13-Day Kenya & Tanzania Self-Launched Adventure: Maasai Mara, Serengeti & Zanzibar
13 days · Kenya & Tanzania (Nairobi to Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar)
Acacia Adventure Holidays charges £2,850
No-markup version: ~£970 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Acacia Adventure Holidays' 13-day Kenya & Tanzania Adventure, done independently using public transport, locally booked safari operators and budget guesthouses. You'll cover the Maasai Mara, cross the Namanga border to Arusha, join a locally-run small-group camping safari through the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, then travel by bus and fast ferry to Stone Town and Zanzibar's northern beaches. Expect rustic bush camping on safari nights, shared dorms or twin rooms elsewhere, and matatus, shuttles and ferries (or domestic flights if you're short on time) between stops. Costs are approximate backpacker rates — booking safari legs locally in Arusha or Nairobi is the single biggest saving versus the packaged tour.
Day-by-day
Nairobi to Maasai Mara via the Great Rift Valley
Maasai Mara, Kenya
Take a morning matatu or shuttle from Nairobi's River Road / Wilson Airport area heading west through the Rift Valley escarpment, stopping at the classic Rift Valley viewpoint near Naivasha/Longonot for photos. Continue to Narok and on to a budget camp near the Mara's Oloolaimutia or Sekenani gate. Book a shared shuttle (~£15-20) or a public matatu to Narok (~£4) then a shared taxi/boda to your camp. Sort out your Mara entry permit (USD 80pp) and game drives with your camp on arrival — most budget camps run shared 4x4 game drives at USD 60-90 per person per day.
🚌Shared shuttle Nairobi–Mara ~£15-20 or matatu to Narok ~£4 + shared taxi ~£5; park fees ~£62
🛏Budget tented camp or safari guesthouse outside the reserve (basic twin tents, shared bathrooms), ~£15-20pp
- →Drive through Great Rift Valley viewpoint
- →Settle into budget tented camp near Sekenani gate
- →Arrange Mara park fees and shared game drives with camp
Full day game drive in the Maasai Mara
Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
A full day out in the reserve with a shared 4x4 — lions, cheetah, elephant, buffalo and, if you're lucky in season, the Great Migration herds crossing from the Serengeti. Bring water, packed lunch and cash for the reserve fee. Local Maasai-run guides are excellent value and can be arranged through your camp the evening before. Optionally add a sunset walk or village visit for USD 20-30.
🚌Shared 4x4 game drive ~£50-65pp plus Mara entry USD 80 (~£62)
🛏Same budget tented camp ~£15-20pp
- →Full-day shared game drive in Maasai Mara
- →Wildlife spotting: big cats, elephants, plains game
- →Optional Maasai village visit
Mara back to Nairobi
Nairobi, Kenya
Morning drive back across the Rift Valley to Nairobi, arriving early afternoon. Check into a hostel in Westlands or Kilimani (many good budget options around £12-18 for a dorm or twin). Spend the afternoon at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage (book online, ~£10) or the Giraffe Centre, then sort your onward Arusha shuttle ticket for tomorrow at a booking office in town.
🚌Shared shuttle Mara–Nairobi ~£15-20; local matatu/Uber around the city ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or budget twin in Nairobi, ~£12-18pp
- →Return drive via Rift Valley
- →Optional Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage or Giraffe Centre
- →Book Namanga–Arusha shuttle ticket
Nairobi to Arusha across the Namanga border
Arusha, Tanzania
Catch the daily Riverside Shuttle or Impala Shuttle from Nairobi to Arusha (roughly £20-25, 5-6 hrs, departing early morning). You'll cross the border on foot at Namanga — sort your Kenya e-visa in advance and pay for the Tanzania e-visa (~USD 50-100 depending on nationality) online beforehand to avoid delays. The drive winds through coffee plantation country towards Mount Meru. Base yourself in a central Arusha hostel or guesthouse and spend the evening on a walk-in safari booking — Arusha has dozens of local operators offering 4-day Serengeti/Ngorongoro camping safaris at USD 400-550pp.
