9
Day Kenya Family Safari
For years children have been accompanying their parents
to Africa to witness the world's greatest creatures, marvel
at it wildest landscapes, and partake of its oldest cultures
- only to return home knowing very little about what they
have actually seen.
Here is the ultimate children's holiday, thanks to th
uniquely educational and inspirational Kenya Adventure's
Club. Accompanied by highly trained naturalists and cultural
specialists, children will be treated to an enlightening
series of walks, talks, visits to neighboring schools
and villages, games and activities designed to help them
better understand their wild surroundings.
For
example a typical day out in the Mara with a Masai naturalist
might include a visit to a "manyatta" village
to watch a dance and help the local boys separating young
and old sheep. Learn to shoot a bow and arrow, make fire
with sticks, make jewellery, play animal hide-and-seek,
learn tracking and identify animals, birds, insects and
butterflies. All educational materials - from checklists
and activity books to local arts and crafts - are provided
without charge. All adventurers will have a chance to
craft their own plaster cast of a local animal track -
giving them a unique souvenir that takes absolutely nothing
away!
The
following itinerary combines game viewing and extra curricular
activities geared towards young people. It is very participatory
and will give the children a real African experience.
It will be their holiday of a lifetime. Whilst adults
enjoy the many hours driving through the open African
savannah plains in quest of the many species of fauna
and flora, we recognize that young children tire easily
and become bored on 2-3 hours of game viewing in the confines
of a safari vehicle. This safari is specially designed
for families with children aged 4-16 years. It includes
a dedicated full-time children educational and entertainment
programmes, Adventurer Club.
The
Adventurer Club's ultimate mission is to give young visitors
a valuable lesson in the vitality and fragility of the
African Wilderness, and to teach natural appreciation
for life. The range of subject matter is as diverse as
it is fascinating from mammal habits and habitats, to
the migration of birds and butterflies, the use of medicinal
plants to environmental quizzes and treasure hunts, traditional
dances, games and handicrafts.
Day
1: Nairobi
Arrive Nairobi airport, met and assisted. Transfer to
deluxe hotel, The Norfolk Hotel or Nairobi Serena Hotel
for an overnight rest on bed and breakfast.
Day 2: Mount Kenya, Mountain Lodge Serena
Enjoy your buffet breakfast before leaving northwards
to Mountain Lodge Serena, situated at the base of Mount
Kenya. This is a Tree lodge for which the Mount Kenya
region is famous, and is uniquely Kenyan concept. The
lodge has specially constructed viewing bunkers from where
you can spot game any time of the day. Arrive at the lodge
in time for lunch. Afternoon take a guided forest walk
before returning for game viewing from a spacious verandah
overlooking the waterhole or by going for a forest walk
for sighting of game and bird life. Night game viewing
here is a joy - if you are lucky, you could see an elephant
coming to feed near the lodge, only away meters from you.
Dinner and overnight at Mountain Lodge Serena, B,L,D
Day
3: Mount Kenya - Samburu
Distance: 200 km (3 hrs). After breakfast, drive to Samburu
National Reserve to arrive for lunch and afternoon leisure
by the poolside or sightseeing. The children first experience
of the Adventurer Club at Samburu Intrepids Camp. Game
viewing in Samburu National Reserve with your skilled
guide is provided at 4pm running until 6.30pm. A place
of endless skies, dust-red plains and palm-fringed rivers,
Samburu National Reserve lies on the fringes of the vast
and arid desert once known as the Northern Frontier District,
whose heat-scorched scrublands extend all the way to the
jade-green waters of Lake Turkana and beyond. Physically
dramatic, the 104 sq kilometre landscape of the Reserve
features rocky battlements, craggy scarps, dry river beds
and fallen boulders rising out of the thorn scrub against
a backdrop of the far-distant hills and the great red
table mountain known as Lololokwi. Dinner and overnight
at Samburu Intrepids Camp, B,L,D.
Day 4: Samburu Game Reserve
Full day in Samburu with private guide and game viewing
in safari van with pop-up roof. Two game drive are provided,
morning and afternoon. All meals and overnight at Samburu
Intrepids Camp, B,L,D.
Optional
activities:
-Visit to Samburu local villages for a cultural tour:
US$ 25 per person
-Guided nature walk: US$ 45 per person
Day 5: Samburu - Sweetwaters
Distance: 175 km (2 hr. 30 min).Drive to Sweetwaters,
a 24,000 acre private game reserve with magnificent views
across the plains to the twin snow capped peaks of Mt.
Kenya. Activities are game viewing drives, a visit to
the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and to see Morani, the tame rhino.
Meals and overnight Sweetwaters Camp. B,L,D
Day 6: Great Rift Valley
Distance: 200 km (3 hrs).Drive to Lake Naivasha for lunch
and a sunset boat trip to The Crescent Island for a walk
amongst wild animals but there no carnivores. Dinner and
overnight Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge. B,L,D
Day
7: Masai Mara
After early breakfast depart for Nairobi Wilson Airport
and flight over the Rift Valley to the Masai Mara game
reserve for game viewing and the children's Adventurer
Club. Arrive for an evening game drive with dinner and
overnight Mara Intrepids Camp, B,L,D
Day
8: Masai Mara
Morning and afternoon game drive. Sunrise and sundown
are the greatest moments for game viewing in these mystic
plains, a time where the soft red hues of the sun will
give your photographs the clarity of the actual African
savannah. Full board at Dinner and overnight Mara Intrepids
Camp, B,L,D.
Optional hot air balloon ride: US$ 395 per person
Masai Mara offers wildlife in such variety and abundance
that it is difficult to believe: over 450 species of animals
have been recorded here. You will easily see lions, rhinos,
hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo,
warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, buffalo, leopard,
many kinds of antelopes and elephant. It is in the Mara
that perhaps the most spectacular event of the natural
world takes place. This is the annual migration of millions
of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti (Tanzania)
in search of water and pasture. Following on their heels
are the predators of the savanna- lion, cheetah, wild
dog, jackal, hyena and vultures.
Day 9: Depart
After breakfast, return flight back to Nairobi for lunch
at The Carnivore Restaurant. Afternoon visit to Giraffe
Centre where children can hand feed giraffes. Proceed
to Karen Blixen Museum and later transfer to the airport
for departure from Kenya. B,L (This safari may be extended
to a beach resort in Mombasa or Zanzibar for leisure and
relaxation).
Remark:
There is luggage weight limitation of 15kgs per person
on the light aircraft between Nairobi and Masai Mara.
Excess luggage can be stored in Nairobi FREE.
Kenya
family safari package price:
The
above family tour price is inclusive of:
-Guarantee price/guarantee safari
-Ground transport whilst on safari in a comfortable safari
van.
-In Masai Mara, game drives using Mara Intrepids Camp
on shared basis
-Full board accommodation whilst on safari and at The
Norfolk on bed and breakfast basis.
-Meal plan as described, B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner.
-Accommodation in family rooms, where possible interconnecting
-All park entrance fees to include government taxes
-Service of an English speaking professional driver/guide
-Game drives as detailed in the itinerary
-Arrival and departure transfers
-Bottled water whilst on safari
-Domestic flight, Nairobi - Masai Mara - Nairobi inclusive
of local taxes
-Boat ride in Naivasha
-Guided forest walk at Mountain Lodge Serena
-Visit to Chimpanzee Sanctuary and tame rhino at Sweetwaters
Tented Camp
-Entrance charges to Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen House
-Specialized and personal services all through the trip
and children activities
Excluded
in family trip price:
-Tips
-Laundry
-Drinks
-International flights
-Visas
-Items of personal nature
-Any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary
.