This classic Kenya safari takes us across ancient Masai tribal lands and the Great Rift Valley to the world’s finest game reserves. We track the ‘Big Five’ (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard) and encounter a huge variety of other animal and birdlife. Each night we stay in the heart of the game parks to enhance this experience of the African wilderness.
Itinerary
[+] Detailed Itinerary
1
Join tour Nairobi. Drive to Aberdare National Park
Join tour in Nairobi. We will then transfer to the Aderdare National Park and check into our hotel. Treetops lies in the path of an ancient elephant migratory route between the Aberdare Ranges and Mt Kenya NP and is strategically positioned right in front of a natural watering hole and salt lake. Aberdare ranges found in Aberdare National Park, are the third highest mountain range in Kenya. Animals found include, Elephant, Black Rhino, the Bongo, giant forest Hog, Colobus Monkey, Birds and reptiles. As you ascend you pass the bamboo forest before coming across breath taking spectacular falls starting with Chania falls, followed by Magura falls and finally Karuru which drops 300m.
Overnight Comfortable Hotel
in Treetops
Included meals: Lunch, Dinner
Treetops
Located in Aberdare National Park, this world-renowned rustic Treehouse on its 80th anniversary is now open after 6 months of complete renovation. This game viewing lodge was originally built in 1932 and is famous as the place where the then-Princess Elizabeth ascended to the British Throne. The father King George VI died on 5th Feb 1952 the night she spent at Treetops while on honeymoon.This lodge-on-stilts is accessed through a gradual ramp to the top floor and a Tree grows right through the building. Fine dining is at its best in the contemporary dining room with individual tables illuminated by mini chandeliers. With large windows fitted in all guest rooms, restaurant and lounge guests can drink in the sight of Elephants, Buffalos, Rhinos and more from all areas including the view deck on top floor of the building.
2
Drive to Lake Nakuru; game viewing
Today we head to Lake Nakuru National Park. Established as the first bird sanctuary in Africa in 1960, Lake Nakuru is 199 sq km. It is forested uplands and swamp and dry savannah surrounding the lake. The park is home to an abundant diversity of wildlife. This area has one of the densest concentrations of wildlife in Kenya. After lunch we’ll make a game drive around the lakeshore searching for the elusive leopard, as well as black and white rhino, and lion. The following morning we’ll make an early start to visit the flamingo population on the lake. Greater and Lesser flamingo are both in abundance here along with pelicans which are seasonal, and the spectacle of seeing hundreds of thousands of these birds is an impressive sight and not one you will forget easily!
Overnight Comfortable Lodge
in Maili Saba Camp
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Maili Saba Camp
Maili Saba Camp is a sanctuary of tranquility and conviviality that rejects the rigidity of modern life. Tucked away on the edge of the magnificent, dormant, Menengai Crater, it embraces a warm casual atmosphere within African Simplicity. The camp comprises of a small number of grass thatched tented bandas, with their own unique view of the crater. The banda’s are all equipped with comfortable beds, a pleasant verandah or private terrace. Oil lamps set a romantic mood in the rustic restaurant and bar and during meals you can enjoy the magnificent, silent, crater view. The menu consists of fresh home cooked western and more Swahili influenced meals.
3
Drive to Maasai Mara
The Maasai Mara Game Reserve, arguably Kenya’s finest wildlife park, is situated at the northern end of the Serengeti Ecosystem. There is almost every species of animal native to East Africa here and during our game drives in this park we may well find the ‘Big Five’ of elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino. There are also the herds of wildebeest, zebra, topi and gazelle that roam in large numbers across the grasslands. The forested banks of the Mara and Talek rivers are an excellent place to view hippos, crocs and waterfowl and the reserve is also home to some 450 species of bird, including Denham's Bustard, Black Coucal, Yellow Bellied Hyliota and Magpie Shrike.
Overnight Comfortable Lodge
in Mara Simba Lodge
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mara Simba Lodge
The Mara Simba lodge sits overlooking a dramatic bend on the bank of the Talek, a tributary of the Mara River, gently blending into the surrounding wilderness. It was designed to complement its surroundings and is decorated in Maasai traditional style. The guest rooms, are arranged in clusters of 6 and comprise of natural wood and stone bandas. Each spacious room opens onto its own private veranda with uninterrupted views across the river. The public areas, overlooking the Talek River, have floors of cedar wood decking, elevated on timber posts, and are shaded by soaring makuti (palm thatch) roofs.
4
Exploring Maasai Mara; game viewing
One of the most memorable and unique spectacles of this area is the annual migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle as they move between the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti Plains. This annual trek costs the lives of many of the old and the sick who are picked off by the predators that thrive here, both on the plains and in the muddy waters of the Mara river. During our time in the reserve, we will venture out on several game drives experiencing a little of this natural struggle as it unfolds before our eyes. The area teems with herbivores, predators and over 450 species of birds including 57 species of birds of prey. Maasai Mara is not a park, it is a game reserve and as such the Maasai people have been able to retain their traditional way of life. It is unchanged through the centuries and tribesmen are often seen herding their cattle along the many cattle trails outside the reserve.
Overnight Comfortable Lodge
in Mara Simba Lodge
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5
Game Drives in the Maasai Mara; optional balloon ride
There is also the option of an early morning balloon safari to view the spectacle from the air. The rest of the day will be dedicated to game drives in different areas of the park
Overnight Comfortable Hotel
in Mara Simba Lodge
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
6
Drive to Nairobi
Today we head back to Nairobi, where, we will have the rest of the day for any last minute shopping or for a final look around this vibrant city where the tour ends.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch