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Day 1 - Nairobi
Arrival at Nairobi airport.
Meet and transfer to the
Holiday Inn hotel for overnight, bed and breakfast.
This historic hotel, formerly the Mayfair Court Hotel, enjoyed its first heyday in 1940's Colonial Kenya. Since joining the Holiday Inn group this charming landmark has been transformed into a comfortable, spacious, modern hotel whilst retaining its distinctive architecture and lush gardens. Situated in the popular shopping and residential suburb of Parklands, close to the city centre, the Holiday Inn Nairobi is only 20km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and offers a full range of services and facilities. Guests can look forward to experiencing the traditional warmth and hospitality for which the Holiday Inn is renowned. All 171 guest rooms have colour TV, radio, telephone, tea/coffee making facilities and private bathroom. Guests can enjoy in-room movies and 18hr room service. This is the ideal place from which to start your safari.
Day 2 - Aberdares
A morning drive to the Kenya Highlands, ascending
the lower slopes of Mount Kenya, deep into the forest.
Overnight at Mountain Lodge, set high on stilts
and overlooking a floodlit waterhole. Here, guests
may observe animals such as elephant, rhino, buffalo,
waterbuck, forest hog and perhaps the elusive bongo
from the safety and comfort of the lodge.
The only ‘tree hotel’ ever to be built on the slopes of Kenya’s legendary Mount Kenya, Mountain Lodge offers a matchless game viewing opportunity whilst combining a glorious panorama of mountain vistas with the primordial splendours of an ancient rainforest. Floating 2,195 m high (so do bring warm clothes) on the flanks of Kenya’s highest mountain and secreted deep within her largest forest reserve, the lodge offers not only the champagne-clarity of mountain air, the tranquility of the forest and a colourful cavalcade of wildlife but also the chance of scaling the icy peaks of Africa’s second-highest mountain. Guests can also awake to the trumpeting of elephant, fall asleep to the symphony of the African night or sit in stillness and observe the fascinating interplay of the animals as they arrive to drink, bathe, spar and forage around the water hole. Finally, they can venture down to the secret viewing hide by the water’s edge and experience the awesome thrill of being only meters away from some of the most massive beasts on earth.
Day 3 - Sweetwaters
A short morning drive to Sweetwaters game reserve, situated close to Mt. Kenya.
Afternoon game viewing and a chance to see Lion, Elephant, Giraffe, Buffalo
and plains game as well as a visit to the Rhino and Chimpanzee conservation
projects. Overnight at Sweetwaters luxury tented lodge on a full board basis.
Sweetwaters
Tented Camp and Chimpanzee Sanctuary lies in the heart of the privately
owned Sweetwaters Game Reserve.
A 3 hour drive from Nairobi, this wonderful place enjoys
magnificent views across the African bush to the snow-capped
peaks of Mount Kenya. Overlooking a floodlit waterhole,
the camp offers visitors an unforgettable opportunity to
watch
and photograph game in its natural habitat. Accommodation
is provided in 25 luxuriously appointed tents set under
thatch with en suite facilities and private verandah. Game
drives
are offered by four wheel drive vehicle, walking safaris
escorted by a knowledgeable ranger, and night game drives
ensure that there is always plenty to do! There is also
a swimming pool for relaxation!
While staying at Sweetwaters
take time to visit the Chimpanzee Sanctuary. The Sweetwaters
Chimpanzee Sanctuary is the only
one of its kind in Kenya. Visitors can enjoy the unique
opportunity of observing the chimps by boat on the Ewaso
Ngiro River
which flows through the middle of the 1 sq km sanctuary.
The riverine forest and savannah grasslands that make up
the sanctuary are home to 26 orphaned chimps varying in
age from 2 to 15 years. Most of these chimps originally came
from the Jane Goodall Institute in Burundi, where a great
many were placed after being rescued from a miserable existence.
Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary is playing a critical
part
in finding a solution for the plummeting population of
chimps in the wild through education and rehabituation of
this,
our closest living relative. It is a wonderful experience
to see these marvelous creatures in a natural environment.
Day 4 - Lake Nakuru
Descend from the
Kenya Highlands into the Great Rift Valley and on to Lake Nakuru,
famous for the necklace of pink flamingos that surround the
lake shores. It is also one of the best parks in Kenya to see
Rhino. Evening game drive and overnight at Lion Hill lodge
or similar on a full board basis.
Set on a plateau in the Rift Valley, overlooking one of
the world's greatest ornithological spectacles, Lake Nakuru,
stands Sarova Lion Hill. Beautifully landscaped with natural
foliage and a startling variety of flower gardens, the Lodge
offers luxurious accommodation complemented by delicious
cuisine. The panoramic view from the Lodge reveals a shimmering
pink glow across the Lake, created by millions of flamingos,
pelicans and Marabou Storks. The park is also the sanctuary
for the rare black rhino, leopard, waterbuck and other species
of birds. Accommodation consists of 65 beautifully appointed
chalet type bedrooms facing the lake, all offering porticos
and private bathrooms. Other amenities include restaurant,
bar, swimming pool, sauna, and curio shops. Traditional dancers
entertain the audience with their splendid performances.
Day 5 - Lake Naivasha
And Masai Mara
Early morning game viewing and breakfast. Afterwards, a short drive to Lake Naivasha, one of Kenya's most beautiful fresh-water lakes. There will be time to relax in the beautiful gardens and enjoy the views over the lake before lunch. Afternoon flight over the Rift Valley to Masai Mara, Kenya's most spectacular game reserve. Spend the next two nights at the deluxe Mara Sarova Tentedlodge.
Set in the heart of Africa's Great Plains,
the Masai Mara boasts 1,672 square kilometres of unspoilt
wilderness.
It
is home to the highest concentration of animals and birds
anywhere on the continent. Throughout the year the Mara is
a place of natural drama, a kaleidoscope of colour and life.
The famed "Big Five" - Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Buffalo
and Leopard - roam the reserve, together with hundreds of
others from the fastest animal on earth, the Cheetah, to
one of the most secretive, the Bat-eared Fox. After the rains,
when the first flush of grass turns the Mara's golden savannah
green, the mesmerizing wildlife spectacle anywhere takes
place here: the Great Migration. This is the time when 1.5
million Wildebeest, accompanied by vast numbers of Zebra
and Gazelles make the long and dangerous trek from drier
lands in Tanzania, northwards to this corner of Kenya. For
most of the century the Mara has drawn those searching for
adventure and the thrill is still the same today with days
spent face to face with nature at its most untouched and
enthralling.
Located within the world famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Sarova Mara Game Camp's 75 tents capture the true spirit of the Kenyan wild, in Kenya's richest game reserve. One can enjoy the world-renowned “Big 5” from guided vehicles or from breathtaking views aloft in a hot air balloon. Guests can also partake in walking safaris; enhance their cultural awareness with Masaai cultural talks and village visits; enjoy a sumptuous breakfast while watching the wilderness slowly come awake; and have a relaxing massage where options range from Swedish, Therapeutic to Aromatherapy, either indoors or out in the great and wild Mara outdoors.
Day
6 - Masai Mara
A full day in the Mara game viewing in 4 WD Landcruiser,
beginning just after sunrise while the dew is fresh on the
grass and the animals are active. Everybody hopes to see
the “Big Five” Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Leopard,
and Buffalo, but just as captivating are the lesser known
species such as Hyena, Cheetah, Jackal, warthog and antelope.
Day
7 - Mara-Nairobi
Morning game viewing and lunch in the Masai Mara. Afternoon scheduled flight
back to Nairobi and onward transfer to the airport or a city hotel.
Note: no children under 7 years allowed at Mountain Lodge. |