Wildlife Safari in Kenya September 1-15, 2023
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Wildlife Safari in Kenya September 1-15, 2023 (Pre-Trip Extension #1: Victoria Falls/Botswana Aug 22-31) (Pre-Trip Extension #2: Cape Town Adventure Aug 18-22) 15 Nights – 2 Full Weeks on Safari During the Migration Season! Accommodations in some of the Premier Tent Camps & Lodges Kenya has to offer! Samburu and Mara Reserves + Lake Elementeita Daily Game Drives and Other Activities Animals, Animals, Animals, as well as Local Culture and Color Transportation provided in your own, dedicated, 4-person Toyota Land Cruiser driven by some of the best guides in Kenya! Visit to the world-famous Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Plus a visit to Hope Streams Academy, an inspiring success story for one of Nairobi’s largest slums DAY -2 - WED AUG 30 OPTIONAL: Those traveling from the West Coast may wish to spend the night near JFK. For those interested in doing this, I will make reservations for the group. DAY -1 - THUR AUG 31 Board your flight from the States (if not doing Vic Falls/Botswana pre-trip) and begin your journey to Nairobi. DAY 1 - FRI SEP 1 NAIROBI Today we arrive in Nairobi, are met by our host representative and transferred to our hotel. We will meet this evening for a Welcome Reception. Accommodation: Karen Blixen Coffee Garden and Cottages DAY 2 NAIROBI After breakfast we head out for a day of activities in and around Nairobi. The morning will be spent visiting the Karen Blixen Museum followed by a moving visit to Hope Streams Academy. We will then visit Utamaduni, the famous arts and crafts emporium before heading back to Karen Blixen Cottages for lunch. After a little rest up (time permitting), we will go to Daphne Sheldrake Elephant Orphanage for the 5pm stable/bedtime visit with the baby elephants. You will need to sponsor an elephant ($50) to participate (this must be booked far in advance, so only those who have signed up and sponsored their elephant in time will be able to participate). Dinner will be on your own at the Cottage restaurant. Accommodation: Karen Blixen Coffee Garden and Cottages (B, L) DAY 3 NAIROBI to SAMBURU After breakfast, we begin our exciting Safari adventure in Kenya, driving to Samburu National Reserve, and checking into Larsen’s Camp in time for lunch. The Lodge is situated inside the reserve which offers the opportunity to see an abundance of wildlife and bird life which has much to do with the “River of Brown Water” (Uaso Nyiro in the Samburu language), fed by rains in the far-off Aberdare ranges. Acacia trees, doum palms and mswaki (the toothbrush tree) provide balanced habitat for the vast variety of game. This afternoon we embark on our first exciting game drive in Kenya. DAYS 4-5 SAMBURU In our two full days in Samburu National Reserve we will have two GAME DRIVES each day, with an opportunity to see the famous big five and other wildlife, some found only here; like the long necked Gerenuk, Antelope, Somali Ostrich, Grevy’s Zebra, Majestic Beisa Oryx and the Reticulated Giraffe, perhaps we will be lucky and get a glimpse of Africa’s famous wild dogs. We will also visit the nearby Samburu Village if we were not able to do it on our first day. The Camp offers modern luxury tents with a private view over the river banks rich with wildlife. Each evening of our 3-night stay here, we will gather to entertain each other with stories of what we have seen and experienced during our game drives that day. Accommodation: Larsen’s Camp (3 nights) (B,L,D) DAY 6 SAMBURU to SWEETWATERS To break up the long drive from Samburu to Elementeita we will do a one-night stopover at Sweetwaters Serena tented camp in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Time permitting we will stop on the way at Mount Kenya Safari Club to visit the animal orphanage (a.k.a. the best adult petting zoo ever!), where As You Like It (Safaris) Inc. is a sponsoring member. After our visit we continue on to Sweetwaters, arriving for lunch before an afternoon game drive. One night will not be enough, and we will wish we could stay longer, but we must continue tomorrow on our journey south toward the Mara. Accommodation: Sweetwaters Serena (1 night) (B,L,D) DAY 7 SWEETWATERS to LAKE ELEMENTEITA SOYSAMBU CONSERVANCY Today we drive across and down into the Great Rift Valley. Along the way we will see how the people live, their farms, their markets, their daily existence. By mid day we reach Lake Elementeita and our lodge for the next two nights. Hopefully we will find the famous pink flamingos that wade in the shallow shores together with multitudes of pelicans and a wide variety of other birds. Leopard can be found in the