🚌Riverside/Impala shuttle Nairobi–Arusha ~£22
🛏Central Arusha hostel or guesthouse, twin/dorm ~£14-20pp
- →Cross Namanga border on foot
- →Scenic drive through coffee country to Arusha
- →Walk-in booking of local Serengeti/Ngorongoro camping safari
Arusha to Serengeti via Ngorongoro Highlands
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Join your locally-booked shared 4x4 safari group. Drive west through Mto wa Mbu (a busy market town worth a quick stop) and up onto the Ngorongoro Crater rim, then across the highlands into the Serengeti. Afternoon game drive en route through the southern plains. Your operator will handle park fees (~USD 70pp/day Serengeti) as part of the package — confirm what's included before you pay.
🚌Shared safari 4x4 with group — safari package ~£330-450pp for 4 days incl. food, vehicle, guide and park fees
🛏Bush camping in the Serengeti in a pre-erected tent (basic facilities), included in safari package
- →Shared 4x4 drive through Mto wa Mbu and Ngorongoro Highlands
- →Afternoon game drive in the Serengeti
- →Optional Olduvai Gorge side visit
Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater Rim
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Early morning game drive when predators are active, then a slow drive east across the Serengeti plains towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You'll camp on the crater rim tonight — spectacular sunset views into the caldera, but bring warm layers as it gets cold and foggy at 2,300m.
🚌Shared safari 4x4 (included in 4-day safari package)
🛏Crater rim campsite in a pre-erected tent (cold at night — bring a warm layer), included in safari package
- →Dawn game drive on the Serengeti plains
- →Drive to Ngorongoro Crater rim
- →Sunset over the crater
Ngorongoro Crater descent and back to Arusha
Ngorongoro Crater & Arusha, Tanzania
Descend into the crater at dawn with your 4x4 — the densest wildlife concentration in Africa, with black rhino, lion, elephant and flamingo on Lake Magadi. Crater fee (~USD 295 per vehicle per day, split between passengers) is usually included in your safari package. Climb out late afternoon and drive back to Arusha, arriving in the evening. Stay in Arusha tonight and book tomorrow's bus onward.
🚌Shared safari 4x4 back to Arusha (included); note crater fee is steep and often the main hidden cost — confirm in writing
🛏Arusha hostel or guesthouse, ~£14-20pp
- →Dawn descent into Ngorongoro Crater
- →Big Five wildlife spotting on the crater floor
- →Return drive to Arusha
Arusha to Bagamoyo via Moshi and Kilimanjaro base
Bagamoyo, Tanzania
A long travel day: take a morning Dar Express or similar bus from Arusha to Moshi (~£5, 2 hrs) for views of Kilimanjaro if skies are clear, then a bus onward to Dar es Salaam (Kilimanjaro Express/Modern Coast, ~£18-22, 8-9 hrs), and a local dalla-dalla or shared taxi north to Bagamoyo (~£1.50). Bagamoyo is a small, atmospheric old Swahili port town with a fading colonial history and a very cheap guesthouse scene — good for a slow evening after a big travel day.
🚌Bus Arusha–Moshi ~£5; Moshi–Dar ~£20; dalla-dalla to Bagamoyo ~£1.50
🛏Bagamoyo guesthouse, twin ~£12-18pp
- →Bus through Moshi with Kilimanjaro views
- →Continue on to the coast at Bagamoyo
- →Evening walk in Bagamoyo's old town
Bagamoyo to Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Morning exploring Bagamoyo — the old German boma, the Kaole ruins and the beach where slave caravans once arrived. Then take a local bus or shared taxi south to Dar es Salaam (~£1.50, 1.5 hrs). Book your Zanzibar ferry online with Azam Marine or Kilimanjaro Ferries (~£18-22, book a couple of days ahead in peak season) for tomorrow morning. Stay near the ferry terminal in Kivukoni or city centre.
