DAY 1: TAMARIND TREE HOTEL, NAIROBI
Nairobi
Situated in along the Nairobi River in beautiful Kenya, the capital of Nairobi is East Africa’s most cosmopolitan city. It serves as an excellent starting point for African safari trips around Kenya. Nairobi is Africa’s 4th largest city and is a vibrant and exciting place, and although it has developed a reputation which keeps tourist visits brief, there are some fascinating attractions: its cafe culture, unbridled nightlife, the National Museum, the Karen Blixen Museum,Giraffe Centre and most notably just 20 minutes from the city centre wild lions and buffalo roam in the world’s only urban game reserve. Make sure you pay a visit to the Elephant orphanage operated by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Day Itinerary
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Aiport Nairobi, you will be met by AMA Safaris and transferred for overnight at Tamarind Tree Hotel on BB Basis.
Overnight: Tamarind Tree Hotel
Tamarind Tree Hotel is ideally located just 5km to the southwest of Nairobi within the spacious Carnivore grounds and it’s iconic Carnivore Restaurant. The hotel offers easy access to all parts of the city, it’s a national park, as well as to the country’s many diverse attractions via the neighbouring Wilson Airport and Southern Bypass. The nearby Langata and Karen suburbs are among the liveliest and most popular in Nairobi with world-class shopping malls and excellent restaurants. Tamarind Tree Hotel is perfect for both the business and leisure traveller. The hotel’s world-class amenities will ensure your meetings are effortless and successful, whilst their outstanding leisure facilities and genuine service ensure that all guests experience the very best of Tamarind hospitality.
Basis
Bed and Breakfast
DAY 2: OL TUKAI LODGE, AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Amboseli National Park
Located in the southern reaches of Kenya, the Amboseli National Park is renowned for its excellent variety of wildlife such as Masaai giraffe, elephant, lion and cheetah and not surprisingly it is one of Kenya’s most popular parks. The landscape of Amboseli is dominated by the majestic snowcap of Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as open plains, acacia woodland, swamps and the massif of Ol Doinyo Orok. The birding is excellent, especially closer to the lakes and swamps. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to large herds of elephants among other wildlife species. Other attractions of the park include opportunities to meet the Maasai people and soak up spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
Day Itinerary
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning drive to Amboseli arriving in time for lunch at Ol Tukai Lodge. Afternoon game drive in Amboseli National Park. Dinner and overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge.
Overnight: Ol Tukai Lodge
Ol Tukai Lodge is one of the best spots in the world to watch elephants with the backdrop of Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Writers have described Ol Tukai and the surrounding Amboseli National Park as ‘a home for the gods’. A place of rugged beauty, abundant water, lush green grass and forest, set like an oasis in the surrounding savannah shrubland. To crown it all, this is where you get one of the world’s most awe-inspiring sights – dawn breaks and the sunsets over the 19,000-foot snow-capped dome of Africa’s highest mountain!
Basis
Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 3: OL TUKAI LODGE, AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Day Itinerary
Pre – breakfast morning game drive in the park, a great opportunity to explore the vast flora and fauna of this magnificent park.
Amboseli is an enormous volcanic plateau, almost totally eroded and dry, and is dominated by the majestic peaks of the eternally snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, with a height of almost 6000 metres above sea level, earning itself the name “The rooftop of Africa”.
Curiously, and somewhat due to the good filtration of the volcanic rocks, this arid landscape contains several marshes and swamps, whose waters attract an extensive assortement of wildlife: gazelles, impalas, gerenuks, zebras, wildebeest, buffalos and lions, among others, finding solace in this harsh country. However, the biggest attraction of the park is the elephants, ambling along in huge herds with the incomparable Mt. Kilimanjaro as a backdrop.
After a rewarding game drive, return to your lodge for late morning breakfast. Later just relax till afternoon game drive or visit the nearby Masai village as an optional excursion.
All meals and overnight at Ol Tukai Lodge.
Basis
Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 4: LAKE NAIVASHA SOPA RESORT, LAKE NAIVASHA
Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha is the highest of the Great Rift Valley Lakes and despite having no outlet, it is one of only two Rift Valley freshwater lakes. This beautiful lake is fringed by papyrus and acacia trees, a unique geologic landscape and supports a vast array of over 450 bird species. It serves as the main drinking hole for wildlife in the area such as zebra, eland, hippo, waterbuck, buffalo and much more. Visitors can look forward to excellent game viewing, intriguing night safaris, and boat excursions around the lake as well as to Crescent Island for spectacular bird watching opportunities. Other popular activities include: guided nature walks, horse riding, village visits and tours to neighbouring national parks.
Day Itinerary
After breakfast, drive to Naivasha via Nairobi for a lunch stop at Eka Hotel. Proceed to Naivasha for dinner and overnight at Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge.
Excursions possible from Naivasha include visits to Hell’s Gate National Park, have a boat ride on Lake Naivasha and visit the Crescent Island, a curious peninsula /archipelago, depending on the lakes’ water level, which is filled with different species of herd animals and one is able to freely walk around the island. Also a visit to Elsamere, former home of Joy Adamson and a little further past Elsamere, the emerald green Crater Lake. This is one of the best places in the area to see Black and White Colobus monkeys and there is also fantastic swimming.
