Group tour: Safari in Kenya and Tanzania. Kenya or Tanzania - which is better? Overnight at the Serengeti campsite

I have long dreamed of going on a safari to Kenya, I simply adore places where there are a lot of wild, unafraid animals. And my wife really wanted to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa (5895 meters). Although the idea of ​​combining these two trips into one has been in the air for several years, it was only now possible to implement it.

I will traditionally devote the first post to organizational issues, and then I will talk about each park separately and about climbing Kilimanjaro.

Trip plan

Day 1 Flight to Kenya (Nairobi). Overnight
Day 2 Amboseli National Park
Day 3 Aberdare National Park
Day 4 Overnight at Lake Naivasha
Day 5 Lake Nakuru National Park
Day 6 Maasai Mara National Park
Day 7 Maasai Mara National Park
Day 8 Transfer to Nairobi, flight to Tanzania
Day 9-16 Climb Kilimanjaro, Lemosho route, 8 days
Day 17 Flight to Moscow

Kenya route on the map:

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania, but very close to the Kenyan border (see bottom right corner of the map). Not far from the mountain there is an international airport from which there are direct flights to Europe.

I will post all the details about climbing Kilimanjaro in a separate post.

The host
In Kenya, the safari was organized by Australken (www.australken.com). I sent them the desired route, they turned it into a specific program. We had a private tour and it was just the two of us on the safari bus. Accommodation was offered cheaper and more expensive. We took the more expensive one and were not disappointed - some of the camps and lodges were simply luxurious! The car had free, but not very fast internet.

In Tanzania, the climb was organized by the company Ultimate Kilimanjaro (www.ultimatekilimanjaro.com). They have a very good website about preparing for the climb, I recommend it. We also climbed in a group of two of us, but accompanied by a team of 11 people - a guide, an assistant guide, a cook, a waiter, and seven porters.

Both companies organized everything at a good level, without any hiccups. For Kenya I made a 20% prepayment, for Kilimanjaro 100%.

Flight
A single ticket was issued by KLM, but the flights were carried out by the efforts of almost the entire Sky Team alliance: Air France on the Moscow - Paris segment, Kenya Airways on the Paris - Nairobi segment, KLM on the return route Kilimanjaro - Dar es Salaam - Amsterdam - Moscow. KLM flies to Dar es Salaam on the principle that you don’t even have to get up twice, you don’t even need to get off the plane. But you can see how the plane is cleaned of previous passengers.

Kenya Airways flies from Paris on a brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the only one in its fleet; they only received it in April. I have never flown this model before. The plane has very unusual windows - they do not have the usual curtains, but are dimmed using push-button controls.

The domestic flight from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro was operated by the Tanzanian company Precision Air, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways. There was almost an embarrassment with this flight. In a completely classic way, unacceptable for an experienced traveler, I screwed up and did not check the availability of a ticket before going to the airport. There was no ticket. As it turned out, there was no ticket from the very beginning, because... Although the airline debited the money from me and sent me confirmation, it did not issue a ticket. To finally issue a ticket, you had to call the airline. And since I didn’t call, they canceled the paid (!) ticket. Fools are lucky - there were still seats on this flight and my reservation was restored.

In principle, because Kilimanjaro is very close to Amboseli park, you could not bother with a flight and get there by car, but then Amboseli would have to be the last park, and in my opinion, the last one should definitely be Maasai Mara. In general, there are options for moving to Tanzania.

Medicines
It’s time to write a separate article on the medications we took on Kilimanjaro. I will tell you about them in detail when I get to the description of the ascent. As for Kenya, the main question is what to take for malaria. There is no clear solution here; everyone chooses for themselves. There are no vaccinations against malaria, only prevention. Many compatriots take liquid strong medicines from Duty Free for preventive purposes, but this is a very controversial path; one should not be irresponsible about the issue. Prevention - Lariam, Doxicilian, Malarone. Malarone is considered the best (maximum effectiveness, minimum side effects, least time to take, most expensive), but it is not certified and not sold in Russia. I bought malarone in London. It turned out to be not entirely easy to do this, because... In regular pharmacies it is sold only by prescription. I found a tourist pharmacy, where they gave me a prescription and sold me pills. The prescription cost £40, 4 packs of tablets cost another £180. People will start taking Malarone the day before departure, then throughout the trip and seven days after returning, one tablet per day.

Yellow fever vaccination is also required in Kenya and Tanzania. We kept these vaccinations from our trip to Ecuador, and they are valid for ten years. At Kilimanjaro airport I was asked to show my vaccination certificates.

Visa
Visa for Kenya and Tanzania is issued on the spot, $50 per person in each country. On a Kenyan visa, the name is written in pen, it’s funny (just the first name, without the last name).

