11-Day "Spirit and Soul of Africa" Safari from Nairobi
Highlights
Nairobi, Lake Nakuru National Park, Masai Mara, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara, Amboseli National Park
Locations Covered
Nairobi, Lake Nakuru National Park, Masai Mara, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara, Amboseli National Park
safari, cultural, Wildlife
Private Tour
11 Days
Medium
English
Description
Embark on a safari odyssey through Kenya and Tanzania's iconic parks - Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservancy, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Amboseli. Witness the Great Migration, explore diverse landscapes, from flamingo-draped lakes to vast savannahs, and marvel at the rich biodiversity. Encounter Maasai culture, traverse Ngorongoro's unique ecosystem and gaze at the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro in Amboseli.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Nairobi to Lake Nakuru
- Early morning pick up in Nairobi and then drive to Lake Nakuru National Park, across the equator, where the Rift Valley’s most famous lake lies.
- Known all over the world for its flamingoes, it's alkaline and is recognized as being one of the natural wonders of the world. Lake Nakuru is now a rhino sanctuary, harbouring a population of over 40 black and over 60 white rhinos, but the flamingos, of course, have always been the main attraction. At times, there may be almost 2 million flamingos in residence, forming a stunningly beautiful deep pink band around the edge of the lakeshore.
- Arrive in time for lunch, then the afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 2: Lake Nakuru National Park to Masai Mara National Park
- An early morning drive to Maasai Mara National Reserve. It holds on as one of the few places left on earth where wildlife still lives comparatively undisturbed, in the numbers that once roamed the plains and forests of Africa. As the northern tip of the vast Serengeti ecosystem, the Mara hosts the spectacular seasonal migration of many thousands of Wildebeest, Zebras, and attendant predators.
- Arrive in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 3: Masai Mara National Park
- After breakfast, we have a full-day game drive, with packed lunch provided. The reserve is well known for its black-manned lion, as well as its abundant resident wildlife, and it's one of the few places where it's possible to see the big five during a morning's game drive. Many of the cheetahs are so tame they seek shelter from the hot sun under one's vehicle, and several even climb onto the roof to get a better view of prospective prey.
- For the bird enthusiast, almost 500 species have been recorded: among these, 16 species of eagle, plus many hawks and falcons, 6 species of vultures, 8 species of storks, 4 of bustard (including the Kori bustard, the world's heaviest flying bird), and 9 species of sunbirds. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 4: Masai Mara to Serengeti National Park
- We will initiate the day with an early morning game drive in Maasai Mara while driving out of the National Reserve.
- After border formalities, drive to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the option to stop at the famous Olduvai Gorge, where Dr. Louis and Mary Leakey made their discovery of the first man that walked the earth.
- After attending a short lecture describing the archaeological digs and geology of the gorge, you’ll have time to visit the small museum.
- It will be a long day of driving, but the game drives in and out of the parks can be surprisingly incredible. However, we always recommend flying(optional for budget tours at a cost) from one park to the other so that you can have more time to go on Safari. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 5: Serengeti National Park
- As you crest the hillside, spread out before you, as far as the eyes can see, is the vast Serengeti. Serengeti means "endless plains" in Kiswahili, and this 6,900 sq. mile (18,000 sq. km) park is inhabited by more than 2 million large animals, including more than a million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of plains zebras, and Thomson's gazelles. Large predators, including lions, cheetahs, and hyenas, are drawn to the area by this abundance of prey, which migrate throughout the park. Many smaller animals like rock hyrax, bat-eared foxes, mongoose, honey badgers, jackals, monkeys, baboons, and African hares also inhabit the area, along with nearly 500 species of birds. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 6: Serengeti National Park
- We are completely flexible with your preferences, and this day will be organized according to your wishes. On every day of the safari, your guide will discuss with you the best timings for you, including the game drives and the wake up time.
- For example, on this day, you could do a morning game drive, return to the camp for lunch and relaxation and finish with an afternoon game drive, or you could do a full-day game drive with a picnic lunch.
- On this day, we suggest a very early wake-up in order to do an early morning game drive (when the animals are more active) and see one of the best sunrises you'll ever witness. It's really one of the most beautiful experiences to have. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 7: Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Crater
- Today, you will wake up very early to do an early morning safari before breakfast, to spot the animals when they are more active and also to have a fantastic sun rise in front of you. The sunrise in the African Savannah is one of the most beautiful experiences one can have.
- After the game drive, return to the camp for brunch. In the afternoon, transfer to Ngorongoro, the 8th natural wonder of the world. With walls 2,000 ft. high and a crater floor that spreads for 102 sq. miles, the crater is a virtual Noah's Ark, inhabited by almost every species of wildlife indigenous to East Africa, including the rare black rhino.
- The crater has the greatest concentration of wildlife on the planet. It contains a river, several swamps, and a soda lake that, from the top, looks like steam, full of flamingoes, a forest, and open plains. The large bull elephants that reside here have extremely large tusks due to the rich mineral content of the volcanic soil and its grasses. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater to Lake Manyara National Park
- We will start the day very early and descend into the crater floor for an incredible morning of wildlife in one of the most stunning places on Earth. After the game drive, there will be time for a picnic lunch near the beautiful Hippo Lake.
- After lunch, we will have time for a short game drive and then ascend the crater and exit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area towards Lake Manyara (2h). This park has become famous for the tree-climbing lions and the flamingos on the lakeshore.
- The game drives are done along the shore of the lake, providing incredible views of giraffes and buffalos in the foreground with the lake, flamingos, and flat plains on the horizon. You'll have great photo opportunities and you can also do a walking and night safari. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 9: Lake Manyara National Park to Amboseli National Park
- After breakfast, morning game drives in the park with a picnic lunch. Although only 205 sq. miles in size, this enchanting park is noted for its beauty and incredibly lush acacia forest of giant fig and mahogany trees, which are home to troops of baboons and blue monkeys. The park is also home to large numbers of buffalos, giraffes, elephants, and impalas, and it has a Hippo Lake, where large numbers of hippos usually gather. Well known for its birds (over 400 different species), Lake Manyara is one of the few places where you'll be able to see the ground hornbill and the crested eagle.
- Afternoon transfer to Amboseli (5 hours). Amboseli National Park is situated south of Nairobi. Most of the park consists of a dry, ancient lake bed and fragile grassland with patches of acacia woodland, while in the southern area, there are several small rocky volcanic hills. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 10: Amboseli National Park
- Early rise for good views of Mount Kilimanjaro before clouds build up over the summit, with a packed lunch provided. Despite its changing habitat, Amboseli National Park is possibly the best wildlife area in the whole of Africa to experience elephants at close range. Left unharassed by poachers, elephants feeding and bathing in the swamps must form the highlights of any safari. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.
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Day 11: Amboseli National Park to Nairobi
- Morning game drives in Amboseli.
- An optional visit to a Maasai village can also be planned. A visit reveals the singing and dancing that are part of their daily lives and sacred rituals. A glimpse into their homes and social structure is a poignant experience.
- Early afternoon drive to Nairobi. Transfer to your hotel or the airport.
What's Included
What's Excluded
Meeting Point
Cancellation Policy
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For cancellations within 24 hours before the tour -
Refund of 50% of the tour price.
Price
Adult | |
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1 to 6 | /person |
Child | |
1 to 6 | /person |
This is a private tour |