Itinerary
Days: 1-2 | Arrival, Tsavo West National Park
Touch down in Nairobi, you will be met and assisted board your Safari Landcruisers and head out East on the Nairobi - Mombasa highway towards Tsavo West National Park. Landscapes progress from urban to farmland to volcanic as you approach this remote corner of Kenya, where your African adventure will excitedly begin! Crossing into the park, you will drive towards the Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge, a stunning stone-built lodge that blends seamlessly into the volcanic surroundings. This park is home to the world’s youngest volcanic range – the Chyulu Hills – and it will be a fascinating first site of exploration. Though the park does not evoke images of that quintessential African landscape, your day here will reveal some of the continent’s diversity in ecosystems and species.
You will be welcomed to Tsavo West National Park and Kilaguni with a fresh lunch served in the open air-dining room, with Kilimanjaro looming in the distance. Take a few moments to relax and unwind poolside, or with a massage, before setting out with a guide on your first African game drive! While this park is a Big Five destination, it is most famous for its thriving hippo population, best viewed at Mzima Springs. Here, four shallow pools are connected by rushing rapids fed by the Chyulu Hills. Frozen lava ledges and jagged peaks surround the area, with a shade forest perfect for hiking. Waters here are perfectly clear, allowing you to peer beneath the surface watching as hippos bob and crocodiles swim. The pools even have an underwater viewing chamber for a better perspective on this underwater landscape. As the sun begins to sink over the serrated horizon, drive back towards the lodge arriving in time for cocktails, appetizers, and a freshly made dinner. Today will have been a long and adrenaline filled day, and you will likely be keen to retire to your luxury suite early, in preparation for the days ahead.
Days: 3-4 | Amboseli National Park
Following a breakfast of fruit, pastries and coffee, you will retrace your steps westwards moving into the shadow of Kilimanjaro. You will drive back through the Chyulu Hills and thick montane forests, eventually reaching the perimeter of Amboseli National Park. Here, vast plains sprawl out beneath the snow-capped peak of the tallest mountain in Africa, while enormous herds of elephants gracefully roam the horizon. Lush and magical, game drives through Amboseli are a perfect complement to yesterday’s time spent in Tsavo West. You will arrive at the Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge around midday, again with time for lunch and relaxation before embarking on adventures through this picturesque landscape.
It is ideal to begin your adventures in the late afternoon, when the bush livens as the midday heat lessens. During this time, lions, leopards and gazelle emerge from their shaded afternoon spots in search of greener pastures and evening meals. Drive slowly across the plains and between the glacial fed streams as you move towards the park’s central lake. Pop into a hide that overlooks the watering hole, where you can watch the afternoon activity from this unnoticed vantage point. Though Amboseli is one of Kenya’s more popular parks, moments in this hide and in other secluded areas found by your expert guide, will help to create a sense of exclusivity and independence. As daylight begins to dwindle, head towards Observation Hill for a cocktail overlooking the park as the sky transforms around this iconic landscape. Return to the lodge in the early evening, where you will be met with a locally inspired meal, with views of the uninterrupted starry night sky. Spend a few final moments tonight around the fire before retiring to your Masai-inspired private suite in the heart of the bush.
Day: 5 | Mount Kenya
After a sumptous breakfast, this morning you will travel north towards Kenya’s largest mountain – Mount Kenya. Landscapes will again shift dramatically as you move north towards the equator, pausing for a photo as you straddle the actual line. Drive into the shadow of the mountain as you approach the Serena Mountain Lodge, located on the lush and tangled jungle slopes. At this higher altitude, the temperatures drop and the air becomes markedly fresher, signaling your entrance into a third region of Kenya.
