10 Days Kenya Wildlife Viewing and Luxury Adventure

This is an exciting 10-day safari which takes you to some top game-viewing destinations in Kenya. You will visit Mt. Kenya National Park; Samburu National Reserve; Aberdare National Park, Lake Nakuru well renowned for its reputation as a bird-watcher’s paradise; Maasai Mara National Reserve which is Kenya’s most visited reserve; and Amboseli National Park, which is famous for its large elephant herds.

During your safari, you will also be able to spot the big five and numerous bird life, interact with the Maasai community in Maasai Mara, and take photographs of beautiful scenery. You will travel with the tour guide/driver in a private 4x4 land cruiser and spend the nights in tented camps or lodges.

10 Days Kenya Wildlife Viewing and Luxury Adventure

(Mt. Kenya National Park, Samburu National Reserve, Aberdare National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park)

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Nairobi – Mt. Kenya National Reserve

In the morning, you will be met by the driver/guide at your residence in Nairobi at 8.00 am and be briefed about your safari. After the briefing, you will depart for Mt. Kenya National Reserve by road. You will arrive in time for check-in and lunch at your camp before departing for afternoon game viewing till evening.

The National Park around Mt Kenya is very different from all others. For one thing, the protected area only starts at a height of 3,300 meters above sea level and because of the rough mountain country is unsuitable for a motor safari. Although many animals live here (e.g. Elephants, Buffaloes) you do not see many of them except at the water hole by the "mountain lodge" where many animals can be observed particularly at night. The unique vegetation and fantastic scenery attract mountaineers and botanists who can plunge through mountain forests draped with lianas, bamboo and fields of giant heather before coming to the Alpine moorland, bizarre volcanic formations and finally, the eternal ice and glaziers of the summit region.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at a luxury hotel/lodge on the slopes of Mt Kenya.

 Day 2: Mt. Kenya National Park – Samburu National Reserve

 After breakfast, you will depart from your camp with a packed picnic lunch and depart to Samburu where you will spend the whole day game viewing within this reserve, which is famous for its northern specialties found nowhere else in Kenya. In the evening, you will be transferred back to your camp for dinner and overnight.

Samburu National Reserve is a wildlife haven. Here you will spot Africa's big cats-lions, cheetahs and the elusive leopard. Some animals are unique to this northern Kenya Park; gravy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, kudus and gerenuk. The Ewaso Nyiro River, the boundary with the neighboring Buffalo Springs National Reserve, is where the elephants, buffalo and other animal species gather for a drink. You will find the scenic semiarid landscape quite dramatic. The reserve is located within the lands of the colorful semi-nomadic Samburu tribesmen.

Dinner and overnight at Sarova Shaba or similar.

Day 3: Samburu National Reserve

You will spend the whole day game viewing around this extensive reserve so as to observe the early predators starting off their day, viewing game such as the elephant, lion, and the northern specialties such as the Gerenuk, Beisa Oryx and Gravy’s Zebra. You may also see crocodiles getting some sun on the sandbank or snapping their jaws during their feed. In the evening, you will be transferred back to your camp for dinner and overnight stay. Packed lunches will be served to avoid disrupting game viewing.

In addition to Kamunyak, the renowned lioness famous for adopting Oryx calves, the Samburu National Park boasts of some several species of animals which are considered unique to the region, including its unique dry-country animal life. All three big cats, Lion, Cheetah and Leopard can be found here, as well as Elephants, Buffalos and Hippos. Other mammals frequently seen in the park include Gerenuk, Grant's gazelle, Kirk's Dik-dik, Impala, Waterbuck, Gravy’s Zebra, Beisa Oryx and Reticulated Giraffe. Rhinos are no longer present in the park due to heavy poaching. There are over 350 species of birds which include Somali Ostrich, Kingfisher, Sunbird, Bee-eater, Marabou Stork, Tawny Eagle, Bateleur, Guinea fowl and Vultures. The Ewaso Nyiro River contains large numbers of the Nile crocodile.

All meals and overnight at Sarova Shaba or similar

Day 4: Samburu National Reserve – Aberdare National Park

After breakfast, you will check out of your camp and depart to Aberdare National Park where you will spend the rest of the day. Upon arrival, you will have lunch before departing for an afternoon game drive within this park. During your game drive, you will also visit the historic Mau Mau caves which the Kenyan freedom fighters used as a hideout. In the evening you will be transferred back to your camp for dinner and overnight.

The Aberdare National Park is an isolated volcanic range that forms the eastern wall of the Rift Valley.  It has diverse moorlands filled with deep ravines cutting through the forested eastern and western slopes, with many clear streams and waterfalls.  It is also an important water catchment area, providing water to the Tana and Athi Rivers.  The Park is surrounded by an indigenous forest which houses the famous Kimathi Hideout/Mau Mau caves, which were used as a hideout for Mau Mau fighters.  The park is also home to most large mammals such as the endangered black rhinos, blue Colobus Monkeys, lions, warthogs, giant forest hogs, buffalos, bushbucks, leopards, serval, different reptiles, a wide variety of insects and over 250 recorded bird species.  It is a haven for walkers and lovers of solitude, as well as mountain climbers and hikers.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at Sapper Hut or KWS Campsite

Day 5: Aberdare National Park – Lake Nakuru National Park

After breakfast, check out of your camp and depart to Lake Nakuru National Park by road. Upon arrival, check in to your lodge for lunch then depart for afternoon game viewing and birding. In the evening you will be transferred back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Dubbed ‘the greatest bird spectacle on earth due to the millions of fuchsia-pink flamingo that flock to feed on the teeming algae of its alkaline waters, Lake Nakuru is also an ornithologist’s paradise and also a sanctuary for both black and white rhino. Its pink-frosted shores and sky-mirrored waters also yield some of the most evocatively beautiful photo images in Africa. The park offers an incredible 450 different species of water, fish-eating, terrestrial and migratory birds including the pelican, fish eagle, secretary bird, heron, egret, hammerkop and grebe. Established as Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary, the park now hosts one of the largest black rhino concentrations in the country while substantial numbers of white rhino have also been introduced. You will have a fantastic view of the Lake while at the Baboon cliff, Lion Hill and out of Africa Hill.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at Sarova Woodlands Hotel.

