- Kenya Multi-Centres
- Classic Kenyan Safari with 5* Zanzibar Beach Stay
Experience the natural wonders of Kenya with thrilling game drives through the Masai Mara and Amboseli, where you’ll have the chance to spot the Big Five amidst breathtaking landscapes. Enjoy a serene boat trip on Lake Naivasha, and visit a traditional Masai village to glimpse daily life in this unique culture. Conclude your journey on Zanzibar’s idyllic shores, where white sands, turquoise waters, and vibrant island life provide the perfect retreat after your African adventure.
Depart on your flight to Nairobi.
Upon arrival in Nairobi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Your afternoon will be at leisure.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Leaving Nairobi after breakfast, you travel towards Kenya's fertile highlands and head down the rift escarpment on the road built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II. On the way, spot the charming chapel built at the foot of the escarpment. Pass the impressive Longonot earth satellite station as you head across the valley to Narok. Continue your travels across acres of wheat and barley before reaching the Masai Mara in time for lunch. Following lunch, set off on your first game drive, where you can spot a variety of wildlife such as lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos. Return to the camp as the sun sets.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early breakfast, embark on a thrilling morning game drive in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, where you can spot a variety of wildlife such as lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos. Return to the camp mid-morning to relax and enjoy a delicious lunch.
Set off on another exciting game drive, exploring more areas of the reserve and witnessing the diverse flora and fauna, including giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, cheetahs, and hyenas. Visit the Masai Village to learn about the rich culture and traditions of the Maasai people. As the sun sets, return to your lodge, reflecting on the day's incredible experiences.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Leaving the Maasai Mara after breakfast travel across the 'breadbasket' of Kenya, where acres of wheat and barley litter the landscape as you head north to Narok, the district headquarters of this part of Maasailand. You will then travel across the vast plains on the floor of the Rift Valley, keeping an eye out for herds of giraffe and gazelle, arriving at your lodge around midday. Following lunch, depart for a game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, the national park, known for its birdlife, offers a possibility to view flamingoes. It is also home to Black and White rhinos as well as the endangered Rothschild Giraffe. Return to your lodge as the sun sets.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Following an early breakfast, continue to Lake Naivasha for a boat ride, enjoying the serene waters and abundant birdlife. Leaving the Rift Valley behind, proceed to Nairobi for an early lunch (or picnic lunch depending on road conditions). Afterward, continue south towards Amboseli, arriving at your camp by late afternoon.
Amboseli National Park, located at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, is famous for its breathtaking views and large herds of elephants. The park offers incredible wildlife sightings, including lions, cheetahs, giraffes, and zebras. Settle in and prepare for the adventures ahead in this iconic wildlife reserve.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, depart for a full day game drive in Amboseli National Park. As you traverse the park's diverse landscapes, including savannah grasslands, acacia woodlands, and marshes, you can expect to encounter a variety of wildlife. Keep an eye out for lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and buffaloes.
Enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the park's natural beauty, taking in the sights and sounds of the wildlife around you. Cntinue your game drive, exploring the park and capturing stunning photographs of the animals and landscapes. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon, giving you time to unwind.
Following breakfast, you may be able to catch your last views of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro as you depart Amboseli. From here turn north across the beautiful and seemingly never ending Athi Plains, arriving in Kenya's bustling capital city of Nairobi in the early afternoon. Once in the city, head to the airport to catch your flight to Zanzibar for a few nights alongside its golden beach. Upon arrival, transfer to your beach hotel.
After breakfast, enjoy your time at leisure to relax or explore the island at your own pace. Zanzibar, known for its stunning beaches and rich cultural heritage, offers a variety of experiences. You can unwind on the pristine sands, swim in the turquoise waters, or take a leisurely stroll along the shore.
Check-out at your hotel before transferring to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
Set on the soft white sands of Kiwengwa Beach, Bluebay Beach Resort & Spa offers a tranquil retreat on the east coast of Zanzibar. Surrounded by tropical gardens and shaded by swaying palm trees, this resort blends relaxed island living with a touch of Swahili elegance.
The resort’s rooms and suites are spacious and designed to reflect the warmth of the island, with handcrafted furniture, rich textiles, and private balconies or terraces overlooking the ocean or gardens. All accommodations include air conditioning, satellite TV, a minibar, a safe, and tea and coffee-making facilities to ensure comfort throughout your stay.
