8 Day Samburu Mara Expedition - 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 - Aberdare National Park; game viewing from the comfort of your lodge.

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Accommodation: The Ark
   [Alt: Serena Mountain Lodge]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Transfer to Aberdare National Park; enjoy game viewing from the comfort of your lodge.

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 Lodge, which also overlooks a waterhole and offers a salt lick 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.  Bells are rung when animals are seen at the watering site – the number of times the bell rings indicates the species.  The lodge features several photographic hides – great for candid, close up shots of African wildlife and a rooftop viewing platform.  You’ll have the opportunity for a nature walk and also an afternoon game drive through this unique corner of Kenya.

Highlights – Samburu National Reserve

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Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge
   [Alt: Sarova Shaba]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Transfer to Samburu National Reserve before an afternoon game drive.

After breakfast we drive to Samburu Sopa Lodge, which is built atop raised ground allowing panoramic views of distant Samburu hills to one side and El Ndonyo Keri (Samburu name for Mt. Kenya) on the other.  During your stay here you can take a dip in the pool, and after a day of safari activities enjoy sundowners while watching traditional Samburu warrior dances. Enjoy an afternoon of  game drives, accompanied by our expert guides, in search of a wide range of animals. For an unforgettable experience, you could take a guided nature walk. Birding is also excellent in this area.

Highlights – Samburu National Reserve

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Accommodation: Samburu Sopa Lodge
   [Alt: Sarova Shaba]
Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activity: Morning and afternoon game drives

Samburu National Reserve is situated on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River in the dry northern reaches of Kenya. It is a hot and arid area characterized by a parched landscape of hills and plains.
The Ewaso Nyiro River is the lifeblood of the area, especially during the dry season when it draws wildlife to its waters. The presence, however, of the river - and its shady trees - attracts plenty of wildlife; Giraffe, buffalo, waterbuck and zebra (including the endangered Grevy's zebra) from the surrounding savannah plains trek to the water. Lion, leopard and cheetah are also quite easy to spot, thanks in part to the lack of grass cover.

Samburu is also home to large herds of elephants, and the reserve is well known for providing the opportunity to see wildlife that only lives in the dry north of Kenya. Be on the lookout for gerenuks - these odd, yet distinguished looking, gazelle have long necks, and stand on their hind legs to feed.
For the birders, around 365 species have been recorded and the river area is particularly rewarding.

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 Reserve and to stay at the 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.