Overnight: Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort
Naivasha is a Masai name given to the area, denoting the characteristics of the lake. 21 cottages are built in a crescent shape, and each has four rooms, totaling 80 standard rooms and two suites. Two of these rooms are suitable for the physically challenged. Six of the 21 cottages have interconnecting rooms on the ground floor.
Rock gardens feature vibrantly coloured flowers, which give a beautiful contrast to the greenery of the well-manicured lawns. Monkeys play on the lawns and different species of birds chip in the trees. Pathways wind between the open lawns and frangipanis, with aloes and proteas growing in abundance. The acacia trees are plentiful in this area and provide welcome shade. The stone exterior walls of the cottages are carried into the rooms. Ground-floor rooms have two queen-size beds and a sunken living room at the front, which opens out on to the beautifully manicured lawns.
Basis
Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 5: SAROVA MARA GAME CAMP, MASAI MARA
Masai Mara
The Masai Mara together with Tanzania’s Serengeti form Africa’s most famous wildlife park, the Masai Mara National Reserve. The image of acacia trees dotting endless grass plains epitomises Africa for many, then add a Maasai warrior and some cattle to the picture and the conversation need go no further. The undeniable highlight of the Masai Mara National Reserve is undoubtedly the annual wildebeest migration traversing the vast plains of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. It is known as the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet – with more than a million animals following the rains. Large prides of lions, elephants, giraffes, gazelles and eland can also be spotted in the reserve. Aside from horse riding safaris and traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Mara plains has become almost essential.
Day Itinerary
Breakfast at the lodge. Morning drive to Masai Mara National Reserve arriving in time for lunch at Sarova Mara Game Camp. Afternoon game drive in Reserve. Dinner and overnight at Sarova Mara Game Camp.
Overnight: Sarova Mara Game Camp
Nothing quite captures the true spirit of East Africa like a safari in Kenya’s richest game reserve, the Maasai Mara. Sarova Mara Game Camp offers front seats to nature’s most breathtaking show – the wildebeest migration. The endless plains of East Africa are the setting for the world’s greatest wildlife spectacle where, from the vast Serengeti plains to the champagne coloured hills of Kenya’s Maasai Mara, over 1.4 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra and gazelle, relentlessly tracked by Africa’s great predators, migrate in a clockwise fashion over 1,800 miles each year in search of rain ripened grass.
Sarova Mara Game Camp is well positioned to enjoy this unique phenomenon. The rolling plains around the Camp are teeming with wildebeest, gazelles and zebras during the migration months, and the Camp is situated right in the center of their migration path. A wildlife safari puts you right in the middle of all this action. Get a first-hand account of this epic phenomenon and live to tell the tale. A safari also helps you acquaint yourself with the landscapes of this beautiful African setting.
Sarova Mara Game Camp is also the ideal choice for those seeking a richer experience of the Maasai Mara that goes much beyond just game drives. By virtue of its location and layout, the Camp offers an unparalleled plethora of activities and experiences from luxury tented living to bird-watching, mini golf, sport fishing and a unique insight into the Maasai culture at the adjoining Maasai village.
Basis
Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 6: SAROVA MARA GAME CAMP, MASAI MARA
Day Itinerary
The early morning calm air of the Maasai Mara has made possible the introduction of Hot Air Balloon flights, available as an optional tour of a hot air balloon ride to see the park from a bird’s eye view, from leading lodges and camps in the reserve. (Please reserve early to avoid disappointment for this adventure!). Pre-breakfast morning game drive in the reserve, a great opportunity to explore the vast flora and fauna of this magnificent reserve. After a rewarding game drive, return to your lodge for late morning breakfast. Lunch and late afternoon game viewing drive.
OPTION:
A full day game drive with picnic lunch boxes (full day game drive including visits to Mara River, Kenya Tanzania Border Post and a great chance to view the “Big Five”. You will have picnic lunch at Hippo Pool or under umbrella acacia tree on the African savannah. Return to your lodge late in the afternoon). Later just relax or visit the nearby Maasai village as an optional excursion.
All meals and overnight at Sarova Mara Game Camp.
Basis
Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 7: SAROVA MARA GAME CAMP, MASAI MARA
Day Itinerary
During the first hours of the morning, the savannah is filled with a special animation. This is when the larger predators hunt for their food, before the temperature becomes too hot for any excessive physical activity.
This is the time we have the highest chances of watching a hunt in action (also likely in the early evening). The colours of the landscape are also more accentuated, and help us to take great photographs.
Morning and afternoon game drives in the Mara.
All meals and overnight at Sarova Mara Game Camp.
Basis
Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
DAY 8: END OF ITINERARY
Day Itinerary
This morning, we leave behind the legendary African savannah, seen so many times in films and documentaries; the endless extensions of grassland gives way to bush land, and slowly, to the rich green vegetation around Nairobi. Lunch at Carnivore restaurant.
Later on transfer to International Airport for your departure flight back home. End of Service.
Basis
Breakfast
