AFCON 9-Day Safari: The Complete Tanzania and Kenya Experience 2027

This nine-day safari combines AFCON 2027 football with wildlife viewing in Tanzania and Kenya. It is designed for travellers who want to attend a tournament match and use the same trip to explore some of East Africa’s best-known safari destinations.

The itinerary includes time in Nairobi for the football experience, followed by a safari through northern Tanzania and a visit to Kenya’s Amboseli National Park. The route offers a mix of football, wildlife, changing landscapes and time to relax at safari lodges.

The programme is planned around the AFCON period, scheduled for 19 June to 17 July 2027. Match dates, teams and stadiums must be confirmed against the official fixture list before flights and accommodation are finalised.

Duration: 9 days / 8 nights Countries: Kenya and Tanzania Main experiences: AFCON match, Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Amboseli National Park Transport: Private safari vehicle, road transfers and a regional flight where suitable Pace: Moderate, with several long road transfers

Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi, Kenya

The rest of the day is reserved for settling in after your journey. Depending on your arrival time, you can explore the surrounding area, enjoy a meal at the hotel or simply rest before the tournament activities begin.

Your representative can review the next day’s arrangements, including the match venue, transport departure time and ticket requirements.

Overnight: Nairobi.

Meals: Depending on your arrival time and hotel package.

Day 2: AFCON 2027 match day in Nairobi

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxed morning before heading to the stadium for your selected AFCON match. The departure time will depend on the confirmed kick-off time and the stadium hosting the game.

Allow enough time for Nairobi traffic, security checks and entry procedures. You can enjoy the atmosphere around the stadium and join supporters travelling from different parts of Africa to watch the tournament.

The exact match, teams and venue will depend on the official AFCON fixture list. No specific fixture is assumed in this itinerary.

After the game, return to your hotel. If the match finishes late, keep the evening free so you can rest before the early flight to Tanzania the following day.

Overnight: Nairobi.

Meals: Breakfast.

Important: AFCON tickets are subject to availability and should be confirmed separately unless explicitly included in your package.

Day 3: Fly to Tanzania and explore Tarangire National Park

After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro International Airport. On arrival in Tanzania, meet your safari guide and begin the road journey towards Tarangire National Park.

The drive takes several hours, so an early flight is important if you want to reach the park in time for an afternoon game drive.

Tarangire is known for its elephants, baobab trees and wildlife that gathers around the Tarangire River, particularly during the dry season. During the afternoon, your guide will look for elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and other animals along suitable park routes.

The game drive will depend on your arrival time and park access arrangements. If your flight is delayed, the safari may need to be shortened.

Later in the afternoon, continue to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and rest.

Overnight: Tarangire area.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, according to the selected package.

Day 4: Full-day safari in Tarangire National Park

Start the day with an early breakfast before entering Tarangire National Park for a full-day game drive.

With more time available today, your guide can explore different areas of the park rather than concentrating on the main routes near the entrance. Tarangire’s landscape includes open grassland, woodland, river valleys and scattered baobab trees.

You may see elephants moving in family groups, giraffes feeding on trees, zebras grazing and antelope crossing the plains. Lions and other predators are also present, although sightings depend on their movements and cannot be guaranteed.

A picnic lunch will be served at a designated site inside the park. After lunch, continue the game drive before returning to your accommodation later in the afternoon.

The evening is free to relax, enjoy dinner and prepare for the journey towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Overnight: Tarangire area.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.

Day 5: Tarangire to Ngorongoro and the Karatu highlands

After breakfast, leave Tarangire and travel towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The journey takes you through changing landscapes, from dry woodland and open countryside to cooler highland areas.

Depending on your lodge location and road conditions, the transfer will take several hours. You can make suitable stops along the way, with time for lunch before continuing to your accommodation near Karatu or the Ngorongoro highlands.

If time permits and the arrangements are confirmed, you may visit the Ngorongoro Crater viewpoint to see the vast volcanic caldera from above. A visit to the crater floor is not included today because it requires additional time and a separate game-drive arrangement.

Spend the evening at your lodge, where you can relax before an early start the next morning.

Overnight: Karatu or the Ngorongoro highlands.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, according to the selected package.

Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater safari and transfer to Serengeti National Park

Leave early after breakfast and descend into Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive. The crater floor supports a wide range of wildlife, and the different habitats provide opportunities to see several species during a single visit.

Your guide will look for zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, gazelles and other animals. Lions are regularly found in the wider crater ecosystem, while sightings of black rhinos are possible but never guaranteed.

