Ecotourism

Experience the magic of safari in the place where it all began - Kenya. Discover the ancient rhythm and the colors, the sights, and the sounds of life on safari. Your days begin at dawn with early morning wildlife viewing before returning to camp for a full breakfast. Midday is spent on bush walks or just relaxing poolside, with an evening game drive leaving just after tea. Immense herds, colorful birds, and amazing predators make for exciting wildlife viewing. As a lion turns to watch your approach, your eyes meet and time seems to stand still. After sundown, you return to luxury camps and lodges pampered by all the modern amenities, yet still immersed in the magic of your natural surroundings.

Days 1/2 - New York/Amsterdam/Nairobi

Board your KLM/Northwest Airlines in New York for your overnight flight to Amsterdam. The next morning connect with your flight to Nairobi. Upon arrival this evening your Classic Escapes expert naturalist escorts you to your luxurious hotel. NAIROBI SERENA HOTEL. (Meals Aloft)

Days 3/4/5 - Maasai Mara Game Reserve

Safari is Swahili for journey and what better place to truly begin your African journey than with a drive to the Maasai Mara, Kenya’s most famous game reserve? (An optional flight is available at additional cost). Much the setting for the film Out of Africa, it is classic, seemingly endless savannah inhabited by exotic animals including lion, cheetah, elephant, leopard, rhino and hippo. There are also over 500 resident species of birds in the park. The reserve covers an area of 700 square miles and hosts the annual migration of up to two million wildebeest, thousands of zebra and an escort of carnivores from the Serengeti plains, following the rains and succulent new grass. Exciting optional activities (at additional cost) are available such as witnessing dawn over the Serengeti from a hot air balloon, taking a short flight to Lake Victoria to fish for giant Nile perch or visiting a Maasai Village to experience this nomadic tribe’s way of life. Your lodge is an imaginative interpretation of a traditional Maasai Manyatta with stunning views of the Mara Triangle. MARA SERENA SAFARI LODGE. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 6/7 - Lakes Nakuru & Naivasha

Drive to the Great Rift Valley, a geological fault-line that stretches round one-sixth of the Earth's circumference and is visible from space. Over 2,000 feet deep and 30 miles wide with bubbling springs and geysers, the landscape is spectacular. Your second day will be spent exploring nearby Lake Nakuru, the shallow alkaline lake that is world-renowned for its flamingos - at times hundreds of thousands of these birds give the lake a pink shimmering glow. The park boasts a huge variety of animals, including leopard, buffalo, waterbuck, baboon, the endangered Rothschild's giraffe, and rhino. Birding is magnificent with over 450 species in the park. Meet with American Mary Wykstra from the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) who will discuss her efforts to save this magnificent animal in Kenya. Afterwards, she'll join you for dinner at your lodge. Besides being Kenya's newest and most stunning championship golf course, the lodge offers exciting walking and horseback-riding safaris in the Eburru forests. GREAT RIFT VALLEY LODGE & GOLF RESORT. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 8/9 - Nairobi/Tsavo West National Park

Return to Nairobi in time for lunch and continue to Tsavo West National Park, the largest national park in Kenya. Its rolling volcanic landscape is carpeted in long grass, dominated by giant baobab trees and dense bush. Tsavo West is famous for the Mzima Springs. This pool of natural spring water has underwater viewing hides for observing hippos and crocodiles in their natural world On game drives, you may have close encounters with lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, giraffe, antelopes of all kinds, kongoni, waterbuck, buffalo, and elephant. Visit a nearby local village and school. Your lodge’s views are made even more magnificent by the snowy dome of Mt Kilimanjaro. Elephant are nearly always to be seen at the lodge’s waterhole. KILAGUNI LODGE. (B,L,D daily)

Days 10/11 -Amboseli National Park/Mount Kilimanjaro

Drive to Amboseli National Park, located at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, legendary Mt. Kilimanjaro All around the lodge roams the wildlife that has made East Africa legendary: lion, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, baboon, gazelle, and wildebeest. Part of Maasailand, it's not unusual to see the proud Maasai warrior or small children tending their cattle. This is also the park where Cynthia Moss, the noted American naturalist and author has conducted the longest-running study on elephants. Visit the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (at additional cost) where Cynthia, or a member of her professional staff, will discuss their work. Each room enjoys a view of either majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro or the expansive Amboseli plains with its herds of elephant feeding on acacia trees. AMBOSELI SERENA SAFARI LODGE. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 12/13 - Nairobi/Amsterdam/New York

Drive back to Nairobi where a day room awaits you at the NAIROBI SERENA HOTEL. After your savory farewell barbecue at the Carnivore Restaurant, you will be escorted to the airport for your return flights. (B,D)

Optional Pre-Extension To Samburu Game Reserve

Begin your safari with exciting wildlife viewing in the Samburu Game Reserve, on the hot and arid fringes of the vast northern region of Kenya. The Reserve is within the lands of the colorful Samburu people, close relatives of the Maasai, and home to a number of wildlife species rarely found elsewhere in Kenya: Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, and Beisa oryx. Situated on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River, in the center of the Samburu Game Reserve, lies your home for the next three nights, where the talented Samburu dancers will entertain you in the evening. En route to meet your safari group you will enjoy lunch at the legendary Mount Kenya Safari Club.

FOR THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE, WHY NOT COMBINE THIS SAFARI WITH AN OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO TANZANIA? CONTACT CLASSIC ESCAPES FOR SUGGESTED ITINERARIES AND PRICING.

Inclusions

Round trip air transportation between New York and Nairobi. The post-extension returns from Arusha.
Domestic flights within Kenya as indicated.
Superior accommodations throughout as indicated or similar.
All meals as specified.
All wildlife viewing by either safari minibus with pop-up roof hatch or private landrover, driven by a naturalist guide.
A maximum of 6 passengers per minibus. A window seat is guaranteed.
Lecture by Maasai ranger while in the Mara (duties permitting).
Professional naturalist with minimum 10 tour members.
Complimentary bottled water in vehicles. Complimentary set of field glasses in vehicles
All applicable hotel and lodge taxes, gratuities and game park entry fees.
Complimentary flight bag, baggage tags and passport wallet.