Twelve Days

Nairobi • Sweetwaters Game Reserve • Samburu & Shaba Game Reserves • Mt. Kenya • Lake Nakuru National Park • Masai Mara Game Reserve

Kenya has long been recognized as the home of the traditional safari. With a kaleidoscope of African images to captivate the imagination, Kenya is a land of classic beauty. Vast and myriad herds of wildlife roam freely through untamed nature, while the patchwork farms of the Kikuyu people form a magnificent tapestry over the Kenyan hillside. The arid Samburu is home to leopard, elephant, buffalo and other unique northern species. Stunning Masai Mara National Reserve is home to Kenya’s largest concentrations of lion, antelope, wildebeest and zebra.

Day 1: Sat Depart North America Your exciting safari to Kenya in East Africa begins tonight as you board a British Airways jet for London.

Day 2: Sun London / Nairobi Arrive in London today and enjoy time to relax and freshen up before connecting with your evening flight to Nairobi. A day room is provided for you at a nearby AIRPORT HOTEL.

Day 3: Mon Arrive Nairobi Upon arrival in Kenya and its cosmopolitan capital city, Nairobi, you are met and escorted to your luxurious accommodations at THE STANLEY HOTEL. This afternoon visit the Karen Blixen Museum, formerly her home, where the bygone era of the pioneering coffee farmer is preserved, and also Giraffe Manor for a view of the rare Rothschild giraffe. This evening enjoy a festive welcome dinner at the world-famous Carnivore Restaurant. D

Day 4: Tue Nairobi / Sweetwaters Game Reserve Following breakfast, depart on safari! You are driven to Sweetwaters Game Reserve, a privately owned 24,000-acre ranch with magnificent views of the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kenya. Overlooking a floodlit waterhole, the camp offers an unforgettable opportunity to watch and photograph game in its natural habitat. Today’s activities include an afternoon visit to the Rhino and Chimp Sanctuaries, and a spotlight night game drive. SWEETWATERS CAMP B, L, D

Day 5: Wed Sweetwaters / Shaba Game Reserve Following a morning game drive, travel into the semi-arid Shaba Game Reserve. You soon begin to see Samburu people—proud warriors and beautifully adorned women going about their daily lives much the same as they have for centuries. An unusual group of animals is indigenous to this area, and your guide will enlighten you about narrow-striped Grevy zebra, Beisa oryx, ostrich, the tiny dik-dik and the long-necked gerenuk. An afternoon game drive provides an opportunity to see these rare species. SAROVA SHABA LODGE B, L, D

Day 6: Thu Samburu & Shaba Game Reserves Rise at dawn for a full day of game viewing in Samburu and Shaba Game Reserves. These unusual reserves feature a wide variety of wildlife thriving on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River. It is this sluggish river which creates a fascinating wildlife haven in an otherwise arid and inhospitable area. Languid pools harbor hippo and provide bathing grounds for elephants; sandbars reveal an occasional crocodile sunning itself amid the fantastic variety of birds. Reticulated giraffe and perhaps even leopard can be spotted. B, L, D

Day 7: Fri Shaba / Mount Kenya Morning game drive before traveling to the slopes of Mt. Kenya near the equator, where you may have your picture taken with one foot in each hemisphere! The famous MOUNT KENYA SAFARI CLUB, originally a retreat whose members once included such illustrious figures as Winston Churchill and Bing Crosby, offers a unique blend of comfort and relaxation amid lush gardens for the perfect mid-safari break. The club features the finest private bird sanctuary in all of East Africa, and is home to the William Holden Animal Orphanage. Other activities offered on the beautiful grounds: golf, tennis, horseback riding, trout fishing, and relaxing in and around the superb pool, surrounded by manicured lawns boasting a parade of peacocks, storks, flamingos and sacred ibis. B, L, D

Day 8: Sat Mount Kenya / Lake Nakuru National Park Travel to Lake Nakuru, a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 450 species, best known for its huge population of flamingos. There’s a good chance of seeing rhino and leopard on your afternoon game drive, along with numerous other mammals. The rooms at LION HILL LODGE overlook this famous soda lake. B, L, D

Day 9: Sun Lake Nakuru / Masai Mara Game Reserve Morning drive to Masai Mara, Kenya's finest and most famous game reserve. We arrive in time for lunch and our afternoon game drive. The Mara, with its abundance of game and beautiful rolling grasslands, is the jewel of Kenyan game parks. With more species of wildlife in greater concentrations than anywhere else on earth, it ranks as the highlight of any Kenyan safari. Feel at home in the wilderness in your en suite luxury tent, nestled amidst the rich indigenous flora. MARA SAROVA TENTED CAMP. B, L, D

Day 10: Mon Masai Mara Game Reserve Each outing presents a unique look at the Mara and the magnificence of wild Africa. Encounter prides of lion—often numbering as many as 30, presided over by black-manned males; gatherings of hippo lounging in the cool waters of the Mara River; vast herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope on the move in search of better grazing, accompanied by their ever-present feathered friends—the egret and other exotic birds. Rhino, cheetah, leopard and elephant are occasionally spotted in this northernmost tip of the fabled Serengeti. This afternoon, relax by the swimming pool or catch a catnap before your afternoon game drive. Evening brings friendly camaraderie around the campfire, tribal dancing and presentations on the varieties of plant and animal life that populate the Mara. B, L, D

A fabulous balloon safari over the Masai Mara is also available. Details upon request.

Day 11: Tue Masai Mara / Nairobi / London This morning’s pre-breakfast game drive is your final chance to bask in the unmatched grandeur of the African safari lands. Later, bid farewell to safari life, returning by air to Nairobi. A day room is provided for you at THE STANLEY HOTEL. The afternoon is at leisure, before boarding your evening homeward flight. B

Day 12: Wed Arrive North America Arrive home today, eager to share the excitement of your African safari. You bring with you a wealth of memories, tales and photographs to be cherished and shared, and new friends to remember.