Big Cat Safari Dream Island Kenya Tanzania Seychelles

If you have ever daydreamed of Africa – of vibrant colours and open plains and lions racing over sun-parched earth – you have envisioned Kenya’s, Maasai Mara. This ancient place has witnessed the passing of thousands of years and millions of lives, from wise Maasai warriors to the great wildebeest who return here each year. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of Africa’s most important and iconic safari destinations and your host for the next three days.

An afternoon game drive leads us deep into the Maasai bush, in search of zig-zagging zebra, bathing hippos and solitary giraffes. And never forget, Maasai Mara is also home to Africa’s Big Five, the most dangerous and fearsome game in the land: the African buffalo, black rhinoceros, bush elephant, leopard and lion.

Dinner and overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge.

The sun rises over the flat savannah, decorating the landscape with hues of gold and red and ochre. The perfect scene grows ever more breath-taking on our morning game drive into the reserve. Your camera clicks off hundreds of shots: of puffy clouds that shadow the earth below; of Nile crocodiles and toothsome hippos enjoying a sunbath; of endless savannah and dense scrub brush; of long-neck giraffes stretching toward their next bite to eat.

As special as each moment is on the Maasai Mara, a rhythmic tremor from the sun-dried earth soon signals the most exceptional sight of all: the Great Migration. This, the Eighth Wonder of the World, is the largest land mammal migration in the world – an event native to only Kenya’s Maasai Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti. Each year, millions of wildebeest (gnu) stampede across the savannah, followed closely by hundreds of thousands of Thomson’s gazelles and zebras. The predators that hunt them – cheetah, lions, hyenas, jackals and wild dog – follow close on their heels. And timed right, we’re here for the show.

Dinner and overnight at Mara Sopa Lodge.

Lake Nakuru charges into view like a pink-petaled bloom, its cerulean centre fringed with rosy hues. The lake’s blush-coloured shores are owed not to pink sands or sun-bleached stone, but to the thousands of flamingos that bathe in the refreshing water. Yellow acacia woodlands and emerald grasslands complete the picture-perfect scene. After lunch, an afternoon game drive takes us deep into Lake Nakuru’s scenery, in search of photo ops and iconic animals like African buffalo, white rhino, endangered Rothschild’s giraffes, zebras, lions, baboons, and approximately 450 bird species.

Dinner and overnight at Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge.

The startling sight of Mount Kilimanjaro paints the horizon, the massive mountain surging up from the flatted plains to culminate in an icy, cloud-shrouded dome populated by ancient glaciers. The famous stratovolcano, the tallest summit in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world, towers over our destination: Amboseli National Park. 

An en-route game drive takes us to the Kenya-Tanzania border and through one of Africa’s vast and diverse ecosystems: the Great Rift Valley. In the shadow of Kilimanjaro, free-ranging elephants graze beside African buffalo, black rhino, wildebeest and zebra. More than 40 types of raptors inhabit the park, sharing the grasslands with crakes, kingfishers, hamerkops and 400 other bird species. This is not just a walk through the park; it’s an adventure into discovery!

Dinner and overnight at Amboseli Serena Lodge.

Today challenges you to hone your eagle eyes in search of ever more animal sightings. Two game drives bump out into the African bush and open plains of Amboseli, searching for new discoveries, more startling vistas, and postcard-worthy photo ops.

Dinner and overnight at the Amboseli Serena Lodge.

The landscape doesn’t change as we pass from Kenya into Tanzania; nature knows no borders. But as our drive progresses, passing through Arusha on the way to Ngorongoro, flattened plains give way to rising mountains and lush foliage. Your second hint of the surprises to come is at dinner, when we perch on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater, the epicentre of a collapsed volcano and the deserving recipient of the nickname, “Africa’s Garden of Eden.”

Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.

Home to almost as many accolades as its 25,000 animals, Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a sight to behold. Africa’s Garden of Eden welcomes almost every animal species present in East Africa; the mountain range is the largest inactive and intact volcanic caldera in the world; the region is a candidate for the New Seven Wonders of the Worlds, and Ngorongoro is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Perhaps today’s greatest coup is our search for Africa’s Big Five. These five incredible animals once considered the most dangerous hunting game on the continent, are today some of the most exhilarating species to spot in the wild. From our crater vantage point, the view stretches for miles, giving us an unparalleled view to the bush elephants, lions, leopards, black rhinos and buffalo that inhabit the plains below.

Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.

The van shudders to a standstill, your guide adopting unhurried movements as he points to a nearby tree. Amidst the gnarled branches and dry leaves, your eyes settle on the rapid flick of a massive tail – a rare tree-climbing lion. Lake Manyara National Park is part of one of only two regions in the world to host these elusive wildcats, an extraordinary sight even for Africa aficionados. 

As if fighting to outshine the vertically-incline feline, Lake Manyara also puts on a show: its sapphire waters glint pink in the sunshine, a desert mirage amidst Africa’s sun-dried savannah. By now you know that the lake’s rosy reflections come courtesy not of pink sands or pearlescent shells, but of the thousands of flamingos that crowd its shores. And though the flamingos get all the attention, Lake Manyara has a lot more to offer, to the tune 400 bird species, dik-dik, blue monkeys, giraffes, hippos, impala and gazelle, not to mention the Big Five. 

Dinner and overnight at Kirurumu Tented Camp.

Today is a travel day, ferrying you from Lake Manyara’s picturesque shores to Arusha for lunch and Nairobi for nightfall. 

Overnight and breakfast at the Sarova Panafric Hotel.

A quick flight bids Kwaheri (Swahili for goodbye) to the African mainland and bonjour to Seychelles. This Indian Ocean archipelago spans 115 paradisiacal islands, each rimmed in impossibly white sands that kiss the impossibly turquoise sea. And the fantasy is yours, all yours, for the next three days. 

Overnight and breakfast at Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel. 

Palm trees line the curved bay, shading powdery sands from the golden sun. The aquamarine Indian Ocean beckons to you, urging you from lounge chair for an afternoon swim or long walk down the beach. Perhaps you’ve booked a massage or facial. Or a dive into the granite underworld of Seychelles, a submerged plateau of rainbow-hued coral and tropical fish. On spectacular Mahe Island, your time is just that: yours to do with as you please. 

Breakfasts, dinners and overnights at Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel on half board.

After breakfast, return to the airport for your flight back to Nairobi, where you’ll arrive in time for evening flights or a night in the city. This day marks the end of your 13 days Kenya – Tanzania safari and Seychelles beach holiday.