Tips
In Kenya, he gave one hundred shillings per piece of luggage to porters in hotels. The guide was left $200 at the end of the trip. This is more than is usually left, but we decided not to be greedy. About tips on Kilimanjaro is a separate story, which I will tell in detail, but the bottom line was $600 for a team of 11 people for 8 days. Also slightly more than the “recommended” amount, but we liked everything.

As an announcement - the Big African Five (to attract attention, if it hasn’t already):

To be continued...

Yesterday I returned from a long and extremely interesting 17-day trip to Africa, during which I saw two very beautiful countries, went on safari rides in wonderful national parks, climbed the highest peak of the “Dark Continent” and was completely immersed in the extraordinary and sometimes shocking local color. I travel a lot, but this trip, in terms of the totality of impressions, was perhaps the most vivid and unusual for me in the last five years, definitely surpassing even Antarctica. :) For the first time in recent years, she brought back the already forgotten feeling of “culture shock” from visiting another country and whetted the appetite for travel in the future. I understand that after such a trip I will have many questions about this trip - and now I will try to compile answers to the main possible ones. If I forget something or if something is unclear, don’t hesitate to ask. :)

1. How did you go there if all of Africa is covered by the deadly and terrible Ebola virus!? This question was asked and asked to me with horror by almost everyone who knows about this journey.

The Ebola outbreak occurred in West African countries. Kenya and Tanzania are East Africa, diametrically at the other end of the continent. The distance between these parts of Africa is approximately the same as from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk or Irkutsk. There are no cases of Ebola in Kenya or Tanzania. Local authorities, of course, really don’t want it to appear, so now every plane arriving in Nairobi is additionally checked - each passenger’s temperature is measured with a special thermometer. Kenya and Tanzania are very tourist countries: there are a lot of tourists there: mainly from Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan... Everyone goes and doesn’t worry. So I wish everyone the same, and also strongly advise you “not to read Soviet newspapers before lunch,” and if you do read them, then do not succumb to their zombification and clearly filter through yourself what they are trying to put into your brain. I also highly recommend looking at the world map more often, because Africa is a huge continent, and not a small, disease-infested piece of land near the Limpopo River, glorified by Chukovsky.

2. If there is no Ebola in Kenya and Tanzania, then what is there - what is the likelihood of catching some other infection there?

In principle, the only serious disease there is malaria. Of course, this does not mean that you need to go into paranoia and be afraid of every mosquito - but you need to keep this in mind, and whoever is forewarned is forearmed, as we know. In our country, malaria is considered a very serious disease, each case of which is always considered an emergency and is quite difficult and unpleasant to treat. Some people advise that before traveling to potentially dangerous regions like Africa, take some of our terribly harmful anti-malarial drugs and in this way plant your liver well. In reality, in Kenya and Tanzania, everything is different: malaria there is commonplace and no more of an emergency than we have influenza or ARVI. In these countries, every pharmacy sells cheap tests for malaria and the very cheap and universally applicable French drug Coartem without any prescription. Malaria often begins like a regular ARVI or flu - chills, fever... Therefore, if such symptoms begin, then you simply do a test for malaria, and if it is positive, then you begin treatment. In case of malaria, you must immediately take one four-day course of Coartem - with the help of this drug, malaria is cured literally “on your feet.” You cannot buy Coartem in Russia - only there, on the spot! On the first day, we stopped at a pharmacy in Nairobi and bought a supply of it for ourselves, as well as tests. If you are going to a potentially dangerous malarial region, buy it there, on the spot, or write, I can give it to you on the road. And in general, every hotel or campsite has anti-mask nets over the beds. Plus, it’s worth taking mosquito repellent on your trip. Reasonable precautions - and almost certainly everything will be fine! :)

3. Do I need any mandatory vaccinations to travel to Kenya and Tanzania?

To Kenya - no. And in Tanzania, mandatory vaccination against yellow fever is required. In fact, there is no yellow fever in Tanzania; the last case there was recorded in some very shaggy year. But the formal requirement for vaccination remains. I vaccinated myself a couple of months before the trip and received an international certificate. In Moscow it is done very simply, Natasha did it in St. Petersburg - also without problems. I don't know about other cities. A vaccination certificate is asked at the border when entering Tanzania. They write that at airports they look at this certificate specifically, but I entered Tanzania on an intercity bus from Kenya through the very rural Taveta/Kholili border crossing. Some aunt just asked me if I had a vaccination - I said that I did and moved on. :)))

4. What other precautions should you take when traveling to Kenya and Tanzania to ensure your trip is not marred by health problems?

