10 DAYS BEST OF KENYA

Day 1
Arrive Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. After clearing customs and immigration formalities, you are met and transferred to the historic Norfolk Hotel, located in the city center. Due to its prime location and popularity with safari-goers, the Norfolk is considered “safari central” in Nairobi.

Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, has grown since 1899 from a simple Uganda Railway construction camp named “enairobi”in Maasai language (meaning a place of cold water in reference to the cold waters of the Nairobi River) to the modern center for commercial, financial, manufacturing and tourist activity in East Africa. It replaced Mombasa as Kenya’s capital in 1907 and became a city in 1950. today, its population is well over 1.5 million. Both the Great North Road ( Cairo to Cape Town) and the Trans-African Highway ( Mombasa to Lagos) pass through Nairobi.

Overnight: Norfolk Hotel

Day 2
After breakfast and a special safari briefing, depart Nairobi in a 4 x 4 minibus  f itted with telescoping roof hatch for facilitated photography with your driver/guide. Drive north through the beautiful rolling hills and coffee plantations to the dramatic Aberdare Mountains and the Ark, the famous tree hotel. Throughout the night elephant, rhino, buffalo and other game come to the water hole. They are so close you can actually hear them breathe. Floodlights permit night game viewing. Please note: One overnight bag per person is allowed at The Ark. The balance of your luggage will be stored at the Aberdare Country Club and collected the next morning before departing for Sweetwaters.

Overnight: The Ark

Day 3 Depart The Ark after breakfast for Sweetwaters Tented Camp with its 80,000-acre private game park. After lunch take a game drive where you actually have a chance to pet and be photographed with a tame Rhino, Morani, currently under the protection of the Kenya Wildlife Services. You also have the wonderful opportunity to visit the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Sanctuary.

Overnight: Sweetwaters Tented Camp.

Day 4 After breakfast drive north into the semi-desert bush country of the northern frontier district, arriving at your lodge in time for lunch. Here you meet the nomads of the desert – the Samburu tribe. Late this afternoon is your first game drive in the reserve to view the wildlife unique to this area of Kenya.

Overnight: Samburu Serena Lodge.

Day 5 Today rise with the sun to experience an early morning game drive. You see the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, elephant, warthog, gerenuk, and, if you are lucky, the elusive leopard. Return to the lodge for late breakfast and relaxation. After lunch there is time to rest during the midday heat before the late afternoon game drive, which takes advantage of the animals’ increased activity level later in the day.

Overnight Samburu Serena Lodge

Day 6 Depart Samburu and drive to the equator for a short ceremony, then continue to the base of Mt. Kenya and the incomparable Mt. Kenya Safari Club, made famous by the conservation efforts of William Holden and Stephanie Powers. The balance of the day is at leisure to en joy the beautifully manicured grounds and gardens, lounge around the pool, go horseback riding, play tennis or visit the excellent endangered animal orphanage established by Stephanie Powers. This truly is one of the most beautiful places in Kenya. Please note: In the evening, smart casual dress is in order. Sportswear including tee shirts, shorts and tennis shoes are not acceptable. 

Overnight: Mt. Kenya Safari Club

Day 7 Morning flight from Nanyuki to Kenya’s, if not the worlds most famous game reserve – The Maasai Mara. This is the northernmost extension of the vast Serengeti Plains. The Mara covers an area of 645 square miles. During the annual migration periods, the Mara is home to almost 2.5 million herbivores together with smaller species – 1.4 million wildebeest, 550,000 gazelle, 200,000 zebra, 62,000 buffalo, 64,000 impala, 60,000 topi, 7,500 hartebeest, 7,100 giraffe, 3,000 eland and 4,000 elephant. There are also plenty of hippo, rhino and warthog. In addition there are the predators – lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dog and jackal – and many small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects. It is truly the greatest collection of animals in the world. Your accommodations are in what is known as the Mara Triangle, a unique allocation of territory in the middle of the Maasai Mara, granted by the Maasai tribe.  You have three days to explore this fabulous reserve starting with the late afternoon game drive. This evening en joy a Sundowner Cocktail Reception at a special location in the bush.

Overnight: Mara Serena Lodge

Day 8

Today there are two game drives, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon. All meals and overnight at the lodge.

Overnight: Mara Serena Lodge

Optional Hot Air Ballooning

Rise early this morning for your transfer to the take-off point for your hot air balloon flight over the Maasai Mara. This is an unforgettable experience as you have the wonderful opportunity to view the wildlife of the Maasai Mara from a bird’s eye perspective. After your one-hour flight, upon landing you are greeted with a champagne breakfast in the wild, surrounded only by the bleating , roaring cacophony of the Mara’s resident wildlife. Return to the lodge for lunch and a rest before your late afternoon game drive. Cost: US$ 385 per person.

Optional Lake Victoria Fishing Excursion

Today is your chance to catch one of the greatest game fish in the world – the giant Nile Perch. Morning departure by light aircraft from the Maasai Mara to the banks of Lake Victoria. Here, after a delicious breakfast underneath a giant fig tree, you embark on a specially outf itted fishing boat and try your luck. In addition to fishing, you can boat to the nearby islands where thousand of water birds can be seen, otters play along the shoreline and giant monitor lizards bask on the rocks. A visit to a local Luo fishing village is also possible. Return to your camp in the Maasai Mara this afternoon after a spectacular day. Cost: US$ 425 per person.

Day 9 Another day to savor the visual spectacle of the Maasai Mara. Your farewell Dinner is a moonlit Bush Dinner Ünder the Stars”

Overnight: Mara Serena Lodge

Day 10 After one final game drive, bid “Kwaheri”(farewell) to the Lodge staff and fly back to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport. Upon arrival you are met and transferred to the CARNIVORE RESTAURANT for lunch, and then to the Norfolk Hotel where dayrooms are reserved for your convenience. The balance of the day is free for last minute shopping. Evening transfer Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Day Room:  Norfolk Hotel

 END OF TOUR