Day 1: Pick up from Nairobi Airport, Transfer to Meru National Park
Game Drive to Masai Mara Welcome to Nairobi, Kenya! Today, our professional English-speaking driver guide will pick you up from your hotel or Nairobi Airport. After a warm greeting, a scenic drive across the equator via the central Kenya highlands will take you to Meru National Park, a savanna park. Along the way, you could enjoy the plantations of tea and coffee and experience the climate changes from subtropical forests to semi-arid deserts. The whole journey takes around 6 hours. After arrival, our driver guide will help you check into the lodge and you could have a good rest. You will take an evening game drive in search of the wildlife, which will surely be an unforgettable experience. For Your Information: 1. Instead of the land transfer, we can also arrange a flight from Nairobi to Meru for you, which takes around one hour. If you're interested, please let us know, and we will provide you with the relevant quotation. 2. Visa Requirement: Although Kenya has exempted all countries from the visa requirement, an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is needed. We suggest you apply for an ETA 3-5 days in advance, costing around USD 34. 3. Currency & Tipping: The Kenyan Shilling (Ksh) is Kenya's official currency, while the US dollar (USD) issued after 2013 is also widely accepted. It is advised to exchange enough Ksh cash before departure or at the airport, as you can scarcely find an ATM or a bank in natural reserves. If you want to show appreciation to the driver or guide on a safari, tipping 1,300 Ksh (10 USD) per person per day is suggested. ★ Our Strengths:1. Excellent Vehicles: We will provide you with a 4×4 land cruiser with a pop-top roof during game drives. Compared to the minivan of other tour operators, it offers a chance for 360-degree viewing, more spacious and comfy seating, and has no peer to drive up steep inclines or over muddy roads. 2. Many tours only arrange for 1-2 days in Masai Mara, while we have scheduled 3 days, which can increase your chance of seeing the Great Migration. Meals: Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Ikweta Safari Camp - a luxury tented camp
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Day 2: Full Day in Meru National Park
Meru is an awesome park with various kinds of wildlife and stunning landscapes. It was famous for George Adamson's novel Born Free, later made into a film. Today, you will have a great chance to enjoy a game drive to look for the Big Five, including elephants, rhinos, buffalos, lions, leopards, and other Kenyan wildlife, such as reticulated giraffes, lesser kudus, gerenuks, and so on. The rivers in this park abound with hippos and crocodiles, which you could observe up close. In addition, it is a birdwatchers' heaven, where you can see Somali ostrich, Hartlaub’s bustard, etc. Safari Tips：1. There are many mosquitos in the savanna, so it is suggested that all travelers receive the vaccination to prevent yellow fever and prepare some malaria medicines. You can also bring mosquito repellent with you. If you are car sick, Dramamine is necessary as you will spend most of your time bumpily in the vehicle. 2. To reduce the animals’ vigilance, we suggest you wear clothes in colors such as earth yellow and dark green, which can help you better hide in nature. 3. Drones are banned in national reserves and national parks. A telephoto lens is enough for you to take clear and fantastic photographs. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Ikweta Safari Camp - a luxury tented camp Elephant in Kenya Game Drive in Kenya
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Day 3: Drive to Samburu National Reserve, Drop by a Farming Community En-route
This morning, our guide will drive you for 3 hours to Samburu National Reserve. If time permits, our guide may accompany you to visit a farming community on the way. Upon arrival at the reserve, check into the lodge and have a short break. In the late afternoon, you will enjoy a game drive to admire a vibrant savanna and look for the leisurely walking elephants, fast-running cheetahs, herds of antelope, or wildebeest. From November to April, rainfall brings abundant water to the river, and the bushes on both sides become lush, which turns Samburu into an oasis and attracts various migratory birds nesting here. Despite these migrant inhabitants, you can also discover over 460 kinds of resident birds, including grey-headed kingfishers, sunbirds, tawny eagles, and yellow-billed vultures.
Why Choose Kenya?
