Self-Launched Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Nairobi to Arusha via the Great Rift Valley
12 days · Kenya & Tanzania
Cosmos charges £5,400
No-markup version: ~£1,945 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Recreate the classic Cosmos East Africa safari on your own terms — same Big 5 game drives through Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti — but travelling cross-country with local flights, shared safari group joiners and budget camps instead of a 42-50 person tour coach. A self-launched adventure that strings together Nairobi's elephant orphans and giraffes, the golden plains of the Mara, Kilimanjaro-backdropped Amboseli, the wildlife-rich Rift Valley lakes and Tanzania's crown-jewel crater before flying out of Arusha. Big savings when you ditch the guided group mark-up and book directly.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Nairobi & settle in
Nairobi, Kenya
Fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and take an airport shuttle or Uber (~£10) to your guesthouse in the city. Stay somewhere central like a backpackers in Westlands or a budget hotel near the CBD. Head to the lively Maasai Market (weekends at the Village Market, weekdays rotate around the city) to pick up fabric, beadwork and curios. Orient yourself, sort out any Kenyan SIM card for data, and have dinner at a local nyama choma (grilled meat) spot.
🚌Airport shuttle/Uber from Jomo Kenyatta ~£10
🛏Budget guesthouse or backpackers in Nairobi, ~£15 shared
- →Arrival and airport transfer
- →Stroll the Maasai Market for crafts
- →Dinner at a nyama choma restaurant
Nairobi's wildlife gems: Park, orphans & giraffes
Nairobi, Kenya
Start early with a self-arranged morning into Nairobi National Park — Kenya Wildlife Service tickets are bookable online (~£35 + park entry). This is the world's only capital-city national park, with lions, rhinos and buffalo against a skyline backdrop. Next, visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage (entry ~£15, public feeding 11am) where you can adopt/witness rescued calves. Lunch near Karen, then visit the Karen Blixen Museum (~£7) of 'Out of Africa' fame and the Giraffe Centre (~£12) to hand-feed endangered Rothschild giraffes from an elevated platform.
🚌Local matatus/Uber between sites ~£10
🛏Budget guesthouse in Nairobi, ~£15 shared
- →Morning game drive in Nairobi National Park
- →Visit Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage
- →Lunch at Karen Blixen Gardens
- →Karen Blixen Museum visit
- →Giraffe Centre giraffe feeding experience
Travel to the Maasai Mara, first Big 5 drive
Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Travel to the Maasai Mara by shared shuttle/van (book through your guesthouse, ~£25) — a roughly 5-6 hour scenic drive through the Rift Valley. Arrive at a budget tented camp or safari bandas just outside the reserve gate. Join a shared afternoon game drive in Maasai Mara National Reserve (join a group jeep, ~£90 sharing). This is prime big-cat and Big 5 territory — lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and cape buffalo all roam here. Full board at camp.
🚌Shared shuttle van Nairobi–Mara ~£25
🛏Budget safari tented camp near Maasai Mara gate, ~£45 full board
- →Scenic drive to Maasai Mara
- →Afternoon game drive in Maasai Mara National Reserve
- →Big 5 wildlife spotting
Full day in the Mara
Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Rise before dawn for a classic morning safari — this is the best time for predators on the move. Return to camp for a big brunch and siesta during the hottest hours, then head out again for an afternoon game drive, chasing herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle and, if you time it right (Jul–Oct), the Great Migration river crossings. Spend the golden hour photographing lions and cheetahs. Book both drives as shared-group joiners from your camp (~£180 for the full day).
🚌Shared 4x4 game drive vehicle
🛏Budget safari tented camp near Maasai Mara gate, ~£45 full board
- →Morning game drive in Maasai Mara
- →Afternoon game drive in Maasai Mara
- →Golden-hour wildlife photography
Fly to Amboseli & afternoon drive
Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Take a short internal flight from the Mara airstrip back to Nairobi (bush flight ~£130) then connect with a shared shuttle/vehicle to Amboseli National Park (~3.5hrs, ~£20). Check into a budget camp. Head out on an afternoon game drive in Amboseli — this park is legendary for giant-tusked elephants photographed against the snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. Full board at camp.
🚌Bush flight back to Nairobi ~£130; shared vehicle to Amboseli ~£20
🛏Budget safari camp at Amboseli, ~£45 full board
- →Internal flight Mara–Nairobi
- →Drive to Amboseli National Park
- →Afternoon game drive with Kilimanjaro backdrop
Full day in Amboseli
Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Dawn game drive in Amboseli National Park at the foot of Kilimanjaro — watch elephants, buffalos and hippos in the marshes as the mountain catches first light at the Kenya–Tanzania border. Retreat to camp for the hot midday, then take an afternoon game drive across the dried lake bed and acacia bushland. Book both drives through your camp as shared joiners (~£180 full day).
