8 Day Kenya Highlights - S

Highlights – Arrive at the bustling Nairobi city.

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Accommodation:Jacaranda Hotel
   [Alt: Nairobi Safari Club]
   [Alt: Silver Springs Hotel]
Activity: Arrive at Nairobi Airport where your host will greet you.

Your host will be on hand when you arrive at the airport and will take you to the Jacaranda Hotel. This beautiful hotel has a seasoned history of hosting international and local business as well as leisure travelers dating back in the early 1960's. Take a minute to enjoy a few drinks at the poolside bar whilst you relax and unwind after your flight. If you’re ready for sleep, you’ll immediately relax in your luxurious room, with its fine linens. In the morning you’ll be refreshed and ready to go. Who says a safari has to be rustic?

Highlights – Your first day at the Amboseli National Park.

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Accommodation: Amboseli Sopa Lodge
   [Alt: Kibo Safari Camp]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Transfer to Amboseli before an afternoon game drive.

After a tasty breakfast, it is time to head out to Amboseli National Park, considered the prime location in the world for viewing wild elephants.  Nothing can beat the site of these magnificent creatures with Mount Kilimanjaro as their backdrop.  The mountain is the world’s highest free-standing mountain and its majesty will take your breath away. In addition, you’ll see plenty more wildlife – including giraffes, lions and cheetahs. You’ll know this is a real safari as you travel over the rugged roads to the park and later on your afternoon game drive.   It is an exciting day and you’ll be grateful for a chance to unwind at the Amboseli Sopa Lodge, which more than lives up to its serene name.  The décor is inspired by the indigenous Masai people and it harmonizes with the Kenyan terrain beautifully.   Walk through the beautifully landscaped gardens to enjoy a delicious meal, including many local food items.

Highlights – Second day on the Amboseli National Park.

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Accommodation: Amboseli Sopa Lodge
   [Alt: Kibo Safari Camp]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Morning and afternoon game drives.

The day starts with breakfast and a morning game drive where you’ll see white rhinos, wildebeests, zebras and many other species. Undoubtedly, you will also see many of the more than 400 species of birds that inhabit the park.  Amazingly, the sites you see in the morning will be quite different from those you’ll see on the afternoon game drive as the various creatures respond to their unique biological clocks.  Depending on the time of year, the terrain will vary – from Ernest Hemingway’s “Snows of Kilimanjaro” to the hot dry summer to the life-giving rainy season – but it will always be beautiful.  The routes taken will depend on weather conditions but they all offer unforgettable scenery, so keep your camera ready.   You will also have the chance to take a “walking safari” for a close up view of Kenya, along with an optional visit to an authentic tribal village.  When you need a break, take a dip in the lodge’s pool or take a nap in your cool, comfortable room.

Highlights - Aberdare National Park

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Accommodation: The Ark
   [Alt: Serena Mountain Lodge]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Transfer to Aberdare National Park before an afternoon game drive.

After a delicious breakfast, it’s time to head to the Aberdare Mountains, the east wall of the Great Rift Valley.  This is a part of Africa few westerners know about, with mountains, rain forests, waterfalls, monkeys and birds.  You’ll stop at a forest overlook to see elephants, lions, leopards and other creatures refresh themselves at a waterhole.   Tonight you’ll stay at The Ark, which overlooks a waterhole and for the native wildlife.  Not only will you be pampered in this luxurious accommodation, you’ll also be alerted to the animal visitors who turn up to greet you. 

Highlights - Lake Nakuru National Park.

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Accommodation:  Lake Nakuru Lodge
   [Alt: Lake Naivasha Sopa]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Transfer to Lake Nakuru before enjoying an afternoon game drive

After breakfast this morning, it will be time to head out to Lake Nakuru National Park.  This park is world-renowned for its millions of flamingos.  Watch them from Baboon Cliff and be mesmerized by the sea of pink.  The park also serves as Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary and is home to both white and black species.   Protection is also offered to rare Rothschild giraffes – a 188-km area around the lake is fenced off to protect them.  You’ll also be able to explore the beautiful Malaika Waterfall and, of course, Lake Nakuru.  In the evening, you will enjoy splendid views from the Lake Nakuru Lodge, designed to blend in with the terrain.  The rustic African décor perfectly blends comfort with adventure, and the restaurant offers the finest in local and international cuisines in a relaxed setting. 

Highlights - Maasai Mara National Reserve

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Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge
   [Alt: Nyumbu Camp ]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Transfer to the amazing Maasai Mara before an afternoon game drive.

When those of us in the west hear the term “African Safari” the picture that comes to mind is the Maasai Mara Reserve, which is where you are going today.  Here is where you’ll find the grasslands, the lions, the jackals, the wildebeests and more.  This will also be your opportunity to get to know the Maasai, the semi-nomadic natives of Kenya.  These cattle-herding people have managed to preserve their way of life through the centuries; visiting them is an enriching experience. With its simple elegance and style, Mara Sopa Lodge provides unsurpassed peace and tranquility in the heart of Africa. Located in close proximity to teeming wildlife, this uniquely Kenyan property appeals to travelers bored with the ordinary and in search of a closer connection with Mother Nature. The sunsets here are the stuff of journals and profound reflection.

Highlights – Second day on the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

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Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge
      [Alt:Nyumbu Camp]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Morning and afternoon game drives.

You will be glad to have a second day to explore the Maasai Mara National Reserve and to stay at Mara Sopa Lodge.  Today you’ll have both a morning and an afternoon game drive and you’ll marvel at how completely different they are. You’ll have the chance to see the continent’s largest prides of lions as well as many herds of antelopes, buffaloes, cheetahs, hyenas, wildebeests and zebras.  If you’re able to visit between July and October, you may be able to witness the Great Migration, when huge herds of Thomson’s gazelles, wildebeests and zebras travel in mass from the Serengeti.  It is an unforgettable experience that is not to be missed.  No matter when you visit, you will also have a chance to take a “walking safari”, or visit a local tribal village if you wish.  You will learn about the Maasai way of life and how they have managed to retain their semi-nomadic customs even in today’s modern world, when so much of their world is at risk.  After all these adventures, you will be more than ready for a mid-day nap or laze on the veranda to escape the heat of the day. 

Highlights – Pre dawn game drive on the Maasai Mara

Meal Plan: Breakfast
Activity: Predawn Game drive before your last safari breakfast. Transfer to Nairobi at your leisure.

You will start this morning with one last real adventure – a pre-dawn game to see how the African world wakes up.  It’s a rare chance to see the nocturnal world and a sight few people ever witness.  It’s well worth waking up so early – especially knowing there’s a breakfast feast to come.  It’s a fitting repast to end your African safari, so take your time and enjoy it.  Afterward, you’ll have time to hunt for the perfect souvenirs for your loved ones back home (and perhaps a lovely memento for yourself).  You may also want to explore downtown Nairobi a little or taste one last African meal.  When you’re ready, your host will drive you to the airport and see that you get to your flight in plenty of time.  We want the last hours of your Kenya safari to be as relaxed and trouble-free as the rest of the trip has been.