11-Day Kenya and Tanzania Safari with Ngorongoro and Amboseli

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Day 01

Nairobi to Lake Nakuru and Afternoon Game Drive

• Early morning pick-up in Nairobi, 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, this alkaline lake is recognized as one of the natural wonders of the world. Lake Nakuru is now a rhino sanctuary, harbouring a population of over 40 black rhinos and over 60 white rhinos, but the flamingos 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, followed by an afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.

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Day 02

Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara National Reserve

• Set out early in the morning for a drive to Maasai Mara National Reserve. It remains 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 03

Full-Day Wildlife Safari in Maasai Mara

• After breakfast, enjoy a full-day game drive with a packed lunch provided. The reserve is well known for its black-maned lion, as well as its abundant resident wildlife, and it is one of the few places where it is possible to see the Big Five during a morning game drive. Many of the cheetahs are so tame that they seek shelter from the hot sun under vehicles, and some even climb onto the roof to get a better view of prospective prey.
• For bird enthusiasts, almost 500 species have been recorded here. Among these are 16 species of eagle, many hawks and falcons, 6 species of vultures, 8 species of storks, 4 species 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 04

Maasai Mara to Serengeti via the Border

• Begin the day with an early morning game drive in Maasai Mara as you drive out of the National Reserve.
• After border formalities, continue to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, with 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 will 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, flying is always recommended (optional for budget tours at an extra 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 05

Explore the Endless Plains of Serengeti

• As you crest the hillside, spread out before you, as far as the eye 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 migrates throughout the park. Many smaller animals, such as 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 06

Flexible Serengeti Safari at Your Pace

• This day is completely flexible and will be organized according to your preferences. On every day of the safari, your guide will discuss with you the best timings for your activities, including the game drives and wake-up time.
• For example, you could do a morning game drive, return to the camp for lunch and relaxation, and finish with an afternoon game drive. Alternatively, you could choose a full-day game drive with a picnic lunch.
• We suggest a very early wake-up in order to enjoy an early morning game drive, when the animals are more active, and to witness one of the best sunrises you will ever see. It is truly one of the most beautiful experiences to have. Dinner and overnight at the selected tented camp or lodge.

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Day 07

Serengeti Sunrise Safari to Ngorongoro

• Today, you will wake up very early for an early morning safari before breakfast, when the animals are more active and the sunrise unfolds 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 across 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, as well as 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 08

Ngorongoro Crater to Lake Manyara

• Start the day very early and descend to the crater floor for an incredible morning of wildlife viewing 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, enjoy a short game drive, then ascend the crater and exit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area towards Lake Manyara (2 hours). This park has become famous for its tree-climbing lions and the flamingos on the lakeshore.
• 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 will 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 09

Lake Manyara to Amboseli National Park

• After breakfast, enjoy 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 its 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, with over 400 different species, Lake Manyara is one of the few places where you will be able to see the ground hornbill and the crested eagle.
• In the 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 Elephants and Kilimanjaro Views

• Rise early 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 Morning Safari and Return to Nairobi

• Enjoy 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 daily life and sacred rituals. A glimpse into their homes and social structure is a poignant experience.
• In the early afternoon, drive to Nairobi. Transfer to your hotel or the airport.