Small-Group Journeys · Small-group land journey
Wild East Africa: Migration Safari · 10 Days
Solid lines: itinerary connections. Dashed lines: air connections. The cross-border air connection includes a ground transfer.
City and protected-area locations are approximate. Lines are schematic, not actual roads or exact flight tracks.
Source: Chuanke July 2027 itinerary. Base map: Natural Earth (public domain).
Journey overview
- Travel dates
- 2027-07-28 to 2027-08-06
- Duration
- 10 days / 9 nights
- Destinations
- Kenya and Tanzania
- Group
- Small group
- Transport
- Ground vehicles, camp light aircraft and flights listed in the itinerary
- Room occupancy
- Two guests sharing one room; single supplement additional
- End of local itinerary
- 2027-08-06; reference flights arrive in China the following day
Destinations and accommodation
Images illustrate the destinations and accommodation; fine details are indicative. Accommodation is subject to final confirmation.
From 28 July to 6 August 2027, travel from Nairobi to Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island, then follow migrating wildlife through the Masai Mara and Serengeti. Light aircraft connect the grasslands, with two nights each in the Masai Mara and northern Serengeti before descending into the Ngorongoro Crater. Ten days and nine nights, priced per person with two guests sharing a room.
Solid lines: itinerary connections. Dashed lines: air connections. The cross-border air connection includes a ground transfer.
City and protected-area locations are approximate. Lines are schematic, not actual roads or exact flight tracks.
Source: Chuanke July 2027 itinerary. Base map: Natural Earth (public domain).
Journey highlights
East Africa naturalist tour leader: 李可莱
李可莱 is a Chinese American naturalist tour leader, nature education and science curriculum designer, and natural history illustrator.
李可莱 contributes to the academic journals New Phytologist and Sichuan Journal of Zoology. Books include 给孩子的自然博物课——一学就会的视觉笔记 (a children’s natural history course on visual note-taking), 肯尼亚野生动物图鉴 (an illustrated guide to Kenya’s wildlife) and 动物大科学家.
李可莱 has repeatedly led groups to Kenya and Tanzania, as well as Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa, and has also led journeys to the Galápagos, Antarctica and the Arctic. The approach combines natural history knowledge with a friendly, unassuming manner.
Migration season in the Masai Mara and Serengeti
Travel from Kenya’s Masai Mara into Tanzania’s Serengeti, following wildebeest, zebras and predators across the grasslands. Several outings visit the Mara River area. Migration patterns vary with grazing and rainfall; river crossings cannot be guaranteed.
Game drives beside the Mara River
Stay two nights in the Masai Mara, with an afternoon game drive and a full safari day. Your guide will look for lions, leopards, elephants and other grassland animals, allowing time to watch their behaviour.
Northern and central Serengeti
Two nights in a northern camp allow further time to follow the migrating herds. Continue to the central grasslands to look for big cats, observing wildlife in river valleys and on open plains along the way.
The Ngorongoro Crater
Descend to the crater floor, where grassland, lakes, forest and marshes form a patchwork of wildlife habitats. The reference hotel for the night is on the crater rim.
Lake Naivasha and Crescent Island
Take a boat trip of about one hour on Lake Naivasha, followed by a walk on Crescent Island. Look for waterbirds and hippos from the boat, then observe grazing animals on foot.
Birdlife around Lake Nakuru
Travel from Naivasha to Lake Nakuru National Park for a game drive. The lake, lakeside vegetation and woodland offer different bird habitats. Look for waterbirds and other wildlife, then return to Naivasha for the night.
Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre
Visit Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre to observe Rothschild’s giraffes before continuing to the lakes. The arrival evening also includes dinner at Carnivore restaurant.
Light-aircraft transfers between the grasslands
Light aircraft link Naivasha with the Masai Mara and the Masai Mara with the Serengeti, reducing long overland transfers. The cross-border journey includes a shuttle vehicle at the border before joining the Tanzanian flight.
Lakeside, riverside and crater-rim stays
Reference accommodation includes Sawela at Lake Naivasha, Governors’ Camp beside the Mara River, the Kogatende camp in the northern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Lodge on the crater rim. Hotels and camps are arranged along the route, subject to final confirmation.
Day-by-day itinerary
Open the tab alongside the daily itinerary.
Arrive in Nairobi
Arrive in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, and transfer to the hotel to rest. In the evening, dine on local-style grilled meats at Carnivore restaurant.
Nairobi → Lake Naivasha
After breakfast, visit the Giraffe Centre to observe Rothschild’s giraffes. Continue to Lake Naivasha for a boat trip of about one hour, followed by a walk on Crescent Island to look for birds and grazing animals. Return to the hotel for time at leisure.
Naivasha → Lake Nakuru → Naivasha
After breakfast, drive to Lake Nakuru National Park for a game drive and birdwatching. The lake, grassland and woodland provide different wildlife habitats. Return to Naivasha after the visit.
Naivasha → Masai Mara
Fly by light aircraft to the Masai Mara, settle into camp and have lunch. In the afternoon, join a guided game drive to look for lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhinos, then explore the Mara River area in search of migrating animals.
