The Big 5

Kenya and Tanzania offer the ultimate safari photography experience, where you can observe Africa’s majestic Big 5 (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino) in their natural habitats.

The famous term “The Big Five” has its origins in the time of explorers and refers to the five biggest and most difficult animals to hunt (which is why the hippopotamus is not included).

These iconic animals, once the most dangerous for hunters, now attract nature lovers and photography enthusiasts like me from all over the world. They are not just five of the most impressive and majestic mammals; they are the five that everyone wants to see.

Join me on this adventure as we immerse ourselves in Africa’s wild beauty. We will explore its wonders, including the vast landscapes of the Masai Mara, the Serengeti migration, the Ngorongoro Crater, and Mount Kilimanjaro.  

Are you up for it?

Typically, I begin my articles with interesting information about the destination. However, on this occasion, as the trip includes two different countries (Kenya and Tanzania) so that it isn’t too long, I will start with the itinerary directly.

You can find practical information about both countries in my posts:

• Kenya – Travel Information
• Tanzania – Travel Information

This is the list of everything you will find in this article:

Recommendations

Before we start, I’d like to share a couple of recommendations with you:

The Big 5: 12-Day Itinerary

Here is the map for the 12-day tour, numbered to indicate the order of the sites to visit.

Please note that the itinerary does not include travel days for international flights.

Note: It doesn’t seem very logical to put Lake Nakuru in sixth position due to the distance, but it was an additional extension to the route, and I couldn’t choose.

1. The Big 5 — Day 1 (Kenya)

Nairobi

I arrived in Nairobi the previous night, and since my Kenyan safari began the next day, I spent my first day exploring the Kenyan capital.

Tip: I have mentioned several times how much I enjoy maps, and since I didn’t have internet access here, I planned to get a map of the city from the hotel. Well, there are no maps available in the hotels here, so if you want to explore the city on your own, you have several options:

Things to see in Nairobi:

Jamia Mosque

It is the largest and most important mosque in the country. Founded by Syed Maulana Abdullah Shah in 1902, it has become a meeting place for Muslim leaders.

The mosque, which features extensive marble work and Koranic inscriptions, is in an Arab-Islamic architectural style. It includes two minarets, three silver domes, a row of shops for rental income, a library, and a training centre.

You can check the schedules on its website.

McMillan Memorial Library

The library was built by the McMillan family to honour William Northrup McMillan, an American-born Kenyan settler, adventurer, and philanthropist who passed away in 1925.

Designed by Lucie McMillan and primarily funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the neoclassical building was inaugurated on June 5th, 1931, by Sir Joseph A. Byrne, the Governor of Kenya.

It houses over 400,000 books, including East African newspapers and magazines dating back to 1901. Since its inception, it has also been the site of Parliament’s deliberations.

Maasai Market

The Masai Market is a great place to shop for souvenirs. It is named after the Masai ethnic group, which is known for its rich culture and handmade items. Due to high tourist demand, they started selling their crafts in Nairobi, which led to the establishment of the market.

It operates in different locations in Nairobi from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., although this may vary during different seasons. Please note that the market is closed on Mondays.

Nairobi Gallery

The Nairobi Gallery is an important cultural and historical centre located in a historic building.

You can explore Kenyan art, history and heritage, including the personal collection of Joseph Murumbi, Kenya’s second vice president and a renowned art collector. The gallery plays a crucial role in preserving and celebrating the country’s artistic legacy and cultural identity.

Uhuru Park

Uhuru Park is a 12.9-hectare recreational park with an artificial lake and national monuments. It is popular for walking and hosts political and religious gatherings.

Many homeless individuals sleep here because it is the only place where they are free from detention by authorities. 

When I went, there was a women’s event taking place, so it was crowded. Apparently, even famous women from the country were present.

From across the park, you can see an excellent panoramic view of the city.