🚌Local bus/shared taxi Bagamoyo–Dar ~£1.50
🛏Dar es Salaam budget hotel near ferry terminal, ~£16-22pp
- →Bagamoyo old town and Kaole ruins
- →Bus to Dar es Salaam
- →Book Azam Marine fast ferry to Zanzibar
Ferry to Zanzibar and Stone Town walking tour
Stone Town, Zanzibar
Take the 2-hour fast ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar (book online in advance; ~£20-25). On arrival, clear immigration with your Tanzania e-visa and check into a Stone Town guesthouse or hostel. Join a self-booked small-group Stone Town walking tour via GetYourGuide or a local guide for around £15-20 — or just wander the alleyways, the House of Wonders, the Old Fort, the Anglican Cathedral and Forodhani night market for street food. End the evening with a sunset dhow cruise or cocktails at a waterfront rooftop (dhow trips ~£12-15pp).
🚌Azam Marine fast ferry Dar–Zanzibar ~£20-25
🛏Stone Town guesthouse or hostel, twin/dorm ~£18-25pp
- →Fast ferry to Zanzibar
- →Stone Town walking tour (booked via GetYourGuide ~£15-20)
- →Forodhani Gardens night market food crawl
- →Optional sunset dhow cruise
Zanzibar's northern beaches — Nungwi or Kendwa
Nungwi / Kendwa, Zanzibar
Take a dalla-dalla or shared taxi from Stone Town up to Nungwi or Kendwa in the north (~£2-3 by dalla-dalla, 1.5 hrs, or ~£15 for a private taxi split). Check into a beach guesthouse or hostel just back from the sand — the north has the best swimming tides and sunset beaches. Spend the afternoon swimming and settling in.
🚌Dalla-dalla Stone Town–Nungwi ~£2.50
🛏Beach guesthouse or hostel in Nungwi/Kendwa, ~£15-22pp
- →Dalla-dalla to northern Zanzibar
- →Beach time at Nungwi or Kendwa
Snorkelling, diving and beach days in northern Zanzibar
Nungwi / Kendwa, Zanzibar
Free day on the north coast. Book a snorkelling or diving day trip direct with a local dive centre in Nungwi — a two-tank dive around Mnemba atoll is roughly £55-70, and a snorkel trip ~£25-35 (via GetYourGuide, Klook or directly with the dive shop). Otherwise: kite surfing lessons, sunset dhow trips, or just doing nothing on a beach that doesn't need an itinerary.
🚌Walking / boda-boda locally ~£2
🛏Beach guesthouse or hostel in Nungwi, ~£15-22pp
- →Optional two-tank dive around Mnemba atoll (~£60)
- →Optional snorkel trip (~£30)
- →Beach lazing and sunset dhow
Back to Stone Town and return ferry to Dar es Salaam
Stone Town & Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Morning dalla-dalla back to Stone Town for last-minute souvenir shopping at Darajani Market and a final coffee at a Zanzibar coffee house. Take the afternoon fast ferry back to Dar es Salaam (~£20-25) and connect onward — most international flights leave Dar in the evening or you can add a cheap overnight near the airport. If you want to stay longer on Zanzibar, it's easy: just rebook your ferry or fly out of Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) directly.
🚌Dalla-dalla to Stone Town ~£2.50; Azam fast ferry Zanzibar–Dar ~£20-25
🛏Not included — onward travel or an optional airport hotel ~£25
- →Stone Town souvenir shopping at Darajani Market
- →Return fast ferry to Dar es Salaam
- →Onward flight connections
Self-launched vs. Acacia Adventure Holidays
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Acacia Adventure Holidays | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£970 | £2,850 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,880 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Acacia Adventure Holidays-style trips? Check them out here.~£970
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 13-Day Kenya & Tanzania Self-Launched Adventure: Maasai Mara, Serengeti & Zanzibar cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £970 per person for 13 days in Kenya & Tanzania (Nairobi to Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Acacia Adventure Holidays?+
Yes — Acacia Adventure Holidays charges around £2,850 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £970 — a saving of roughly £1,880 (66%) per person.
How long is the Kenya & Tanzania (Nairobi to Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar) trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Kenya & Tanzania (Nairobi to Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, backpacker trip through Kenya & Tanzania (Nairobi to Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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