The Adventure of East Africa: 12 days and 11 nights
AREAS VISITED: Mt. Kenya /Aberdare/ Lake Nakuru / Masai Mara / Tarangire / Lake Manyara / Ngorongoro Crater
Activities: Wildlife Viewing & Cultural Interaction, Hot Air Balloon Ride
Activity Level: Easy
Arrive Nairobi in the morning and drive through Kenya’s lush farmland, to Naro Moru village at the base of Mt. Kenya. You will get to the lodge in time for lunch. After lunch you have a few options of how to spend your time; visit Manyatta primary school, enjoy being at the Lodge which is a beautiful place to stroll and bird watch or relax by the pool with the spectacular views of Mt. Kenya in the background.
Leave Naro Moru mid-morning and drive to the Aberdare mountain range. You will have lunch at the Aberdare Country Club and spend the afternoon riding horses amongst the giraffe, taking walks on the grounds of the country club, playing golf or spend a relaxing time by the pool. In the late afternoon you will take a bus up to The Ark where you will eat dinner and spend the evening watching the animals come to the salt lick and watering hole. It is a spectacular opportunity to watch during the day and nighttime the interactions and group behaviors of many different types of animals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
After breakfast you will drive through spectacular scenic views of the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park, home to thousands of flamingos that live on this shallow soda lake containing blue green algae. Birding is spectacular here because it is also home to over 400 species of birds! The park is a sanctuary for animals and it is a good place to see the rare white and black rhinoceros as well as the endangered Rothschild giraffe.
Today you will drive to Masai Mara, which is an extension of the Serengeti Eco-system and is located at the Southwest corner of Kenya. It is Kenya’s most popular park and among the top game reserves in East Africa where the wildlife is abundant and where the great wildebeest migration occurs in the months of June and July. The accommodation is located in the game reserve and is an excellent location to depart on an early morning and late afternoon game viewing.
Today we shall spend a full day in Masai Mara and there will be two game drives, early in the morning and late in the afternoon. In between the game drives you will have lunch and then visit a Masai Boma village where you will get the opportunity to see how the Masai live and watch them dance and talk with the Masai about their culture and society. In the evening, after dinner we will enjoy traditional dancers by a bonfire.
**** Optional Hot Air Balloon Ride Available on this day**** This is not included in the cost of the safari. We can organize a balloon ride for you if you are interested.
Today you will have another beautiful day in a different part of Masai Mara. After breakfast you will go for a long game drive across the plains of Masai Mara to the hippo pools in the Mara River. Here you will sit on the edge of the river and watch the herd of hippos and their babies all interact with each other while the crocodiles sunbathe across the river. The scene is truly spectacular! Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Today you will drive back to Nairobi. Time allowing, you will visit the museum or hang out in the hotel in preparation for the next phase of the safari. This would also be a good chance to make phone calls or write emails and also do laundry. Breakfast included.
In the morning you will drive to Namanga town which is at the border of Kenya and Tanzania. After clearing with customs and immigration at the border, we will transfer to Tanzania vehicles and drive to Arusha, which is situated, on lush foothills of Mt Meru. Breakfast is included.
Today after breakfast we shall drive to Tarangire which is Tanzania’s fourth largest park. Here you will enjoy the scenic park with the geological landscape as well as diverse wildlife. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Today you will drive to Ngorongoro Crater one of the world’s largest calderas with an amazing balance between the wildlife and the Maasai people who have lived here for centuries. You will relax at your hotel and enjoy the spectacular views from your hotel located on the edge of the crater. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Today you will take a packed lunch and descend with a 4-wheel vehicle to the bottom of the Ngorongoro Crater for an all day game drive. The crater is a self-contained wildlife haven packed with nearly every mammal species to be found in East Africa. We will eat our picnic lunch in the park by a beautiful lake situated in the crater with hippos and many different types of birds. We will ascend from the crater and then drive to Lake Manyara. Once you get situated in the hotel you can relax by the pool and enjoy the views overlooking Lake Manyara Park.
Leave Lake Manyara after breakfast and drive back to Nairobi. Enjoy a farewell dinner at the Carnivore restaurant before your evening flight.