Dining at Bluebay is a vibrant experience, offering a mix of local Zanzibari flavours and international cuisine. Guests can enjoy laid-back beachside meals, fresh seafood, or elegant evening dining under the stars. The bars offer a variety of refreshing drinks, from tropical cocktails to rich Tanzanian coffee.
For relaxation, the spa provides a calm oasis with a range of treatments using natural products. There’s also a large swimming pool, a fully equipped fitness centre, and opportunities for water sports, such as snorkelling and diving, to explore the nearby reef. Families are welcomed with dedicated children's facilities, and entertainment includes cultural performances that reflect the spirit of Zanzibar.
Due to the surrounding area and the number of steps around the hotel, it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
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If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
Kenya visa requirements
To enter Kenya, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least two blank pages. You will require a tourist visa to enter Kenya, apply for an “eTA” online before you travel. The only legitimate website to apply for the eTA is www.etakenya.go.ke/en. The cost for the eTA is approximately £40 per person. The visa takes approximately 5 working days to issue and it is only valid for a 90 day single entry stay from the date of arrival. We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When calling the Travel Visa Company they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all information they will require in order to apply for the visa. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding these.
Tanzania/Zanzibar visa requirements
To enter Tanzania/Zanzibar, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least one blank page. You will require a tourist visa to enter Tanzania and apply for an “e-visa” online before you travel. The cost of the visa is approximately £80 per person. The visa takes approximately 15 working days to issue, and it is only valid for a 90-day single-entry stay from the date of arrival. Upon arrival, you will also be asked to complete a declaration form before going through customs. We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When calling the Travel Visa Company, they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all information they will require to apply for the visa. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy before departure for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding these.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with a good level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves climbing of steep stairs and getting on and off coaches, boats and 4x4 vehicles. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The currency in Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour in order to withdraw money in your local currency.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as tips, souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. We recommend you bring along a minimum of GBP £350-450 per person for these extras.
Tipping
It is at your discretion to tip your driver/guide, waiters, porters, and housekeepers. We recommend tipping approximately $2 per person per day for waiters, porters and housekeepers and $6 per person per day for your driver/guide. Tips are accepted U.S dollars ($).
There is no minimum number of passengers required to run this trip, as the safari portion is shared with other travellers, not exclusive to Mercury Holidays customers. If we are not able to operate your departure date for any other reason, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
For your safari portion, guests will be met by drivers who are fully trained as driver guides with a wide knowledge of each destination. For the beach portion of your holiday, you will not be escorted by a tour guide. Your time here will be free to do as you wish. Details of your departure transfer will be confirmed by your guide at the end of your safari or by a representative in the hotel.
Throughout your safari, you will travel in a 7-seater vehicle that is adapted for both open road driving as well as safaris. For your airport transfers, you will be in a taxi or minibus
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and dinner during your tour will be taken in local Kenyan restaurants or at the lodge/ hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.
Vegetarian and vegan meals can be catered for. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. Bottled water will be available at shops and hotels/lodges.
Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim Island and very conservative. Beach wear is acceptable at the beach or the pool, but modest dress is encouraged elsewhere. Woman – cover shoulders, midriff and legs to below the knees. Men – shorts are acceptable but working around shirtless is not. During Ramadan, both men and woman need to keep legs completely covered while in public. Due to the weather in Zanzibar, lightweight clothing is essential.
On arrival in Kenya, after collecting any hold luggage and passing through Customs, please make your way to the arrivals hall where you will be met by one of our local representatives from Pollman's Tours, holding a Mercury Holidays sign.
On your arrival in Tanzania, you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Sense of Africa, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Sense of Africa representative will show you to your transfer vehicle.
Kenya:
If there is a long wait at immigration or baggage collection, or if you are unable to find our local agent, please call our airport rep on 00254 753999009 they will advise accordingly.
For any assistance, general enquiries or emergencies during your stay, please contact 00254 753999009.
Tanzania:
If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:
Sense of Africa - Telephone Number 00254 20 760 6000
E-mail eur@senseofafrica.co.ke
Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details Sense of Africa
24 hours Telephone: 00254 710 524 086 Email Address: csr@senseofafrica.co.ke
