An African safari touches something deep within all of us, for it is an experience that will never be forgotten. This 13-day adventure takes you to some of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet to explore Africa’s fascinating wildlife, especially the Big Five, as well as its intriguing cultures. The safari visits five national parks, one national reserve and the conservation area that covers the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. The driver-guides are all very experienced and will certainly make this safari feel special.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Maasai Mara National Reserve: Located in the African Great Rift Valley, this is the mesmerising home of the Big Five
Lake Nakuru National Park: Fully-fenced park that is a refuge for many charming flamingos, endangered white rhinos, and many other superb animals
Amboseli National Park: Stunningly located at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, this national park is filled with natural surprises
Lake Manyara National Park: The first of the Tanzanian parks and the home of tree-climbing lions and huge hippos is sure to surprise you
Serengeti National Park: Home to millions of wild animals, Serengeti is also the backdrop of the great wildebeest migration every year
Ngorongoro Crater: The planet’s largest intact volcanic caldera is a world within a world where humans and wildlife coexist
Tarangire National Park: Filled with lush and green wetlands, Tarangire provides an ideal habitat for hundreds of species of birds
Day 1: ARRIVAL NAIROBI
Upon arrival in Nairobi, you’ll be transferred to your hotel so that you can then spend an afternoon at your own leisure, perhaps taking advantage of the facilities. Located minutes away from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport, your selected hotel is also close to the bustling central business district.
Overnight in Nairobi.
Day 2: NAIROBI – MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE (285kms – 5 hrs)
Leaving Nairobi after breakfast, travel towards Kenya's fertile highlands and head down the Rift Escarpment on a road built by Italian prisoners during World War II. Keep an eye out for the charming chapel they built at the foot of the escarpment. As you head across the valley to Narok, pass the futuristic Longonot earth satellite station and then travel through the hypnotising fields of wheat and barley. Reach Maasai Mara and the Keekorok Lodge in time for lunch. Afterwards, indulge in the first game drive. Keekorok is strategically located in the direct path of the annual migration. At the height of the migration, it is surrounded by a swarming mass of animals – you hardly need to go on a game drive! In front of the lodge, wander along a 300-metre-long elevated walkway that meanders through a small riverine forest to a bar. This overlooks a dam where resident hippos and other animals are regularly seen. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight in Maasai Mara.
Day 3: MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE (5-6 hrs on game drives)
Enjoy an early breakfast before departing to a Maasai village followed by a morning game drive. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is home to millions of wild animals, including the fabled Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and black rhinos. But don’t forget to keep an eye out for antelopes, gazelles and wildebeest, among others. Return to the lodge for lunch and perhaps a siesta before setting off for an afternoon game drive, then returning to the lodge as the sun sets. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight in Maasai Mara.
Day 4: MAASAI MARA – LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK (315kms– 6 hrs)
Bid farewell to the Maasai Mara after breakfast and travel across the ‘breadbasket’ of Kenya. Wheat and barley plantations dominate the landscape as you head north to Narok, the district headquarters of this part of Maasailand. Cross the vast plains on the floor of the Great Rift Valley and look for giraffes and gazelle as you head up the Mau Escarpment. Arrive at Lake Nakuru at midday. The waters often have a shimmering pink colour, from the thousands of flamingos that line its shores. After lunch, depart for an afternoon game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. Like all the beautiful flamingos, both black and white rhino are being carefully protected and given a new lease of life in this fully fenced 188-square-kilometre park. The rhino population numbers more than 50 and continues to grow. The Rothschild’s giraffe is another rarity, and the park has its fair share of buffaloes, leopards, zebras, elands, waterbucks, and lions. Lush gardens surround the lodge and cottages, and there is an exciting programme of activities and evening entertainment. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight at Lake Nakuru.
Day 5: LAKE NAKURU – AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK (405kms – 7 hrs)
Rise early for breakfast before continuing the adventure with a drive south for a boat ride on Lake Naivasha. Providing habitat for hundreds of bird species and hippos, the lake is located at one of the highest elevations in the Rift Valley. Leave it behind, as the tour proceeds towards Nairobi for a picnic lunch. Head south to Amboseli National Park, arriving at Ol Tukai Lodge by late afternoon. The lodge lies at the heart of the park, which is itself at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. This area is considered one of the best spots for viewing elephants at close range. At Ol Tukai Lodge, cottage-style accommodation spreads out on either side of the main lodge. The architecture features lots of wood, local stone, and slate. Each room has an uninterrupted view of either the wetlands or Kilimanjaro. There is a relaxing swimming pool shaped like a number eight and plenty of sun loungers. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight at Amboseli.
Day 6: AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK (5-6 hrs on game drives)
Feast on a fine breakfast, preparing for a day spent on game drives in Amboseli. Most of the park consists of a partially dry lake bed of evaporated salts and fragile grassland with patches of acacia woodland. You can see most types of game in the park, including rhinos, giraffes, gazelles, lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Birdlife is prolific, too, especially around the swamp areas. This entire experience is carried out under the shadow of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, which rises some 5,000 metres above the national park. Return to the lodge as the sun sets over this magical landscape. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight at Amboseli.
