Authentic East Africa

Upon arrival in Nairobi you will be transferred to the Ole Sereni Hotel overlooking Nairobi National Park.  Here you can enjoy sundowners whilst looking for game from the hotel’s terrace.

Up early to enjoy breakfast before heading to Sheldrick Trust Elephant Orphanage.  Here you can witness first-hand the amazing work the Wildlife Trust along with the Kenya Wildlife Service does to raise orphaned elephants rescued from various locations throughout Kenya.

After returning to the hotel for lunch you will have an afternoon game drive inside Nairobi National Park, the only National Park situated inside a major city before returning to the hotel for dinner under the stars and listening to the sounds of the bush. (B)

Leaving Nairobi behind after breakfast, you will transfer to Wilson Airport for your flight to the Masai Mara. 

Upon arriving at the Masai Mara you will be welcomed by a driver to transfer to Little Governor’s Camp in the Mara Reserve. Here you will enjoy a luxury tented suite overlooking the Mara Plains for the next three nights. You will be greeted with a welcome drink and an overview of the schedule and activities you can enjoy whilst in camp. You have time to retire to your suite until you are welcomed back at the communal area for the afternoon game drive.
 
The Masai Mara is home to the Great Migration the annual arrival of 1,000s of wildebeest and zebras who arrive to cross the rivers and graze on the fresh grass. The Mara is also home to an incredible array of plains game such as elephants, giraffe antelope species, big cats, rhinos, and birdlife. Overnight at Little Governors Masai Mara. (B)(L)(D)

An early morning start takes you back into the Mara Reserve on pursuit of the Big 5.  The Mara Reserve is in the Great Rift Valley with the Mara River, Olooloo Escarpment and the Tanzania border creating the borders of this iconic wildlife reserve. Enjoy epic game viewing from the comfort of your game vehicle and enjoy a bush break with an African coffee with a dash of Amarula.

Return to camp where you will enjoy breakfast on the deck overlooking the Mara Flood Plain before free time where you can enjoy a cultural visit to a Maasai Village or a morning bush walk before lunch.  Your afternoon is open to enjoy a massage or relax whilst listening to the sounds of the bush outside your suite. 

The animals’ beckon, time for your afternoon game drive to see what is starting to wake up and what is getting ready for a night of rest.  Overnight at Little Governors Masai Mara. (B)(L)(D)

This morning you can wake early to enjoy a game drive or consider a Balloon Safari over the Mara Plains (additional cost).  The opportunity to rise with the sun and see the savannah come alive is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Enjoy a bush breakfast with your fellow guests savouring the memories created.  You will be returned to camp where there is the opportunity to visit a local community and school. Enjoy your afternoon game drive whilst watching the sunset and taking one final photo before returning to camp for dinner.  Overnight at Little Governors Masai Mara. (B)(L)(D)

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the air strip for your flight to Nairobi Wilson Airport.  Here you will be picked up for a transfer to Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your onward flight to Kilimanjaro Airport.  Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be transferred to Arusha the gateway to the Seregenti. 
 
Here you will sleep the night at the Serena Lake Duluti based on the slopes of Mount Meru at the edge of Lake Duluti to recharge your batteries after your flight before starting your safari the following day. (B)

Safari departs from the Serena Lake Duluti Hotel at 14:00 after a briefing at the hotel.
 
Passing through the Masai Steppe filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee, and banana plantations. At the town of Makuyuni continue to Tarangire National Park Gate to clear formalities. Enter the park and begin exploring and game viewing as you continue to your lodge, arriving for dinner and overnight.
 
Hidden among the kopjes lies Tarangire Sopa Lodge, surrounded by ancient baobab trees. It is home to one of the greatest concentrations of elephants in Africa, and other game including the elusive leopard. Over 400 bird species have been identified within the park. With water constantly available through the Tarangire River, the greenery is lush providing a wonderful contrast to the burnt ground.
 
Spacious and airy with marble floors, the lobby has glass sliding doors that open out to a veranda where you can relax and enjoy the view. The ceiling has a wooden finish, and the decor with plants in strategic places, gives it a feeling of total relaxation. There is also a swimming pool for those that want to take a refreshing dip. (B)(D)

This morning board your safari vehicle for game viewing within the park in search of its large lion prides and elephant herds. Drive through the baobab tree lined park and explore the silale swamp. Return to your lodge for lunch.
 
