American breakfast (B) daily, 14 lunches (L), and 13 dinners (D); private safari vehicle and experienced driver/guide throughout; sightseeing and game drives as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary (inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE).
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Nairobi, Kenya. Welcome to Africa! Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in.
Day #2 Nairobi–Samburu National Reserve Area. Today, drive to SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE, home to a diverse population of animals. Enjoy a GAME DRIVE this afternoon where you have the chance to see animals unique to this part of Kenya. These animals are referred to as the Samburu “Special 5” and consist of the Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, Beisa oryx, and the gerenuk, a long-necked antelope that feeds while standing on its hind feet. (B,L,D)
Day #3 Samburu. Today, enjoy MORNING AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES. You have a great chance to see the mighty Nile crocodile and lions along the Ewaso Ng’iro River. The park is also home to cheetah, leopard, and over 300 species of birds, so keep your cameras ready! Between game drives, take advantage of leisure time to relax. (B,L,D)
Day #4 Samburu–Lake Nakuru National Park Area. Today, drive to LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK, known for its population of pink flamingos that feed in the alkaline water of the lake. In the afternoon, enjoy a GAME DRIVE where you have your best chance to see the white rhinoceros, which are commonly spotted here. Other animals you may see include waterbuck, giraffe, impala, and striped hyena. (B,L,D)
Day #5 Lake Nakuru–Maasai Mara National Reserve Area. Today, drive south to the MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE, Kenya’s most famous game area. The Maasai Mara is part of the Serengeti ecosystem and boasts a strong permanent population of game. During the months of July and August, the Great Migration of zebra, gazelle, and wildebeest enlarges the population by almost 2 million. This provides a great food source for predators such as lion, cheetah, leopard, and hyena. Enjoy a GAME DRIVE before settling in for the evening. (B,L,D)
Day #6 Maasai Mara. Today, enjoy MORNING AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES. Keep your eyes out for elephant, rhino, Cape buffalo, gazelle, and many other animals. (B,L,D)
Day #7 Maasai Mara–Nairobi–Amboseli National Park Area. Take a short GAME DRIVE on the way to the airstrip, where you will board a plane for the quick flight to Nairobi. After a short break, grab your picnic lunch and drive to AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK. (B,L,D)
Day #8 Amboseli. Today features MORNING AND AFTERNOON GAMES DRIVES. You have the chance to spot Cape buffalo, zebra, wild dog, and others. (B,L,D)
Day #9 Amboseli–Arusha, Tanzania–Tarangire National Park Area. Today, cross the border into Tanzania. Stop in Arusha for lunch before proceeding to TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK. With its permanent water source, the park has great game viewing year round, highlighted by a large population of elephant. This afternoon, enjoy a GAME DRIVE. (B,L,D)
Day #10 Tarangire. Today features MORNING AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES in the savannah grasslands. Enjoy panoramic views of baobab and acacia trees as you search for the wildebeest, eland, zebra, and Cape buffalo that congregate around the waterholes. (B,L,D)
Day #11 Tarangire–Lake Manyara National Park–Ngorongoro Conservation Area. One last GAME DRIVE in Tarangire before heading to LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment. During your GAME DRIVE, you may see elephant, giraffe, and Cape buffalo. The park is also home to the world’s largest concentration of baboons. Later, continue on to NGORONGOTO CONSERVATION AREA, which is home to Ngorongoro Crater. The crater is technically a caldera—the world’s largest unflooded, in fact, at over 2,000 feet deep with a floor covering over 102 square miles. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your leisure. (B,L,D)
Day #12 Ngorongoro. Today, enjoy a FULL-DAY GAME DRIVE IN THE CRATER, including a picnic lunch. Game viewing here is fantastic, as most of the animals stay in this area year round. You can see lion, Cape buffalo, hippo, elephant, and flamingo. This is also your best chance to see the rare black rhinoceros. Return to your lodge for dinner. (B,L,D)
Day #13 Ngorongoro–Serengeti National Park. Today, drive to SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK, Tanzania’s largest and most famous park. Home to the annual wildebeest migration, it attracts visitors from around the world and is great for game viewing year round. Enjoy an AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE. (B,L,D)
Day #14 Serengeti. Today features MORNING AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES. The Serengeti is home to all of the “Big 5”—lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, elephant, and rhino. The park is also home to myriad other animals, including cheetah, giraffe, gazelle, and eland. (B,L,D)
Day #15 Serengeti–Arusha–Homebound Flight. This morning, fly back to Arusha, where your vacation ends with lunch. We have secured a day room for you at the Mount Meru Hotel before a transfer to the airport for your late-evening flight. Book homebound flights after 5 pm. (B,L)