Central Park

Across Kenyatta Avenue, as if it were an extension of Uhuru Park, is Central Park.

This peaceful 8-hectare oasis honours Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of Kenya.

The park offers activities for all ages, including picnics and a captivating monument to Nyayo, symbolising Kenyan history and resilience.

National Museum of Kenya

Located just beyond the University of Nairobi, the National Museum of Kenya provides extensive insights into the nation’s history and culture.

The Snake Park, located within the museum grounds, opened in January 1961. It is a popular visitor attraction and a centre for research on reptiles and snake breeding.

The park features both venomous and non-venomous snakes, crocodiles, turtles, and lizards. It also includes an aquarium section and a sanctuary for rescued and endangered reptiles.

For more information, see the museum website.

Nairobi National Park

In the park next to the city, you can see animals such as giraffes, lions, cheetahs, and rhinos, among others. While I planned to visit other national parks in Kenya and Tanzania, I didn’t go to this one; I only saw it while passing by.

2. The Big 5 — Day 2 (Kenya)

Finally, the day has arrived! After meeting the six other members of the group with whom I will share the next few days, we travel to Narok, where we stop for lunch.

The signs for the bathrooms are quite interesting 🤭

From there, we continue along the route to our camp, which is located close to one of the entrances to the Masai Mara National Reserve (Oloolaimutia Gate).

Masai Mara

Home of the legendary Maasai warriors, this national reserve spans 320 km² and boasts incredible biodiversity.

We will find large herds of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and antelopes, all of which are observed by large predators among many other animals.

The Great Migration is a remarkable natural event in which 1.5 million wildebeest migrate across the Mara River from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Masai Mara region in Kenya. They then reverse their journey, moving from Kenya back to Tanzania.

The wildebeest migrate to follow storm clouds in search of rain, which leads them to greener pastures.

This event takes place from July to October and is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

In the afternoon, we made our first excursion into the Masai Mara National Reserve. In just over two hours, we spotted wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, and two cheetahs.

Back to camp, it’s time for a (cold) shower and dinner before going to sleep, with the permission of the animals roaming freely 😅

3. The Big 5 — Day 3 (Kenya)

Masai Mara

Today, we had to wake up early for another game drive in Masai Mara, which turned out to be very exciting. Honestly, I didn’t expect to see so many animals up close!

The summary of everything seen would be:

• Other curious animals

4. The Big 5 — Day 4 (Kenya)

Masai Mara

After a restful sleep that, thanks to my tiredness, meant I couldn’t hear the animal noises at night (quite disturbing the night before), we got up early (5:30 a.m.) in hopes of seeing the felines hunting.

On this occasion, we did not have the chance to see them in action, but we got to see them devour their freshly hunted prey.

A striking scene unfolded as several lionesses fed on the same prey. I was somewhat horrified to see one of them slurping the intestines of a wildebeest as if it were spaghetti.

As we approached, they became a bit defensive, but when they saw that we weren’t moving, they relaxed and resumed their feast.

After the experience, we travelled to Nakuru, the capital of the Rift Valley province, located about 220 km (136 miles) north and at the foot of Lake Nakuru.
Nakuru, with over half a million inhabitants, is Kenya’s fourth largest city, following Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu.

5. The Big 5 — Day 5 (Kenya)

Lake Nakuru

Today, the game drive will take place in Lake Nakuru National Park. This lake, situated at about 1,850 meters above sea level, is a paradise for water birds, mainly pink flamingos.

It is also a rhino sanctuary, housing both species, white and black.

Here we had the opportunity to see:

• Buffaloes

• Among many other animals

We arrived at the campsite around 7 p.m., and I shared a tent with another girl who was also travelling alone. The tent was full of mosquitoes, and although it had mosquito nets, this is how mine looked 🤣. I guess that’s what happens when you travel on an ‘ultra-low’ budget.

6. The Big 5 — Day 6 (Kenya)

Amboseli National Park

Today is a full-day ‘game drive‘ through the Amboseli National Park, located beneath the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895 metres.