By and large, the same as on any other trip. I advise you to take a good first aid kit from home (however, I personally try to have a good first aid kit with me on any trip, especially abroad, where buying the most common medicine, not to mention antibiotics, is sometimes very problematic). And so, I advise you to wash your face and brush your teeth with bottled water, and not from the tap, even in good hotels. Also, wash your hands frequently, especially before eating. In this regard, pocket gel antiseptics and all sorts of antiseptic wet wipes are very convenient when traveling.

5. How did we organize this trip?

I clearly planned a trip to Real Africa for myself in the fall of 2014. I read about countries, their attractions, and thought through different travel options in my head. I spent a long time choosing between Kenya and Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia. In the end, I settled on Kenya and Tanzania as a more classic option. Specifically, I started organizing the trip in April. At the same time, my St. Petersburg friend Natasha, with whom we went to Kamchatka and Baikal five years ago, also got excited about the idea of ​​Africa. It’s not worth going to African countries on an unorganized basis - after all, these are not the countries where it’s good to ride spontaneously and as a wild person. Making a trip through Russian travel companies is, firstly, three times more expensive (they still do it all through African travel agencies, acting as intermediaries), and secondly, for some reason I don’t like to contact our travel agencies unless absolutely necessary. We started digging for options together - in the end, Natasha, through the Vinsky Forum, found one interesting and more budget-friendly option. We found a Russian woman who now lives in Kenya and works for the Kenyan travel company Right Choice. If there is any specific interest, write, I will give her contact information. The option is ideal - you organize a trip directly through a local travel company, but at the same time you have your own person there who speaks the same language with you, with whom you can discuss certain nuances and who, if anything happens, is always on the phone with you directly during the trip. trips. I originally planned to spend the first week on safari in Kenya and the second to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Natasha decided not to climb Kilimanjaro, but after the safari to spend five days on the Kenyan coast of the Indian Ocean at a hotel in the resort town of Diani. At the same time, a couple of Nizhny Novgorod residents, Irina and Andrey, gathered with us on a safari and then on a beach holiday in Diani. And already in August, I accidentally encouraged my colleague Marinka to go on a trip to Africa (without climbing Kili). Thus, the trip consisted of two parts - in the first part of the trip, Natasha and Marina, Ira and Andrey, the five of us, saw Nairobi and then we all rode through the national parks of Kenya for 5 days, and then in the second week I went to Tanzania alone to conquer Kilimanjaro, and the four of them continued their vacation with a beach holiday.

6. How much did this trip cost?

Taking into account the scale of the trip and the always expensive climb to Kilimanjaro, this 17-day trip cost me relatively inexpensively: $2,300 + 30 thousand rubles for air tickets. Well, that is, it is expensive, of course - but our option was, perhaps, perhaps the most budgetary possible. If without climbing Kili, then the trip for the guys (Nairobi + safari + beach holiday) cost about $1,200 + 30 thousand rubles for flights. We bought tickets in advance (Natasha and I in May, Marinka in August for the same 30 thousand), flew to Kenya via Amsterdam (KLM + Kenya Airways). The tour itself was paid for like this: a 30% deposit in advance through the bank, and the rest of the amount was already on site in Nairobi at the office of a local travel company.

7. Do you need visas for Kenya and Tanzania?

No. There is no need to obtain visas for Kenya and Tanzania in advance. Visas are issued directly at the border. The cost of a tourist visa is 50 dollars.

8. How calm and safe are these countries?

By African standards, Kenya and Tanzania are very calm countries. Plus it’s very touristy - there are a lot of tourists here. On a safari, on a climb - no problems at all, but in cities you still need to take certain precautions: there are cases of robberies, you should not wander around the cities yourself after sunset (even if you only need to walk a few blocks in the evening, it is better to take a taxi), and there are neighborhoods where it is better not to wander at all. You should not carry large sums of money with you; it is not recommended to show off expensive photographic equipment if you are walking alone. In African cities, a white tourist on the street is always the object of close attention. However, you get used to this over time, the “culture shock” passes, and if reasonable security measures are observed, African cities are no worse than other cities in Russia. :)

9. Money and tips. How about this?

In Kenya and Tanzania, it is customary to tip guides, travel organizers, hotel receptionists, and drivers (even if your trip is paid for in advance). As I understand it, many of them live on tips, and not on regular salaries. So if you didn’t give it and they suddenly politely remind you about it, don’t be surprised. The tip size is small - with the exception of climbing Kilimanjaro. There you are supposed to tip the porter (who carries heavy things up the mountain) $10 a day, a tip of $15 a day for the cook, plus $15-20 a day for the mountain guide. Of course, rounding up is encouraged. :))) Taking into account the fact that I, for example, went alone with two porters, a cook and a mountain guide, for a five-day climb it came out to about $300 in tips for everyone. However, my ascent was organized very well and competently - so there was really something to give a tip for. :)))

Now about climbing Kilimanjaro...

