11 Days Magical Kenya & Tanzania National Parks

Eleven days through six legendary parks — the kind of safari that founded the imagination of safari. From the Mara's golden plains to Amboseli's Kilimanjaro horizon, across the border to the Serengeti and down into the Ngorongoro caldera, this is the East African canon, end to end.

Day 1 — Pickup in Nairobi and out across the Rift Valley escarpment to the Maasai Mara — the floor of the world dropping away as you descend.

Day 2 — A full day in the Mara: lions on the Talek River, cheetahs walking the open grass, and in season the wildebeest gathered like a held breath above the Mara River crossing.

Day 3 — North to Lake Nakuru — flamingos in pink drift along the soda shore, white rhino in the acacia woodland, leopards in the yellow-barked fever trees.

Day 4 — Long drive south to Amboseli via Kimana Gate, the road levelling out into Maasai country.

Day 5 — Amboseli morning: elephants in single file beneath the white shoulder of Kilimanjaro — the photograph everyone has seen and no one tires of.

Day 6 — Cross at Namanga into Tanzania, overnighting in Arusha at the foot of Mount Meru.

Day 7 — Up over the Ngorongoro escarpment and on into the Serengeti, with game drives en route.

Day 8 — A full day on the Serengeti — the plains stretching past the curve of the earth, lions on every kopje.

Day 9 — Back across the Crater Highlands to Ngorongoro.

Day 10 — Down into the caldera at first light — black rhino, lion, hippo, flamingo, all inside one collapsed volcano. Afternoon transfer to Lake Manyara.

Day 11 — Short visit to a Nairobi giraffe centre and transfer to the airport.

Price: $4,200 per person sharing.