Best of Kenya by Road & Air

8 days / 7 nights

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Spend 7 days on safari in some of the world's most premier wildlife reserves, and a day exploring Nairobi. Visit the famous Jane Goodall Chimp Sanctuary at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Samburu National Park, an arid semi-desert land populated with abundant wildlife and the nomadic Samburu people, and the world-famous Maasai Mara, where you can see the Big 5. Opt to go on a Hot Air Balloon Safari in the Mara, or visit a traditional Maasai Village. In Nairobi, visit the Karen Blixen Museum, where the Hollywood film "Out of Africa" with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford was shot, and feed Giraffes at the Giraffe Center. Enjoy Kenyan hospitality at some of the finest game lodges and hotels in the country throughout the tour.

Key sights to see

Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital of, and the largest city in Kenya. Founded in 1899 by the colonial authorities in British East Africa, as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway, the town quickly grew into the center of the colony's coffee and tea industry, and a major hub for international business.
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya
The second highest mountain in Africa, after Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya is regarded as the realm of Ngai, god of the local Kikuyu people. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian, Nelion and Point Lenana at 5,199, 5,188m, and 4,985m, respectively. Point Lenana can be reached by a fit hiker, with a 3-5 day trek.
Samburu National Reserve
Samburu National Reserve
An arid semi-desert land sparsely populated by proud nomadic people, Samburu wildlife reserve boasts the most unusual wildlife in East Africa, from the densely striped Grevy’s zebra, to the reticulated giraffe, regal Beisa oryx, a long-horned race of the Grant’s gazelle, and the antelope giraffe, with a long neck and freakishly small head.
Masai Mara
Masai Mara
Stretched along the Tanzanian border, adjacent to Serengeti National Park, Masai Mara National Reserve (The Mara), is one of the finest wildlife viewing destinations in the world. It is most famous for the Great Migration, which involves over 2 million wildebeest, zebra and antelopes arriving in the area in July and departing in November.

Exciting and memorable things to do

Ol Pejeta Conservancy Visit
Ol Pejeta Conservancy Visit
Enjoy a game drive in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy and visit the famous Rhino sanctuary, home to two of the world’s last remaining northern white rhinos, and over 110 critically endangered black rhinos. Then visit the Chimpanzee Sanctuary, now home to 35 chimpanzees.
Afternoon Game Drive, Samburu Reserve
Afternoon Game Drive, Samburu Reserve
Spend the afternoon discovering the wildlife of the Samburu Reserve including huge herds of elephant, prides of lion, leopards, and species unique to Samburu including the reticulated giraffe (neat, geometrically marked coat), rare Beisa Onyx, gerenuk and Grevy's zebra (twice as heavy as the more familiar Burchell's zebra).
All day Safari in Samburu Reserve
All day Safari in Samburu Reserve
Spend an exciting day looking out for species unique to Samburu including the densely striped Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, the regal Beisa oryx, a comically long-horned race of the Grant’s gazelle, and the most unique of them all, the Gerenuk or antelope giraffe, distinguished by its extraordinarily distended neck and freakishly small head.
Afternoon Game Drive in the Mara
Afternoon Game Drive in the Mara
Spend the afternoon exploring the Masai Mara and spotting a wide range of wildlife from the Big 5 to a large variety of birds. Enjoy evening drinks as you watch the sunset before returning to the lodge for a sumptuous dinner and a cultural show by the local Maasai people.
Morning Game Drive in the Mara
Morning Game Drive in the Mara
Spend the morning on a game drive in the Mara, one of the best wildlife viewing destinations on the planet. Get up close and personal with cheetahs, lion, the occasional leopard, all of the Big 5, and beyond. Enjoy a picnic style lunch in the reserve.
Optional: Maasai Village Visit
Optional: Maasai Village Visit
Visit an authentic Maasai Village and learn more about the Maasai warriors, their homesteads, and traditional cattle markets. See how these semi-nomadic people grow their crops, prepare and store their food, and co-exist peacefully with wildlife, including predators. Explore the women's handicraft markets and buy some souvenirs!
Optional: Hot Air Balloon Safari
Optional: Hot Air Balloon Safari
Depart early to get a spectacular overview of the Maasai Mara National Reserve with an early morning hot air balloon ride. See how the Mara River snakes through the Great Rift Valley and observe all the animals as you soar above the treetops and the grasslands. Top of the trip with a fabulous buffet breakfast after landing.
Karen Blixen Museum Visit
Karen Blixen Museum Visit
The Karen Blixen Museum is the former home of the Danish author Baroness Karen Blixen, who lived here from 1917-1931. The story of her life in this house was depicted in the famous Hollywood movie "Out of Africa" with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.
Giraffe Center Visit
Giraffe Center Visit
Located in Lang'ata, about 20 km from the center of Nairobi, the Giraffe Center is an educational site where visitors, especially school children, can learn about giraffes and also feed them from a raised platform.

Great places to stay

Tamarind Tree, Nairobi
Tamarind Tree, Nairobi

Tamarind Tree Hotel has easy access to Nairobi, its national park, Wilson Airport and the Langata and Karen suburbs, with world-class shopping malls and excellent restaurants. The hotel itself offers an outdoor heated swimming pool, fitness center, garden, on-site restaurant, and modern rooms with garden and pool views.

Sweetwaters Serena Camp, Mount Kenya
Sweetwaters Serena Camp, Mount Kenya

Sweetwaters Tented Camp lies in the heart of privately owned 19,000-acre Sweetwaters Game Reserve, enjoying magnificent views across the game studded plains to the snowcapped peaks of Mount Kenya. Accommodation is provided in luxuriously appointed tents, set under thatch, with en-suite facilities and private verandahs.

Samburu Intrepids Club, Samburu
Samburu Intrepids Club, Samburu

Samburu Intrepids is a lush oasis on the banks of the great Uaso Nyiro River in Samburu Game Reserve. The luxury tented camp sits on raised decks overlooking the river and the crocodiles on its banks. Huge herds of elephant, prides of lion or the solitary leopard are regular visitors around the camp.

What’s Included
  • Ground transportation in Kenya including airport pick up/drop-off
  • Internal flights from Samburu to Maasai Mara, and Maasai Mara to Nairobi Wilson
  • Experienced safari driver and guide
  • Full board accommodations including all meals at safari lodges
  • Entrance fees to all parks, conservancies and tourist sites shown in the itinerary
What’s Not Included
  • All personal expenses (e.g., phone calls, tips & gratuities, laundry services, alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks, unless stated otherwise)
  • International flights, airport taxes, visa fees (if any)
  • Any other items not in the inclusions list
  • Any other item not in the inclusions list
  1. Visa: All nationals require visas for Kenya. The cost of a visa is US $50 per person per entry. We recommend attaining visas in advance, although visas are also available upon arrival in Kenya.
  2. Climate: The climate in general is hot and sometimes humid. From December to March, when the north-east monsoon blows, it is hot and humid. In April and May heavy rains occur with June to October being the coolest and driest period. Temperatures range between 25 degrees and 35 degrees Celsius and annual rainfall is about 20mm.
  3. Baggage Allowance: Baggage is restricted to 15kg per person on the domestic flights within East Africa. Soft-sided luggage or duffels are preferable to hard luggage for storage on safari vehicles and on aircraft used within Africa. Large suitcases of dimensions greater than 24" x 17"x 7" are impossible to store in vehicles and on aircraft and should not be used. (Baggage and personal effects are at owner's risk throughout the tour and baggage insurance for members is strongly recommended.)
  4. Insurance: You are strongly advised to take out adequate insurance against all risks for an adequate sum.

 
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