10. The height of Kilimanjaro is 5895 meters. Do you need any special mountaineering training to climb?

No special mountaineering training or any special equipment is required to climb the highest peak in Africa - you just need good physical shape, endurance, a certain amount of health and good shoes. But this does not mean that everyone can climb Kilimanjaro so easily - after all, the ascent takes 5-7 days, in some places the climb is steep and difficult, the total duration of the ascent route is about 40 kilometers uphill, and at an altitude of more than 4000-5000 meters the air feels very thin. In general, according to statistics, about 70% of the total number of climbers successfully reach the summit.

11. What routes for climbing Kili are possible and how is the ascent organized?

The three main routes for climbing Kilimanjaro are Marangu (the easiest), Rongai (medium difficulty) and Machame (the most difficult, but also considered the most beautiful). I followed the Machame route. You go up the mountain lightly (only with light things - for example, I carried two not-so-light DSLRs to the top. :)) Every tourist is required to have a certified mountain guide, one or more porters (porters who carry a mountain of heavy things, backpacks, tents, etc.) and a cook who prepares hot meals along the entire route. The mountain guides on Kili are good - they correctly guide you along the route, set the right pace depending on your physical capabilities, distribute your strength over the distance, and organize mountain acclimatization at altitude. They are certainly interested in you making it and that the ascent is competent and safe - if only because a good tip is awarded for a successful ascent (see point 9)

12. How heavy is it at the top?

It all depends on the physical condition of a particular person. According to statistics, most climbers reach the top (and among them there are often very elderly people). I am a sports person (I regularly play sports, go to the gym, ride a bike, run 3-5 kilometer cross-countries, and in winter I go skiing and alpine skiing) and in general the climb was easy for me - up to an altitude of almost 5000 meters I generally ran like a goat and didn’t even get tired. But on the final assault - from the Barafu base camp (4550 meters) to the top of Kili (5895 meters) you still had to seriously try - very thin air, it’s hard to breathe, there’s a knocking in your temples, weakness, every movement is several times harder for you than at normal height. But overall, I got there well - and at the top, the buzz and euphoria from conquering the highest mountain in Africa exceeded these slightly unpleasant symptoms a hundredfold.

13. What gear and equipment is needed for climbing?

The most important thing is good shoes. Plus you need good warm clothes, a hat, gloves, foam, dark glasses, a flashlight and a sleeping bag (at night on the slopes of Kilimanjaro - up to minus ten degrees below zero). During the climb you spend the night in a tent. I climbed Kili without poles, but some find it easier to climb with poles. If you don’t have any of the above, then this is not a problem - you can take any gear and equipment right there, from the mountain guide. I personally took everything with me, except for the tent, from Moscow - and before the trip I specially equipped myself well. But again, it depends - in principle, you can go and generally carry things (well, perhaps with your shoes), and get everything you need already on the spot.

14. What did I photograph with on this trip?

I took three lenses with me on the trip - a universal lens (18-300), a long-range telephoto lens for photographing animals and distant objects on safari, plus a wide-angle lens - purely for landscape photography. There were two DSLRs for three lenses - so as not to constantly change the buttons. In general, in Africa there is definitely a place for a photographer to roam. :)

Here's a list of questions and answers. If you forgot something or something is unclear, ask and add. :)))

Safari in Kenya and Tanzania: Nairobi - Ngorongoro - Lake Manyara - Amboseli - Lake Naivasha - Masai Mara 9 days/8 nights

Group arrival on Tuesdays.

Day 1: Nairobi (Kenya)

Meeting with a Russian-speaking guide at the airport, transfer and hotel accommodation (hotel accommodation is guaranteed according to hotel checkout time from 12.00). Free time. In the evening you will have dinner at the African restaurant Carnivore. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation: Southernsun Mayfair/Jacaranda Hotel/Nairobi Safari Club

Day 2: Nairobi-Arusha-Ngorongoro (Kenya-Tanzania) After breakfast, departure towards the Tanzanian border (Namanga). Passing passport control. Change of car and move to the city of Arusha. After lunch at a city restaurant, transfer to the Ngorongoro National Reserve. Dinner and relaxation at the lodge. Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

Day 3: Ngorongoro (Tanzania) After breakfast at the hotel, you will take a half-day safari through the crater. Lunch and dinner at the lodge. Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

Day 4: Ngorongoro-Lake Manyara (Tanzania) After breakfast, transfer to Lake Manyara and accommodation at the lodge. Afternoon safari. Dinner and relaxation at the lodge. Accommodation: Lake Manyara Serena Lodge (Tanzania)

Day 5: Lake Manyara - Arusha - Amboseli (Tanzania - Kenya) Breakfast at the lodge and return transfer to Kenya. Passport control and transfer to Amboseli National Park (Kenya), located at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. Accommodation at the lodge, lunch. Evening safari in the park, dinner.

