8 Days Kenya Safari

1

Day 1:Arrival/Samburu

Pick up from the airport or Nairobi Hotel and drive to Samburu.

You will enjoy beautiful sceneries enroute as you learn about the history and the culture of the local communities as well as their economic activities.
Enroute you will make a brief stop at the Karatina Market to witness the largest Open air Market in East and Central Africa.
Proceed on an make another stop at the Equator for a short demonstration of how crossing the Northern and the southern Hemisphere affects water flow.
You will continue with your drive and arrive at the Lodge/ Camp in time for lunch.
After lunch and early afternoon relaxing at the lodge/ camp, you will proceed for an afternoon game drive at the park.
About Samburu National Reserve.
The reserve is rich in wildlife with fame for abundance in rare northern specialist species such as the Grevy Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk and the Beisa Oryx (Also referred as Samburu Special). The reserve is also popular with a minimum of 900 elephants. Large predators such as the Lion, Leopard and Cheetah are an important attraction (Kamunyak the Miracle Lioness that adapted the baby Oryx is a resident in the reserve). Wild dog sightings are also a common attraction to this unique protected area. Birdlife is abundant with over 450 species recorded. Birds of the arid northern bush country are augmented by a number of riverine forest species. Lesser Kestrel and the Taita Falcon are species of global conservation concern and they both utilize the reserve. Five species categorized as vulnerable have recorded in the reserve. These are African Darter, Great Egret, White-headed Vulture, Martial Eagle and the Yellow-billed Ox-pecker. Critically endangered species under CITIES – Pancake tortoise (malacochersus tornieri) is found in the reserve.
Samburu came to international limelight in the early 2000’s when a lioness adopted two Oryx babies, each at different times, akin to the bibilical Garden of Eden. This made researchers from all over the world to camp at the reserve trying to understand this unusual predator’s behavior.
You will later return to the Lodge/ Camp for dinner and overnight.

2

Day 2: Samburu

This day you will; have a whole day in Samburu with an early morning game drive at the park and later return to the lodge for breakfast.
Rest of the day at leisure at the lodge/ camp
Later you will have more game drives in the evening at the park in search of the big five or the special five. And who knows you might as well be luck to witness a kill.

3

After a leisurely breakfast at the lodge/camp you will depart for Lake Nakuru National Park.
You will make a brief stop at the Thompson Falls

Thompsons falls helped found Nyahururu town and gave it its Colonial name. The falls stands at 74 meters high on Ewaso Narok river, a tributary of Ewaso Nyiro river, which drains from the Aberdare Mountains. It projects a very scenic water fall that has become a great attraction to tourists.
Proceed with your drive to Lake Nakuru.
The drive to Lake Nakuru gives the visitor an unrivalled experience widing through a series of lakes, forested uplands and unrivalled panorama of scenic views of the Great Rift Valley unfolds giving you an unmatched photographic opportunity.
The Great Rift Valley is a geographical and geological feature running north to south for around 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers), from northern Syria to central Mozambique in East Africa. Astronauts say it is the most significant physical detail on the planet that is visible from space. In Africa, the terrain ranges from salt flats more than 500 feet (152 meters) below sea level to towering, snow-capped mountains.
The Rift is known for its spectacular scenery and abundant, sometimes unique, wildlife. A series of some thirty lakes lies along its length; the three largest in Africa are known as the Great Lakes and include Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake in the world, and Lake Victoria, the second-largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world. Some of the oldest remains of ancestral humans have been found in in the African segment of the valley.
Arrive for loch at the Lodge/ Camp.
Later you will have an afternoon game drive at the park and bird viewing at the lake.
Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight.

4

After breakfast at the Lodge/Camp you will drive to Masai Mara
The world’s renowned park and the newest 7th wonder of the world. “The Masai Mara Game Reserve”The Mara game reserve is a must see and the highlights of a Kenyan Safari.
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
After many months of research. The wildebeest migrations have now been placed among the 7 new wonders of the world. Many visitors only want to see the river crossings but the true spectacle of the migration is 1,245,000 wildebeest, 200,000 Burchell’s zebra, 18,000 eland and 500,000 Thomson’s Gazelle filling the entire stretch of landscape. The shifting columns of the herds as they traverse the valleys and the hills can only be watched in awe. There is nothing else like this on earth. The migration is a phenomenon that started again in the early 1970s; after a widespread immunization campaign against rinderpest in cattle was there an unexpected disappearance of rinderpest among the buffalo and wildebeest. The wildebeest had, following periodic outbreaks, being kept to around 250,000 animals but following this campaign and an increase in dry season rainfall, the population was able to grow in number and the migration spill over into the Mara. While the migratory population of Serengeti wildebeest has increased, the resident Mara wildebeest have been in steady decline. The Mara population used to migrate from the Loita Plains to the Maasai Mara around the same time as the Serengeti population, but in recent years the herds are staying in the conservancies just outside the reserve as human activities such as agriculture have limited their migratory routes.
What exactly is the wildebeest migration?
The wildebeest migration is a dramatic story. It takes place within Kenya and Tanzania and is the greatest wildlife show on earth. Between the open plains of Serengeti and the Masai Mara, thousands and thousands of wildebeest and zebras migrate to greener pastures as seasons change and circle of life and death continues. Predators closely follow the wildebeest migrations waiting for an opportunity to strike weak prey as they make their way into different territories.. The most interesting part is when you watch them as they cross the Mara River. The first ones to jump into the river are trampled upon to death by the following multitude. The dead animals become a bridge over which all the other animals cross the river. The crocodiles feed on the remaining carcasses for months.