Day 6: Lake Nakuru National Park – Maasai Mara National Reserve

Enjoy early morning pre-breakfast game viewing before returning to your lodge for breakfast. After breakfast, you will check out and depart to Maasai Mara by road. You will pass through Narok town, the only Maasai town on this route and arrive at your tented camp in time for lunch. After lunch and rest, depart for the afternoon game viewing drive till evening.

The Maasai Mara, now the New 7^th wonder of the world and 4^th most preferred tourist destination in the world is a home to wildlife in such abundance and variety that it is difficult to imagine The annual migration of the wildebeest and the zebras starts from the Serengeti as they search for water and pasture while at the same time being followed on their heels by the predators of the Savannah; Lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena, and vultures. It hosts over 450 species of animals which includes lions, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, leopards, many kinds of antelopes and elephants.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at AA Mara Lodge or similar

Day 7: Maasai Mara National Reserve

Spend the day within the pristine Mara wilderness enjoying game viewing and birding and carrying a picnic lunch with you en route. A cultural visit will also be organized to interact with the Maasai tribesmen as you enjoy traditional dances. You will have a chance to spot the big five as well as numerous bird and animal species.

In November 2006 the Maasai Mara was named the New 7^th Wonder of the world because of what experts termed as "the uniqueness of the area and the preservation it provides to so many species living in harmony". It is understandable because this annual migration is the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth.

Optional Hot Air Balloon Flight – US$500 per person extra

You can opt to carry out your game-viewing activity on an adventurous balloon flight over the spectacular Mara at an extra cost. This package includes a bush breakfast in the wild!

Lunch, dinner and overnight at AA Mara Lodge or similar

Day 8: Maasai Mara National Reserve - Nairobi - Amboseli National Park

After early breakfast check out and depart the Mara Reserve for Amboseli National Park via Nairobi arriving in Amboseli in the afternoon for lunch. After check-in, lunch and rest, you will depart for afternoon game viewing till evening.

Amboseli is famous for its huge elephant herds. Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro sits in the upper slopes of Amboseli National Park. Mt Kilimanjaro’s snow-white peaks lie across the border of Tanzania. Seeing Kilimanjaro hovering above the clouds in the early hours of the morning is quite an experience. For an enthusiastic photographer, taking pictures rising against the dramatic backdrop of the mountain is quite a thrill. Apart from the elephants, buffaloes, black rhinos and other plain animals are in plenty.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at Kibo Safari Camp or similar

Day 9: Amboseli National Park

After breakfast, spend the day with a morning and afternoon game drive as you explore the vast lands within the park and look out for different species of wildlife such as hippos, zebras, wildebeest, and impalas as well as more than 400 recorded species of birds such as the kingfishers, long-necked Africa’s Darter, Egyptian geese and a variety of ducks.  Other reptiles that inhibit this include monitor lizards, chameleons, the Egyptian cobra, python, puff adder and black mamba. In the evening you will be transferred back to your tented camp for dinner and overnight.

Amboseli National Park lies northwest of Mt. Kilimanjaro, on the border with Tanzania. Large concentrations of wildlife occur here in the dry season, making Amboseli a popular tourist destination.  The Park embodies five main wildlife habitats which include the open plains, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush-land, swamps and marshland.  There is also a temporary lake, Lake Amboseli, that floods during years of heavy rainfall.  The Amboseli is famous for its big game and its great scenic beauty.  The landscape is dominated by Mount Kilimanjaro and massive numbers of elephants, approximately one thousand elephants.  Also, its snow-capped summit dominates the landscape and on a clear day, it is easily visible during early mornings and the late afternoons.  This makes it a perfect spot for photograph-taking

All meals and overnight at Kibo Safari Camp or similar

Day 10: Amboseli National Park – Nairobi – Departure

After breakfast, you will check out of your tented camp and depart for Nairobi with final game viewing en route. You will reach Nairobi in the afternoon and be taken for a farewell meal at a Nairobi Restaurant before being transferred back to your residence within Nairobi or to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to catch your outbound flight to your next destination.

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Package Includes:

• All park entrance and conservation fees
• Accommodation in camps/lodges as stipulated in the itinerary
• All meals while on safari (Full Board)
• Services of an English-speaking driver/guide
• Transport in either a customized safari minivan or landcruiser (as per itinerary) with a pop-up roof for game viewing and photography
• Driver's allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
• Game drives as per the Itinerary
• Applicable government taxes

Package Excludes:

• Optional Hot air Balloon flight in Maasai Mara - US$ 500 per person extra
• Extras at the camps/lodges i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry etc.
• International flight fees and departure taxes
• Cultural visits and tribe tours to villages
• Tips to driver/guide and porters
• Personal travel and evacuation insurance
• Any other item not included in our itinerary