Kenya’s Best of Bush & Beach Safari

0800 hrs- From Nairobi, we embark on a drive to the Aberdares Country Club. We shall pass through the industrial town of Thika and past the intensely cultivated farms of the central Kikuyu highlands dotted with coffee, tea and a variety of food crops. We shall take a scheduled break for bathroom and refreshments before proceeding on to the Aberdares Country club, a majestic haven on the hills formerly the home of an English couple half a century ago.  You will relax at the Club before lunch is served at 1300 hrs. At 1500 hrs you are transferred with other guests in the lodge shuttle to The Ark, one of the two famous tree hotels in the Aberdares National Park.

Aberdares National Park has a diverse topography that includes icy rivers, spectacular waterfalls and rain forests. The flora and fauna is quite unique and is not found elsewhere in the country, expect on Mount Kenya. Leopard, elephant, serval cat, waterbuck, reedbuck, dikdik, rhino and the rare bongo can all be found here. You are sure to see elephants, buffalos and some other animals visiting the massive floodlit waterhole of The Ark. Birdlife is also plentiful, including a monkey predator; the crowned eagle.

Dinner and overnight at The Ark.

After breakfast at the Ark, you are transferred back to the Aberdare Country Club. Then drive to Lake Nakuru in time for lunch. At 1530 hrs proceed for an afternoon game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru’s claim to fame is anchored on its flamingo’s and the over 400 species of birds found here thus qualifying as an important bird area {IBA}. The lake itself is alkaline set on the floor of the Great rift valley. The sight of, at times millions of flamingos is quite spectacular. From a distance the lake presents a pink flamboyance as if it has a pink beach. The Lake has also earned a reputation as an important haven for endangered species- particularly the Rothschild Giraffe and the black and white rhino. Lions,  Leopard, Hyenas,waterbuck, buffalo and baboons, colobus monkey are all residents here.

Dinner and overnight in Nakuru.

0800 hrs- Drive along the Great Rift Valley enjoying beautiful scenery of the Mau escarpment, see the allure of the Mau forest which is the source of the famous Mara river, look at large fascinating farmlands of wheat, corn, and canola. Proceed on through the loitta plains to arrive at our reserved Maasai Maracamp or lodgein good time for lunch.

At 1530 hrs- we set off for our afternoon game drive till dusk.The Mara offers wildlife in such variety and great abundance that it is difficult to comprehend; over 450 species of different animals have been recorded here. You will easily see elephants, lions, leopard, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, Elands, and many kinds of gazelles and antelopes. With good timing, you could witness the greatest natural spectacle on earth, a thrilling and spectacular event; the annual wildebeest migration of about 1.5 million wildebeest followed by their migrating partners the zebras and gazelles, it is a risky transformative journey from the Serengeti to Masai Mara in search of water and pasture. Following on their heels are the predators of the savanna- lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures. This extraordinary event can be observed between June to September of every year, but whatever time you choose to come, the Mara will still be magical and memorable.

Dinner and overnight in Masai Mara.

Opt for an early morning balloon safari over the Mara plains at an extra cost. This is a one in lifetime event observing the early morning sunrise and exploring the entire Mara reserve from a bird’s eye view on a 360 degree vantage position. The landing is complemented with a champagne breakfast in the middle of the Mara wilderness. Game drive continues shortly after you reconnect with your guide until late in the afternoon.

Alternatively embark on a full day game drive with picnic lunch boxes and explore the larger Mara reserve, this enables you to penetrate the Mara further in an unhurried pace, enjoy the many opportunities of great sightings of the big cats and countless herbivores, follow the migration tracks to the Mara river, and watch the ultimate plunge of death or survival. Our guide will get you the best wildlife experience you can only dream of and top it up with an outdoor picnic lunch under a convenient acacia tree shade overlooking the endless glorious Mara plains. You return to the camp late in the afternoon with an option of visiting a local traditional Masai village for a vibrant cultural interaction.

Dinner and overnight in Masai Mara.