Accommodation: Oltukai Lodge

Day 6: Amboseli - Nairobi - Lake Naivasha (Kenya) Morning safari, return to the lodge. After breakfast, transfer to Lake Naivasha Park. Along the way you will have a stop for lunch in Nairobi. In the afternoon, arrival at the lodge, free time for activities. Optionally, a boat trip or walking tour accompanied by a ranger can be organized (optional, paid on the spot). Dinner. Accommodation: L.Naivasha C. Club

Day 7: Lake Naivasha - Masai Mara (Kenya) After breakfast, transfer to the legendary Masai Mara reserve. Arrival at lunchtime. In the afternoon, evening safari in the reserve. Dinner. Accommodation: Keekorok Lodge

Day 8: Masai Mara (Kenya) Morning and evening safari in the reserve. Free time during the day for additional excursions. All meals at the lodge. Accommodation: Keekorok Lodge

Day 9: Masai Mara - Nairobi (Kenya) After breakfast return to Nairobi.

The tour price includes:

• Accommodation in lodges according to the program
• Meals during safari - full board
• Safari in the parks according to the program
• Entrance fees to parks according to the program
• All transfers and travel according to the program
• Services of a Russian-speaking ranger driver
• Medical insurance
• Agency commission

Additional charges:

• International air travel
• Tanzanian visa

Description

A great trip to Africa with a Russian-speaking guide! On this tour, we propose to visit three countries of this mysterious continent with pristine nature.

How many places are there on the planet that look like they just came out of the hands of the creator? Africa surprises at every turn. The emotions experienced today seem to be the most incredible in life, but the impressions of the next day refute everything.

The reserves of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are those rare places on our planet where you can observe wild animals in their natural habitat and photograph them at close range. We will see with our own eyes herds of antelopes and zebras, bathing elephants and giraffes, hunting big cats, flocks of birds soaring into the sky at sunset... We will definitely visit the Maasai village and take a photo with the tallest of them...

You need to go because:

• go on safari in national parks;
• see the “African Big Five” - elephants, rhinoceroses, buffalos, lions and leopards;
• visit the Ngorongoro Crater;
• visit the source of the Nile;
• see Lake Nakuru and thousands of flamingos;
• take part in rafting on the Nile;
• you will see a Maasai village;
• relax on the snow-white beaches of Zanzibar.

Zivo Nature Reserve - national Murchison Park - Lake Nakuru - nat. Amboselia Park - Ngorongoro Crater and holidays in Zanzibar!

Full description of the program by day

In the morning - arrival in Entebbe. Entebbe is located on the northern shore of Lake Victoria. All trips to Uganda start from here

Transfer to the 4 Penguins Hotel overlooking Lake Victoria. After rest, we go to the Entebbe Botanical Garden, where the first film about the legendary Tarzan was filmed in 1947. In the evening we will have dinner, where we will try fish freshly caught from the lake + tasting of local gin (included in the price). This is an interesting alcoholic drink called Uganda Waragi. It tastes similar to gin, but differs from it in the absence of a hangover.

Overnight at the 4 Penguins Hotel.

Zivo Nature Reserve

Today we meet white rhinoceroses. These are very rare animals. After elephants, they are the largest on the planet. There are only a few of them left in the world. Early in the morning we go to the Zivo Nature Reserve, where we will go on a walking safari. A close encounter with the 3-ton giants will certainly remain in your memory for a lifetime.

NightVNew Court View Hotel.

Murchison National Park

In the morning we enter Murchison National Park. A water safari along the Nile towards the waterfall will allow us to see different animals coming to drink. But the main photo models of the day are crocodiles and hippos.

We will go on foot to Murchison Falls. This is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. The river makes its way through a cleft of rocks only 7 m wide. The view from the top is stunning!

In the afternoon we will have another safari. This time we'll cross the Nile by ferry to see even more of the park's animals, including elephants, giraffes and lions.

Overnight at New Court View Hotel.

Transfer to Jinja (288 km), accommodation at the BRISK Hotel on the shores of Lake Victoria. Right from the hotel windows you can see palm trees on which hundreds of flying foxes hang. In the afternoon, excursion to the sources of the Nile. We will visit the place where the longest river in the world originates. It was here that Mahatma Gandhi, after his death, bequeathed his ashes to be scattered.

Overnight at Brisk Hotel.

Rafting on the Nile

The whole day is devoted to rafting on the Nile (31 km, 8 rapids).

We'll have lunch on the island. You can swim between the rapids and watch numerous birds.