Majority of tourists literally camp in the Mara during this period with their flashy digital cameras. They will trail the migrations and even the members of the big 5 are no longer an interest at this time. When its time to cross over the river, the tourists will position themselves strategically along the Mara river, trying to get the best shot possible. Others will ride on the hot air balloon to watch the migrations from the skies. To show the implication of this phenomenal show, members of both local and international media also make their way to Mara if only to capture this hot news for interesting reading. It’s also a common feature in the world travel magazines. This is a spectacle that should be witnessed at least once in a lifetime.
NB- Even though the migrations are the highlights of the Mara tour, this only happens between the months of July to Oct. In Nov the migrations return to Serengeti in search of greener pastures. However, a visit to the Mara at any time of the year is never short of wildlife including the big 5 as well as other wildlife.
Arrive for lunch at the lodge/ Camp
Check in and early afternoon relaxing at the lodge/ Camp.
Evening game drive at the park in search of the big five as well as other wildlife found in the Mara eco-system.
Later return to the Lodge/ Camp for dinner and overnight.

5

Day 5: Masai Mara National Reserve

Whole day in the Mara with Morning, mid-morning and evening game drives.

In between the game drives you can take optional activities like Balloon ride and a visit to the Masai village to experience the culture of the locals.

Meals and overnight at the lodge.
This day you will also have an option of taking a Hot Air Balloon Ride to view the wildlife from an elevated position.
A balloon ride over the Mara could be one of the most memorable experience during your safari that you will carry for the longest time.
Viewing the Mara ecosystem from the skies is sure to be an experience to remember.
Optional balloon ride,

You will be picked early morning from your camp and driven to the balloon launching site
How it happens
You will ascend in early morning when the winds are calmest.
Watch as your professional crew fills the balloon with hot air. Slowly the big colorful bag begins to bulge and take shape. Now board the traditional wicker gondola basket while the expert pilot makes final adjustments. As the pink and red fireball of the sun rises in splendor over the plain, you are up and away –for the flight of a life time!
Your balloon can soar over the most inaccessible and undisturbed parts of the Mara, with only the intermittent whisper of the balloon’s gas burners punctuating the silence of your majestic flight .Because wind and conditions vary, every flight is a new and a different experience. From your vantage point about 50—500 feet above the reserve, you have a fantastic 360 degrees bird’s view as one of the most dramatic scenes in nature unfolds beneath you. From here, you will see the wonder of migrations, witness herds of antelope flowing like a school of fish across the plain, groups of elephants grazing undisturbed in a remote ravine, lioness stealthily stalking a herd of grunting wildebeest or zebras conferring in a confusion of black and white stripes and bark-like calls.
After your incredible flight, it is time to come back down to earth for breakfast. As you dig into a splendid breakfast of sizzling bacon, eggs, sausages, home-made breads, fresh tropical fruit and steaming cups of Kenyan tea under the clear blue sky, you might wonder what all the ordinary people are doing on this perfect African morning.
Before leaving, the pilot will present you with a balloon flight certificate. No flight of the imagination can match this air-borne experience and could be the most memorable event of your entire safari.
Meals and overnight at the lodge.

6

Day 6: Masai Mara

Another whole day in the Mara with full day game drive with packed lunch boxes in order to explore the deeper Mara.
Meals and overnight at the Lodge/ Camp.

[/timeline]

7

Day 7: Maasai Mara/Lake Naivasha

After breakfast at the Lodge/camp you will drive to Lake Naivasha, arrive for lunch at the lodge/ Camp.
Later proceed to the Hell’s gate National Park for an afternoon game drive.
Have lunch and then drive straight to the Hell’s Gate National Park for game drive
Arrival at Hells gate National park and proceed on with game viewing in this unique National park – you will also have a chance to come out of your vehicles and walk down the gorge to the hot springs and walk back up the gorge.

HELL’S GATE NATIONAL PARK:

The park is famous for its hot natural geysers, spectacular looming cliffs and the “Hells Gate Gorge”. Visitors here may also camp at designated camp sites. Activities in this park also include rock climbing, bird and game viewing.
You can do biking as an option

Optional Boat Ride:
Enjoy a boat trip on Lake Naivasha with our popular and well versed Captain; Locally-born, the captain has a detailed knowledge of the bird life and wildlife in and around the lake.
The views from the lake are superb – the dormant yet smoking Mount Longonot volcano, the Aberdare, Mau ranges and a peek into Hell’s Gate.

Thereafter you will be transferred to your Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Traditional dancers display their talent during dinner time.

