Full Itinerary

Day 1.Arrival in Nairobi and transfer to Jacarada hotel in wstlands for bed and breakfast

Day 2 Nairobi-Aberdares. Tree Tops Tree Lodge
Head north into the well-watered, fertile plantations of central Kenya highlands. On the way, a break at the thundering Thika Falls then drive on to the luxurious Outspan Hotel for a country style lunch. In the afternoon transfer into the Aberdare National Park to Treetops or the Ark for an evening and night of game watching from your veranda overlooking a flood-lit water hole and salt lick high up on the densely wooded slopes of the mountain. While away the after-dinner hours identifying creatures of the wild as they gingerly step out of the forest. All meals and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 & 4 Sambur Game Reserve
Aberdares-Mount Kenya-Samburu. Transfer back to the Outspan or Aberdare country club for breakfast and early departure for Samburu game reserve. Cross the equator on the way to the Northern foothills of Mount Kenya, a 17,058-foot dormant volcano with a glistening cap of ice and snow. Proceed to the grassland area which forms the bridge between Kenya's lush south and parched north. Watch out for herds of impalas, Grant's gazelles, and African buffalos as you enter the park. Check in at your hotel followed by an afternoon game drive. All meals and overnight at the lodge.

Day 5 Samburu
A full day of game viewing which starts early at dawn, when animals are most active, and in the late morning and afternoon, when the light is best for photography. Return to the lodge for breakfast, lunch, and dinner accordingly. You will stay close to the Ewaso Nyiro River, where vast herds of plains game comes to water, braving lions in the grass, leopards in the trees, and others. Samburu is home to particular wildlife rarely seen anywhere else including liver-red reticulated giraffes, the long-necked gerenuks (antelopes) and the elegant Grevy's zebra. All meals and overnight at the lodge.

Day 6 & 7

Samburu-Lake Nakuru. Visit the spectacular Nyahururu (Thompson) Falls, and then make your way down the eastern escarpment of the magnificent Rift Valley. After lunch take a leisurely drive through Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its pink flamingoes. Drive to the edges of the lake to view thousands of birds feeding in the alkaline water; see the sweeping view from the top of Baboon Rocks; then look for warthogs and waterbucks as you leave the park. Lake Nakuru national park offers a truly remarkable game drive that includes the rare white rhino in this world famous ornithological paradise with over 450 species of bird life. A shimmering hot-pink glow emanates across the lake, created by millions of flamingos. Pelicans, cormorants and Marabou storks also feed on the abundant algae in the warm, shallow alkaline waters. Lake Nakuru National Park is a sanctuary for endangered black rhinos and White Rhino as well as the Rothschild giraffes. Waterbucks are common here, as are their predators, lions and leopards. All meals and overnight at the lodge.

Day 8

Lake Nakuru -Maasai Mara. After breakfast, depart for Masai Mara traversing the Rift Valley and ascend its western rim. You're now in Maasai country, where sedentary crop farming gives way to nomadic cattle herding. Red-clad, spear-wielding Maasai warriors tend their multi-colored herds among the wild animals of the Loita Plains, admirably unimpressed by the presence of large predators. All meals and overnight at the lodge.

Day 9
Maasai Mara. Dawn, morning and afternoon game drives in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya's best and most scenic game park. At the northern extremity of the unique Serengeti ecosystem, blessed with a permanent water supply, the Maasai Mara has a thriving, permanent population of plains game, augmented in the dry season by the migration of more than 3 million gnus and zebras from the vast, parched Serengeti plains. Of the hunter's "big five," elephants, buffalos, lions, and leopard are quite common, while even the much rarer rhino might come out of the thicket for you. Hyenas are plentiful and the cheetahs, a 60-miles-per-hour daytime hunter, is often seen.

Day 10

Game viewing/Photography: 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 you an added natural richness to your photographs with the clarity of the actual African savannah. Morning game viewing with long drive to the Mara River where you will be able to view Hippos and giant Crocodiles. This will be followed by resting time and later an afternoon game viewing-drive. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Day 11

Maasai Mara-Nairobi. Another early morning pre-break fast game drive at 06:30hrs to complete your list of sightings. Drive back to the lodge for breakfast at 08:00hrs. Depart for Nairobi with game drive enroute to arrive late afternoon. You may want to check out the capital's excellent shops or simply relax by the pool. Tonight compare notes with your safari companions as you enjoy a farewell dinner/lunch at the most famous of African barbeque restaurant, The Carnivore. Accomodation at Panafric hotel or equivalent.

Day 12

Nairobi. Depending on your flight schedule you may have time to visit the renowned National Museum or take a dip in the hotel's swimming pool. Or shopping in Nairobi. If your flight leaves late, your room will be available until around 6.00.pm.

P.S

The above itinerary can be adjusted to fit with mild nature walks or visits to other places not in the program.