08 NIGHTS 09 DAYS SAMBURU ‘SPECIAL FIVE’ SAFARI

Met on arrival and then after a Karibu Kenya welcome ceremony we drive to town. Check into Azure Hotel.Freshen up and then take a guided walking tour of Nairobi and the Masai Market. By evening, we drive to an upmarket suburb of Nairobi for a BBQ dinner. Transfer back to our hotel for the night. (D)

Leave after breakfast for Samburu National Reserve. A 05 hour drive on a smooth tar road, gives us a glimpse of the Kenyan country side. We arrive by late afternoon for lunch. The Samburu Reserve is famous for its very unique Samburu Five. They are the Reticulated Giraffe, the Beisa Oryx, the Grevy Zebra, the Somali Ostrich and the long necked antelope called the Generuk which can go without water their entire life.An evening game drive in this distinctive terrain that is a complete contrast to the landscape of Masai Mara and other parts of Kenya. Dinner and overnight at a Lodge. (B,L,D)

A morning and evening game drive in this reserve that was made famous by conservationists George Adamson and Joy Adamson who raised Elsa the Lioness. It is also the theme presented in the book and award winning movie Born Free. The Samburu National Reserve is also the home of Kamunyak, a lioness famous for adopting 06 Oryx Calves. Overnight at a Samburu Lodge. (B,L,D)

After breakfast we drive south towards the Equator and arrive by noon at Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Home to all the BIG 5, the conservancy has the largest wildlife to area ratio compared to any other Kenyan National Park. It also houses the only Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Kenya and the largest Black Rhino Sanctuary in East Africa. We visit these during our game drive. Check in followed by lunch. We laze and gaze at the animals that come to drink at the waterhole located just opposite our tent and by evening we head out on a game drive. Back before sunset for dinner and overnight at Serena Sweet Waters Tented Camp. (B,L,D)

We leave after breakfast for Lake Naivasha. En-route we cross the Equator and experience the Coriolis Effect on either side of the earth’s hemisphere. We then pass by the Majestic Thompson Falls and arrive Lake Naivasha by noon. Lunch followed by a boat ride along the lake that is home to more than 150 different birds, from the predatory Fish Eagle to the Glossy Startling. Back to our lodge before the hippos step out.Dinner and overnight is at Lake Naivasha Resort. (B,L,D)

Leave after breakfast for Masai Mara. We drive along the country side and reach a place called Narok. This is the last town for the urbanized Masai, before we enter
the bush. Post lunch we begin our evening game drive. We later visit a Masai Village to see how they live, make fire and celebrate. Overnight at Azure Mara Haven. (B,L,D)

A full day game drive with a picnic lunch in the bush. Today we cover a large area of the Reserve right from the Mara River and along the Migration Route, right up to the Tanzanian border. Back before it gets dark for dinner and overnight at Azure Mara Haven. (B,L,D)

Pace yourself today to explore other areas of Masai Mara with an early morning 0630 a.m. game drive. This is when the predators are hungry and you are most likely to see a kill. Beat the ‘jua kali’ (hot sun) with a dip in the pool. By this evening’s game drive, you will have seen and spotted the BIG 5 with a wide range of rare animals and birds that are unique to Africa. A feeling of belonging to the beautiful Savannah grows as we head back to Azure Mara Haven. (B,L,D)

Drive back to Nairobi arriving in time for lunch at a Restaurant. Head to the airport reminiscing on the last 09 nights spent in Kenya. Arrive in good time for our afternoon departure. Check in and take off with fond memories of Kenya and with a promise to visit this magical country again. (B)