11 Days the Gem of Africa Safari

After breakfast drive to Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Lunch at your lodge and enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Game Reserve.

Optional Afternoon Visit to a Maasai Cultural Village: This afternoon, join the Maasai dancers donning their African regalia and the jingling on their feet, flow by the rhythm of African beats and dance to their tunes that will leave you refreshed.

Maasai Mara Game Reserve: The Land of Big Cat Diary and Disney’s African Cats, is considered a "must see" for any new and repeat visitor traveling on a safari to Kenya. It is on the "to do" list for many Kenyans and visitors alike because the park is graced by a wide variety of unique and exquisite wildlife and birds. Maasai Mara is the best place to see the "Big Five" animals (elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalo).

Home of the Great Wildebeest Migration: The location of the ’Annual Great Wildebeest Migration’ – one of the natural wonders of the world – is a gloriously beautiful, wildlife-rich savannah landscape. The annual wildebeest migration from June to October consists of over 1.5 million wildebeests, gazelles gnus and Zebras roar converge at the border of Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Maasai Mara making a spectacular entrance in a surging column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon, before finally plunging wildly into the raging waters of the Mara River, creating a frenzy as the fight against swift currents and waiting hungry crocodiles take priority. Those that survive crocodiles and raging waters cross over to the patiently waiting predators such as hyenas, jackals, leopards and lions for another survival battle.

Wildlife: The Mara is known as one of the finest wildlife destinations in the World. There is an excellent chance of seeing the Big 5, cheetah, serval, hyena, bat- eared foxes, black-backed and side-striped jackals, hippo, crocodile, baboons, warthog, topi, eland, Thompson’s gazelle, Grant’s etc.

Breakfast in the and depart for a full day game drive with picnic lunch boxes or enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in Maasai Mara Game Reserve with lunch break in between the game drives.

Optional Maasai Mara Balloon Ride: For those going for the balloon safari, you will be going for the early morning balloon, you will be picked at the hotel by the Balloon Company at 5.30am and drive to the balloon launch site where you will gather for takeoff. Enjoy early morning ballooning over the plains, getting a bird’s eye view of the game below as the sun creeps slowly over the horizon.

After approximately one hour aloft, the balloon lands while a breakfast is being prepared for us nearby. The smell of bacon, sausages and eggs drift on the breeze as we sample exotic Kenyan fruits and homemade pastries and, if you wish, glasses of bubbly to toast our flight, a tradition initiated by the Montgolfier brothers.

OVERNIGHT: At the Lodge in Maasai Mara

After breakfast drive to Lake Naivasha arriving for lunch just after checking into your lodge. After lunch enjoy an afternoon boat ride and bird watching in Lake Naivasha.

OVERNIGHT: At the Lodge in Naivasha

After breakfast drive to Aberdare National Park. Well known to the world as the home of succession where in came a princess and out went the Queen of England while at Treetops lodge, Aberdare is a land of fortune and diversity. The Park got its name from Lord Aberdare, one of the founder members of the Royal Geographical Society.

Located in the central highlands, west of Mount Kenya and 160kms from Nairobi, the foothills of the Aberdare National Park is covered with huge trees, which, as you go higher, gradually give way to bamboo forests. From about 3, 000 meters upward the landscape consists primarily of alpine moorland which gives way to an area of grass land with, from time to time, giant lobelias presenting an attractive contrast. Try this destination of fortunes.-and who knows? You might be the next one queen or king!

Attractions: The major physical attractions: Le satima and Kinangop peaks, numerous waterfalls, Twin & Elephant hills, Table Mounts, black rhinos, elephant, buffalo, giant forest hog, lion, leopard, baboon, black & white colobus and Sykes monkeys are abundant. Bird viewing is incredible with over 250 species of birds recorded.

Activities; Include Night viewing of wildlife at the Ark & Treetops, Game Drives, Trout fishing, and visit to the Kimathi hideout used by the legendary Mau Mau General.

OVERNIGHT: At the Lodge in Aberdare

After breakfast drive to Olpajeta Conservancy arriving for lunch, then have an afternoon game drive in Olpajeta Conservancy.

Highlights of Sweet Waters and Olpajeta Conservancy Ranch

Chimpanzee sanctuary and largest Black rhino sanctuary in East Africa

Splendid views of Mount Kenya

Host to all the ‘Big Five’.

Central waterhole that attracts a wide variety of game.

Higher wildlife-to-area ratio than any Kenyan park.

Camel rides at an extra cost.

OVERNIGHT: At the Lodge in Olpajeta

After breakfast drive to Samburu Game Reserve arriving for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive in Samburu Game Reserve. Samburu National Reserve was one of the two areas in which conservationists George and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness.

Their story was made famous by the bestselling book and award-winning movie "Born Free". Samburu National Reserve is situated on the banks of the Ewaso Ngiro River in the dry northern Kenya and neighbors the homes of the Samburu tribe of Kenya, a tribe known for their remote culture, pastoral and nomadic way of life.

The presence, of the Ewaso Ngiro River and its shady trees, attracts plenty of wildlife. Giraffe, large herds of elephants, buffalo, gerenuks, gazelle, waterbuck and zebra (including the endangered Gravy’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. The reserve provides the opportunity to see wildlife that only lives in the dry north of Kenya; namely: the long necked gerenuk, Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe and Beisa onyx. The elusive Kenya leopard is often known to visit the park, especially in the evenings.

Birdlife is as plentiful as wildlife at Samburu National Reserve, which boasts over 350 different species of birds including vultures, kingfishers, marabous, bateleurs, guinea fowl, Somali ostriches and others. With an optional visit to a Samburu Cultural Village.

OVERNIGHT: At the Lodge in Samburu

Breakfast in the lodge and depart for a full day game drive with picnic lunch boxes or enjoy morning and afternoon. Alternatively, enjoy game drives in Samburu Game Reserve with lunch break in between the game drives.

OVERNIGHT: At the Lodge in Samburu

After breakfast drive to Meru National Park. The Park is famous as the setting for Joy Adamson’s book “Born Free”, the story of the Adamson’s life and research amongst lion and cheetah. The park is wild and beautiful straddling the equator and bisected by 13 rivers and numerous mountain-fed streams.

It is an especially beautiful area of Kenya. It has diverse scenery from woodlands at 3,000ft. On the slopes of Nyambeni Mountain Range, Northeast of Mount Kenya, to wide-open plains with wandering riverbanks dotted with doum palms.

Animals Attraction: Animals that can be viewed here include: lion, elephant, cheetah, leopard, lesser Burchell’s Zebras, Gravy Zebras, Maasai and reticulated giraffes, Grant gazelles, gerenuks Kudu, duiker and dik-dik, one of Africa’s smallest antelopes. Large prides of lion can be seen and some of Kenya’s largest herds of buffalo. The rivers abound with hippo and crocodile, fishing for barbus and catfish is permitted at camp sites and along the Tana River.

Birds Attraction: Over 300 species of birds have been recorded including: the Peter’s fin foot which inhabits the Murera and URA Rivers, the Pel’s fishing Owl, Kingfishers, rollers, bee-eaters, starlings and numerous weavers. Enjoy your Lunch and afternoon game drive in the park.

OVERNIGHT: At the Lodge in Meru

Breakfast in the hotel and depart for a full day game drive with picnic lunch boxes or enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in Meru National Park with lunch break in between the game drives.

OVERNIGHT: At the Lodge in Meru

Breakfast in the lodge and drive to Nairobi with your optional lunch at a city restaurant.

Next will be your transfer to the airport in for your home bound flight.