Tour Code: OAT013B – KEN TAN SAFARI

Key Information:
Tour Duration: 13 day(s)
Destination(s): KENYA - TANZANIA  
Specialty Categories: Wildlife, border to border experience, culture, balloon safari and walling  
Season: January - December
This tour can be customized.

Highlights: This tour takes us to explore, Nairobi National Park (the very first game park in East Africa), Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru National Park, Amboseli, Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Manyara We welcome you to explore this unspoilt African wilderness.

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Day 1: ARRIVAL IN NAIROBI
 Arrive Nairobi, upon arrival we meet and greet at JKIA and provide a private transfer to your city centre located hotel. Nairobi is the capital of Kenya, is cosmopolitan and lively, the largest city between Johannesburg and Cairo. Set against city skyscrapers is a national park full of wildlife, Nairobi National Park - a haven for lions and rhino, as well as zebra and many antelopes. The rest of the morning is free for you to explore or relax. In the afternoon you join a city tour of Nairobi that includes a visit to Karen Blixen’s house and Giraffe Center. Then back to your hotel for overnight at The Stanley Hotel B/B basis.

The tour provides an up close and personal interaction with people and some of Africa’s famous animals, where guests have the opportunity to view giraffe as well as feed them. There is an impressive variety of birds which can be viewed throughout the year here.

Karen Blixen Giraffe Centre

The Giraffe Centreinvites you to explore the unique ecosystem of the Centre's dry upland forest, which is one of the remaining segmented natural forests outside Nairobi city. You will have the option of guiding yourself or taking a guide. This leisurely stroll begins directly in front of the parking lot at Giraffe Centre.

Using interpretative brochure and walk way stations, you will acquaint yourself with the most common vegetation in the forest sanctuary. The trail gradually descends to the Gogo River then turns rightwards back to the start point.

A visit to the Karen Blixen Farm, named after a Danish lady who came to Kenya in the early part of this century. It was used during the filming of the famous movie that immortalized Karen Blixen's book by the same name (OUT OF AFRICA).The Museum has a beautifully landscaped gardens and an encompassing Ngong Hills View.

A striking feature about the Karen Blixen Museum is the beautiful grounds. The house built in 1910 has a red tile roof and mellow wood paneling in the rooms. The museum has become a herb of various activities including private parties, research and visitation, from all over the world. The income so generated is used to refurbish and maintain Karen Blixen and other regional museums.

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
Annual wildebeest and zebra migration in July/August/September, Black rhinoceros, diverse birdlife, large predators- lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah. Aggregations of large herbivores, including eland, buffalo, zebra and wildebeest. The famous Ivory Burning Site Monument, walking trails at hippo pools, Nairobi Safari Walk & the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. Spacious and accommodating picnic sites for lunch

HOW TO GET THERE
Located only about 7 km from the city centre, the park is easily accessible on tarmac roads, mainly through Langata Road.

Day 2: Nairobi to Masai Mara.
We leave Nairobi after breakfast and drive to Masai Mara Game Reserve, often considered the finest game sanctuary in the country. Located in the south-western corner of Kenya, this vast rolling plain beneath the Mara escarpment, is home to an incredible scene of millions of wildebeest and zebra migrating north from the Serengeti plains during the migration season (July/September) offering the reserve’s resident lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena plenty of food. During your stay, early morning and afternoon  game drives are scheduled with your expert driver guide in your private safari vehicle. The Masai Mara provides a  great variety of wildlife including wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, impalas, topi, gazelle, lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant which are all common . You’ll also see rhinos, hippos, elephants and the diverse and beautiful bird life population. You may also see the proud Maasai warriors herding their cattle alongside a spectacular wildlife backdrop. Maasai tribe’s people live on the reserve’s fringes and are co-owners of the reserve, sharing in revenues from tourism.  Drive to the lodge for dinner and overnight at Masai Mara Serena or Sopa Lodge on Full board basis

Day 3: Full day in Masai Mara.
Today you enjoy an early morning game drive to reveal the hundreds of bird species in the reserve, including Africa’s heaviest flying bird the Kori Bustard. Large orange-buff pel’s fishing owl is a common sight along the river, but rare elsewhere. Or for a different perspective, join an optional hot-air balloon safari above the sweeping plains of the Mara, ending with a champagne breakfast in the bush (US$450 per person). After spending the balance of the morning at leisure, in the afternoon you can join for an optional visit to a Masai Village (US$25 per person) where you learn about the customs and culture of the Masai people. Then we are back on safari this evening. Our experienced driver guides will point out the different environments and explain their significance to the Mara’s ecosystem. You will also have the chance to see rhinoceros, once abundant, but now severely decimated by poachers for the high black market value of their horns. Return back to your lodge for dinner and overnight at Masai Mara Serena or Sopa Lodge on Full board basis