A full day on safari in the Masai Mara
Spend the day on game drives in the Masai Mara, looking for big cats, wildebeest, zebras, elephants and other grassland wildlife. Continue searching for migrating herds around the Mara River. Whether a crossing occurs depends on the animals’ movements at the time.
Masai Mara → northern Serengeti
Take a Kenyan light-aircraft flight to the border, cross by shuttle vehicle, then board a Tanzanian light aircraft for the northern Serengeti. After settling into camp, go on safari and look for migrating animals around the Mara River.
Safari in the northern Serengeti
Continue exploring the northern Serengeti, watching grazing herds and predators and searching for migrating animals around the Mara River. Animal locations and river-crossing times cannot be scheduled; the guide will plan sightings around conditions on the day.
Northern → central Serengeti
After breakfast, travel to the central Serengeti, continuing game viewing en route. With your guide, look for lions, leopards and other wildlife in this big-cat viewing region. Stay at Serengeti Explorer in the evening.
Central Serengeti → Ngorongoro
Drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend to the crater floor on arrival. Grassland, forest, lakes and marshes meet within the crater, offering wildlife viewing across different habitats.
Ngorongoro → Arusha → Kilimanjaro Airport
After breakfast, drive to Kilimanjaro Airport, stopping in Arusha for a Chinese lunch. Transfer to the airport for the international flight home, ending the local itinerary. The reference flights arrive in Beijing or Shanghai on 7 August.
Dates refer to the local itinerary; arrival in China depends on the selected international flights. Wildlife sightings, migration routes and river-crossing times cannot be guaranteed. Camps may adjust the order of activities to local conditions.
Transport and accommodation
Land arrangements · hotels and camps
Stay in city hotels, hotels in natural settings and safari camps along the route. The properties below are reference accommodation and may be replaced by comparable alternatives. Room types and final hotels are subject to confirmation.
- Nairobi
- JW Marriott Nairobi or comparable
- Naivasha
- Lake Naivasha Sawela or comparable
- Masai Mara
- Governors’ Camp or comparable
- Northern Serengeti
- Ole Serai Luxury Camps - Kogatende or comparable
- Central Serengeti
- Serengeti Explorer by Elewana or comparable
- Ngorongoro
- Ngorongoro Lodge member of Melia Collection, The Leading Hotels of the World or comparable
JW Marriott Nairobi or comparable
Nairobi reference accommodation
A city hotel on Chiromo Lane in Nairobi, used as a place to rest after arrival.
Lake Naivasha Sawela or comparable
Naivasha reference accommodation
A hotel beside Lake Naivasha, with rooms set among gardens. Some rooms have viewing terraces.
Governors’ Camp or comparable
Masai Mara reference accommodation
A camp in woodland beside the Mara River, with tents set among the trees and no perimeter wall.
Ole Serai Luxury Camps - Kogatende or comparable
Northern Serengeti reference accommodation
Located in the Kogatende area, with tents arranged along the contours of the grassland and individual viewing terraces.
Serengeti Explorer by Elewana or comparable
Central Serengeti reference accommodation
The hotel has a viewing hide reached through an underground passage. It overlooks a waterhole where guests can wait and watch animals coming to drink.
Ngorongoro Lodge member of Melia Collection, The Leading Hotels of the World or comparable
Ngorongoro reference accommodation
A Melia Collection hotel on the southwestern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.
Fares and inclusions
Journey fares
| Occupancy | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shared-room rate | 10 days / 9 nights; two guests sharing one room | CNY 106,800 per person |
Included
- Kenya electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and Tanzania e-visa fees.
- Hotels and camps listed in the itinerary, based on two guests sharing one room.
- Light-aircraft transfers between Lake Naivasha and the Masai Mara, and between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti.
- Local safari transport by off-road vehicle.
- Meals listed in the itinerary.
- Listed safari and other experiential activities; Chinese-speaking guide and professional driver services, including driver and guide gratuities.
- Admission fees for listed attractions.
- Chinese-speaking tour escort.
- Travel insurance: Allianz “Around the World” Marco Polo plan, as specified in the product proposal.
- Travel adapter and luggage strap as gifts.
Not included
- Passport application fees.
- International airfares.
- Yellow-fever vaccination costs.
- Single supplement for the whole itinerary.
- Additional chargeable experiences offered by the camps.
- Personal expenses such as mobile communications, satellite telephone use and laundry.
- Driver or guide overtime resulting from personal requests; meals during international flight connections or airport waits; meals marked as at guests’ own expense; and additional expenses arising from force majeure.
Booking terms and travel notes
Price and room occupancy
The price is per person, based on two guests sharing one room. A single supplement applies; international airfares are not included. Availability, room types and the written quotation are subject to adviser confirmation and the signed contract.
Wildlife viewing
Safaris seek animals living freely in their natural habitats. Species, sighting locations and river crossings cannot be guaranteed.
Reference flights and entry requirements
Flight times are indicative and must be reconfirmed before ticketing. Visa and travel-authorisation fees are included as specified in the proposal; application requirements depend on the rules in force at travel time and each guest’s circumstances.