Tour Overview: Nairobi- Ol Pejeta Conservancy- Samburu – Mount Kenya- Lake Naivasha- Lake Nakuru- Masai Mara
Day 01
Nairobi
Arrive in Nairobi at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where you will be received and assisted by your Essenia Safaris Manager. You will be transferred to your Hotel where you will be briefed about the safari and the next day’s activities. Overnight will be at the Park inn By Radisson.
Meal Plan: Breakfast
Accommodation: Park inn By Radisson
Day 2
Nairobi
After breakfast, you will be picked at your hotel and drive to the Giraffe centre. The Giraffe Centre is located at Langata, approximately 15 kilometres from the centre of Nairobi, Kenya. This tour gives a completely up close and personal interaction where guests have the opportunity to view giraffes as well as feed them. The centre has rescued, hand-reared and released around 500 orphaned giraffes back into the wild since opening in 1979.
After the visit to the giraffe centre, you will proceed to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Here you will interact with orphaned baby Elephants that have been rescued form various parts of Kenya. This visit lasts for one hour. Proceed for lunch at the Tamambo Restaurant in Karen. After lunch you will visit the Karen Blixen and Nairobi National museums respectively returning to your hotel early evening to rest and relax at the hotel.
Meal Plan: Half Board
Accommodation: Park inn By Radisson
Day 03
Nairobi - Nanyuki
Early breakfast at the hotel. Depart Nairobi heading north through the lush Kikuyu farmlands with coffee, wheat and horticulture farms among other plantations. Pass the Equator and the cool central highlands before arriving at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive. Ol Pejeta is East Africa’s Largest Black Rhino Sanctuary, the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees. Overnight will be at the Sweetwaters Serena Tented Camp. A sheltered oasis, clustered around a water hole and set in the pristine calm of the private Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Sweetwaters Tented Camp offers a charming blend of under-canvas ambiance and safari luxury.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Accommodation: Serena Sweet Waters Tented Camp
Day 04
Nanyuki - Samburu
After breakfast proceed north of the Equator past the cool central highlands at the base of Mount Kenya descending to the wildlife rich northern savannah woodlands. Arrive at Samburu National Reserve in time for lunch and afternoon game drive. Samburu National Reserve is one of the lesser-known national parks, but is nevertheless teeming with life. Situated alongside the Ewaso Nyiro River, this reserve is rich in wildlife with an abundance of rare northern specialist species such as the Grevy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and the Beisa Oryx (also referred to as Samburu Special Five).
Meal Plan: Full Board
Accommodation: Ashnil Samburu Tented Camp
Day 05
Samburu
Spend the full day in Samburu with morning and afternoon game viewing drive included. During the hot day you can choose to visit the local communities living adjacent to this game reserve or relax by the swimming pool. Spend the evening at the Samburu Intrepids Luxury Camp.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Accommodation: Ashnil Samburu Tented Camp
Day 06
Samburu – Mount Kenya
Depart Samburu after breakfast heading for the Mount Kenya region. Arrive at the Serena Mountain Lodge in time for lunch. Serena's Mountain Lodge, where you will be staying, is a timber-constructed eco-lodge nestled in the forest and offering champagne-clear mountain air and sweeping views over the forest canopy. Located on the mountain slopes at 2,134 meters above sea level, the lodge is cool and tranquil and an ideal place from which to view wildlife. The open-air viewing-deck looks down on to a water hole and salt-lick, which attracts herds of elephant, buffalo, waterbucks and birds. There is also a hide, offering unique game viewing and photographic opportunities, situated just meters away from the watering hole to which the animals go to quench their thirst.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Accommodation: Serena Mountain Lodge
Day 07
Mount Kenya – Lake Naivasha
After breakfast, drive via Thomson falls and enter the Great Rift Valley, drive to The Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha arriving in time for lunch. The Great Rift Valley lodge & golf resort enjoys one of the most spectacular views in all of Africa. Just a short distance from the well maintained pan African highway and one a half hour drive from the capital city making this panoramic haven easily accessible. The lodge sits at 7000 feet above sea level giving it magnificent views of the stretching vistas and nearby landmarks; Lake Naivasha, and the volcanic Mount Longonot.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Accommodation: Lake Naivasha Country Club
Day 08
Naivasha - Lake Nakuru National Park
After breakfast, drive to Lake Nakuru National Park. The Lake Nakuru ecosystem comprises of the lake, surrounded by mainly wooded and bushy grasslands. The park supports a wide ecological diversity with Flamingos (Greater and Lesser) and other water birds being the major attractions of the area. The ecosystem provides for about 56 different species of mammals including the white rhino and buffaloes and a variety of terrestrial birds numbering nearly 450 species. Lunch will be at Lake Nakuru. Return to your lodge early afternoon for a well deserved rest and overnight stay.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Accommodation: Lake Naivasha Country Club
Day 09
Naivasha – Masai Mara
Depart The Great Rift Valley lodge after breakfast and drive through the floor of the Rift Valley and conspicuous Masai land plains into the world famous Masai Mara Game reserve. This is probably one of Kenya’s most visited reserve with an extraordinary density of animals including the Big five and many other varieties of plains game. The Mara River cuts through the Mara and Serengeti eco systems giving life to the both reserves finally pouring out into the Lake Victoria.
Impressive and most notable is the wildebeest, zebra and gazelle instinct led migration from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya. This journey is coupled by numerous obstacles which makes it even more magnificent. Arrive in time for lunch and afternoon game viewing drive.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Accommodation: Sarova Mara Game Camp / Azure Mara Haven / similar
Day 10, Day 11
Masai Mara
Full days in the game reserve with morning and afternoon game viewing drives. Depending on the weather and animal migratory patterns, a full day drive with picnic lunch can be an option for either one or the two days.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Accommodation: Sarova Mara Game Camp / Azure Mara Haven / similar
Day 12
Masai Mara–Nairobi
After breakfast, depart the Mara by air from the local air strip at 1100 hours arriving in Nairobi in time for lunch. Afternoon at leisure which may include shopping. Evening transfer to the airport for your outbound flight on this day. END OF HIGHLIGHTS OF KENYA SAFARI.