[/timeline]

8

Day 8: Lake Naivasha/ Nairobi

After breakfast drive back to Nairobi and take optional activities like
Optional Activities include;

1. Nairobi National Museum.

The Museum aims to interpret Kenya’s rich heritage and offers a one stop for visitors to sample the country’s rich heritage both for education and leisure. In addition to the museum, visitors are treated to a variety of shopping and dining facilities, as well as botanical gardens that offer a serene environment.
Next to the Museum there is also a snake park.

2. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Born from one family’s passion for Kenya and its wilderness, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is today the most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world and one of the pioneering conservation organisations for wildlife and habitat protection in East Africa.
Founded in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick D.B.E, in honour of the memory of her late husband, famous naturalist and founding Warden of Tsavo East National Park, David Leslie William Sheldrick MBE, the DSWT claims a rich and deeply rooted family history in wildlife and conservation.

You will participate in the feeding and playing with the orphaned elephants.

3. Bomas of Kenya .

Bomas of Kenya is a cultural tour of Kenya’s major ethnic groups, such as Mijikenda, Luo, Taita, Embu, Maasai, Kikuyu, Kamba, Kalenjin, Luhya, Kisii, Kuria to name just a few of the native peoples that are represented at the venue. The word “boma” means “homestead”, and here you find replicates of traditional villages that provide interesting insight about each tribe’s societal structure, crafts, music, dancing and much more. The site was founded in 1971 by the Kenya Tourist Development Corporation to preserve the ancient traditions of the Kenyan people by building local and international awareness and advocacy. The bomas are built using the same techniques that are used by local tribes, so the experience is truly authentic, much as you would find in the remote communities of Kenya. The site is also home to an impressive auditorium, one of largest in Africa that seats 3,500 people to watch the internationally recognized Harambe dancers. Daily performances include a selection of more than 30 traditional dances of the different ethnic groups in Kenya, and one of the most impressive performances is the Samburu and Maasai warriors. Hosted events may also include music, theater, fashion show, poetry readings, sports, seminars and many other activities. Bomas of Kenya is located less than 7 miles (12 kilometers) from Nairobi’s city center
More Optional activities include
the Kazuri Beads

Creating Hope and Opportunity from the Earth of Africa
Situated on what was once a part of Karen von Blixen’s coffee plantation there is now a small workshop where ceramic jewelry and beads are made by Kenyan women. It is painstaking work. Many of the beads and necklace components are tiny. Each one has to be shaped carefully, polished, fired, painted and fired again. The result is KAZURI, the Swahili word for “small and beautiful.”
Nairobi Mamba Village

Mamba Village Nairobi Crocodile Farm Day Tour takes you to the Mamba Village Nairobi situated an estimated 13 kilometers away from Kenya’s capital city – off the Lang’ata – Karen road. This is a great place to see crocodiles, ostriches, giraffes, and even rabbits in Nairobi.
Located on Karen Road, just a few metres from Galleria Shopping Mall, the resort is a perfect getaway especially for guests who are bound to enjoy the boat rides, viewing the crocodiles, feeding the ostriches and other various activities. Another interesting activity is the camel and horse ride.
You will enjoy a guided tour around the man-made lake where the boat rides occur. You can also feed the few giraffes within the village.
Mamba Village Nairobi has several restaurants and bandas for a tasty meals and refreshments. They also have excellent conference facilities. The well maintained gardens are exquisite for weddings, graduation parties, photo shoots and team buildings.
Other Optional Activities include but not limited to, Westgate Mall which was attacked by terrorists in 2013 but has since re-opened under tight security, City tour that takes you through the Nairobi’s major and historical sites, eg the 7th Aug. Memorial Park where the US embassy was located until 1998 when it was bombed by the Alkaida terrorists group, The Kenyatta International Convention Center, The Stanley Hotel which was among the first hotels to be build in Nairobi in the early 1900s
The Nairobi Aboretum, Uhuru Park, shopping malls among others.
Optional Carnivore Dinner

The award-winning, internationally renowned Carnivore restaurant needs little introduction! Situated in the grounds of the Misty Hills Country Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa, The Carnivore celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and continues to provide Africa’s Greatest Eating Experience.

A cornerstone of the Recreation Africa Group, the Carnivore Johannesburg is a franchise of the iconic original Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi Kenya. The Carnivore Johannesburg has been the recipient of many prestigious awards, including Best Traditional Restaurant, Best Restaurant to Take Tourists To, Restaurant of the Month and runner-up Restaurant of the Year.
All you can Eat!

In the twenty five years since it first opened its doors, thousands of local and international visitors have savoured The Carnivore’s unique ‘all you can eat’ dining concept. With delectable game and domestic meat dishes* to choose from and an extensive wine cellar (which features a superb selection of well-known South African wines to complement your meal), you’ll enjoy an unforgettable dining experience.

With a seating capacity of up to 500 diners, Carnivore is the gastronomic destination of choice for local residents, tourists, conferences, corporate events, weddings, banquets and more.

*Vegetarian and fish dishes are also available.
Later you will be transferred to the airport for onward flight.

[/timeline]

– END OF THE TRIP –