We cross the Ugandan-Kenyan border and stop in Eldoret (195 km.).

Overnight at the Baron Hotel.

Note. For those who will not take part in rafting, a small boat trip will be organized to one of the islands of Lake Victoria. We will visit the place where the Great Nile begins.

Lake Nakuru

After breakfast we leave the hotel and in the afternoon we enter the National. Lake Nakuru Park (190 km.). Thousands of flamingos paint the shores of Nakuru pink. Another attraction of the park is the critically endangered black rhinoceros. The landscapes are stunningly beautiful and varied. Acacia forests grow in coastal areas, followed by endless green fields and mountain ranges.

Overnight at the Kunste Hotel.

Amboseli National Park

Amboseli Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Kenya. It is from the expanses of the savannah of this park that one can see views of Kilimanjaro.

In the morning we go to the park. Today we are waiting for one of the most exciting safari. We will see cheetahs, hippos, giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest. And, of course, the magnificent five of Africa: leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros, elephant and lion. In the evening we will exchange impressions around the fire.

Overnight at AA Lodge (new lodge overlooking Kilimanjaro).

Maasai village

Early in the morning we climb Observation Hill, then after a short safari we go to the Maasai village. You will see dancing and get acquainted with the life of the “Gypsies of Africa”. After this we go to Namanga, where we cross the Kenyan-Tanzanian border. Arrival in Arusha.

Overnight at Arusha Inn.

Safari with Bushmen

Today we are going to get acquainted with the oldest branch of humanity - the Hadza Bushmen. In the company of this small people we will go on another safari. Over the past 1000 years, the lifestyle of these people has hardly changed. We will get acquainted with their way of life, we will see how women build houses and get roots, men hunt. We will meet with blacksmiths from the Datogo tribe, and at the end of the day we will visit the Iyasi salt lake.

Overnight at the Twiga Hotel.

Serengeti

After breakfast we go to the Serengeti Park - the largest National Park in Tanzania with an area of ​​14,763 square meters. km. This is the only place on the globe where the concentration and size of the population of wild animals is so large. The park is home to 4 million representatives of African fauna, including 3,000 lions, 1,600,000 wildebeest, 500,000 zebras; more than 400 species of birds.

Overnight at the Serengeti park campsite.

Serengeti

Ngorongoro

In the morning we go to the Ngorongoro Crater for a 4-5 hour safari.

The crater is the main attraction of the protected area and the largest caldera in the world with preserved sides. The distance from the bottom of the caldera to the edges of the sides is 610 meters, the area is 250 square meters. km, diameter varies from 16 to 23 km. This protected area, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, is home to a wide variety of animals (the total population of large animals reaches 20,000 units): wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, eland antelopes, black rhinoceroses, flamingos. There is also a large population of predators here: lions, hyenas and jackals. Return to Arusha.

Overnight at the Arusha Inn hotel.

Flight to Zanzibar

Arrival at the airport and departure to Zanzibar.

Accommodation at Casa Umoja

Zanzibar

Holidays in Zanzibar.

Zanzibar

Holidays in Zanzibar.

Airport transfer

Transfer to the airport, flight home

Cost with a local guide per 1 person in a group:

Included in price included

• accommodation in double rooms
• breakfasts (in Amboseli and Serengeti parks 3 meals a day)
• all movements within the program
• Entries to national parks in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania
• crossing the Nile (2 times).
• boat and trekking to Murchison Falls
• walking safari with rhinos
• welcome dinner (drinks at your own expense)
• visiting a Maasai village, dancing
• flight Arusha – Zanzibar
• boat Zanzibar – Dar Es Salaam
• Russian-speaking escort (without Zanzibar)

Included in price Excluded

• international air travel (from 30,000 rubles)
• Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania visas (150)
• meals (except breakfast. from $15)
• rafting $140 (if you go)
• medical insurance (from $25)

Important information

• Necessary clothes and shoes
  • light shoes
  • trekking trousers
  • shirt
  • t-shirt
  • personal hygiene products
  • towel
  • swimsuit or swimming trunks
• Tourist equipment
  • flashlight (preferably small)
  • camera (preferably with optical zoom)
  • Safari binoculars (optional)
  • mosquito repellents, for example, Moskitol
  • personal hygiene products
  • personal first aid kit (for individual illnesses)
  • sunscreen towel
• Documentation

  For Uganda and Kenya, it is advisable to obtain an EAST AFRICAN VISA in advance at https://visas.immigration.go.ug/. The cost of such a visa is 100 USD. A Tanzania visa - 50 USD can also be obtained upon crossing the border.

  We remind you that a law banning the import and use of plastic bags has come into force in Kenya!

