• Amboseli’s large elephant population
• Diverse birdlife at Lake Manyara
• Ngorongoro, wildlife haven and Masai homeland
• Olduvai Gorge
• Serengeti and Masai Mara, Africa’s best game-viewing sites
• Top-rated game lodges

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Nairobi, Kenya

Day 2: Arrive Nairobi After arriving in Nairobi, we transfer to our hotel. As arrival times may vary greatly, we have no group activities or meals planned.

Day 3: Nairobi We see highlights of Kenya’s cosmopolitan capital city today, stopping for a tour of the Karen Blixen Museum, the one-time home of the Danish writer who, as Isak Dinesen, wrote Out of Africa. We also visit the Giraffe Centre, where we see several of the endangered Roth­schild’s giraffes here up close. Tonight, we enjoy a welcome dinner at our hotel. B,D

Day 4: Nairobi/Amboseli We transfer this morning to Amboseli National Park in the shadow of snowcapped Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Maasai’s “white mountain” and the world’s tallest freestanding mountain at 19,336 feet. Known for its many elephants, Amboseli boasts wide, dry plains also teeming with herds of wildebeest, zebra, impala, and giraffe, as we may see on this afternoon’s game drive. B,L,D

Day 5: Amboseli Early this morning we visit a near­by Masai village. Later: game drive and time for relaxing at our lodge in the foothills of Kili­man­jaro beneath a copse of feathered acacia trees. B,L,D

Day 6: Amboseli/Lake Manyara We travel today to peaceful Lake Man­yara National Park, one of Tanzania’s smallest and most diverse parks. Bordered by the dramatic Western Escarpment of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Manyara is notable for its abundant birdlife, diverse vegetation, tree-climbing lions, plains animals, and hippos. B,L,D

Day 7: Lake Manyara/Ngorongoro Conservation Area This morning we enjoy a second game drive at Lake Manyara then set out for Ngorongoro, a UNESCO Conservation Area, International Biosphere Reserve, and site of Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. On the crater’s floor is Africa in microcosm: grassland, swampland, lakes, forest, mountains, and unparalleled wildlife. B,L,D

Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater On our morning tour of the 100-square-mile crater we have our only chance to see all of Africa’s “Big Five” – ele­­­phant, buffalo, rhino, lion, and leopard – in one place. B,L,D

Day 9: Ngorongoro/Serengeti National Park We’re bound this morning for the Seren­geti, the Masai’s 5,700-square-mile “endless plain” considered Africa’s finest park and one of the world’s last great wildlife refuges. En route we visit 31-mile Olduvai Gorge, where in 1959 anthropologist Mary Leakey discovered the 1.8-million-year-old skull of Australopithecus boisei – and revolutionized the study of ­human evolution. Reaching our lodge, we embark on an afternoon game drive. B,L,D

Day 10: Serengeti Twice a year, some two million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra, and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle migrate to new grazing lands between Masai Mara and the Serengeti, sparking one of nature’s most spectacular sights. But the Serengeti’s vast treeless plains teem with animal life year-round, and this is the best place to see lion and cheetah up close. Perhaps we will on today’s two game drives. B,L,D

Day 11: Serengeti/Masai Mara We leave Tanzania today, crossing into Kenya and continuing on to Masai Mara by air. Kenya’s premier game reserve rich with animal life, the Mara is the traditional homeland of the native Maasai people. Known especially for the annual migration that sees some two million wildebeest, plus hundreds of thousands of other plains game migrate here from the Serengeti (Masai Mara being the continuation of the Serengeti in Kenya), the Mara sits in the Great Rift Valley and comprises 583 square miles of vast plains, acacia forests, grass-covered hills, and slow-flowing rivers. We arrive at our tented camp late this morning then have our first game drive here later this afternoon. B,L,D

Day 12: Masai Mara We spend today “on safari,” venturing out on early morning and late afternoon game drives during prime viewing hours. B,L,D

Day 13: Masai Mara Again today we’re “on safari,” with morning and afternoon game drives in this reserve that is just slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island. B,L,D

Day 14: Masai Mara/Nairobi Today we reenter the urban world as we fly from the Mara back to Nairobi. Tonight we toast our safari adventure at a farewell dinner. B,L,D

Day 15: Nairobi/Depart for U.S. After a morning at leisure, we transfer to the Nairobi airport and board our connecting flight to the U.S. B

Day 16: Arrive U.S. We reach the U.S. today and connect with our flights home.

