Day 1 : Depart the USA

Depart the USA on our overnight flight to Europe.

Day 2 : Fly to Nairobi

We arrive in Europe early this morning and take a connecting flight to Nairobi. We transfer to our luxurious home for two nights, The Residences at Karen. This property is tucked away in a lush forest overlooking the second hole of the Karen Golf Course. A large part of the 18-hole course was built on a former coffee estate developed by the pioneer Karen Blixen, whose life and times were depicted in the film Out of Africa.

Day 3 : The Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage

We visit the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. the most successful elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world, and a haven for other animals, such as rhinos. After lunch we arrive at Bomas of Kenya to immerse ourselves in the rich Kenyan culture, browse historic artifacts, and watch a spectacular cultural performance of traditional Kenyan music and dance.

Day 4 : Mount Kenya

This morning we depart for Central Kenya, arriving at the Aberdare Country Club for a delicious included lunch. Our overnight accommodations at The Ark Lodge are in the heart of Aberdare National Park, a picturesque rainforest with towering waterfalls and deep ravines. Our accommodations overlook a floodlit waterhole that attracts a variety of wildlife during our stay, including elephants, buffalo, monkeys, leopards, and more.

Day 5 : Shaba National Reserve

Today we travel to Sarova Shaba Game lodge, our home for the next two nights. Located within Shaba National Reserve, this serene oasis is a perfect area to soak up the breathtaking surroundings and reconnect with nature. Later, we embark on an afternoon game drive in search of the elusive leopard, lion, elephant, gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, oryx and many others.

Day 6 : Exciting Game Viewing Drives

Our day includes morning and afternoon game drives through Samburu National Reserve or Buffalo Springs National Reserve, both interconnected to Shaba National Reserve. Our trusted guide will take us to the area that offers the best opportunity to witness extraordinary and unique species found only north of the Equator. Between our exciting adventures, enjoy time to swim, have a drink at the poolside bar, indulge in fresh fruits and vegetables from the hotel’s garden, or simply relax in the serene environment.

Day 7 : Sweetwaters Game Reserve

After an included breakfast, we begin our drive to Sweetwaters Game Reserve. Along the way we visit Nanyuki Spinners & Weavers - a women’s self-help project with the goal of empowering women living in the surrounding villages by teaching them the craft of spinning, knitting, and weaving. We arrive at Sweetwaters Tented Camp, nested within the privately owned 24,000-acre Sweetwaters Game Reserve. Each luxury tent has a thatched roof, an in-suite bathroom, and its own veranda. After lunch we enjoy a late afternoon game drive showcasing a plethora of wildlife – lion, elephant, rhino, cheetah and over 400 species of birds. We finish our day with a visit to Jane Goodall’s Chimpanzee Sanctuary, where mistreated and orphaned chimps receive lifelong refuge to happily live out the rest of their lives.

Day 8 : Lake Nakuru National Park

We depart Sweetwaters Game Reserve and drive to Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge, set near gardens and the glistening lake. After lunch, we take a photo safari of Lake Nakuru National Park, famous for its large concentration of pink flamingos and other birdlife. We have a chance to see many remarkable animals including rhino, reedbuck, bushbuck, warthog, leopard, baboon, and Rothschild giraffe.

Day 9 : Mara Serena Safari Lodge

This morning we travel to the famous Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya’s most precious wildlife sanctuary. After lunch at Sarova Mara Game Camp, we enjoy an afternoon game drive en route to the Mara Serena Safari Lodge, our home for the next three nights. The lodge is the ultimate safari destination, set high on the saddle of a hill offering one of the most spectacular views imaginable across the vast plains, forests, and rivers that make up the Masai Mara. During our stay, you may choose to journey to the skies on an optional hot air balloon excursion over the Mara plains. A once-in-a-lifetime experience awaits you, teeming with wildlife.

Day 10 : Masai Mara National Reserve

The Masai Mara National Reserve is an important preservation area for the wilderness in southwestern Kenya, brimming with rolling hills and vast plains. The great Mara-Serengeti ecosystem is home to the Big Five of Africa: lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard. It is also an exceptional place to see birds. Today we revel in a morning and afternoon game drive with the opportunity to experience one of the most intriguing spectacles on Earth: The Great Migration! During this time of the year, millions of wildebeest and thousands of zebras, gazelles, and elands migrate across the Mara River from Tanzania in search of rich soil, water, and green grass.

Day 11 : The Great Migration

Our day is again filled with captivating morning and afternoon game drives in the Masai Mara National Reserve and more chances to observe the largest and longest overland migration in the world. Game are found here in staggering numbers which in turn supports a tremendous predator population, including thousands of crocodiles lurking in the Mara River in anticipation for the large herds of wildebeest and others to cross. This evening, marvel at the warm and vibrant Kenyan sunset once more during our last overnight in this unforgettable country.

Day 12 : Nairobi National Museum

After breakfast we enjoy one last exciting game drive in the Mara, followed by a transfer to the airstrip for our flight to Nairobi. Upon arrival in Nairobi we visit the National Museums of Kenya to learn about the past and present cultural and natural heritage. Intriguing galleries include the Cradle of Human Kind, Story of Mammals, History of Kenya, Cycles of Life, Numismatic Exhibition, and Asian African Heritage Exhibition. Early this evening we attend a Farewell Dinner before departing for the airport and beginning our journey back home.

Day 13 : Arrive Home