Arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International airport in Nairobi where you will be met by All Seasons Safaris & Tours Representative and briefed concerning your safari as we assist with visa formalities, then escorted past the custom counter where you will be given mineral water to freshen up.

You will be introduced to your driver guide and be given your personalized detailed itinerary.

You will then drive to The MT Kenya National Park.

                       4 X 4 safari minivan

                        4 X 4 Toyota Land Cruiser

You will then drive to Mt Kenya

Enroute, you will pass by the town of Thika, which is known as an industrial hub. You will see vast pineapple and coffee plantations. The pineapple estate is owned and managed by Delmonte Company that also deals with the processing of pineapples. The British previously owned the company but it has since been sold to an Italian company.

Continue with your drive. You will pass and stop by the popular Blue Post hotel famous for its strategic view overlooking the chania falls.

Drive on and you are passing through Karatina town and witness the largest open air market in East Africa.

You will pass through the equator for a short demonstration on how crossing from the southern to the northern hemisphere affects water flow.

Arrive in time for lunch at the Sweetwater’s Tented Camp www.serenahotels.com

About Sweetwaters Tented Camp.

A sheltered oasis, clustered around a waterhole and set in the pristine calm of a private wildlife conservancy, Sweetwaters Tented Camp is in a class of its own.

One of only four private game reserves in Kenya, Ol Pejeta Conservancy excels in the provision of privileged seclusion and private game viewing.

Thanks to its private status it also allows such unforgettable pleasures as the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary (the only place in Kenya to see these highly endangered animals

16:00 hrs- Afternoon game drive

Dinner and overnight at the camp amidst Kikuyu traditional dancers

Breakfast then take a drive to Lake Nakuru.

After breakfast you will then drive to Nakuru

You will pass through Nyahururu one of Kenya’s highest cities, at 2360 m above sea level.

 Just outside of town lies Thomson’s Falls.

Thomson's Falls is a beautiful waterfall at the Ewaso Nyiro River in Central Kenya. The waterfall is 74 meters (243 feet) high. One of the biggest hippo pools of Kenya is located up stream from the falls. It’s possible to view the falls from above, and there’s also a trail down to the bottom of the ravine.

The Thomson’s Falls gets it’s name from Joseph Thomson, a naturalist and geologist from Scotland who discovered it in 1887 when he walked all the way from Mombasa to Lake Victoria.

   

Arrive at the Lake Nakuru Sarova Lion Hill lodge In time for lunch.

ABOUT SAROVA LION HILL  LODGE

Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge is nestled along the Lion Hill overlooking the spectacular flamingo pink rimmed Lake Nakuru. Its location affords panoramic vistas of the Lake and the picturesque Lake Nakuru National Park. A short two hour drive from Nairobi, the Lodge is a favourite with residents and visitors to Kenya.

                  

The Lodge is cleverly laid out such that most rooms and sitting areas afford stunning views of the Lake and the Park. The Lodge incorporates natural landscaping with tall acacia trees, winding walkways and greens dotted with bird feeds. Spread over acres, the Lodge is a natural haven for bird life and attracts over 50 species of birds amongst the 400 species that inhabit the Park.

             

All bedrooms have verandas with panoramic views of the flamingo pink-rimmed lake.

Flamingo Restaurant serves meals on the ground floor; a patio is available at the pool. A buffet is served for lunch. Dinner table d'hote with a seating capacity of 200 people. Rift Valley Bar on the ground floor overlooks the lake, and is open from 7.00 am. to 11.00 pm.

Swimming pool and sauna are open from 6:00 am. to 6:00 pm .So After lunch, you can take a nap or a swim in the pool.

               16:00hrs- you will have an afternoon game drive at the Lake Nakuru National Park.

LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

Lake Nakuru National Park was created in 1968 to protect the huge flocks of over a million of the lesser flamingo that breed and nest at the edge of Lake Nakuru, giving it the characteristic pink rim. Lake Nakuru National Park located at an altitude of 4,000-5,767 feet above sea level, covers 188 square kilometers of land of great ecological diversity - from lake water, woodland, bush grassland, to rocky ridges. The park is home to not just the lesser flamingo but over 400 species of birds and one of the few places to see the endangered white rhino. Other wildlife at the park includes lions, leopards, zebra, gazelles, eland, giraffe and the hyrax.

Lake Nakuru National park is truly a remarkable park as it has achieved international fame on animal sanctuary. Both black and white Rhinos are being given a new lease of life in this park. Also it is in this park that you will find large numbers of different species of bird life and most outstanding the pink greater and lesser flamingos. The park is best known for its flamingos There are also larges flocks of pelicans and is a home to the waterbuck, leopards and the Rothschild giraffe. The park is also a Rhino sanctuary.

For bird lovers this an absolutely wonderful place to visit.

LAKE NAKURU

It is a very shallow strongly alkaline lake 62 km2 in extent. It is set in a picturesque landscape of surrounding woodland and grassland next to Nakuru town. The landscape includes areas of marsh and grasslands alternating with rocky cliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodland and rocky hillsides covered with a Euphorbia forest on the eastern perimeter.

Dinner and overnight at the lodge. 

Traditional dancers display their talent everyday at 9.00 pm.

Breakfast then take a drive to The Magical Mara”.Masai Mara is one of Kenya’s best loved reserves. It is an extension of the Serengeti ecosystem to the south.  Each year, Mara is the staging ground for the “Great Migration”, one of the awe-inspiring natural events

You will have two stops en route to visit the wash rooms.  What to expect as you drive to Masai mara is to see a nice country site – you will also pass by large scale wheat farms and admire the nomadic masai people with their unique culture herding their life stock by the road side.

Then proceed on with your drive to the jewel of Kenya’s parks, the world famous Masai Mara Game (Wildlife) Reserve.  This is Kenya’s number one park and is always on every tourist’s “Must see list”. Full of life with various types of animals and birds,

Apart from the big five, the Masai Mara is most famous for the spectacular annual migration of over a million wildebeest, zebra, gazelle etc from the Serengeti in northern Tanzania crossing the Mara River into Kenya in search of fresh feeding grounds, which takes place in late July - October. 

During this crossing, hundreds of animals are swept away by the first moving Mara River and others are killed by the ferocious African Crocodiles. This crossing gives true meaning to the phrase “Survival of the fittest”.

From the International media.
It’s now official. The Mara is an international conservation destination. It’s a verdict that was arrived by a panel of experts and announced in the American broadcasting corporation after many months of research. The wildebeest migrations have now been placed among the 7 new wonders of the world in the same category with The Tibets potala palace, the old Jerusalem city, the polar ice caps of Iceland, The underwater Hawaiian Islands and the Mayan pyramids in Mexico among others.

You are visiting Masai mara to see the annual migrations which starts from the month of June and climaxes in the month of August before closing over to Serengeti towards the month of Oct.

THOUGH MIGRATIONS ARE DESCRIBED HERE BELOW AS THE HIGHLIGHTS OF A MAASAI MARA TOUR, PLEASE NOTE THAT IT’S ONLY IN THE MONTH OF JULY / AUG / SEPT / OCT THAT YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE TTHS SPECTACULAR EVENT.

Watch the wildebeest migrations.

You are visiting Masai mara to see the annual migrations which starts from the month of  June and climaxes in the month of August before closing over to Serengeti towards the month of Oct

                 

What exactly is the wildebeest migration?

The wildebeest migration is a dramatic story. It takes place within Kenya and Tanzania and is the greatest wildlife show on earth. Between the open plains of Serengeti and the Masai Mara, thousands and thousands of wildebeest and zebras migrate to greener pastures as seasons change and circle of life and death continues. Predators closely follow the wildebeest migrations waiting for an opportunity to strike weak prey as they make their way into different territories.. The most interesting part is when you watch them as they cross the Mara River. The first ones to jump into the river are trampled upon to death by the following multitude. The dead animals become a bridge over which all the other animals cross the river. The crocodiles feed on the remaining carcasses for months.