• Transport

  Transfer according to the program in a Toyota minivan with a pop-up roof. There are 9 seats, but since there will be no more than 6 people in the group, everyone will have enough space.

• Accommodation
  • in Entebbe - “4 Penguins” - 2 nights
  • in Masindi - New Court View Hotel - 2 nights
  • to Jinja - “BriskHotel” - 1 night
  • in Eldoret - Baron Hotel - 1 night
  • to Nakuru - “Kunste Hotel” -1 night
  • In Amboseli - “AA Lodge” -1 night
  • To Lake Iyasi - “Twiga” 1 night
  • In Serengeti - camping - 2 nights
  • In Arusha - Arusha Inn - 1 night
  • In Zanzibar - “Casa Umoja” 3 nights

• Nutrition

  In Amboseli and Serengeti parks - full board. In hotels, breakfast is included in the price of your stay. Lunches and dinners during hotel stays at your own expense.

• Staff

  Throughout the entire program, except for a beach holiday in Zanzibar, a Russian-speaking escort works with the group.

• Weather

  Uganda has a very pleasant mild climate, typical of countries located on the equator. Its geographical location provides a large amount of sunlight. The average temperature all year round is from 25C to 30C degrees Celsius. In Kenya, far from the coast, in the western regions, the temperature is always even, about +23C. There is a high chance of rain here. The climate in Tanzania is tropical, hot and humid on the coast, dry on the mainland. Temperatures throughout the year can vary from +20C to +32C, but on the coast it does not fall below +25C. It is warmest here in February and March. January - February is a very favorable period for visiting the country and for a holiday in Zanzibar. This is the dry season here.

• Insurance and medicine

  When traveling to Africa, you must have travel insurance with you. Insurance can be obtained at the company's office. Staying in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania is safe, but the Russian Ministry of Health recommends getting vaccinated against yellow fever as a preventive measure for this disease. Vaccination must be done no later than 10 days before the date of entry into the country. After vaccination, an international certificate is issued, valid for 10 years. The vaccination can be done: - in Moscow at clinic No. 13 at the address: st. Trubnaya 19, p. 1. As in many other African countries, preventive measures against malaria are mandatory. There is no vaccination against this disease, so tourists are recommended (after doctor's approval) to take special anti-malarial tablets (meflochem or Lariam) according to the following regimen: 1 tablet a week before the date of travel, 1 tablet on the day of arrival in Africa, then 1 tablet every week of stay on the continent. After returning from a trip, it is recommended for preventive purposes to take 1 tablet every week for 3-4 weeks. Protection against insect bites is necessary: ​​when traveling to the savanna, you need to cover open areas of the body, i.e. wear trousers, long-sleeve sweaters, use special ointments and sprays with a repellent odor, use gauze curtains over beds, etc. Currently, meflochim or Lariam can be purchased in commercial pharmacies in Russia.

• Responsibility

  The program “Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania: Africa from the Nile to Zanzibar”, like any active recreation, can pose a danger to human health and life. The guide accompanying the group throughout the entire program ensures safety only if the rules and safety precautions are observed for all participants without exception. Therefore, we recommend listening to the opinions and advice of the accompanying guide. During the program and especially in critical situations, participants must fully and unquestioningly follow the recommendations and instructions of the guide. All actions and decisions on the route during a situation that threatens the safety of the participants are solely within the competence of the guide accompanying the group. During all our programs, guides carry the necessary group equipment, a mobile phone with the numbers of the area's rescue services, as well as a first aid kit. Safety for us remains the main condition for fulfilling our obligations to the client!

Have you ever been to Africa? Experienced travelers recommend starting to “explore” this continent from the east coast. And then the question arises: where to go first? The most popular tours are to and, but how do you know which is best? Let's try to understand this issue.

To begin with, Kenya crosses its southern border into Tanzania. Climatically and geographically, the countries are very similar. They are located in the same time zone GMT+3 south of the equator. By the way, the heritage left by the British is also common to these two countries: left-hand traffic everywhere and English sockets, incl. tourists from Russia and CIS countries will need special adapters.

The coldest months are May, June and July; it happens that at night the air temperature is only +10+12 degrees. From April to June there is a real rainy season; beginners are not recommended to visit the East African coast at this time. And lastly, both countries are members of the East African Community (EAC), which means that crossing the common border is not complicated by bureaucratic and other nuances. You can get into a taxi in Tanzania and get off in Kenya without any problems. Or any tour can start on the territory of one state and end in another - convenient, isn’t it?

There are no metro in big cities, roads are not always ideal, especially outside the city. This leads to huge traffic jams, which must be taken into account when planning trips, especially to the airport. There is very little public transport; we recommend using taxis or tuk-tuks in populated areas. It is more convenient to fly between major cities and regions by plane or travel by bus. Therefore, if we consider the transport issue, it is difficult to say which is better to choose - Kenya or Tanzania.

