Delve Deep: Kenya & Tanzania (Safari)

After brekkie, we’re kick-starting the adventure by travelling across the mesmerising Great Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara National Reserve – Kenya’s best-known game park. Looking for the real Africa? This is it. Before the day’s done, we’ll get our first taste of the great Kenyan outdoors on a game drive. Hold up – is that a leopard?

You wanted to delve deeper – so here’s a full day to soak up the Mara’s rolling grasslands and broad horizons. Oh, and the Big Five? They’re here too. Goosebumps at the ready. There’s even time to visit a local Maasai village, if you’re keen. Prep your peepers for an explosion of colour, ‘cos the shukas (blankets) and jewellery that the locals make are seriously bright and beautiful. While you’re here, you may get the chance to watch a traditional dance performance – and if you’re really lucky, you might be invited to join in... Tonight, we’ll tuck into another dinner under the stars. This is livin’.

Fill up at breakfast – today we’re leaving the incredible natural wonderland of the Maasai Mara behind as we hit the road to Lake Victoria – the third biggest lake in the world. Some stats: this place is 400,000 years old (but doesn’t look a day over 399,000), and spans three countries and 2,000 miles of coastline. It’s literally immense. When we rock up at our hotel, settle in for another group dinner. And tomorrow? Lakeside adventures await...

Today = a whole free day to dive into legendary Lake Victoria (not literally – the resident hippos and crocs don't need Deliveroo). Want inspo? Your in-the-know Trip Leader’s got it covered, obvs. Opt for a boat trip for more fun facts and incred views. Check out a traditional village with a local guide. Or kick back at Matvilla Beach and watch the sky turn 50 shades of pink as the lake swallows the sun. Moments you’ll never forget? Big. Fat. Tick.

Ready to head into the iconic Serengeti National Park? With a name like ‘the place where the land moves on forever’, you know it’s going to be epic. Wear your khaki greens, ‘cos we’re going all-out safari mode – keep an eye out for lions and hyenas on the drive. Tonight, tuck into dinner with the gang under a star-studded night sky. This is what you came for.

Move out the way, Big Five. It’s time to hype up the small guys – we’re talking Africa’s ‘Little Five’: the elephant shrew, buffalo weaver, leopard tortoise, antlion and rhino beetle. Today you’ve got the chance to spot them (and the big dudes too) as we explore the Serengeti plains on another out-of-this-world game drive. And tonight? It’s our last eve camping in wildlife-paradise, so switch off Spotify and tune in to the local wildlife. Did you know a lion’s roar can be heard up to 8 km away? Beat that, Katy Perry.

Ever wondered what the Garden of Eden looked like? Our destination today comes pretty darn close. Get the local lowdown with a 4x4 game drive inside the Ngorongoro Crater. Boasting its own unique ecosystem, we’ll pass riverine forests, wide-open plains and alkaline lakes on our search for the Big Five (who tend to be less shy here than in other wildlife reserves, FYI). You’ll be dreaming of zebras, cheetahs and rhinos after hitting the hay in Karatu tonight.

No lies – today is a bit of a drive day. BUT it’s a chance to catch up on some zzzs, text the ‘rents (you’ll be too busy later) and compare safari pics with your trip mates. Who’s got the AUX cord? We might get lucky and spot the snow-capped peak of Mt Kilimanjaro on the way – but no promises. Overlanding like Attenborough builds up the appetite, so fuel up at dinner this evening.

Hear that? It’s tropical paradise calling our name. We’ll roll south to the bustling seaport city of Dar es Salaam this afternoon – where a full evening of relaxing in the balmy ocean breeze awaits. Our accomm is right on the beach, so you’ll have heaps of time to cool off in the crystal-clear waters or verse your trip mates at a not-so-friendly game of beach volleyball. After dinner tonight, get the fam together and pull up a pew at the Kipepeo Beach Bar for ice-cold cocktails and yet ANOTHER spine-tingling sunset. Bliss.

Wave goodbye to our trusty overland truck – we’re getting the ferry over to palm-fringed paradise. Dump your stuff at the hotel and don your Birks. It’s time to explore. If you want a local insight, opt for a guided city tour and wander around the Old Fort, mosques, palaces, bazaars and winding alleyways of this UNESCO Heritage–listed city. Can you smell that? That’ll be the spices. Head out on an optional spice tour to learn more about the fragrant vanilla, cinnamon, pepper, ginger and nutmeg that are grown here. Or spend your free time doing your own spontaneous this-is-what-I-came-for thing. Tonight, dinner is up to you – but if you need some suggestions, your expert Trip Leader knows all the best local eats.

You’ve seen the Insta version of Zanzibar’s white sandy beaches and sparkling turquoise waters – now you’ve got two full days to experience it for yourself. Don’t waste a second. After a short drive to the northern beaches, we’ll get stuck into some of the best optional extras. Ready to find Nemo? Explore some of the top snorkelling spots in the area. We’re talking over 500 marine species, including the odd turtle or dolphin (if you’re lucky). Or head off coast to check out the giant sea tortoises on Prison Island. There’s even a dhow cruise (think: traditional wooden boat) with your name on it, if you want. When in Zanzibar, right?

Another day, another bunch of sun-soaked, wildlife-filled optional activities. Try your hand at scuba diving. Or explore the Jozani Forest with a local guide, keeping your eye out for resident Skyes’ monkeys, bush pigs, tree hyraxes and red colobus monkeys. Rather do your own thing? No worries. There are plenty of shady coconut palms to settle under, good book in hand. Or hunt down a local haunt for some fresh AF seafood. Tonight is our last included dinner with the gang (no crying). We’ll be sure to give this incredible adventure the send-off it deserves.

Big Five. Big lake. Big experiences. Big dreams = made. We’ll say our goodbyes after brekkie – time to swap socials and get planning that reunion trip. But who says the fun has to stop here? You know we’ve got Delve Deep adventures in South Africa, right...?