This route runs for 21 nights across northern Tanzania and Kenya, linking six stays in order. It opens with a single night on a coffee estate below Mount Meru at Arusha, then moves to the Kwakuchinja corridor between Tarangire and Lake Manyara, the granite kopjes of the northern Serengeti, and the west bank of the Mara River. It closes in Kenya’s Laikipia Highlands, on a family ranch above the Ewaso Ng’iro and inside the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
Much of the trip sits on private concessions and conservancies, where a dedicated vehicle, guide and spotter come as standard and the day bends to you. That opens walking, off-road driving and night drives that national parks do not permit. The lodges and camps are small and owner-led, from tented rooms built into rock to hand-built stone cottages on a cliff.
The trip begins with one night on the Selian Coffee Estate, a century-old working farm on the western edge of Arusha at the foot of Mount Meru. Twelve cottages sit among tropical gardens and rows of coffee, with dik-dik on the grounds and birdsong in the mornings. The airport is fifteen minutes away, and the staff are practised in smooth arrivals, meeting transfers with warm towels and fresh juice on landing.
Four nights at a six-tent camp on a private concession in the Burunge Wildlife Management Area, within the corridor that once linked Tarangire and Lake Manyara. Because this is private land, the days can hold walks tracking spoor with a Maasai guide, off-road drives and night drives that the parks do not allow. The concession carries lion, cheetah, leopard, eland and lesser kudu, with elephant herds drawn to the seasonal waterholes through the dry months. Every stay comes with a private guide and vehicle.
Four nights high on Kogakuria Kopje in the far north of the Serengeti, where twelve open-fronted rooms step up through granite boulders and look north toward the Lamai Wedge. The lodge sits only a few kilometres from the Mara River crossing points, where the migration turns dramatic between July and October, and this far north vehicle numbers stay lower. Resident lion, elephant and plains game work the Wedge outside the crossing months too.
Four nights on the west bank of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, reached on foot across a narrow rope suspension bridge. Four tents stand on hardwood decks along the bank, three facing the rapids and one onto a hippo pool. As private land, the conservancy allows night drives, guided walks and off-road approaches in high-density predator country. A full day into the Maasai Mara National Reserve reaches the river crossings that run from roughly July to October.
Four nights on a family ranch high on a Laikipia escarpment above the Ewaso Ng'iro. A waterhole and salt lick sit directly beneath the cliff, drawing elephant, reticulated giraffe, eland and buffalo in view of the pool, and a stone hide beside it lets guests sleep out and watch through the night. Days run on horseback, on camels and on foot with armed Samburu guides, with night drives and off-road tracking permitted on this private land.
The final four nights are at a family-run lodge in an acacia grove inside the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, on the northern foothills of Mount Kenya. A spring-fed waterhole in front of camp draws elephant, giraffe, buffalo and gazelle, so days unfold at the pace of the animals. Lewa holds the full Big Five along with reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, Beisa oryx and gerenuk. Each booking travels with its own vehicle and guide, and a behind-the-scenes tour of Lewa's conservation work can be arranged.
Ed Charles, BBC Producer
Fitzroy are true specialists in accessing the wilderness. They know where to go and importantly, when to go there. Highly recommended.
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Eight nights linking gorilla trekking in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park with a private island off Zanzibar.
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tanzania & kenya
Twenty-one nights from Mount Meru's forest across the Serengeti and Mara to the Laikipia Highlands of northern Kenya.
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rwanda & tanzania
Ten nights linking Rwanda's Virunga gorillas with the far northern Serengeti and the Mara River, via Kigali.
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our approach
Every journey starts with a conversation. We take the time to understand your vision before we start planning.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape something that is considered, personal, and expertly delivered.
Every journey starts with a conversation. We favour a direct, personal approach: understanding your vision before anything else.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape a journey that is both thoughtfully considered and expertly delivered.
Get in touch to start planning yours.