When To Go On Safari …

January to February: Summer – dry and warm; cooler at Ngorongoro because of elevation. Migration picks up, with plenty of game throughout central/southern Serengeti

March: Rains become possible, bringing plains animals in search of fresh grass and food. Significant movement of antelope and other game to the plains for calving season; predators follow

June to October: Dry season; can be cold on the rim of Ngorongoro. Wildebeest and plains game begin migrating in search of water. By late July, wildebeest migration is in full swing, with opportunities for excellent game viewing and predator kills, especially in the Masai Mara

November to December: Season of the “short” rains (brief daily thunderstorms); comfortable temperatures at Ngorongoro; warm in the Serengeti, with plentiful game

B = Breakfast included L = Lunch included D = Dinner included

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights within itinerary
• 13 nights’ accommodations: 10 nights in Deluxe and Superior First Class hotels and lodges; 3 nights in tented camp
• 36 meals: 13 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners
• Extensive game viewing as described, including all park entrance fees
• Mineral water while on safari
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private 4×4 transportation throughout your trip with guaranteed window seating
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for driver/guides, dining room servers, and airport and hotel porters
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours)

2023 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $801, which are subject to change until final payment is made.

Single travelers please add $1,295 Nov; $1,795 all other dates. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days prior to departure. All 2023 tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

Depending on flight schedules, certain U.S. cities may require a departure one day prior to the listed schedule above.

Business Class upgrade (subject to availability) on round-trip Trans-Atlantic flight: $5,195 per person from BOS, DFW, HOU, MIA; all other cities $5,995

A visa is required for this tour. Odysseys Unlimited will provide information about visa requirements upon reservation.

2024 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $801, which are subject to change until final payment is made.

Single travelers please add $1,295 Jan, Feb, Oct; $1,795 all other dates. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days prior to departure. All tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

Depending on flight schedules, certain U.S. cities may require a departure one day prior to the listed schedule above.

Business Class upgrade (subject to availability) on roundtrip Trans-Atlantic flight: $5,995 per person from BOS, DFW, HOU, MIA; all other cities $6,995

A visa is required for this tour. Odysseys Unlimited will provide information about visa requirements upon reservation.

Mount Kenya

3 days/2 nights from $1,395 total price
Single Supplement: $595

Encounter more wildlife during a stay at the Mount Kenya Safari Club, which houses the conservancy founded by actor William Holden.

Your Tour Price Includes

• 2 nights’ accommodations: 2 nights at Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club (Deluxe); day room in Nairobi at Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport (First Class)
• 6 meals: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
• Extensive sightseeing, including animal orphanage at Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy; game drive; and Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited representative
• Private transportation
• Transfer to Nairobi airport
• Gratuities for dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and driver/guide

Pricing 2023 and 2024: $1,395 Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov;  $1,595 all other dates. Single Supplement: $595 all dates

Guests on the extension will leave Nairobi on Day 15.

Beryl Markham
West with the Night
Beryl Markham evokes the landscapes, people and wildlife of East Africa in engrossing detail in this classic memoir of amazing adventures as a bush pilot in 1930s Kenya, a favorite.

Richard Estes
The Safari Companion
An invaluable encyclopedic guide to Africa’s mammals by a noted scientist, this perennial bestseller includes black-and-white drawings, an overview of each animal group and in-depth information. Written with the typical safari-goer in mind.

Ernest Hemingway
Green Hills of Africa
Hemingway paints the true story of his ramblings on safari in this classic, exquisitely written tale of hunting around Lake Manyara, which includes some of the best writing on the land itself and original pencil drawings. Originally published in 1935.