Majority of tourists literally camp in the Mara during this period with their flashy digital cameras. They will trail the migrations and even the members of the big 5 are no longer an interest at this time.  When its time to cross over the river, the tourists will position themselves strategically along the Mara river, trying to get the best shot possible. Others will ride on the hot air balloon to watch the migrations from the skies. To show the implication of this phenomenal show, members of both local and international media also make their way to Mara if only to capture this hot news for interesting reading.  It’s also a common feature in the world travel magazines.  This is a spectacle that should be witnessed at least once in a lifetime.

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1300 hrs – Finally arrive at the Maasai Mara Serena lodge www.serenalodges.com    

13:30 hrs – Have your buffet Lunch.

About Mara Serena Lodge.

Secreted deep within the Masai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Serena Safari Lodge is the ultimate safari destination. Set high on a bush-cloaked hill, embraced by arcing vistas and washed by a sea of richly rolling grasslands, it stands centre-stage to one of Africa’s most dramatic wildlife arenas and has a ringside seat for the greatest wildlife show on Earth, the legendary migration of the wildebeest.

Drawing its inspiration from the traditional Maasai cultural motif of a cluster of domed, mud-coloured huts encircled by a “Boma” of brushwood, the Mara Serena offers a rare blend of raw African splendour and sumptuous sophistication.                

 The essentially ethnic décor also draws on a vibrant colour-palette of sun-burst colours, embellished by a unique selection of Maasai art to create the look and feel of a traditional bush encampment.

                 

The lodge features individual rooms, each with their own balcony and view of eternity, a sky-blue swimming pool and a spectacular restaurant, overlooking a water hole where a fantasia of creatures collect to drink

1500 hrs – Enjoy your afternoon tea and coffee at the lobby.

1530 hrs - your driver/guides will take you for an afternoon game drive in search of the shy and elusive leopard, the solitary and ill-tempered Rhino, lions, buffalos, and many others. As the sun starts to edge its way dip into the African horizon it will be the perfect opportunity to capture the beautiful Mara landscape on film or video camera.                           

Return to the lodge and overnight

Early morning Breakfast and then you leave the lodge with picnic lunch so that you can be able to get to the deeper Maasai Mara for a full day game drive.

Return to the lodge and have an optional bush dinner specially designed for you amidst Maasai Dancers.

Overnight at the lodge

You will have an early morning game drive or optional balloon ride.

Optional Balloon ride

06 Schedules:  BALLOON SAFARI IN MASAI MARA – 1 HOUR RIDE.

05:00 am: You will be picked up from your lodge and transfer you to the launch site. Here you will meet your pilot, receive a briefing and watch the inflation of your balloon.

At dawn we take off, rising as the sun rises and float in whichever direction the winds of the morning take us. Your pilot can precisely control the altitude of your balloon: sometimes flying at treetop height, sometimes lower, offering a unique perspective and great photographic opportunities of the wildlife below.

From time to time the pilot must put more heat into the balloon with the powerful whisper burners. In between these burns, there is silence apart from the natural sounds below.

The flight is for about one hour depending on conditions, on landing you celebrate in the traditional manner with champagne (well, an excellent sparkling wine), before sitting down to a full English breakfast prepared and served in the bush in 'Out of Africa' style with bone china, linen table cloths, King's silver etc.

After breakfast you receive your Balloon certificate and we drive you back to the Lodge with game viewing enroute

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This is how it begins and ends ---LIVE COVERAGE.

You will ascend in early morning when the winds are calmest.