Mara Sopa Lodge

Located on the slopes of Oloongams Hills, it is one of the first lodges to be built in the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Guests are drawn to this lodge built in an ethnic design, surrounded by a rich landscape, covered in fauna, from huge desert cacti to sweet smelling jasmine flowers, all within the fabled Masai Mara game reserve. Location  240 kms from Nairobi, approximately 5 hours on tarmac and all weather murram road, situated outside the park. Flying is one hour to the nearest airstrip which is 30 minutes drive to the lodge.

Day 4: Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru.
After breakfast at Masai Mara, travel by road to Lake Nakuru, well known for its splendid birdlife. Lake Nakuru is part of the shallow lakes formed on the floor of the Rift Valley. Here you’ll find a huge concentration of flamingo. Abundant fish in the lake also attract pelicans, herons, cormorants and fish eagles. There are more than 400 special of birds here. Enjoy bird watching walks and plenty of photo opportunities. Optional horse rides can be arranged here. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge on full board basis.

Day 5: Lake Nakuru to Nairobi onward to Amboseli National Park.
After breakfast we drive to Nairobi via Lake Naivasha. Optional boat ride can be done in this fresh water lake. A souvenir stopover is also recommended in this area. Your lunch today will be at the unique and famous Carnivore Restaurant, featuring a variety of wild game meat roasted on spits. After lunch we head to the south into Amboseli National Park, set against the backdrop of legendary Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, and referred to as ‘the Roof of Africa’. Amboseli is home to the “Big Five” of African wildlife: elephant, rhino, lion, buffalo and leopard. The view of the Amboseli plains, with elephant moving below the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, is one of the most photographed vistas in Africa. A network of swamps and wetlands ensure excellent game viewing year-round. Enjoy an afternoon game drive with an expert and game specialist driver guide and a guaranteed window seat each day in your private safari vehicle. Dinner and overnight at Amboseli Serena or Sopa Lodge on Full board basis

Day 6: Full day in Amboseli National Park.
A typical day on safari begins with an early morning game drive which is the best time for viewing wildlife in the relative coolness of the morning and the late afternoon. This will usually last until mid-morning, when you return to your lodge for breakfast. You can then either choose to laze at the poolside or do another game drive. After lunch and a relaxing afternoon, you will head out for an evening game drive. This lasts from mid-afternoon until sunset, a time when the predators are beginning to think about ‘dinner’! There are 425 recorded bird and 56 mammal species in the park. Dinner and overnight at Amboseli Serena or Sopa Lodge on Full board basis.

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Amboseli Sopa Lodge

Day 7: Amboseli to Ngorongoro Crater via Arusha City.
Today early we set off after breakfast and drive to Tanzania via the Namanga border, not far away. Your driver guide will assist you with border formalities before continuing on to Arusha for lunch at the Arusha Hotel. Continue after lunch to the rim of the great Ngorongoro Crater, an ancient volcanic caldera and great natural amphitheater, the location for the next 2 nights. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena or Sopa Lodge on Full board basis

Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater Tour.
After breakfast you descend to the floor of the crater with picnics for 6 hours of game drives on the floor of the crater, as you experiences the Africa of bygone days,  the ‘lost world’ of Ngorongoro Crater. Within the Crater’s walls lie short grassland, swamps, forests and fresh water lakes, inspiring continual migration of animals. From your 4x4 vehicle, you will have an opportunity to spot the ‘big five’- buffalo, elephant, leopard, the black manned lion and the endangered rare black rhinoceros. Zebras, wildebeest and gazelles are common here. A picnic lunch in the heart of the crater is the highlight of the tour, later this afternoon you ascend to the crater rim for a great sundown and onward to the lodge for dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena or Sopa Lodge on Full board basis.

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

Day 9: Ngorongoro to Serengeti.
After breakfast in Ngorongoro, we starts the  timeless journey to Serengeti with reminders of how earth was millions of years ago. We Visit Olduvai Gorge and explore the history of mankind. This is the area where  Dr. Leakey’s family unearthed ancient stone tools and early fossils of our ancestors, experts at the small museum will give you detailed information regarding  the gorge’s rich and unique history.  Then you continue with your journey across the Serengeti plains, a picnic stop at Naabi Hill gate before procceding into Serengeti. There will be plenty of game viewing en-route. Millions of wildlife take refuge in Serengeti National Park, rich is pasture for grazers and thus attracting big lion prides and other carnivores.  Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Serena or Sopa Lodge.

