side of Kenya’s outdoor landscape.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. It offers a change of pace from watching wildlife, with the focus on taking part yourself. Check available sessions and participation requirements with the local activity team.

Take aim at an archery session in Sagana, one of the activities available at the riverside adventure base. Practise your focus and coordination as you work towards a more accurate shot.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. Archery offers a more measured alternative to the base’s high-adrenaline pursuits, while still giving you a chance to try a structured outdoor activity with your travel companions.

Try zip-lining in Sagana for a burst of speed at the riverside adventure base. The activity offers a new vantage point on the surroundings and a short, active break from safari drives.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. It is one of several ways to tailor your time in Sagana, whether you choose one challenge or make a day of outdoor pursuits. Check session availability locally.

Choose a Maasai village tour during your stay near Mto Wa Mbu to meet local hosts and learn about aspects of their community and traditions. It offers a people-centred experience alongside the region’s national parks.

This is an optional experience at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. It is separate from the village visit offered near Kenya’s Maasai Mara, giving travellers another opportunity for cultural exchange in Tanzania.

Cycle around Mto Wa Mbu on an optional mountain-biking outing and take in the surroundings at a more personal pace than a safari drive. The activity provides a way to be outdoors and experience the area from the saddle.

This is an optional activity at additional cost that you can arrange on tour. It suits travellers looking for an active choice while based near Lake Manyara; ask locally about the route, conditions and participation requirements.