A picnic lunch will be arranged during the excursion. After the game drive, leave the crater and continue towards Serengeti National Park.

The drive to the Serengeti takes several hours, depending on the route, wildlife stops and your final accommodation location. You may see wildlife along the way, but the main priority is reaching the camp safely before the day ends.

Arrive at your lodge or tented camp, check in and enjoy dinner.

Overnight: Serengeti National Park.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.

Day 7: Full-day game drive in Serengeti National Park

Today is dedicated to exploring Serengeti National Park. After an early breakfast, set out with your guide for a full day of wildlife viewing.

The Serengeti is known for its large grasslands, resident predators and the annual movement of wildebeest and zebra across the ecosystem. Depending on the season, you may see large herds, lions resting in the grass, cheetahs in open areas, giraffes, elephants and many bird species.

The location of the wildlife changes throughout the year. Your guide will plan the game drive around the area where you are staying, recent sightings and road conditions.

During the day, stop for a picnic lunch at an approved site. Continue exploring the plains in the afternoon before returning to camp.

This is your main opportunity to enjoy an unhurried safari day in the Serengeti without needing to pack up and move to another park.

Overnight: Serengeti National Park.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.

Day 8: Morning safari and flight to Arusha

Enjoy an early breakfast before a short morning game drive, subject to your flight departure time. The early hours offer another chance to look for wildlife and enjoy the quieter parts of the park.

After the drive, transfer to the appropriate Serengeti airstrip for your scheduled light-aircraft flight to Arusha. The departure airstrip and flight time will depend on your camp location and the airline’s schedule.

Flying out of the Serengeti avoids a long road journey back to Arusha and gives you more time to enjoy the park. However, scheduled flights may stop at other airstrips before reaching their destination.

On arrival in Arusha, transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free for rest, shopping or a relaxed dinner.

Overnight: Arusha.

Meals: Breakfast and other meals according to the confirmed package.

Luggage note: Many safari aircraft have strict baggage limits, often around 15 kg per person including hand luggage. Confirm the exact allowance with the airline and use soft-sided bags.

Day 9: Departure from Tanzania

After breakfast, transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward flight.

The transfer time depends on your hotel location and traffic conditions. Choose a flight that allows enough time for the road journey and airport check-in.

If your international flight departs from Nairobi rather than Tanzania, you will need a separate confirmed connection to Kenya. Do not assume that a same-day transfer between Arusha and Nairobi will fit every flight schedule.

This marks the end of your nine-day AFCON and East African safari experience.

Meals: Breakfast.

Departure airport: Kilimanjaro International Airport, Tanzania, unless otherwise arranged.

AFCON 9-Day Safari Package inclusions

• Eight nights of accommodation in Kenya and Tanzania.

• Airport transfers as specified in the itinerary.

• Scheduled flight from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro, if included in the final package.

• Scheduled light-aircraft flight from the Serengeti to Arusha, subject to availability.

• Private 4×4 safari vehicle and professional English-speaking guide in Tanzania.

• Tarangire National Park entry fees and scheduled game drives.

• Ngorongoro Conservation Area and crater visit fees.

• Serengeti National Park entry fees and scheduled game drives.

• Meals as stated in the selected accommodation package.

AFCON 9-Day Safari Package exclusions

• International flights to Kenya and from Tanzania.

• AFCON match tickets unless specifically included.

• Visas and applicable entry requirements.

• Travel insurance.

• Tips, drinks and personal expenses.

• Optional activities not listed in the itinerary.

• Extra accommodation or transport caused by flight changes.

• Any additional costs arising from changes to the final match schedule.

AFCON 9-Day Safari Important information for AFCON 2027

AFCON 2027 is scheduled for 19 June to 17 July 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as co-hosts. Confirm the official fixture list, stadium locations and ticketing arrangements before booking the trip.

This itinerary places the football experience in Nairobi and the safari in northern Tanzania. It does not include Amboseli National Park, because adding southern Kenya to the Tarangire–Ngorongoro–Serengeti route would involve additional border transfers and make the nine-day programme considerably tighter.

For the smoothest arrangements, book the AFCON match and international flights first, then confirm the internal flight and safari accommodation. June and July can be busy travel months, so early planning is advisable.

This nine-day itinerary offers a practical way to combine AFCON football with a proper Tanzania safari. It provides time for a match in Kenya, a full day in Tarangire, a crater excursion and two nights in the Serengeti before returning to Arusha for departure.

For more information contact https://summerwinteradventures.com/