Day 1 Nairobi

On arrival in Nairobi, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel by our ‘Jamii Tours & Travel ltd representative. You may wish to speak to our representative regarding any additional tours or activities that you might wish to do while you’re in Nairobi. There will be a trip briefing at the hotel at approximately 6.00pm this evening. The rest of the day is spent at your leisure.

Day 2 Aberdare National Park

Leaving Nairobi, we head towards Aberdare National Park, arriving in time for lunch at the Aberdare Country Club (180 km, approx 5 hrs). The Aberdare Country Club is on a 1,300 acre wildlife sanctuary.

After lunch, your afternoon is at your leisure to enjoy the Country Club's facilities and surroundings, or set off on a nature walk through this unspoiled terrain. On the walk, you have the opportunity to get up close some zebra or giraffes that have wandered into the beautiful surroundings

Meals

1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 3 Aberdare National Park

The Aberdare Range is just south of the equator and forms part of the eastern rim of the Great Rift Valley. Its home to abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery.

The area is also famous for being the headquarters of Dedan Kimathi, leader of the 1950s Mau Mau uprising. We will enjoy a game drive after breakfast and then drive back to the country club for lunch and hope to spot the elusive golden cat or bongo - both rare sightings in the area. Some more common sightings are the lion, leopard, elephant, baboon, colobus monkey and a wide array of birds of prey.

Afterwards, you will pack a day pack for your overnight stay at "The Ark". The Ark is a unique tree lodge that overlooks a floodlit waterhole and saltlick which attracts a host of wildlife. Resembling and named after Noah's Ark, The Ark is designed with 'decks' from which numerous balconies and lounges provide superb vantage points for game viewing. A ground level bunker provides excellent photographic opportunities and takes you closer than you would believe possible to the animals.

The excitement of the Ark is at night, when the animals flock in large numbers to the watering hole.

Included Activities

• Aberdare - 4x4 Game drive

Accommodation

Meals

1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 4 Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast we will enjoy another short game drive en route to Aberdare Country Club to pick up our luggage before we continue along the Great Rift Valley toward Nakuru (200 km, approx 5 hrs).

We will stop for lunch at Thomson falls Lodge situated at the world famous Thomson’s fall discovered in 1883 by Joseph Thomson, a Scottish Geologist and Naturalist. 

We stay in a very welcoming bush lodge for the next two nights. The Lodge is perfectly situated in the naturally beautiful surroundings of Nakuru, Kenya. Assembled in amongst the African trees It offers a luxurious place to stay. It is a traditionally built lodge situated on the edge of a pond where trees are in abundance as well as the bird life.

In the afternoon there is the opportunity to take a scenic walk in the Menengai Crater, one of the largest in the world, which affords us breathtaking views of the Great Rift Valley. 

Before or after dinner you may wish to simply sit back and relax in the lounge area of the dining or the privacy of your own room and enjoy everything Ziwa Bush Lodge has to offer.

Accommodation

Lodge (1 nt)

Meals

1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 5 Lake Nakuru National Park

A short drive takes us to Lake Nakuru National Park, the centrepiece of which is the lake itself.

Lake Nakuru is a soda lake which is home to massive numbers of flamingos - up to two million on occasion - and thousands of other birds. It has been described as the world's greatest ornithological spectacle and, at times, the lake is literally a sea of pink. In addition, the park itself also boasts substantial numbers of other species, including waterbuck, reedbuck and gazelle. Leopards are also to be found here, providing good chances for sightings (although there are no guarantees!). Perhaps we may also be fortunate enough to again encounter one of Africa's most endangered animals - the rhinoceros. There is quite a good chance of seeing white rhinos, whilst black rhinos may prove to be more elusive. After spending the day in the park, we return to our private lodge.

Included Activities

• Lake Nakuru - game drive

Accommodation

Lodge (1 nt)

Meals

1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 6 Masai Mara National Reserve

We head south-west to our next destination, the Masai Mara - arguably one of the finest game reserves in Africa (300kms, approx 8-9hrs). The area is known for its rolling green plains and riverine woodlands, and amongst the many species of game, we may be lucky to observe black-maned lion, leopard and cheetah. These predators find an abundant food supply in the massive herds of wildebeest, zebra, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle that roam the grasslands.

We will have an afternoon game drive on the way to our permanent tented camp.

Included Activities

• Masai Mara - 4x4 Game drive

Accommodation

Permanent tented camp (1 nt)

Meals

1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 7 Masai Mara National Reserve

Today we wake before dawn to start our morning game drive when the sun comes up, one of the times of the day when most animals tend to be more active. After what is hopefully an exciting morning's drive we return to camp for lunch and to relax during the heat of the day. We set off again in the afternoon and expect to return to camp around sunset. However, depending on wildlife movements, we may on occasion do a full day's game drive and in this instance we'll stop en-route for a picnic lunch.

An optional balloon ride over the Masai Mara at sunrise is an unforgettable experience. If you have pre-booked this activity (please see 'Important Notes') you will be picked up and driven to the launch site, receive a safety briefing from your pilot and help inflate the balloon. You then glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, providing amazing wildlife photography opportunities; sometimes ascending to get an overview of the enormity of the Masai Mara plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. Upon landing you'll be treated to a bush breakfast before being returned to your vehicle. Please note if you are taking a balloon ride over the Mara you will be taken to the launch place from our camp before dawn and returned to the group when you have finished your ride.

Please note that we offer this activity as a pre-booked service which will guarantee you a spot in a balloon. If you choose to wait and book this activity locally on the ground you may get a better price. However this is a popular activity and places are limited. It is at your own discretion if you wish to pre-book this service with us or try and book it locally while you are on your trip.

Included Activities

• Full Day 4x4 Game Drive - Masai Mara

Optional Activities

• Masai Mara Balloon ride (from price) - USD500

Accommodation: Permanent tented camp (1 nt)

Meals: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 8 Nairobi

After breakfast, we return to Nairobi, arriving in the late afternoon, where our safari ends (240 km, approx 5-6 hrs).

If you are departing from Nairobi this evening, please do not book a flight to depart prior to 6pm. To reduce your travelling time back to Nairobi, you may wish to consider a flight from Masai Mara to Nairobi (additional cost). This gives you the chance to catch a late afternoon international flight out of Nairobi. Please note that the flight from Masai Mara arrives at Wilson Airport (Nairobi). International flights leave from Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). If staying on in Nairobi, you may require a transfer from Wilson Airport back to our Nairobi hotel. We are able to book the flight and also the transfer to our Nairobi hotel (additional costs involved).

Meals: 1 breakfast

Itinerary disclaimer

ITINERARY CHANGES Occasionally our itineraries are updated during the year to incorporate improvements stemming from past travellers' comments and our own research. The information given in this itinerary may be slightly different to that in the brochure. It's very important that you print and 

USD4432 PER PERSON SHARING.

Cost Includes:

• Transport to / from JKIA 
• All Airport Transfers 
• Full Board accommodation on Safari
• Game viewing drives as specified
• All Park entrance fees
• Drivers allowance and his meals
• Vehicles used - 4 wheel drives vehicles.

Cost does not include:

• Tips to driver / guides, porters, hotel staff, etc.
• Things of personal nature e.g. laundry, telephone call etc.
• Pre tour Accommodation, can be done on request
• Extra activities not mentioned in the itinerary e.g. hot air ballooning, etc

Optional Activities

• National Museum - USD10
• Karen Blixen museum - USD14
• Bomas of Kenya - USD12
• Langata Giraffe Sanctuary - KES1200
• Carnivore Restaurant - KES3500
• Nairobi National Park safari walk - USD30