This afternoon drive north through the park and to the town of Makuyuni where you continue the journey through a scenic escarpment that brings you to your lodge, perched on the edge of the Rift Valley with stunning views over the distant Lake Manyara.
 
Standing high on the edge of a towering terracotta escarpment with panoramic views over the glittering alkaline waters of Lake Manyara.  Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge offers a unique blend of tranquility, wildlife discovery, and ornithological richness.
 
Grouped around a central 'vanishing horizon' pool, this highly unusual lodge features a simple timbered reception area, built in traditional African style, which is accessed via a bridge over a small stream. Beyond the reception lies the central dining room, bar, and veranda, below which lies the pool. Perched on the very edge of the cliffs, with stunning views over the lake, is the pool bar and observation point. Dotted around the grounds, all with views over the lake, are a series of circular two-story 'rondavels', which house the rooms. (B)(L)(D)

After breakfast you have a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park that returns to the lodge for lunch. When you leave Lake Manyara, the journey continues Northwest across the stunning hilly countryside of the highlands filled with wheat and coffee plantations, and then into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From here lie the vast plains of the Serengeti, where you begin spotting wildlife as you approach the entrance gate. You will complete the formalities and enter the park with game viewing en route to the lodge arriving in time for dinner.
 
Serengeti Serena Lodge is set high on the saddle of a tree-clad ridge, commanding panoramic views across the Serengeti. This lodge is the ultimate fusion of traditional African architecture and world-class style. Centrally located adjacent to the famous Western Corridor and Grumeti River, the lodge has been designed to blend completely into the living landscape. A series of traditional domed 'rondavels' are widely spaced throughout the grounds, which are cooled by groves of acacia trees and watered by sparkling streams. On the very edge of the ridge is a 'vanishing horizon' pool, which looks out over the endless plains after which the Serengeti is named. (B)(L)(D)

You will enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti National Park today.

The Serengeti's landscapes are diverse, ranging from vast grasslands, known as the Serengeti Plains, to woodlands, hills, and riverine forests. The iconic acacia trees dotting the landscape have become synonymous with the African savanna.  These landscapes also home The Great Migration during certain times of the year.  This is one of the most awe-inspiring natural events on Earth. It involves millions of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles moving in search of fresh grazing and water as the seasons change. (B)(L)(D)

After breakfast you depart for Ngorongoro with a picnic lunch viewing game across the vast Serengeti plains, stopping en route for a picnic lunch. You will continue to your lodge, set high on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater arriving in time for dinner.
 
Ngorongoro Serena Lodge is a unique lodge which clings to the rim of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, the largest and most perfect volcanic crater on earth. Long and low, the lodge is built from local river stone and camouflaged with indigenous vines. It is designed to blend completely into the landscape, it is entirely invisible from the floor of the Crater 600 meters below.
 
Hugging the contours of the jagged Crater rim, the lodge takes its inspiration from the so-called 'Cradle of Mankind', the prehistoric site of Olduvai Gorge, which lies close by. Linked by arched stone passages and timbered decks, its walls are decorated with stylized prehistoric cave paintings and lit by flaring torches. At the stone heart of the lodge burns a glowing fire, which is kept constantly alight. Decorated with cave paintings, the rooms are strung around the Crater rim. Each has its own rock-enclosed balcony, and all enjoy completely uninterrupted views of the volcanic amphitheater far below. (B)(L)(D)

A highlight awaits you this morning as you depart to explore what is commonly referred to as the world's largest natural wildlife arena.

After an early breakfast, you drive to the crater entry gate and descend with a picnic lunch through the early morning mists and 610m (2,000ft) into the crater. Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact volcanic caldera and due to its size, the crater floor is comprised of several distinct areas, ranging from forest, swamps, lakes and springs to open grassland and some sandy dunes. It's an awesome wildlife experience. You will be served a picnic lunch on the crater floor. You will return to the lodge in the late afternoon. (B)(L)(D)

Depart Ngorongoro Crater after breakfast, head southeast past Lake Manyara and Mto wa Mbu Village. Through the highlands and the Karatu district, you will view the scenic wheat plains and coffee plantations here before journeying down the spectacular escarpment where you turn south on to the main road to Arusha. 

The journey will pass through the Masai Steppe filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee, and banana plantations. Your safari ends in Arusha city centre or Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport for your onward arrangements. (B)