Although Mount Kilimanjaro belongs to Tanzania, the best views and photos of it are taken from the Kenyan side. 

Amboseli National Park is the second most popular park in Kenya. It covers 392 km² (39,206 hectares) and is renowned for its elephants.

The animals observed today were as follows:

• Lots of elephants (so many I lost count)

• Hyenas

It was not very pleased about being woken up.

This other one had to run away after bothering a zebra 😂

• Reedbucks (fighting for a female)

• Great variety of birds

Although the overall experience was positive, I must say that I preferred this park less than Masai Mara.

Masai Village

It’s only 4:30 p.m., and we’re already back at camp, so several members of the group pay one of the workers to take us to visit a nearby Maasai village.

Approximately half a million Maasai people live in Kenya and Tanzania. They are divided into twelve clans, each with its rituals and dialects. 

There, I had the opportunity to see how they lived, learn about some of their rituals, and witness one of their famous dances, “Adamu.”

Some curiosities of this ethnicity:

• The Maasai primarily depend on livestock, though an increasing number are pursuing other professions.

• Marriages are often arranged, with the number of animals owned by a family being a key factor. Polygamy is also practised.
• In the clans, adulthood is reached at 16 years of age, at which point individuals begin to undertake more complex tasks, such as hunting. However, women are responsible for the daily tasks.

7. The Big 5 — Day 7 (Kenya – Tanzania)

Amboseli National Park

We began the day with a short game drive in Amboseli National Park. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any new animals during this excursion.

We then headed to the Namanga Border with Tanzania, which is about 51 km (32 miles) from the park. There, I said goodbye to the rest of the group as everyone else was returning to Nairobi. I, however, was heading to Arusha, Tanzania.

Taking the bus with locals was quite a unique experience. They all looked at me sideways as if I were an alien.

Arusha

Arusha’s proximity to important natural sites, such as the Serengeti National Park, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Mount Kilimanjaro, has made it the country’s main tourist centre.

I spent the afternoon exploring the city. Once again, it felt like I was the only tourist around as people glanced at me with curiosity and took photos. However, since they were so kind, I continued my search for the famous Central Market.

A visit to the Central Market is a great way to experience local life and culture. The market sells regional products, from fruit and vegetables to live chickens!

A local guy, Thomas, offered to be my guide in exchange for buying a bracelet from him. I accepted because it is always interesting to learn about local customs.

Arusha features a Maasai Market located near the Clock Tower, making it an ideal place to purchase souvenirs.

I didn’t go because I didn’t have enough time and I was planning to visit other parks in Tanzania. However, just 30 km (18.6 mi) from Arusha is Arusha National Park, which is notable for having the largest population of giraffes in the world. The park is situated in the foothills of Mount Meru, one of Africa’s most magnificent volcanoes and the fifth-highest peak on the continent.

8. The Big 5 — Day 8 (Tanzania)

Today, I begin a new safari in Tanzania. After meeting the other four members of the group, we head to Lake Manyara National Park, which is about 115 km (71 miles) from Arusha.

Lake Manyara National Park

During the game drive, we had the opportunity to see several baby elephants, including an aggressive display by one of the adults, along with many pelicans, zebras, monkeys, and even a leopard.

The campsite is situated near the park, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that, instead of a tent, I have an adorable little hut all to myself. It also provides better protection from the surrounding wildlife 😅

9. The Big 5 — Day 9 (Tanzania)

Today, our destination is Serengeti National Park, a continuation of Masai Mara, promising an exciting experience. 

From Lake Manyara, we entered through one of the gates of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The views of the crater are breathtaking.

Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti National Park is probably the most famous park in Africa—and maybe even the whole world. Spanning 1.5 million hectares, it’s a vast expanse of grasslands with little bushes and those iconic acacia trees. It’s also home to the highest number of animals anywhere! Plus, it’s where you can witness the Great Migration, which I talked about earlier when mentioning the Masai Mara.

