8-Day Samburu / Nakuru / Maasai Mara / Naivasha / Amboseli

This is the classic Kenyan safari offering you 2 nights at Samburu National Park with game viewing opportunities, a chance to experience the fabulous flamingos of the lovely Rift Valley Lake Nakuru, the world famous Maasai Mara Reserve, Lake Naivasha which is a beautiful freshwater lake, fringed by thick papyrus and crown your safari with Amboseli national park with its majestic backdrop of Mt Kilimanjaro promising postcard perfect photos.

• You’ll be collected from the airport (or hotel).
• Accommodation before the tour departs can be arranged for an extra cost.

1

Day 1: Nairobi / Samburu Game Reserve

Drive north to Samburu on the south bank of the Uaso Nyiro River, downriver from Archer’s Post to arrive at the Lodge for lunch and afternoon game drive. North of the Equator some of the animals and vegetation are a little different from those commonly found south. Elephant, black rhino, lion, buffalo and cheetah and the usual buck and antelopes are common to both north and south of the equator. However unfamiliar animals are the Gravy’s zebra, the reticulated giraffe and the Somali ostrich. There is also the long neck gerenuk, Beisa Oryx, and hunting dog. Crocodiles in the river can be seen from the lodge/tented camp. The vegetation is usually dry grass with a few swampy patches. There is some forest cover along the Uaso Nyiro River and an abundance of doum palms. All meals, Lunch, Dinner and Overnight at the Lodge.

Main Destination: Samburu Game Reserve
Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge 
Standard Lodge located Just Outside Samburu National Reserve 
Meals & Drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

After breakfast, another day in this harshly beautiful terrain where wildlife abounds especially nears the river which is their only source of drinking water. The Uaso Nyiro River flows gently through the dry landscape sustaining life in this harsh land. Shaba National Reserve is where the famous conservationist George Adamson did his research on lions. In the Afternoon you will set out on another game drive and return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Main Destination: Samburu Game Reserve
Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge 
Standard Lodge located Just Outside Samburu National Reserve 
Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner (Drinks not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Main Destination: Lake Nakuru National Park
Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Lodge 
Standard Lodge  located Inside Lake Nakuru National Park
Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner (Drinks not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

After breakfast, drive to Maasai Mara game reserve to arrive in time for lunch at the lodge. Maasai Mara is “Kenya’s finest game reserve. Pass through the lower scenic Mau escarpment road into the Rift Valley to the 1792 square, a distance of 275-320kms via Narok town climbing the Hemingway’s wall “The Serengeti plains” this park actually forms the northern part of the Serengeti national park in Tanzania. Maasai Mara National Reserve to arrive in time for lunch. The afternoon is spent on a game drive in search of the black manned lions which the park is famous, Lion making a kill can be witnessed in the late afternoon or a leopard in a tree enjoying the meal he has dragged up to avoid disturbance and detection. This reserve has hilly savanna, rolling grasslands, gallery forest on the Mara River and its tributaries. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Main Destination: Maasai Mara Game Reserve
Accommodation: Maasai Mara Sopa Lodge 
Standard Lodge  located just outside Maasai Mara Game Reserve 
Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner (Drinks not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

After breakfast, full day of game viewing. Exploration this part of the Northern Serengeti Ecosystem where the great wildebeest migration takes place at the beginning of August. Months before the actual migration the herds ‘assemble’ in Serengeti in readiness for the crossing into Maasai Mara. The plain is literally covered with these animals. Grunts and other animal sounds are heard, and territorial fights are commonplace.
Africa has a long history of capturing the imagination of travelers, a continent of dramatic contrasts that gives you an unforgettable and remarkable experience whether it’s in an amazement of watching thousands of wild beasts struggling across a rushing river that is littered with crocodiles waiting for their prey, makes the world’s premier wildlife spectacle. Lion making a kill can be witnessed in the late afternoon or a leopard in a tree enjoying the meal he has dragged up to avoid disturbance and detection. All meals and Overnight at the Lodge.

Main Destination: Maasai Mara Game Reserve
Accommodation: Maasai Mara Sopa Lodge 
Standard Lodge  located just outside Maasai Mara Game Reserve 
Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner (Drinks not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

After breakfast, drive to Lake Naivasha, along the floor of the Rift valley, now with more familiar memories of the landscape; arrive for lunch at the lodge, afternoon proceed on your adventure to various attractive features and places in Lake Naivasha. Much of the lake is surrounded by forests of the yellow barked Acacia Xanthophlea, known as the yellow fever tree. These forests abound with bird life, and Naivasha is known as a world class birding. The waters of the lake draw a great range of game to these shores. Giraffes wander among the acacia, Buffalo wallow in the swamps and Colobus monkeys call from the treetops while the Lakes large hippo population sleeps the day out in the shallows. The region surrounding the Lake is well worth exploring.

Optional activities and excursions in Lake Naivasha
1 hour boat ride : USD 20. – Per person
2 hours walking safari on Crescent Island Sanctuary : USD 45 per person
Walking / biking safari at Hells gate national park : USD 45 per person.

Main Destination: Lake Naivasha 
Accommodation: Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort 
Standard Lodge  located along the Shores of Lake Naivasha 
Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner (Drinks not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

After breakfast, check out and drive to Amboseli National Park; the journey continuous south, passing through the Athi Plains where formerly the Burchell’s zebra, the Maasai giraffe and smaller herbivores roamed about freely. With human encroachment the wildlife is confined to game parks.
There is an advantage to this because one has to drive inside a park to be rewarded with the sight of many different species of animals. Amboseli National Park is reached late in the afternoon, for lunch; embark on an afternoon game viewing in the park at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft). In the late afternoon one is likely to see a lion or cheetah make a kill. Ideal photography opportunities with Mount Kilimanjaro highest mountain in Africa providing a beautiful back drop. Return to the camp for dinner and overnight.

Main Destination: Amboseli National Park
Accommodation: Amboseli Sopa Resort
Standard Lodge  located Just outside Amboseli national park 
Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner (Drinks not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Early morning game drive can be taken in Amboseli when Mt. Kilimanjaro appears from its mantle of clouds. Proceed to the area of Lake Amboseli, which is a wide salt pan, consisting of permanent swamps. This area has much game, large and small, high concentration of Elephant, rhino, buffalo, Burchell’s zebra, eland, Maasai giraffe and small species of the antelope family the common water buck, klipspringer, Grant’s gazelle, impala, topi, and the diminutive duiker among others. Amboseli offers some of the best opportunities to see African animals because its vegetation is sparse due to the long dry months.
Amboseli national park is home to wild animals, which include the African elephant, buffalo, impala, lion, cheetah, hyena, giraffes, zebra, and wildebeest among other African animals. There is also a host of Kenya birds, both large and small, to see if you keep your eyes open and stop at every sighting. Drive to Nairobi arriving at the airport in the late afternoon.

Main Destination: Nairobi 
Accommodation: No Accommodation Provided (End of Tour) 
Standard Lodge  located Just outside Amboseli National Park 
Meals & Drinks: Breakfast (Lunch, Dinner not included)
Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You’ll be dropped off at the airport (or hotel).