With a small land area, Kenya has a high density of animals, which means it is easier for you to trace wildlife, especially solitary animals such as rhinos and leopards. The condensed area also makes it shorter to transfer between national parks. Besides, Kenya provides you with the opportunity to admire animals less than 5 meters away as it allows vehicles to drive off-road, which is prohibited in other African countries.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ashnil Samburu Camp (4 stars)
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Day 4: Enjoy a Full-day Game Drive in Samburu National Reserve
All of your time today will be dedicated to exploring Samburu National Reserve. As one of the dreamlands for wildlife photographers, Samburu, with endless savannas, is famous for the African Special Five, including reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, Somali ostrich, beisa oryx, and gerenuk. In addition, people in Samburu regard elephants as the eudemon and respect them very much since they believe they have blood relations with these big guys. Our guide will accompany you to find these colorful creatures on the endless grassland, and you can also admire the snow-capped Mount Kenya from afar on sunny days. ► Note: For a full-day game drive, a lunch box will be provided for convenience, so please have a big breakfast at the lodge and pack some snacks ahead of time. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Ashnil Samburu Camp (4 stars)
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Day 5: Drive to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Afternoon Game Drive
If you want, our guide will escort you for a morning safari, offering an utterly different view of Samburu. After breakfast, we will drive for around 3 hours to OI Pejeta Conservancy. Not only is it famous for having “the world’s last northern white rhinoceros,” but it is also the only reserve where you can see chimpanzees in Kenya. These smart little things originally lived in Congo, Gabon, etc; some were orphaned or saved from harsh living conditions, and some suffered humans’ brutal abuse before arriving here. A British ethologist, Jenny Goodall, rescued them and created the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. The sanctuary is vast, and only 35 chimpanzees live here, so it takes some luck to meet them. Our experienced guide will lead you to the Ewaso Nyiro River, where these black creatures always roam and play, which will increase the chances for you to observe them.
Good to Know:
As a private wildlife reserve, OI Pejeta is a lesser-known destination, so it is relatively quiet, and you can admire animals at a close distance. Please be careful and try not to startle these timid chimpanzees, or they may be scared off or launch a poop attack.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Serena Sweetwaters Camp (4 stars)
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Day 6: Morning Game Drive in Ol Pejeta, Transfer to Aberdare
A morning game drive around the sanctuary will be arranged for you to continue to enjoy the peaceful natural scenery and feel the joy of the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. Then, we will drive via Mount Kenya for around 3 hours to Aberdare National Park, which is said to be one of the homes of God. Upon arrival, you will check into the Treetops Lodge we selected for you, where Elizabeth II - then Princess Elizabeth once stayed. It is said that her father, King George Ⅵ, passed away on the night of her arrival. She returned to the United Kingdom overnight and ascended to the throne of the realms, and the lodge became famous for this legendary story then. The lodge also allures visitors for its good location, situated right in front of a natural pond. You can see animals such as antelopes, zebras, and elephants drinking water from a short distance in your room. There is a bell that will ring in the room when animals go to the pond for water, and the number of rings indicates different species of animals. It can also be turned off at night during your sleep. After a short break, you will be guided to enjoy an afternoon game drive. Since the park is endowed with rich rainforests and open moorlands, many wildlife species exist, such as elephants, black rhinos, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, bushbuck, and baboons. In addition, more than 250 bird species live here, including partridges, sparrow hawks, goshawks, sunbirds, and plovers. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Treetops Lodge (5 stars)
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Day 7: Drive to Lake Nakuru, Enjoy an Afternoon Bird Watching Game Drive
After breakfast, we will drive to Thompson Falls, Kenya's second-largest waterfall. It is also the world's most famous equatorial waterfall and seems as monumental as a national border. Situated in a valley with lush bushes, it offers a panoramic scenery if you climb up to the top. Along the way up, you will find the biggest hippo pond in Kenya. ► Tip: It is better not to feed or shout at hippos. Although they are herbivorous and clumsy, these big things will be aggressive if enraged. Afterward, we will head to Lake Nakuru National Park, a bird-watching paradise. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge. In the afternoon, our guide will take you to enjoy a bird-watching game drive. Most tourists visit Nakuru to see flamingoes. However, with the environment changing, Lake Nakuru could not satisfy these pink birds’ needs anymore, so most of them migrated to Lake Bogoria. It may need some luck to see flamingoes, but other animals, such as lions, leopards, rare black and white rhinos, and the endangered Rothschild giraffes, are also worth discovering. ► Note: If you want to witness the spectacular scene of millions of flamingoes flying over the lake, Lake Bogoria is a better choice than Lake Nakuru. You can contact our travel consultant in advance to tailor your trip so we can better rearrange your itinerary. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Lodge - one of the best lodges in Lake Nakuru
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Day 8: Continue to Drive to Masai Mara National Reserve
Today, we will depart from Lake Nakuru and drive through the floor of the Rift Valley for around 5 hours to the world-famous game reserve, Masai Mara National Reserve. Upon arrival, you're suggested to have a good rest to restore energy for the following 2 days of exhilarating safaris in Masai Mara. If you’re energetic and eager to start your safari here, our guide will offer you a late afternoon game drive. ★ Witness the Monumental Great MigrationAfrican Savanna raises millions of wildlife, but as the dry season (July- September) comes, this “eco-restaurant” will lack food because of drought. Then herbivores, including wildebeests, zebras, and elephants, will cross the Mara River from Serengeti to Masai Mara to find new grassland following the grand procession that stretches more than 10 kilometers (6 miles). Every year, many migrators will be killed by crocodiles or other predators lurking on the way. For Your Information:The wildebeests crossing the river is the upsurge of the Great Migration, but it needs some luck to witness this thrilling scene because it depends a lot on the pace and time of the migration. However, you don’t need to feel upset because you can encounter other animals, such as cheetahs, lions, buffalos, and wild dogs, on the vast savanna. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Ashnil Mara Camp (4 stars)
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Day 9: Enjoy a Full-day Game Drive in Masai Mara
Today, we will take a full-day game drive through this beautiful savanna, home to the African Big Five and other wild animals, such as hyenas, yes, the scoundrels who work for Scar (the name of a lion) in The Lion King. They always hunt in pairs and are said to eat carrions as well. Sometimes, they even snatch prey from cheetahs, lions, or other predators.
