Highlights
Day 1-6 | Kenya
- You travel in a 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser with a guaranteed window seat and pop-up roof
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy: game drive against the backdrop of Mt Kenya, the large rhino population
- Lake Nakuru National Park: game drives, large flamingo colonies, rhinos
- Crescent Island & Lake Naivasha: walking safari on Crescent Island
- Masai Mara Game Reserve: Game drives, many big cats and the Big Five, trip to the Mara River
Day 1: Nairobi – Ol Pejeta Conservancy
After a short briefing in the morning, the adventure begins with the drive-in your 4×4 Land Cruiser towards the second highest mountain in Africa – Mount Kenya. Here, you will visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy which offers a stunning view of Mount Kenya, if the weather permits. This conservancy is home to a considerable number of predators and plays an essential role in the conservation of the black rhino in East Africa. It prides itself in being home to large populations of endangered species. It is also the only place in Kenya where you can see chimpanzees. The sanctuary is home to abused and orphaned chimpanzees from West and Central Africa. To top it all off, at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, chances are high that you will spot the very rare African wild dog.
Accommodation: Sweetwater Serena Camp or Similar
Day 2: Ol Pejeta Conservancy – Lake Nakuru National Park
Energised by a hearty breakfast, you will embark on a short game drive in the early morning before leaving the Mount Kenya region and heading towards the Great Rift Valley. On your way, you will stop in Nyahururu at Kenya’s largest waterfall, which is an impressive 72 metres high. After a short break, you continue to Lake Nakuru National Park. The alkaline lake attracts huge colonies of flamingos each year. The spirulina algae, the flamingos’ main food source, colours their feathers in a distinctive pink colour. Millions of birds paint the shores of the lake in a pink hue and seeing them rise into the sky in their thousands is a sight you will never forget.
The number of flamingos at the lake varies depending on the water levels and salt concentration. Another highlight of this national park is the black and white rhinos that call Lake Nakuru home. You can also spot large herds of buffaloes, waterbucks, hippos and many types of gazelles in the park. The forest of yellow fever trees at the lakeside offers shade, making it the ideal hunting ground for leopards.
Accommodation: Flamingo Hill Tented Camp or Similar
Day 3: Lake Nakuru National Park – Crescent Island – Lake Naivasha
After breakfast, there will be enough time for one last game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park before you head towards Lake Naivasha. Lake Naivasha is one of the few fresh water lakes in the Great Rift Valley, while most lakes in this region are alkaline. The shores of the lake are green year-round and a refreshing change from the often dry savannahs. You can see zebras, small gazelles and giraffes at the shores. Around noon you will make a trip to Crescent Island, a small private conservancy. You can go on a walking safari, a truly unique experience, watching wildlife from up close.
Accommodation: Naivasha Sopa Lodge or Similar
Day 4: Lake Naivasha – Masai Mara Game Reserve
In the early morning, you will make your way to the one and only Masai Mara. There is lots to see on your 5-hour drive: you will pass the inactive volcanoes, Mount Longonot and Mount Suswa, then drive deeper and deeper into the land of the Masai. In the afternoon, you will arrive in the Masai Mara Game Reserve and embark on your first game drive through this absolutely stunning part of Kenya. The Masai Mara is known for its large wildlife populations and is home to the Big Five. Since animals don’t adhere to border control, you can spot wildlife in the surrounding areas as well. You will spend the night at Mara West Camp in a remote area just outside of the Mara Triangle.
Accommodation: Mara West Camp or Similar
Day 5: Masai Mara Game Reserve
Today you will have plenty of time for extensive game drives through the beautiful Masai Mara, including a stop at the Mara River. The Masai Mara is host to the greatest wildlife show on earth: The Great Migration. Millions of wildebeest and zebras migrate from the southern Serengeti in Tanzania to the savannahs of the Masai Mara. The animals follow the rain, always in search of fresh grass. These large herds of ungulates attract a great number of predators: lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas lurk in the shadows for their next meal. The highlight of the Great Migration occurs between July and September when the herds have to cross the Mara River.
Many hungry crocodiles wait in the rivers, turning the waters into a death trap for some wildebeest and into a spectacular show of natural forces. A safari in the Mara is a unique experience since many animals call the game reserve home year-round. If you have seen the Big Five, you might want to turn your attention to the more than 400 bird species living here.
Accommodation: Mara West Camp or Similar
Day 6 Masai Mara Region – Nairobi
After breakfast, you will leave the Masai Mara region heading towards Nairobi. The bumpy paths of the bush will turn into tarred roads and in the afternoon, you will arrive at your point of departure, the busy capital that is Nairobi. We will drive you to your hotel or the airport where you can say your goodbyes to your safari crew and head home or continue your travels.