Serengeti Sopa Lodge

Nestled in the acacia woodland on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the plains of the south-western Serengeti National Park, one of the most famous parks in the world, and host to the largest and most spectacular annual migration of the wildebeest; Located 315 km from Arusha, approximately 7.5 hours drive, and 50 minutes flight with 45 minutes drive from the nearest airstrip. The lodge is set in the Nyarboro Hills, in the South West overlooking the Serengeti Plains.

Day 10: Full day in  Serengeti National Park.
Today you explore Serengeti at large, enjoying the endless views of Serengeti. Take a picnic lunch or return to your lodge for a hot meal. This game drive take you into the heart of the vast Serengeti Savanna. You may spot numerous prides of lion, zebra, hyena, leopard, cheetah, elephant, rhinoceros, hippo, buffalo, jackals, gazelles and primates. And as the day grows old nothing is quite as memorable as the spectacular African sunsets. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Serena or Sopa Lodge on Full board basis

Day 11: Full day in Serengeti
It is another new day in Serengeti, something is happening in the bush, we leave early after breakfast and head out to the bush for a full day of game drives, again you choose between a picnic lunch in the bush or return to your lodge for hot lunch before continuing in the afternoon. Later in the evening  return to your lodge for dinner and overnight at Serengeti Serena or Sopa lodge on Full board basis.

Serengeti National Park

This is the most famous park in Tanzania and it is also the largest concentration of wildlife migration in the world. In the park during the big haul the migration may be 1.5 million wildebeests, 750,000 gazelles and about half one million zebra 's. The park is also famous for its huge population and the lions is probably the best park in the continent with a  big chance to see pride of lions. The park has a size of 8960 square kilometers. It is bordered in the north with the Masai Mara National Game Reserve in Kenya and in the southeast to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In the west, the boundary of the park is just a few miles from Lake Victoria. The largest portion of the Serengeti is open savanna country that is interrupted by rocks, the so-called "kopjes". The vegetation consists of acacia and other trees. Along the Mara River is much forestation with large trees where sometimes the leopards can be observed

Day 12: Serengeti to Lake Manyara.
Today is the last day for game viewing in Serengeti National Park. We leave the lodge after breakfast and drive to Lake Manyara National Park. We pay a visit at a local Masai boma near Ngorongoro area, then onward to Manyara arriving for lunch at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge. A busy afternoon discovering the ecological and medicinal value of the park’s flora and viewing fauna as your experienced driver guide takes you for a short nature walk. This is followed by a game drive inside the park, the park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, also resident hippos, baboons, impala and herds of elephants are all likely to be seen. Lake Manyara is a bird-watcher’s delight. A unique safari by canoe for some fascinating game viewing is an optional activity. The acacia woodland surrounding the lake attracts continual herds of herbivorous. Dinner and overnight a Lake Manyara Serena Lodge on Full board basis

Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Standing high on the bluff of a dramatic ochre and terracotta streaked cliff above the flamingo-frosted expanse of Lake Manyara’s gleaming alkaline waters, the Lodge commands panoramic views across the volcano-studded floor of the Great Rift Valley.  Designed to reflect the brilliance of Lake Manyara’s unique birdlife, the Lodge draws on an inspirational architectural motif that melds swooping avian curves with the gentle concentric patterns of traditional Maasai ‘Bomas’ (encampments) whilst the vibrantly coloured frescoes lining the walls are designed to depict the colourful intricacy of bird migratory patterns.The ambiance of the Lodge is a fusion of lakeside tranquillity, towering volcanic splendour and adventure-packed sporting activity.

Lake Manyara National Park

Stretching for 50km along the base of the rusty-gold 600-metre high Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a scenic gem, with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa. Manyara provides the perfect introduction to Tanzania’s birdlife. More than 400 species have been recorded, and even a first-time visitor to Africa might reasonably expect to observe 100 of these in one day. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration, as well as other large water birds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks.  Despite the relatively small size of the park, there is a large variety of landscapes and there are many different types of wildlife. Manyara is among few destinations where the tree climbing lions can be found. The park is located next to a lake where there is a permanent hippo’s pool.

Day 13: Lake Manyara to Arusha and on to Nairobi.
After breakfast you leave Manyara and drive to  Arusha for lunch. Depending on where your international flight is departing from,  we can arrange the transfer to Nairobi using the same private safari vehicle or by busing a shuttle bus from Arusha to Nairobi JKIA International Airport,  OR if your flight is departing from Kilimanjaro International Airport then we provide private transfer to Kilimanjaro international Airport.

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