Classic Safari: Kenya & Tanzania

On safari … it’s one of the most alluring phrases in all of travel, and Kenya and Tanzania count among the most alluring places to be “on safari.”  As your small group, limited to 18 travelers, journeys from grasslands to highlands, enjoy intimate game drives, see stupendous landscapes, stay in top-rated accommodations, and meet gracious local people.  The 16-day tour begins with highlights of Kenya’s cosmopolitan capital, Nairobi.  Move on to Amboseli National Park in the shadow of snowcapped Mt. Kilimanjaro, known for its large elephant population, to view teeming wildlife on the wide plains and visit a Maasai village.  Journey next to peaceful Lake Manyara National Park, which offers the essence of Tanzania’s safari experience with its incredibly varied ecosystem.  After game drives here, set out for spectacular Ngorongoro, a UNESCO Conservation Area and site of immense Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera.  In this stunning setting, safari-goers have a unique chance to see all of Africa’s “Big Five.”  The adventure continues in the storied Serengeti, the Maasai’s 5,700-square-mile “endless plain” considered Africa’s finest park.  En route, visit Olduvai Gorge, where anthropologist Mary Leakey made her revolutionary discovery.  Enjoy unmatched game viewing in the Serengeti during a two-night stay, then fly to Masai Mara for three nights in Kenya’s premier game reserve, rich with animal life and homeland of the Maasai.  Returning to Nairobi, toast your safari adventure at a farewell dinner.  Spend two nights at the legendary Mount Kenya Safari Club with an optional post-tour extension.