8 Days Kenya Premier Experience
This superior safari takes in the best of Kenya, from the iconic plains of the Maasai Mara to the lesser-visited reserve of Shaba in the heart of ‘Born Free’ country, and includes unforgettable experiences – such as breakfast by a hippo pool. Mileages are quite long, but travelling in a 4x4 and staying at premium lodges means there’s absolutely no compromise on comfort
8 Days Kenya Premier Experience |
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Day 1 |
: | Arrival in Nairobi, Kenya |
Day 2 |
: | Nairobi to Shaba National Reserve |
Day 3 |
: | Full Day - Shaba National Reserve |
Day 4 |
: | Shaba to Mount Kenya National Park |
Day 5 |
: | Mount Kenya to Lake Nakuru National Park |
Day 6 |
: | Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara |
Day 7 |
: | Maasai Mara Game Reserve |
Day 8 |
: | Maasai Mara to Nairobi |
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi, Kenya
Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel to relax before your safari experience begins the following day. Stay: Southern Sun Mayfair Nairobi.
Day 2: Nairobi to Shaba National Reserve
This morning you’ll set off for Shaba National Reserve. Have lunch en route at the Trout Tree Restaurant – a distinctive dining venue set inside and around a giant fig tree. Cross the equator at Nanyuki and continue north-east to Shaba, enjoying a game drive en route to your lodge. Shaba is the heart of ‘Born Free’ country – it was home to Joy and George Adamson for many years. A small remote reserve, it sits in a protected area to the east of Samburu and Buffalo Springs, with a dry landscape that is inhabited by rare species including the Grevy’s zebra and reticulated giraffe as well as big cats, elephants and impressively diverse and colourful bird life. The Sarova Shaba Game Lodge overlooks the Uaso Nyiro River where you might be lucky enough to spot elephants or crocodiles, and has chalet-style rooms and a large pool. Tonight there’ll be a welcome dinner for you and your group. Approx. journey time: 6 hours. Stay: Sarova Shaba Lodge. B, L, D.
Day 3: Shaba National Reserve
Today you have a full day to explore Shaba, heading into the reserve on morning and afternoon game drives. Stay: Sarova Shaba Game Lodge. B, L, D.
Day 4: Shaba to Mount Kenya National Park
Drive to Mount Kenya National Park this morning and the beautifully located Serena Mountain Lodge. Set on the lower slopes of Mount Kenya amongst dense forest, this quiet timbered tree lodge with cabin-style rooms has its own waterhole visited by wildlife day and night. You’ll be able to view game from the lodge’s viewing decks, balconies and photo hide – reached via a tunnel and offering spectacular wildlife viewing and photo opportunities just metres away from the waterhole. Optional activities here (all at extra cost) range from guided walks through the forest to trout fishing in the clear mountain streams. Approx. journey time: 3 hours. Stay: Serena Mountain Lodge.
Day 5: Mount Kenya to Lake Nakuru National Park
After breakfast at the lodge, drive to Thomson’s Falls – a scenic waterfall on the Uaso Nyiro River – where there’ll be a brief photo stop. Continue on to Lake Nakuru National Park for lunch and then this afternoon set out on a game drive in the national park. The park is a haven for bird lovers, with over 400 species, and provides habitat for lion, leopard and Rothschild giraffe. It also offers fantastic chances of spotting herds of white rhino. Tonight you’ll stay at the Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, set on a hill inside Lake Nakuru National Park overlooking the lake. Approx. journey time: 3 hours. Sarova Lion Hill Lodge. B, L, D.
Day 6: Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara
After an early breakfast, drive to the Maasai Mara National Reserve with lunch en route at Keekorok Lodge. The most famous reserve in the world, the Maasai Mara is what safari dreams are made of – rolling grasslands and wide open savannah, rich in African wildlife. Here is the place to witness the incredible annual wildebeest migration between June and October as over a million animals thunder across the plains in search of water and grazing – but the Mara has mass appeal all year round. Spot prides of lion basking in the shade or seek out an elusive solo leopard. Your accommodation here is the Mara Serena Safari Lodge, spectacularly located high on a hill with amazing views over the Mara River in one of the best locations for game viewing. This is a unique property, created to echo the feel of a traditional Maasai manyatta – a cluster of domed huts encircled by a boma of brushwood. Approx. journey time: 6 hours. Stay: Mara Serena Safari Lodge. B, L, D.
Day 7: Maasai Mara Game Reserve
Today you’ll have one of your most memorable breakfasts – by a hippo pool. After an early morning hot drink, you’ll leave the lodge on a game drive to the banks of the Mara River. Here you’ll be met by a Maasai warrior who will escort you on foot along the riverbank to a population of wallowing hippo. Here, in a shady grove alongside the hippo pool, you’ll enjoy a full bush breakfast freshly cooked by the awaiting chefs, complete with sparkling wine. A full day in the Mara follows with morning and afternoon game drives. The reserve offers fantastic chances of seeing the Big Five – and even better opportunities for viewing big cats. Other wildlife to spot includes elephant, giraffe, hyena, impala, wildebeest and buffalo. Today there’s also the opportunity to take an optional hot-air balloon safari over the Mara, drifting upwards as the sun rises over the vast savannah and spotting the wildlife below. Stay: Mara Serena. B, L, D.
Day 8: Maasai Mara to Nairobi
If you’re travelling on to Kenya’s coast, you’ll fly directly from the Mara to Mombasa in the afternoon. Otherwise, leave the Mara after breakfast, arriving in Nairobi in time for lunch at the world renowned Carnivore Restaurant. Later on transfer to JKIA for your onward flight.