Today, residents of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and some other countries of the former USSR can easily obtain a visa immediately upon arrival in or. The cost of the procedure is only $50. The best part is that having received a visa in Kenya, then visiting Tanzania and returning back, you do not need to obtain a visa again. This is the great value of YOU.

From the unusual: crossing the border of both countries is accompanied by the procedure for taking and checking your fingerprints - separately the thumb and the other four together. Local border guards were not noticed in extorting bribes; rather, on the contrary, they politely explain modern orders and laws to all inexperienced tourists.

The very first question concerns malaria. There are no vaccinations against it, but a week before the trip you need to start taking the appropriate medications. Alas, in Russia and the CIS countries, in most pharmacies, the necessary medications are sold at greatly inflated prices, and in many they are not available at all. There are zones completely free from malaria, and there are dangerous ones (hot, humid with an abundance of insects). In the first case, this is, for example, the capital of Kenya, in the second - the African coast and lakes.

In addition to preventive medications, you must have a set of tests and treatments with you. In both Kenya and Tanzania, tests and drugs for prevention are sold everywhere and cheaper than in Russia and Europe. Remember, at the first symptoms of a cold, immediately get tested for malaria. If you are flying directly to the island and are not going to leave it until the end of your vacation, then rest assured: malaria has not been here for a long time and you do not need prevention. But you will have to get vaccinated against yellow fever; they are especially strict about this issue in Tanzania and even ask for a certificate.

Let's start with the fact that in both Kenya and Tanzania, in addition to the local currency, dollars are also freely circulated, and in big cities sometimes rubles. In Kenya, currency exchange rates everywhere are about twice as favorable as in Tanzania, and also more accessible: exchangers can be found literally at every step. Tips are paid at will (about 10%), they are not included in the bill anywhere. But on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar we recommend taking only cash: there are practically no exchangers here, the rate is significantly lower than the mainland.

The level of service and quality of goods can be found from the simplest to the highest quality and even luxury. The question is not only the price and your willingness to pay it, but also the habit of sleeping, for example, in a clean separate room, and not on a bed in a barn without windows.

If you are going on a safari, then accommodation is guaranteed to be included in your tour. These can be modest but equipped tents or more expensive houses with rooms.

In cities you can find decent rooms for an average of $30-50 per day per person. If you decide to stay on the coast, then expect that a bungalow will cost about $30, and rooms will cost about $100-130. Of course, you can find more comfortable hotels on the first line, but it will be more expensive.

To the surprise of many tourists, modest eateries for locals are not much different in appearance from more or less decent and proven restaurants. There are not so many local dishes to stand in line for: the main food is meat, vegetables, rice. In almost any establishment, both in and in, where a trusted guide will take you, you can safely order cold cuts, and this includes poultry, pork, beef, ostrich, crocodile, buffalo, zebra, etc. In some places there is a vegetarian menu. Only good hotels will provide you with very varied and familiar food. You can organize a belly festival yourself after visiting a good supermarket.

The island of Zanzibar is significantly different in terms of gastronomy; it is a kind of very Europeanized place, where the cuisine is familiar and the service is excellent. Everything for the capricious tourist.

There is no doubt that all tourists are primarily interested in nature. They will not understand you if you arrive in or do not find time to visit at least one national park. It is advisable to carry out all trips with binoculars, since you can’t drive everywhere, but you want to see a lot. There is constant migration of animals between the two states, incl. there is no choice where exactly to look for them. An acquaintance with the life of the Maasai tribe and an excursion to their village can be organized with the help of a local leader. For a certain fee, he guarantees you his protection and patronage, of course, if you are not going to get into a fight or behave indecently.

Getting to know each other is the second most important goal of many tourists. The highest point in Africa changes somewhat over time, so you shouldn't put it off for later. Know that you can only climb it from the territory of Tanzania, but you won’t be able to admire all its slopes here; the best views open from Kenya. So you have to choose which is better in this matter: Kenya or Tanzania.

Water activities are present throughout the east coast. Divers have chosen the islands and coast of Tanzania, and surfing fans have. Most travel agencies recommend this for lovers of a relaxing beach holiday. It is worth noting that history buffs will enjoy Tanzania more: there are more old forts and the historical heritage of the British preserved here.

In general, we can conclude: if you are accustomed to normal service and are still afraid to confidently walk across the dark continent, and acquaintance with the beauties of flora and fauna strongly attracts you, then you have a direct path to Kenya. But if you are an experienced tourist and you are not afraid of the noticeable lack of civilization and tourist infrastructure, or you dream of conquering Kilimanjaro, you should go straight to Tanzania. Have a nice holiday!