Kenya & Tanzania: 5 Day Safari Itinerary

Let’s get you on a once-in-a-lifetime safari in Kenya and Tanzania!

Kenya & Tanzania 5 Day Safari

This safari commences and concludes in Nairobi, Kenya. We chose to spend two nights in downtown Nairobi before beginning our safari. The days were used to catch up after the long flight and poke around Nairobi, which is a bustling city full of adventure!

Day 1: Amboseli National Park

Day 2: Lake Manyara National Park

Day 3 & 4: Serengeti National Park

Day 5 : Ngorongoro Crater

D A Y 1: Amboseli National Park

Amboseli National Park, located in the southern region of Kenya is specifically known for its stunning view of Mount Kilimanjaro and free-ranging elephants, among other wildlife species.

Lodging: Ol Tukai Lodge

D A Y 2 : Lake Manyara National Park

To travel here, you’ll have to cross the Tanzania border which requires a travel visa. You can easily get one online in advance, but the in-person process is seamless, too.

Lake Manyara National Park is known for its tree climbing lions. This park is much smaller and you’ll only need to spend a few hours here. You’ll still find stunning views and a variety of wildlife. Due to the heavy bush, it is more difficult to spot animals. The real seller at Lake Manyara is the lodge…

Lodging: Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge

My favorite hotel of the trip by far! This 5 star-luxury hotel is nestled on the rim of the Great African Rift Valley with stunning view of Lake Manyara and Mount Kilimanjaro on a clear day. The staff provided gracious and precise service, and most rooms have a deck with a daybed, and both an indoor and outdoor shower.

D A Y 3 & 4 : Serengeti National Park

The quickest way to the Serengeti is driving through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. We stopped to grab a photo of the stunning Ngorongoro Crater at its rim (we visit here again on Day 5, so no need to stay long) and continued on our journey. Along the way, we toured the Olduvai Gorge Museum located in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In the 1950’s, human fossils were discovered here and are said to be the earliest known evidence of the existence of our species.

We arrived at the Serengeti in the late afternoon of our third day.

Serengeti National Park, comprising 5,000 square miles, is known mainly for its huge herds of plains animals. The park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981. We spent our entire fourth day on game drives exploring and were successful in seeing hundreds of buffalo, zebra, giraffe, impala, gazelle and wildebeest and had a few sightings of lion, hyena, elephant, and cheetah.

Lodging: Kubukubu Serengeti

This hotel is made up of 25 luxury tents built on on a hill overlooking the Serengeti with free ranging animals. Fun fact: You’ll be guided at night by local Masai Mara warriors to the main lobby in case of any run-ins with wildlife. We actually were woken up in the midst of the night to noise of buffalo and hyena feet away from our tent! But don’t let that deter you, we felt safe and comfortable throughout our stay.

D A Y 5 : Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest volcanic caldera. The crater formed after a large volcano erupted and collapsed on itself approximately two and a half million years ago. Its land is now home to a vast ecosystem of wildlife including the rare and well protected, black rhinos.