We begin and end this East African adventure in hotels, spending one night in the centre of Nairobi and three nights relaxing in Zanzibar. We also spend nine nights camping, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the wild.
Hotels
Nairobi: Heron Hotel (night 1)
We ease into the adventure with a stay at the Heron Hotel in the centre of Nairobi. If you’re itching to explore, tourist attractions such as Uhuru Park, Central Park and the Kenyatta Mausoleum are a short taxi-ride away. If not, the hotel has a heated pool, sauna and gym. What’s more, the Bashasha restaurant offers all-day dining with light meals and snacks, while the Mdalasini restaurant features a sunny patio and balcony and serves international dishes.
Stone Town, Zanzibar: Tembo Hotel/Mizingani Hotel (night 11)
In Stone Town, we spend the night at either the Tembo(above), the first beachfront hotel in Stone Town, or Mizingani. The former has a courtyard pool, plus a restaurant where you can sit on the verandah sipping freshly pressed juices with views over the Indian Ocean. The latter, which sits in a building constructed for royal honeymooners in 1865, is also on the seafront and has a courtyard pool and restaurant.
Nungwi, Zanzibar: Crystal Beach Resort (nights 12-13)
Just a few sandy-footed steps from Nungwi Beach, the Crystal Beach Resort is our spot to flop at the end of our adventure. The location is an obvious plus, but the property also has a garden, restaurant and bar, where you can relax and gather with the group and reminisce about the trip.
Camping
Camping on this trip is full-service, which means the tents are put up for you. All camping equipment (including mattresses) is provided except sleeping bags. Campsites in East Africa usually only have basic facilities – bring your adventurous spirit! – and there are no swimming pools at the campsites we use.
Below are the campsites we typically use on this trip and a rundown of their facilities:
Naivasha: Crescent Campsite (night 2)
Fire pit
Neighbouring restaurant and cafe
Shared long-drop toilets
Hot showers
Lake Nakuru National Park: Nderit Campsite (night 3)
Kitchen facilities
Shared toilets
Hot showers
Masai Mara: Mara Springs Camp (nights 4-5)
Hot showers
Restaurant
Bar
Tembo Beach: Campsite (night 6)
Hot showers
Restaurant
Bar
Serengeti: Public Campsite (nights 7-8)
Shared toilets and bathrooms
Cold showers
Ngorongoro: Ngiri Campsite (night 9)
Shared toilets and bathrooms
Cold showers
Arusha: Meserani Snake Park (night 10)
Shared toilets and bathrooms
Cold showers