Packed lunch boxes will be served around noon, and we will head back to the lodge for a wonderful dinner after the whole day safari.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ashnil Mara Camp (4 stars)
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Day 10: Another Full-day Game Drive in Masai Mara
The whole day will also be dedicated to game-viewing safari in Masai Mara. In addition to the famous Big Five and the Great Migration, our guide will also lead you to go bird-watching in some wetlands where ostriches, fish eagles, and flamingoes live. If you are interested in Masai culture, Masai villages are must-go places to learn their traditions and experience their daily life. Masai people usually wear Shukas made of red-checked cloth because they think red can scare beasts away. In addition, both men and women would stretch their earlobes and wear colorful earrings, as they believe that long earlobes symbolize wisdom.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ashnil Mara Camp (4 stars)
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Day 11: Leave for Lake Naivasha, An Excursion to the Hell's Gate
★ Enjoy a Boat Cruising to Crescent Island
In the morning, we will drive 5 hours to Lake Naivasha National Park, the only freshwater lake in Kenya. Its rich freshwater fish attract fish hawks to nest here. Our guide will escort you on a boat ride to Crescent Island, in the center of the lake, where you can capture amazing pictures of the cormorant fishing. In addition, you may encounter sleeping hippos in the lake.
Then, we will proceed to the Hell's Gate National Park, famous for its rugged rocks and ravines. The gorge in the park is the location of the filming scene in which Simba returns to Glory and fights Scar in The Lion King. Although the park’s name sounds horrible, there are no beasts but herbivores such as zebras, gazelles, impalas, giraffes, and antelopes inside, so it is the only national park in Kenya that allows tourists to hike. You can also rent a bike on your own, riding to admire the landscape, which costs around 20 USD per person. Afterward, we will return to the lodge for dinner.
Note: If there is not enough time to visit Hell's Gate National Park today, we will schedule the visit for tomorrow morning.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf Resort (4 stars)
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Day 12: Transfer to Amboseli National Park
Since Amboseli National Park is about 350 kilometers (217 miles) from Lake Naivasha National Park, we will spend around 6 hours on the long drive today. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge we selected for you. Located in central Amboseli National Park, it is very convenient to take a game drive. In addition, you can see monkeys jumping through the jungle surrounding the lodge from the window, and sometimes wild animals’ calls can be heard at night. When talking about the African savanna, what comes to your mind? Is the golden grassland or the dry acacia? Amboseli will bring an utterly different picture: snow-capped mountains, stretches of grassland, and verdant bushes. The melting snow on Mount Kilimanjaro provides this vast savanna with abundant water resources, forming lakes, wetlands, and swamps, which attract animals such as elephants, baboons, mongoose, and different species of gazelle. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge (4 stars)
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Day 13: Enjoy a Full-day Game Drive at Amboseli National Park
A full-day excursion at Amboseli National Park awaits you today. Being the biggest habitat of elephants in Kenya, Amboseli offers you a great chance to encounter these big guys.
★ Enjoy a Panoramic View of Amboseli & View Mt. Kilimanjaro
In addition to driving through the park to feel the charm of the wild, you will also be guided to ascend Observation Hill, the only place in the park you are allowed to get out of the car. At the highest point in the park, a panoramic view of Amboseli will come into your eyes when climbing up to the top along the steps. In addition, it is one of the best places to admire Mt. Kilimanjaro from a distance on sunny days.
Then, we will proceed to the Enkorongo Narok, a wetland home to black rhinos, hippos, buffalos, and wildebeests. To the north of the Observation Hill lies Kikoko Lake, where you can view groups of flamingos, snow-white geese, crown cranes, Egypt wild geese, etc.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge (4 stars)
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Day 14: Morning Game Drive, Transfer to Nairobi and Airport See-off
If time permits, you will enjoy the last morning safari in Amboseli. Afterward, we will drive for around 4 hours to Nairobi airport, and our guide will see you off for your homebound flight. Your 2 weeks Kenya holiday packages will draw to an end here.
Want to continue to observe the animal kingdom? Then, Tanzania is really worth visiting. The bordering Serengeti National Park is ten times bigger than Masai Mara, but there are fewer visitors, so you will have more chances to admire animals quietly at a short distance. Please feel free to contact our consultants if you want to get more detailed information. We are delighted to serve you.
Meal: Breakfast
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