This park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 due to its unique ecosystem.

If you’re interested in learning more about this fantastic park, I suggest visiting its official website.

Once we entered the park and stopped for lunch—by this, I mean eating a cold sandwich under the shade of a tree—our 4×4 suddenly refused to start again. So, everybody down and push. It was a hilarious situation, being stranded in the middle of the Serengeti, knowing that there were lions around.

We started the vehicle, but later, it left us stranded again, and we had to wait for another jeep to push us 🤣

Despite everything, we saw hyenas, elephants, hippos, and, above all, a leopard walking right past us!

We arrived at the campsite at dusk, just in time to set up the tent before dinner.

Sleeping in the middle of the Serengeti was an unforgettable experience.

10. The Big 5 — Day 10 (Tanzania)

Serengeti National Park

Today, we have a new game drive through the Serengeti.

One of the most curious things of the day was seeing a group of 5 lionesses with 14 cubs.

After several unsuccessful hunting attempts, we finally witnessed two lionesses hunting gazelles. One of the lionesses was so close that I could hear the sound of the gazelle’s neck breaking—it was pretty shocking.

After much action, we return to the camp to pack our tents and head toward the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the seven wonders of Africa.

Olduvai Gorge

On the journey to the crater in the Rift Valley, Olduvai Gorge, often referred to as the “Cradle of Humankind,” is one of the world’s most significant paleontological sites.

Fossils closely associated with the origin of human evolution have been discovered in the ravines of this canyon.

Today’s camp is set on the crater’s edge, a stunning yet somewhat eerie location. Apparently, buffalo roam around here at night, so it’s best to avoid getting up for the bathroom 😬

11. The Big 5 — Day 11 (Tanzania)

Ngorongoro Crater

By 6:30 in the morning, we are already heading down to the crater.

It is a vast volcanic caldera measuring 20 km in diameter and 600 meters deep that houses the largest permanent concentration of wildlife in Africa.

If you’d like more information about the place, check the official website.

As soon as we arrived, we found 3 lionesses in the middle of the road hunting for some prey.

We saw a wide variety of animals, including a large number of hippos.

After the game drive, we returned to the camp to pack up our things and headed to Arusha.

Arusha

In Arusha, the group splits up, and each member continues on their own path.

I took the opportunity to enjoy one last walk around the city. Still, I didn’t have much energy left because I could barely sleep the night before due to the cold temperatures.

The shower today felt like heaven. I had almost forgotten what hot water was like 🤤

12. The Big 5 — Day 12 (Tanzania)

Today, I am travelling back to Nairobi, which is about 300 km (186 miles) by local bus and across the border, taking most of the day.

I will take the flight back home in the early morning, so that’s it for the amazing experience of Kenya—Tanzania.

Other Things to Do

If you have more time, I recommend the following:

• Spend a few days in Zanzibar, a renowned island famous for its white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. You can enjoy various water activities, such as snorkelling and scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, and exploring Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Another exciting activity is climbing Kilimanjaro. However, this journey will take between 6 and 7 days.
• Visit the former capital, Dar es Salaam.
• You can also enjoy a balloon safari.

Here, we end this adventure. Goodbye, Kenya and Tanzania.

Now that you know the places to visit, check the practical information for both countries in the following posts:

• Kenya – Travel Information
• Tanzania – Travel Information

I hope you enjoyed this article.

Additional Information

📌 If you prefer to see them separated by continents, check them in Portfolios.

Alternatively, in the section Destinations, they are classified based on the type of trip:

• Amazing Experiences. It covers the most extensive and complete trips.
• Beach and Sea. For those who prefer quieter activities by the sea.
• City Breaks. Short trips with a single destination.

If you need any clarification, you can leave me a comment or fill out the contact form. I will be happy to help you 🙂

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