Conservancy, as well as buffalo and other game. Uniquely situated on the shoreline of sapphire-blue Lake Elmenteita where hundreds of thousands of birds congregate, the small and exclusive Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp in Kenya opened in July 2011. This area of breathtaking beauty, also home to many rare species of animals, is less than two hours’ drive from Nairobi and just a short distance to the famous Flamingo filled Lake Nakuru. Evocatively styled to echo the area’s rich history, our safari camp blends aristocratic elegance with modern luxury and will offer cuisine and service of fittingly high standards. DAY 8 ELEMENTEITA Another relaxed day in Elmenteita, driving in the Conservancy game viewing, swimming in the inviting pool, walking in their beautiful gardens, and bird watching will be phenomenal. Perhaps you will want to pamper yourself with an optional massage in the camp’s lovely spa, in between the twice daily game drives, of course. Often overlooked by people rushing from Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru, the area around Lake Elmenteita and up into the lower foothills of the Aberdare range offers some off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Kariandusi prehistoric site and other activities, including first-rate wildlife viewing, which take advantage of the pretty, lightly wooded hills and lush valley of the Malewa River. In addition, several top-end lodges provide an intimate alternative to their more touristy cousins around lakes Nakuru and Naivasha. Accommodation: Elementeita Serena Camp (2 nights) (B,L,D) DAY 9 ELEMENTEITA to MAASAI MARA Early this morning we continue our Kenya odyssey, as we journey to the Mara Triangle. After a rough ride on a tough road, we will check in for lunch, and be shown to our rooms in the Mara Serena Safari Lodge. After a rest, and maybe a swim, we will have our cup of ‘afternoon tea’ (or coffee) and, if we feel like it, head out for an afternoon game drive. Our lodge has one of the most spectacular views imaginable across the vast plains, forests and rivers that make up the Maasai Mara – one of the world’s richest wildlife sanctuaries. Seasoned safari travelers, travel writers, documentary makers and researchers often admit that the Maasai Mara is one of their favorite places. So why is that? Perhaps it is because of the 'big skies', the open savannahs, the romance of films like Out of Africa and certainly because of the annual wildebeest migration, the density of game, the variety of bird life and the chance of a hot air balloon ride. Also because of the tall red-robed Maasai people whose lifestyle is completely at odds with western practices, and from whom one learns to question certain western values. A combination of all these things plus something to do with the spirit of the place - which is hard to put into words - is what attracts people to the Mara over and over. DAY 10 MAASAI MARA After Breakfast, or perhaps an optional sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride, we are off with our guides to explore what’s out there, up close and personal. The excitement is in the search, the adventure is awesome, the thrill is in finding – perhaps a cheetah on a kill, or a gazelle giving birth, lion cubs frolicking, zebra grazing, or a topi standing atop a mound like a centurion on guard. The ultimate goal of course, will be to witness a crossing. We wait in hope of seeing crossing herds while finding limitless chances for game spotting and spectacular photography. Accommodation: Mara Serena Lodge (2 nights) (B,L,D) DAY 11 MARA SERENA to LITTLE MARA BUSH CAMP After breakfast we game drive our way over to the Little Mara Bush Camp. This will be your truly “Out of Africa,” eco-friendly experience, and you will lap up and love the luxury and service, quite apart from the fact that you will be right in the midst of one of the best game viewing areas in Kenya. The Little Mara Bush Camp boasts one of the best and most spectacular locations in the famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve. On the banks of the seasonal Olare Orok River, it overlooks a large hippo pool with a population of over 40 hippos at any given time. With only 12 luxury tents on wooden platforms, Little Mara Bush Camp offers the desired exclusivity for guests who are looking for maximum privacy. Join us in the Bar/Lounge where an array of classic cocktails and sundowners await you. You will find a charging station for your camera batteries and laptops in the Photo Lounge. All Guest Tents are designed with great attention to detail. Mahogany furniture and luxurious soft furnishings give it the desired comfort of a luxury Camp with a "bush feeling".