Price: $2875

Duration: 8 Days

Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi to Ole Sereni – Welcome to Africa!

Welcome to Africa! Today, after much anticipation, you will finally land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to begin your tour of Kenya’s most prized national parks. Having driven only 25 minutes from the airport and through one of Africa’s busiest cities, you might be surprised to find yourself on the edge of Nairobi National Park where resident wildlife roams freely within feet of the lodge’s terrace and restaurant.  Nairobi National Park is the only park worldwide located in such proximity to a major urban centre. Home to endangered species including the black rhinoceros, and progressive conservation centres, this park emphasizes Kenya’s absolute passion for protecting its wild places.

You will spend your first African afternoon adjusting and relaxing amidst the lodge’s peaceful setting. Whether that involves a swim in the lodge’s top floor heated pool, a massage at the spa, or a workout in their high-quality gym, you will spend the afternoon completely at your leisure. Enjoy a dinner at one of the hotel’s two restaurants that look out either over the Nairobi skyline or the contrasting national park, before retiring for the night.

Included: Airport transfers

Day 2: Nairobi to Meru – Air transfer from Nairobi to Meru National Park

Day 2: Transfer from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to Meru National Park

This morning you will wake up for an early flight to Meru.

You will spend your first afternoon in Meru with a brief orientation of the property and park, summarizing the various activities you can participate in over the coming days. The following itinerary is more of a recommendation than it is a schedule, and you will be free to choose between them. That said, this afternoon we recommend enjoying the lodge facilities.

Included: All meals, Flights and lodge accommodation

Day 3: Meru National Park – Game drives and walking safaris around the former home of Joy and John Adamson

Today you will rise early to begin exploring the landscape.  There is no better way to orientate yourself in this landscape than through a guided game drive and a picnic breakfast in the bush.

Over the course of the morning, you will explore the unique landscape of Meru as you pass under mammoth baobab trees and across the savannah, entirely against the backdrop of Mount Kenya. As you trail zebra and impala in search of the Big Five, be sure to keep your eyes open for some of the rare species that make this park home. The caracal, lesser kudu and aardwolf all live within this region, revealing themselves for a lucky few. Within the park, you will also can visit an important rhino sanctuary that works to conserve and reintroduce the threatened species to the wilderness, from which they were totally eradicated in the 1990s.

Having returned to the lodge for lunch, you will now have your choice of activities for the afternoon. You may also be interested in visiting the nearby Tharaka community.

As the night winds to a close, you can prepare for an inventive dinner. Undoubtedly full and tired, you will then retire to your quiet room.

Included: Accommodation, transfers and park fees

Optional inclusion: A visit nearby the Tharaka community

Day 4: Meru National Park – Additional activities in the bush, including community visits and a trip to the spa

This morning you may plan for another game drive or perhaps a walking safari. Exploring the bush on foot under the guidance of Meru’s park guides often offers guests a level of intimacy that is often impossible to attain at larger more populated parks. Following animal tracks, investigating insects and learning of the micro-ecosystems offers insight into the minute dynamics and behaviours that sustain this truly spectacular ecosystem.

Alternatively, you may choose to spend the day exploring the shores of the Tana – Kenya’s longest river. Snaking through Meru National Park, the Tana provides water and nourishment for much of the parks’ flora and fauna. With a packed picnic lunch, your guide will take you on a day long adventure along the river as it climbs into the highlands and drops into the plains before it carries on to the Indian Ocean.

As the sun sets tonight, you may choose to combine a sundowner cocktail with a night-time game drive. Witnessing the bush transform under the moonlight is a unique and magical experience. In the evening, you can observe the impossibly adorable bush babies as they fly through the trees, graceful owls as they stalk prey and numerous predators that come alive to hunt. Following a night drive, you will return for another incredible meal before again retiring to your accommodation.

Included: All meals, accommodation, transfers

Options: Night game drive viewing

Day 5: Meru to the Mara: Transfer by Flight to the Infamous Plains of the Masai Mara

Spend this day relaxing at the lodge and enjoying the scenic views.

Included: Flights, accommodation and all meals

Day 6: Traversing the Masai Mara

Today you will begin to traverse the picturesque plains of the Masai Mara under the seemingly endless and ever-changing African skies. The conservancy itself is strategically located, bordering the Masai Mara, the Serengeti and Loliondo, and has some of the richest wildlife populations in Africa. With no fences and limited human interaction, your time in the region will truly send you into the bush. Led by some of Kenya’s most highly rated professional guides, you will begin a series of close encounters with Africa’s richest wildlife.

As elephants gracefully walk the horizon, interspersed with giraffes, zebras and rhinos, you will witness that picturesque African imagery. Predators are also plentiful in the region, with lions, leopards and cheetah frequently stalking the numerous herbivores. If visiting between April and November, it is likely that you will catch parts of the Great Wildebeest Migration, which consistently passes this region of the Mara.

During the afternoon, you will likely return to the bush as it livens as the sun sets. In true 1920s fashion, you will be well equipped with a small picnic and cocktails to enjoy as the sun sets over your first full day. Again, you will have the opportunity to watch as the bush transforms, with new life and behaviour emerging around you. You will return to the lodge for dinner before retiring to your tent for the night.

Included: All meals, transfers and overnight accommodation

Day 7: Masai Mara

This morning, after being awoken by fresh coffee delivered to your tent, venture out into the bush to have a picnic breakfast beside the river coursing through the conservancy. From there, you can continue through the bush either by truck or on foot, depending on your preference. Again, learning about the intricacies of the park from gold-standard guides, you will have an unparalleled tour through the bush. As the temperatures begin to rise, and the animals doze off in the shade, it is often nice to end the morning swimming at the nearby waterfall or fishing for catfish in the surrounding rivers with lines made of sticks and twine.

In the afternoon, guests will have the opportunity to visit one of the local Masai communities with which the lodge works in partnership. The Masai are the original owners of the land

Wrap up your day with an expertly made gin and tonic as you soak in the final rays of sunlight. Spend your final evening around the fire, or in the main lodge.

Included: All meals, transfers and overnight accommodation

Optional: Visit to the Masai community

Day 8: Heading Home: Drive from the Masai Mara to Nairob

This morning you will pack your belongings and depart the Mara by road to Nairobi. You will pass through the game drive for a final glimpse of the endless plains of the Masai Mara before returning to Nairobi. There is an option to have a dinner enjoying meats at the famous carnivore restaurant before being dropped off to the airport.

Included: Breakfast, lunch & all transfers

Optional: Dinner at the carnivore restaurant