Day 1 - Nairobi
On arrival in Nairobi you will be met and transferred to the Nairobi Serena Hotel for overnight on a bed and breakfast basis.

The Nairobi Serena is situated in the lush gardens surrounding Nairobi's Central Park. Here, you can enjoy quiet and peaceful moments away from the bustling city and yet remain within walking distance of it. The superlative accommodation, excellent cuisine, impeccable service and luxurious facilities have all contributed to the Nairobi Serena acquiring the status of being a member of the "Leading Hotels of the World". Fully air conditioned, a variety of restaurants and a magnificent swimming pool ensure that your stay here will be a treat!

Day 2 - Nairobi- Samburu
Drive through ever changing landscapes to the arid plains of Samburu. Afternoon game drive in the reserve. Spend two nights at a luxury lodge beside the Uaso Nyiro river on a full board basis.

The Samburu National Reserve lies some 300km north of Nairobi and adjacent to the Buffalo Springs National Reserve separated only by the Uaso Nyiro River. Arid, rugged, but savagely beautiful the two reserves cover an area of about 300 square km. With less than 300 mm of rain a year the wildlife depends for its very existence on the river fed from the rich forests of the Aberdare Mountains, 300km away. Several species of wildlife are found in Samburu, which are not found in other Kenya parks lying south of the equator. Among the most striking of these are the reticulated giraffe and Grevy's zebra. Lion, cheetah and leopard are all found here and elephant are plentiful. For the most part the reserve is hot by day but cool at night.

The Samburu Serena Lodge, set in its own Game Reserve is an enchanting place from which to enjoy serene, "away from it all" paradise. The thatched lodge is discreetly set on the banks of the wide Uaso Nyiro River and is a true bird-lovers heaven. All 62 bedrooms include bathrooms en suite and private verandahs from which to watch the monkeys playing or see crocodiles sliding in and out of the River from the coolness of the shade. A welcoming swimming pool allows the guests to relax or enjoy a cool drink in the pool bar at the end of the day. Your stay at Samburu will be truly memorable.

Day 3 - Samburu
Morning and afternoon game-viewing in Samburu.

Day 4 - Samburu-Tree Lodge
A morning drive to the lower slopes of Mt. Kenya. Game-viewing and overnight at Mountain Lodge on a full board basis.

Mountain Lodge, located in the forest reserve of the Mount Kenya foothills, offers the best spot for game-viewing in this area. This tree hotel sits right in the heart of the rainforest. Buffalo, antelope, elephant, and sometimes lion, leopard and rhino are visitors to the floodlit waterhole, while mischievous Sykes monkeys clamber along the roof and ledges. All rooms have balconies overlooking the waterhole, and a night watchman will wake you without fail if one of the animals you have asked about appears. At 2,195m nights are chilly so do bring warm clothes.

Day 5 - Samburu-Lake Naivasha
A spectacular drive back across the highlands and descend into the Rift Valley. Sunset boat trip on Lake Naivasha. Overnight at a lodge overlooking the lake on a full board basis.

Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge is set in a natural Acacia woodland. The Lodge's park-like grounds are visited by a wide variety of birds and wildlife. The lodge has 70 rooms with ceiling fans, en-suite shower and toilet. Facilities include a heated swimming pool and children's pool, poolside snack bar, pub, gift shop, travel and tour desk, safes which are available at reception, telephone, TV, and business centre.

Day 6 - Lake Naivasha-Masai Mara
Continue this morning to Masai Mara. Afternoon game-viewing. The next two nights are spent at a luxury lodge in the reserve on a full board basis. You will have the chance to visit a local Masai village.

The Masai, a colorful pastoral people, live in the vast open spaces of East Africa's Great Rift Valley. Located in the countries of Kenya and Tanzania, the Masai are survivors of a past era, living much the way their ancestors did centuries ago. The Masai believe that all the cattle on the earth belong to them. In the Masai community, the size of a man's herd and the number of his children determine his status and importance. Masai homes are traditionally built by the women and are constructed of branches woven together with grass and then plastered and sealed with cow dung. Rounded and oblong in shape, the homes are built in a large circle that serves to protect an inner kraal, where the cattle bed down for the night. The entire perimeter is fenced with sharp, thorny branches that protect both the Masai and their cattle from marauding hyenas, leopards, and lions. Tall and slender with fine physical features, the Masai are a handsome people. Their dress is wonderfully colorful. Cloth dyed in vivid shades of red and blue is wrapped loosely over their lithe bodies. Women commonly adorn themselves with great circular platelike beaded collars and headbands of many colors. Arms and ankles may be wound tightly with thick strands of copper coils. Both men and women often elongate their ear lobes by fashioning them with heavy earrings and beaded ornaments. Ocher, a red mineral ground to a fine powder, is frequently mixed with cow fat and artfully applied to the body.

Set in the heart of Africa's Great Plains, the Masai Mara boasts 1,672 square kilometers 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 color 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.

The Mara Serena Lodge is built high up on a ridge overlooking the Mara River and offers one of the most spectacular views of all the Masai Mara Lodges. Inspired architecturally by Masai huts, the lodge has a pool, its own airstrip and a hippo-viewing platform by the river. Each of its own 76 bedrooms has its own bathroom and shower as well as a panoramic outlook, even from the pool one can enjoy uninterrupted views of the rolling savannah.

Day 7 - Masai Mara
A full day game-viewing in the Mara.

Day 8 - Masai Mara-Nairobi
A scenic morning drive to Nairobi, arriving before lunch. Transfer back to Nairobi Airport in time for your onward flight.