Serena Mountain Lodge is the only tree hotel ever built on the slopes of Mount Kenya standing at 2,134 meters high, Serena mountain lodge offers a glorious panoramic view of the ancient rainforest of Mount Kenya and excellent game viewing opportunities. The panoramas surrounding Serena Mountain Lodge will delight you with their dramatic features. By day, cool, clear mountain air and sweeping views across the treetops beckon with opportunity for discovery and exploration. An open-air deck gazes down to a water hole bustling with elephant and buffalo herds. As darkness approaches, the trees surrounding the hotel come alive in a wall of sound as creatures of all manner begin their nocturnal rituals.
Rising above the forest canopy like a ship cresting a wave of deep green, a timbered drawbridge leads you from the forest onto the hotel’s wooden decks. Inside, log-panelled walls and timbered game-viewing decks welcome you to the surrounding natural beauty. Winding stairs usher you to 41 cosy, cabin-style rooms designed to take full advantage of the primeval solitude and serenity of the mountain landscape, ensuring deep relaxation after a day of travel or adventure.
Days: 6 | Lake Nakuru National Park
After breakfast, today you will leave behind the mountain peaks and head out to the Great Rift Valley. Over the course of a couple hours, you will move through the plateaus and to the valley floor. The rift valley is characterized by the series of alkaline lakes that fill the bottom, with Lake Nakuru standing among the most famed and beautiful. Entering the park, you will immediately encounter a wall of cotton-candy pink flamingos, busily feasting on the algae that thrives in these otherwise inhospitable waters. Walk and drive along the perimeter of the lake, as pelicans fly overhead alongside a host of other migratory birds. Check in at the Sarova Lion hill Lodge.
Set on a plateau along the Lion Hill, Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge is arguably one of the best accommodations from which to view the incredible Lake Nakuru and the thousands of flamingos that line its shores. An idyllic escape, the lodge is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and offers panoramic views of the lake and the surrounding National Park. Exploring Lake Nakuru National Park is the main attraction, bringing you not only to see the lake's flamingos and other abundant birdlife, but also the colobus monkey, the endangered white rhino and other wildlife like lion, leopard, zebra, gazelle, eland and giraffe. Alternatively, visit Kenya’s famous soda lakes that form part of the Great Rift Valley. The roads in the park accommodate all vehicles making self-drives a relaxing and independent way of exploring these surroundings.
Days: 7-8 | Maasai Mara Game Reserve
Today, excitement builds as you depart Lake Nakuru for the climax of your Kenyan adventure: safaris through the Maasai Mara. This reserve is undoubtedly the country’s most precious wildlife sanctuary, and certainly sits among the most famed national parks on the continent. Make your way out of the Rift Valley, through the Masai heartland, and towards the sprawling plains and grassy hills of the Mara. Arriving midday, check in at the Mara Serena Safari Lodge, you will again sink into that familiar rhythm of the first days of the trip where you have time for lunch and relaxation before venturing out from the lodge grounds.
On a late afternoon safari, you will have ample opportunities to search for Africa’s Big Five. Hunters named this group in reference to their high level of danger and elusiveness. Today, however, the buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant and rhino, stand among the most coveted sightings in the bush. While ever impressive, these species exist alongside a plethora of other unique creatures, equally as wonderful to see. Giraffes are often seen peaking their heads out of acacia treetops, while families of warthogs scuttle beneath their legs. Guides will provide plenty of information on some of the lesser-known residents of the Mara, ensuring that this afternoon’s safari goes far beyond straight sightseeing.
Day: 9 | Transfer Nairobi, Departure
This morning you will begin your journey back towards the capital, after a final breakfast overlooking the Masai Mara. Drive through the Masai heartland, and watch as the landscape shifts from bush to farmland, to ultimately, an urban landscape. You will reach Nairobi midday, which should leave just enough time for a meal at Carnivore, one of Africa’s most famous restaurants. Here, you will have the chance to sample virtually every style of bush meat available, beginning with warthog and ending with crocodile. Once you are completely full and incredibly well versed on the tastes of African meat, your driver will return you to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your outbound departure.
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