Kenya & Tanzania Overland Safari & Camping — Self-Launched
10 days · Kenya & Tanzania
G Adventures charges £1,440
No-markup version: ~£1,120 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the classic Nairobi-to-Zanzibar overland safari. Start in Nairobi's cafe-and-nightlife buzz, then head south into Tanzania for camping safaris through the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater — staying in public campsites inside the parks so wildlife wanders past your tent. Finish with a ferry hop to Zanzibar for beach bandas and Stone Town's spice-scented lanes. Everything here is bookable independently: public shuttle buses, shared 4x4 safari vehicles with local operators, the Dar–Zanzibar ferry, and basic hotels/hostels plus full-service camping. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Nairobi
Nairobi, Kenya
Land at Jomo Kenyatta International and take an airport shuttle or Bolt/Uber into the city centre or Westlands (~£8-12). Check into a budget hotel or hostel dorm. Spend the afternoon acclimatising: grab a proper Kenyan coffee at a Nairobi Roasters-style cafe, wander the city centre, and eat nyama choma or an Indian-African curry at a local spot. Optional: National Museum (home to the Leakey family's prehistoric finds) if you have time. Meet any fellow travellers over a cheap dinner.
🚌Airport shuttle or ride-hailing app (~£10)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel dorm, Nairobi (single or twin-share, ~£20)
- →Airport transfer to city
- →Nairobi cafe and street-food crawl
- →Optional: National Museum
Nairobi free day — markets & day trip
Nairobi, Kenya
A full free day to explore before you head south. Hit the Maasai Market for crafts, visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage (book ahead online, ~£15) and the Giraffe Centre (~£10), or day-trip to Nairobi National Park for a first taste of game viewing without leaving the city. In the evening enjoy Nairobi's nightlife in Westlands or Kilimani. Sort your onward bus ticket for tomorrow.
🚌Local matatus or ride-hailing (~£6)
🛏Budget hotel/hostel dorm, Nairobi (~£20)
- →Sheldrick elephant orphanage (book online)
- →Giraffe Centre
- →Optional: Nairobi National Park half-day
- →Maasai Market shopping
Bus to Arusha & into the Serengeti
Arusha / Serengeti, Tanzania
Take an early public shuttle bus from Nairobi to Arusha (~5-6 hrs, ~£15-20; book via a local operator such as Riverside or Impala Shuttle). Cross the Namanga border and sort your Tanzania visa/e-visa before arrival. Continue west toward the Serengeti; if you're joining a camping safari, aim to overnight on the rim or at a gateway town (Mto wa Mbu/Karatu) so you enter the park at dawn. Settle into your first night of full-service camping.
🚌Public shuttle Nairobi–Arusha (~£18); shared 4x4 onward
🛏Full-service camping, Karatu/Serengeti gateway (~£15 incl. camp fee)
- →Border crossing at Namanga
- →Scenic drive through northern Tanzania
- →First night wild camping
Serengeti National Park safari
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Enter the Serengeti and spend the day on game drives in a shared 4x4 with a local driver-guide (~£150-180/day shared across the vehicle, covering park fees). Look for buffalo, elephant, lion, wildebeest, zebra and, if you're lucky, leopard and rhino. Camp inside the park among the acacia and listen to wildlife at night. Optional extra: hot-air balloon safari at dawn with a champagne bush breakfast (~£480-520, pre-book via your operator).
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle
🛏Full-service camping inside Serengeti NP (camp fees ~£30)
- →Full-day Serengeti game drive
- →Big Five spotting
- →Optional: Serengeti balloon safari
Ngorongoro Crater safari drive
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Early alarm and descend into the Ngorongoro Crater — the world's largest intact volcanic caldera and a wildlife theatre like nowhere else. Keep your camera ready for lions, elephants, black rhino and flamingo-lined soda lakes. Return to camp on the crater rim or in Karatu for the night. Park entry and crater descent fees are paid at the gate (~£55-70 per vehicle, shared).
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle
🛏Full-service camping, Ngorongoro rim/Karatu (~£20 incl. fees)
- →Sunrise descent into Ngorongoro Crater
- →Full game drive on the crater floor
- →Crater-rim camping
Drive to Dar es Salaam via Arusha
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Long travel day back through Arusha and south toward Dar es Salaam. Take a comfortable intercity bus (Kilimanjaro/Nordic-style coaches, ~£20-25) or an overnight option to save a night's accommodation. Bring snacks and entertainment — it's a big drive. Arrive in Dar in the evening and check into a cheap guesthouse or hostel near the ferry port if you're catching a morning boat.
🚌Intercity bus Arusha–Dar (~£22)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel, Dar es Salaam (~£15)
- →Intercity bus across Tanzania
- →Evening at Dar es Salaam waterfront
Ferry to Zanzibar — Stone Town
Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Catch the fast ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar (~2 hrs, ~£28-35, book with Azam or Kilimanjaro Ferries). Arrive in Stone Town and check into a budget hotel or guesthouse in the old quarter. Spend the afternoon getting lost in the UNESCO-listed alleys, then take a sunset dhow cruise (~£15) and eat at the Forodhani Gardens night market — fresh seafood skewers, Zanzibar pizza and sugarcane juice for a few pounds.
🚌Azam/Kilimanjaro ferry (~£30)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Stone Town (~£20)
- →Dar–Zanzibar ferry crossing
- →Stone Town heritage walk (self-guided)
- →Forodhani Gardens night market
- →Sunset dhow cruise
Stone Town history & spice tour
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Explore Stone Town's history: the old slave market and Anglican cathedral, the House of Wonders, and Darajani Market. Join a half-day spice farm tour (~£20-25, bookable via local guides or GetYourGuide) to see where cloves, vanilla and nutmeg come from. If you're short on beach time, transfer north to Nungwi or Kendwa for the evening.
🚌Local dala-dala or shared taxi (~£5)
🛏Budget guesthouse Stone Town or beach banda, Nungwi (~£20)
- →Spice farm tour
- →Old slave market & cathedral
- →Darajani Market wander
Zanzibar beach day
Nungwi / Kendwa, Zanzibar
A proper wind-down day on Zanzibar's northern beaches. Swim in clear turquoise water, snorkel or dive a nearby reef (~£25-35 for a snorkel trip from Nungwi), take a sunset dhow sail, or simply lie on the sand with a cold drink. Beach bandas are cheap and the vibe is slow. Optional: Kizimkazi dolphin tour or Jozani Forest monkey walk if you want to keep moving.
🚌Walking / local boat
🛏Beach banda, Nungwi/Kendwa (~£18)
- →Beach and swimming
- →Optional snorkel or dive trip
- →Sunset dhow sail
Depart Zanzibar
Zanzibar / Stone Town, Tanzania
Enjoy a final morning beach swim or last wander through Stone Town's shops, then transfer to Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport for your onward flight (depart no earlier than 14:30 if you need a buffer). If your flight leaves from Dar es Salaam instead, take the ferry back and allow extra transfer time. Costs are approximate and will vary with season, group size and exchange rate.
🚌Taxi or shared shuttle to Zanzibar airport (~£10)
🛏—
- →Morning beach time or Stone Town shopping
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,120 | £1,440 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £320 per person (22%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,120
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 Kenya & Tanzania Overland Safari & Camping — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,120 per person for 10 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,440 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,120 — a saving of roughly £320 (22%) per person.
How long is the Kenya & Tanzania trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 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 adventure, wildlife, budget 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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