After breakfast depart Masai Mara for Lake Naivasha a fresh water Lake set on the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Arrive at a lake Naivasha camp or lodge in good time for lunch. The highlights of Naivasha circuit includes beautiful sceneries, the countryside is dotted with large yellow acacia trees, giant euphorbia cactus, bush shrubs and a variety of flower plants. Afternoon will be at leisure enjoying some nature walk around the hotel grounds. At late afternoon, proceed on to enjoy an adventure aboard a motorised boat in this lake that is popular for it’s over 400 species of birds, this includes the African fisg eagle, Great Egret, Great comorant, Goliath Heron, a variety of storks, kingfishers, pelicans and geese. The excursion will also enable you to get closer to colonies of hippos and to watch a number of wildlife feeding along the banks of lake. Later enjoy an enticing sunset drifting down slowly through the African horizons behind the lake. Return back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Dinner and overnight at a Lake Naivasha lodge {FB

Early breakfast in Naivasha, then we depart for Amboseli through Nairobi, an interesting drive eastwards passing the scenic views of Mount Longonot and observing the amazing geological feature of the deep Great Rift Valley floor below us. Enjoy breathtaking scenery of the Kikuyu central highlands and admire the open plains of rural villages just after passing the Nairobi metropolitan district. We take a break at Emali town for bathrooms and refreshments. We then proceed on south through the Masai plains of Meruesh and ibilkan to finally arrive at our Amboseli Lodge or Camp in good time for lunch. Afternoon game drive in this magnificent park popular for its large herds of elephants and superb views of Mount Kilimanjaro commences around

3:30pm until sunset when we return to the lodge/camp for dinner and overnight {FB}.

0630 hrs – Early morning game drive in Amboseli National Park. This is the best time to capture the incredible views of Mount Kilimanjaro with the morning sunrise rays illuminating its snowy peaks. Follow the elephant caravans as they visit the numerous swamps dotting this park for a morning forage and bath, watch as predators pursue unsuspecting prey and study several primates. Return to the lodge for proper breakfast and relaxation. Your mid morning can be spent visiting a nearby Masai cultural village or taking a short nature walk with a resident guide. After lunch at the lodge, we shall proceed for an afternoon game drive at 1600 hrs until dusk.

Amboseli sits on the lower slopes of the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro-Africa’s highest free standing mountain also referred to as the “Roof of Africa”. It is quite an experience to see Kilimanjaro hovering above the clouds in an early morning and late evenings. The animal pictures captured against the dramatic backdrop of the mountain will thrill the photography enthusiast. Amboseli is renowned for its huge elephant herds. You will also enjoy other wildlife sightings including, Giraffe, buffalos, Eland, zebra, wildebeest, dikdik Gazelles, warthogs, and some predators including Lions, Hyenas, Cheetah and Jackals.

Bird watching in Amboseli is a thrilling and an exciting experience, the swamps doting this park is a great attraction to hundreds of water birds including egrets, Geese, pelicans, grebes, lapwings, storks and flamingoes. A number of birds of prey can also be spotted in this important bird area {IBA}.

Dinner and overnight in Amboseli.

After breakfast, depart Amboseli for a comfortable drive to the TsavoWest National Park, a fiercely beautiful park with beautiful sceneries consisting of Rocky outcrops, mountain ranges, volcanic flow plateaus, swamplands, and wetlands, the vegetation is mostly dry bush scrub, cactus, acacia, riverine forests and wild palms. We shall drive through remote countryside of farming communities and access the Park through Chyulu gate after exploring the massive Sheitani lava flow estimated to be 500 years old. We plan to arrive in time for lunch at our reserved camp or lodge. At 1530 hrs, we shall proceed for an afternoon game drive within the park until dusk.

At Tsavo West you will see the “ red elephants” referred to as so due to the coloration of their skin with the red earth of the Tsavo following continuous mud bathing. Other wildlife to see in this park includes, Gazelles and antelopes, specifically the Kudu, waterbucks, buffalo, vervet monkeys, antelope, baboons, giraffes, hippos and a variety of predators including lions, Hyenas and jackals. The African Hunting dog is the ultimate prize in this park since it’s quite elusive. The park is a marvel in terms of geo-physical character and plant diversity. Mzima Springs, the source of Mombasa’s water, is located here. These springs are recharged daily with hundreds of millions of litres of crystal clear water by underground streams emanating from Chyulu Hills. At Mzima, all sorts of animals gather for a drink particularly in the dry season. You may also be able to view hippos and crocodiles from a well constructed underwater glass observatory.

Dinner and overnight at a Tsavo west lodge or camp.

Early breakfast in Tsavo, this is the last day on safari and we plan to make the best out of it. We shall load up shortly after breakfast and embark on an enroute game drive towards the exit of the park, this day also presents great sighting opportunities since there’s no dull moment in the wilderness. We exit the park to join the main highway to Mombasa heading for Diani. Enjoy a smooth drive through rural villages and take a scheduled stop for Lunch and refreshments. You are then dropped off at your beach resort in the afternoon to enjoy the rest of your holiday. This marks the end of our 9 days safari full of excitement and great memories {HB}.