George Casey (Director)
Africa, The Serengeti
James Earl Jones narrates this dazzling 40-minute IMAX documentary of the migration of wildebeest in the Serengeti and Masai Mara.

Freytag & Berndt
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda Map
A colorful shaded relief map at a scale of 1:2,000,000.

Ma Company (Tanzania)
Northern Tanzania Map
A colorful, hand-drawn map at a scale of 1:1.4 million shows popular game parks and reserves, including Tsavo, Serengeti, Lake Manyara, Ngornogoro, Tarangire and Kilimanjaro.

Chris McIntyre, Philip Briggs
Bradt Safari Guide Northern Tanzania
A compact, practical overview of the history, wildlife and attractions of the Serengeti and surrounding parks, including Zanzibar.

Jane Barsby
Culture Smart! Kenya
A concise guide to local customs, etiquette and culture.

Quintin Winks
Culture Smart! Tanzania
This pocket guide introduces local customs, etiquette and culture.

Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet Swahili Phrasebook
A pocket phrasebook, dictionary and language guide for the traveler to East Africa.

Martin Meredith
The Fortunes of Africa, A 5000-Year History of Wealth, Greed and Endeavor
Covering the epic story of colonialism in Africa, Meredith’s magisterial history depicts empire-hungry kings, missionaries, tribal warlords, mining barons – even modern multinational corporations. An expansive but entertaining read.

Isak Dinesen
Out of Africa
The perennially best-selling tale of a naive young woman who leaves Denmark for East Africa, Dinesen’s (AKA Karen Blixen) autobiography draws us into life on a struggling coffee plantation. It’s a moving story inspired by a love for Kenya and its people. Includes the novella Shadows on the Grass.

Peter Matthiessen
The Tree Where Man Was Born
A classic portrait of East Africa, enthralling in its detail on nature and daily life. Includes Maasai, Ngorongoro, the Kenyan highlands and Mathiessen’s field trips, safaris and adventures in the Serengeti.

Ole Saitoti
The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior
Bridging several worlds with tremendous grace, Saitoti looks back on his life among the Maasai, both as spokesperson for his tribe and as one of the first Maasai safari guides.

Sara Wheeler
Too Close to the Sun
Sara Wheeler captures the romance and adventure of 1920s-era East Africa in this winning biography of Denys Finch Hatton, the handsome gadabout, daring bush pilot and companion of Baroness Blixen and Beryl Markham.

Susie Cazenove
Legendary Safari Guides
A veteran safari promoter shares stories from Africa’s top safari guides. Cazenove’s 24 tales introduce some of the passionate adventurers, nature-lovers and ardent conservationists that make safari-going so rewarding.

Brian Jackman
The Marsh Lions, The Story of an African Pride
Illustrated with photographs and drawings by Jonathan and Angela Scott, this new edition of the tale of a pride of lions in the Masai Mara includes a chapter bringing the story up to date.

James Kavanaugh
African Wildlife
A laminated foldout guide illustrating almost 150 species of African animals, designed for quick reference in the field.

Martin B. Withers
Wildlife of East Africa
This take-along guide to 475 common species of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, trees and flowers of East Africa features full-color photographs with detailed descriptions on facing pages.

Adam Scott Kennedy
Animals of the Masai Mara
This photo guide by two safari guides focuses on the lions, cheetah, leopards, zebra, giraffe and other celebrated wildlife.

Adam Scott Kennedy
Birds of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro
Featuring a habitat-based approach to more than 270 bird species, this handy guide to fowl in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Speke Gulf includes 480 color photos and accessible text.

Philip Briggs
East African Wildlife, A Visitor’s Guide
A compact guide to the birds and mammals, reptiles, insects and plants of East Africa, featuring a very good selection of large color photographs.

Jonathan Kingdon
Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals
A conveniently compact edition of Kingdon’s gloriously illustrated Field Guide to African Mammals. The guide includes abbreviated information on identification, distribution, ecology and conservation status and 480 outstanding color illustrations and maps.