8-DAY SAMBURU / NAKURU/MASAI MARA/NAIVASHA/AMBOSELI

Day 1

Drive north to Samburu on the south bank of the Uaso Nyiro River, downriver from Archer’s Post to arrive at the Lodge for lunch and afternoon game drive. North of the Equator some of the animals and vegetation are a little different from those commonly found south. Elephant, black rhino, lion, buffalo and cheetah, and the usual buck and antelopes are common to both north and south of the equator. However unfamiliar animals are the Gravy’s zebra, the reticulated giraffe, and the Somali ostrich. There is also the long-neck gerenuk, Beisa Oryx, and hunting dog. Crocodiles in the river can be seen from the lodge/tented camp. The vegetation is usually dry grass with a few swampy patches. There is some forest cover along the Uaso Nyiro River and an abundance of doum palms. All meals, Lunch, Dinner, and Overnight at the Lodge.

Main Destination: Samburu National Reserve

Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge

Mid-range lodge located just outside Samburu NR

Meals & Drinks:

Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 2

After breakfast, another day in this harshly beautiful terrain where wildlife abounds especially nears the river which is their only source of drinking water. The Uaso Nyiro River flows gently through the dry landscape sustaining life in this harsh land. Shaba National Reserve is where the famous conservationist George Adamson did his research on lions. In the afternoon you will set out on another game drive and return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Main Destination: Samburu National Reserve Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge

Mid-range lodge located just outside Samburu NR

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 3

After breakfast, the tour leaves for Nyahururu (Thompsons Falls) at an altitude of 7,738 feet. The falls are named after the Scots explorer Joseph Thompson who was the first European to discover the falls in 1884.

Then comes the descent into the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National park for lunch at one of the hotels.

An afternoon drive in the park to enjoy the sight of pelicans bathing in the freshwater streams which terminate in Lake Nakuru. Since there is no existing drainage, Lake Nakuru is alkaline, the perfect place for flamingos to feed on the blue-green algae. The greater flamingo attains a height of about 4.26 feet its plumage is almost white with a pale pink, black-tipped beak. It is the lesser flamingo that has the more exotic color. This Park has a great variety of birdlife which includes the Egyptian goose and a variety of ducks that come from Europe to winter, its truly a bird watcher's paradise. The park is also a sanctuary for the white rhino and other wild game.

Main Destination: Lake Nakuru National Park

Accommodation: Lake Nakuru Lodge

Mid-range lodge located inside Lake Nakuru NP

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 4

After breakfast, drive to Masai mara game reserve to arrive in time for lunch at the lodge. Masai Mara is “Kenya’s finest game reserve. Pass through the lower scenic Mau escarpment road into the Rift Valley to the 1792 square, a distance of 275-320kms via Narok town climbing the Hemingway's wall “The Serengeti plains"this park actually forms the northern part of the Serengeti national park in Tanzania. Masai Mara National Reserve to arrive in time for lunch. The afternoon is spent on a game drive in search of the black manned lions which the park is famous for, Lion making a kill can be witnessed in the late afternoon or a leopard in a tree enjoying the meal he has dragged up to avoid disturbance and detection. This reserve has hilly savanna, rolling grasslands, gallery forest on the Mara River, and its tributaries. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Main Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve

Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge

Mid-range lodge located just outside Masai Mara NR

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 5

After breakfast, a full day of game viewing. Exploration of this part of the Northern Serengeti Ecosystem where the great wildebeest migration takes place at the beginning of August. Months before the actual migration the herds ‘assemble’ in Serengeti in readiness for the crossing into Masai Mara. The plain is literally covered with these animals. Grunts and other animal sounds are heard, and territorial fights are commonplace.

Africa has a long history of capturing the imagination of travelers, a continent of dramatic contrasts that gives you an unforgettable and remarkable experience whether it’s in amazement of watching thousands of wild beasts struggling across a rushing river that is littered with crocodiles waiting for their prey, makes the world’s premier wildlife spectacle. A lion making a kill can be witnessed in the late afternoon or a leopard in a tree enjoying the meal he has dragged up to avoid disturbance and detection. All meals and Overnight at the Lodge.

Main Destination: Masai Mara National Reserve Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge

Mid-range lodge located just outside Masai Mara NR

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 6

After breakfast, drive to Lake Naivasha, along the floor of the Rift valley, now with more familiar memories of the landscape; arrive for lunch at the lodge, afternoon proceed on your adventure to various attractive features and places in Lake Naivasha. Much of the lake is surrounded by forests of the yellow barked Acacia Xanthophlea, known as the yellow fever tree. These forests abound with birdlife, and Naivasha is known as a world-class birding. The waters of the lake draw a great range of game to these shores. Giraffes wander among the acacia, Buffalo wallow in the swamps and Colobus monkeys call from the treetops while the Lakes large hippo population sleeps the day out in the shallows. The region surrounding the Lake is well worth exploring.

Optional activities and excursions in Lake Naivasha

1-hour boat ride: USD 20. - Per person

2 hours walking safari on Crescent Island Sanctuary: USD 45.-per person

Walking /biking safari at Hells gate national park: USD 45.- per person.

Main Destination: Lake Naivasha Accommodation: Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge

Mid-range lodge located in or near Lake Naivasha

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 7

After breakfast, check out and drive to Amboseli national park; the journey continuous south, passing through the Athi Plains where formerly the Burchell‟s zebra, the Masai giraffe, and smaller herbivores roamed about freely. With human encroachment, the wildlife is confined to game parks.

There is an advantage to this because one has to drive inside a park to be rewarded with the sight of many different species of animals. Amboseli National Park is reached late in the afternoon, for lunch; embark on an afternoon game viewing in the park at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft). In the late afternoon, one is likely to see a lion or cheetah make a kill. Ideal photography opportunities with Mount Kilimanjaro highest mountain in Africa providing a beautiful backdrop. Return to the camp for dinner and overnight.

Main Destination: Amboseli National Park

Accommodation: Amboseli Serena lodge Amboseli NP

Meals & Drinks:

All meals included

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 8

Early morning game drive can be taken in Amboseli when Mt. Kilimanjaro appears from its mantle of clouds. Proceed to the area of Lake Amboseli, which is a wide salt pan, consisting of permanent swamps. This area has much game, large and small, high concentration of elephants, rhino, buffalo, Burchell's zebra, eland, Masai giraffe, and small species of the antelope family the common waterbuck, klipspringer, Grant’s gazelle, impala, topi, and the diminutive duiker among others. Amboseli offers some of the best opportunities to see African animals because its vegetation is sparse due to the long dry months.

Amboseli national park is home to wild animals, which include the African elephant, buffalo, impala, lion, cheetah, hyena, giraffes, zebra, and wildebeest among other African animals. There is also a host of Kenya birds, both large and small, to see if you keep your eyes open and stop at every sighting. Drive to Nairobi arriving at the airport in the late afternoon.

Main Destination: Nairobi Airport Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour) Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.

You'll be dropped off at the airport (or hotel).

Included

-Park fees (For non-residents)

-All activities (Unless labeled as optional)

-All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)

-A professional driver/guide

-All transportation in a 4x4 safari jeep all-terrain (Unless labeled as optional)

-All Taxes/VAT

-Round trip airport transfer

-Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)

-Drinking water (On all days)

-Complimentary carnivore restaurant experience.

_Soft drinks in the vehicle for the entire safari.

Excluded

International flights (From/to home)

Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour

Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)

Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)

The government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees

Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)