🚌Shared 4x4 game drive vehicle
🛏Budget safari camp at Amboseli, ~£45 full board
- →Morning game drive in Amboseli National Park
- →Afternoon game drive in Amboseli National Park
- →Kilimanjaro sunrise views over the park
Cross into Tanzania & reach Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara National Park area, Tanzania
Cross the border at Namanga (Kenya/Tanzania) — have your passport and Tanzania visa ready (e-visa ~£40). Lunch in Arusha, the safari gateway town, then transfer onward (~5hrs total) toward Lake Manyara. Check into a budget camp. Optional extras: a guided hike through the Great Rift Valley forest escarpment with black-and-white colobus monkey spotting, or a guided visit to Mto Wa Mbu village to taste local banana beer and farm specialities.
🚌Shared shuttle/charter via Namanga to Arusha then Manyara ~£45
🛏Budget camp near Lake Manyara, ~£40 full board
- →Border crossing at Namanga
- →Lunch in Arusha
- →Transfer to Lake Manyara camp
- →Optional Rift Valley forest hike
- →Optional Mto Wa Mbu village visit
Lake Manyara morning drive, on to Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Morning game drive through Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions, huge flocks of pink flamingos on the soda lake and elephants in the groundwater forest. The lake sits dramatically at the base of the 600m Great Rift Valley escarpment. Afterwards transfer up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area rim, gaining altitude into cooler highland air and staying at a camp/banda with crater views.
🚌Shared 4x4 transfer Manyara–Ngorongoro ~£40 (incl. with game drive day)
🛏Budget camp on the Ngorongoro crater rim, ~£55 full board
- →Morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park
- →Transfer to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- →Crater rim scenery
Full-day Ngorongoro Crater descent
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater — a UNESCO World Heritage site and the world's largest intact volcanic caldera, a self-contained ecosystem with a near-guaranteed chance of spotting all the Big 5, plus huge hippo pools and flamingo-covered lakes. Take a full-day game drive with a packed picnic lunch eaten at one of the hippo pools. This crater floor is one of the most wildlife-dense places on Earth. Arrange your day as a shared safari join from your camp (~£200 for the day incl. entry fees).
🚌Shared 4x4 down into the crater
🛏Budget camp on the Ngorongoro crater rim, ~£55 full board
- →Full-day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater
- →Picnic lunch in the crater
- →Big 5 spotting in the caldera
Across to the Serengeti plains
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Drive from Ngorongoro out across the open plains into Serengeti National Park (park entry fee ~£55, duration ~4hrs). The vast savannah stretches to the horizon in every direction — home to the greatest wildlife migration on Earth. Arrive at a budget tented camp and head out on an afternoon game drive, tracking resident prides of lion, leopard, elephant, giraffe and the huge migratory herds of wildebeest and zebra.
🚌Shared 4x4 transfer and game drive from Ngorongoro ~£55
🛏Budget safari tented camp in the Serengeti, ~£65 full board
- →Transfer into Serengeti National Park
- →Afternoon game drive in Serengeti National Park
Full day in the Serengeti
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Two full game drives today — dawn and late afternoon — sweeping across Serengeti's short-grass plains and river lines in search of cheetah, leopard, lion and the huge migratory herds. Between drives, rest at camp during the heat of the day. The Serengeti is Africa's most iconic safari destination; relish the sheer scale and emptiness of the wilderness and photograph the endless views.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle
🛏Budget safari tented camp in the Serengeti, ~£65 full board
- →Morning game drive in Serengeti National Park
- →Afternoon game drive in Serengeti National Park
Fly out to Arusha & onward
Arusha, Tanzania
Take a morning bush flight from the Serengeti airstrip back to Arusha (~£150), the vibrant safari capital sitting beneath Mount Meru. Enjoy a day room to freshen up before evening international flight connections from Kilimanjaro or Nairobi. Grab a final meal and pick up any last Tanzanian souvenirs in Arusha before heading on your way.
🚌Bush flight Serengeti–Arusha ~£150
🛏Day room in Arusha ~£30
- →Flight from Serengeti to Arusha
- →Day room at hotel in Arusha
- →Final souvenir shopping
Self-launched vs. Cosmos
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Cosmos | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,945 | £5,400 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,455 per person (64%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Cosmos-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,945
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.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Nairobi to Arusha via the Great Rift Valley cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,945 per person for 12 days in Kenya & Tanzania. 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 Cosmos?+
Yes — Cosmos charges around £5,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,945 — a saving of roughly £3,455 (64%) per person.
How long is the Kenya & Tanzania trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Kenya & Tanzania.
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 wildlife, adventure, culture trip through Kenya & Tanzania, 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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