Day 7: AMBOSELI – TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK (320kms – 6 hrs)
Following an early breakfast, catch your last views of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro as you depart Amboseli. Travel by road to the Namanga border. We will stop for lunch in Arusha before continuing to Tarangire National Park. Through the highlands and the Karatu district, pass scenic wheat plains and coffee plantations, journeying down a spectacular escarpment before arriving at the park and on to Tarangire Sopa Lodge for dinner. Enjoy a game drive en route. Tarangire National Park is home to one of the greatest concentrations of elephants in Africa and other game, including zebras and lions. More than 550 bird species can be spotted here as well. Surrounded by ancient baobab trees, the lodge is almost hidden among the kopjes of the national park. A broad veranda wraps itself around the lodge and offers prime viewing over a waterhole below which fills during the dry season and becomes a magnet to wildlife. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight at Tarangire.
Day 8: TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK – LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK (145km – 4 hrs)
Morning game drive and lunch at the lodge. Then depart to Lake Manyara National Park arriving at your lodge perched above the Rift Valley escarpment for dinner and overnight. The magnificent lodge is perched on the edge of the Rift Valley and boasts mesmerising views over the distant Lake Manyara. The African-style lodges are grouped around a dramatic infinity pool, which is accessed via a bridge over a small stream. Slightly above the pool are the central dining room, a bar and a charming veranda. All these are located on the very edge of a cliff that overlooks the lake, the pool, and the observation point. The accommodation itself is in two-storey thatched rondavels, which are dotted along the edge of the cliff. All have captivating views of the lake. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight at Lake Manyara.
Day 9: LAKE MANYARA – SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (250kms – 5 hrs)
After a tasty breakfast in Lake Manyara National Park, indulge in a thrilling game drive. This park is famous for its varied birdlife – notably flamingos – in the wet season and large mammal viewing in the dry season. Tree-climbing lions, large-tusked elephants, and one-and-a-half-tonne hippos are among the denizens of this fascinating park. Return to the lodge for lunch and then head north-west, to the north of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, driving across the hilly countryside of the highlands. From here, lie the vast plains of the Serengeti, where you’ll hopefully start spotting game well before you enter the park. Accommodation is in the Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, which is located near the famous Western Corridor and River Grumeti. The lodge has been designed to blend completely into the living landscape and features rondavels, which are cooled by groves of acacia trees and watered by sparkling streams. On the edge of the ridge is an infinity pool, which looks out over the ‘endless plains' after which the Serengeti is named. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight in Serengeti.
Day 10: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (5-6 hrs on game drives)
The Serengeti is famed for being home to millions of animals and the annual Great Migration of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles. Yes, the dramatic landscapes in which the wildlife prowls are themselves worthy of admiration. Riverine forests and woodlands, rocky outcrops called kopjes, and an imposing volcano are just some of the backdrops in which the animals can be spotted during the morning and afternoon game drives. With some luck, here you will see the Big Five and, with great luck, the harder-to-spot species grouped as the Little Five: the antlion, the rhino beetle, the elephant shrew, the buffalo weaver, and the leopard tortoise. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Overnight in Serengeti.
Day 11: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK – NGORONGORO CRATER (200kms – 4 hrs)
Take to the road after breakfast for a breathtaking drive to Ngorongoro Crater. Enjoy a pause along the way for a picnic lunch and for viewing game in the Serengeti plains. Continue to the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge. Perched high on the rim of the crater, the lodge blends with the landscape to appear almost camouflaged among the vegetation. The lodge hugs the contours of the rim, taking its inspiration from the nearby prehistoric site of Olduvai Gorge, known as the ‘Cradle of Mankind’. Linked by arched stone passages and timbered decks, the walls are bedecked with stylised prehistoric cave paintings and lit by flaming torches. At the heart of the lodge burns a glowing fire, which is kept constantly alight. Rooms are decorated with cave paintings and strung around the rim. Each has its own rock-enclosed balcony and all enjoy uninterrupted views of the volcanic caldera below. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight in Ngorongoro.
Day 12: NGORONGORO CRATER (5-6 hrs on game drives)
A spellbinding experience awaits you this morning as you explore what is considered to be the world’s largest wildlife zoo. After breakfast, descend through the early morning mists to the basin of the crater, some 600 metres below the rim, for a picnic lunch. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and due to its size – it has a diameter of 19km – and diversity, the crater floor features distinct areas that range from forests, swamps, lakes and springs to open grasslands and sandy dunes. The crater has traditionally been inhabited by the Maasai people, who share it with more than 25,000 wild animals, including black rhinos, wildebeests, zebras, eland, gazelles, lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, spotted hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and many more. It’s an awesome wildlife experience. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Overnight in Ngorongoro.
Day 13: NGORONGORO CRATER – DEPARTURE NAIROBI (450km – 7.5 hrs)
Those awake early enough will be able to enjoy the sunrise across the eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Following breakfast, you depart the lodge and begin your journey back to Arusha arriving in the city for lunch. Then transfer to Nairobi and drop off at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your departure flight to be booked from 11:00 pm onwards.
Passengers should bring only soft-sided bags on safari. Passengers arriving to Kenya or Tanzania may be asked to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate. Travellers’ cheques are generally not accepted in east Africa. US banknotes cannot be older than 2004 and must have the latest security markings (large portrait of the president). Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.
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