Watch as your professional crew fills the balloon with hot air. Slowly the big colorful bag begins to bulge and take shape. Now board the traditional wicker gondola basket while the expert pilot makes final adjustments. As the pink and red fireball of the sun rises in splendor over the plain, you are up and away –for the flight of a life time!

Your balloon can soar over the most inaccessible and undisturbed parts of the Mara, with only the intermittent whisper of the balloon’s gas burners punctuating the silence of your majestic flight .Because wind and conditions vary, every flight is a new and a different experience

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From your vantage point about 50—500 feet above the reserve, you have a fantastic 360 degrees bird’s view as one of the most dramatic scenes in nature unfolds beneath you. From here, you will see the wonder of migrations, witness herds of antelope flowing like school of fish across the plain, groups of elephants grazing undisturbed in a remote ravine, lioness stealthily stalking a herd of grunting wildebeest or zebras conferring in a confusion of black and while stripes and bark-like calls.

After your incredible flight, it is time to come back down to earth for breakfast. As you dig into a splendid breakfast of sizzling bacon, eggs, sausages, home-made breads, fresh tropical fruit and steaming cups of Kenyan tea under the clear blue sky, you might wonder what all the ordinary people are doing on this perfect African morning.

Before leaving, the pilot will present you with a balloon flight certificate. No flight of the imagination can match this air-borne experience

Enroute back to the lodge, you can visit a Masai village..

MASAI VILLAGE: 

See and experience their wonderful culture. And while at the village, you will visit the Masai village for local interaction, cultural exchange, dances, fire lighting with a barbeque goat eating ceremony In the village Masai women dancing will welcome you. A guide will take you through the village explaining in details the way the Masai live, their beliefs and traditions. You will get demonstrations of how the Masai make fire-using sticks.

You will go into their houses and will be shown the full family set-up. At the end of the guided tour you will go a market where you will have a chance to buy some items and curios made in their village. While in the village you are allowed to take as many pictures as you want.

13:00hrs-Have lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure either relaxing in your room or take a swim.

15:00hrs- Coffee pr tea at the lobby.

16:00hrsAfternoon game drive

Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Breakfast at the Lodge and then proceed to Serengeti National Park through the Isebania boarder 

The name Serengeti is an approximation of the word used by the Maasai to describe the area.

The park covers 14,763 km² (5,700 square miles) of grassland plains and savanna as well as riverine forest and woodlands. The park lies in the north of the country, bordered to the north by the national Tanzania and Kenyan border, where it is continuous with the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Arrive at Serengeti Serena lodge.

ABOUT SERENGETI SERENA LODGE

Set high on the saddle of tree-clad ridge commanding panoramic views over the endlessly rolling reaches and volcanic reefs of the Serengeti, the Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is the ultimate fusion of traditional African architecture and world-class style.

                

Drawing its inspiration from the circular ‘Rondavel’ dwellings and winding paths of a traditional Maasai village, the Lodge features thickly-thatched, stone-built rooms, spaciously set amongst groves of indigenous trees that are cooled by sparkling streams and papyrus-fringed ponds.
Each room at Serengeti Serena Lodge is accommodated in a stone-built, traditionally-thatched

                

'Rondavel', featuring natural stone bathrooms, wildwood balconies, rope-lashed staircases, leopard-print drapes and intricately carved furniture, the overall effect of which is a unique blend of authentic ethnicity and world-class elegance.

As for the views, from lilac-streaked sunrise to diamond-domed night, the searingly sensational Serengeti delivers a series of timeless volcanic vistas that are second to none.

 Dining at Serengeti Serena Lodge is linked by shaded walkways and clustered around the roaring furnace of the central barbecue arena, the high-domed halls of the two-tier dining room are supported by massive papyrus-topped pillars and embellished with sumptuous 'Makonde' carvings suggesting the audience chamber of a tribal king whilst the cuisine features time-honoured safari favourites, local specialities and internationally themed dishes alike.

Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Early morning Breakfast and then you leave the lodge with picnic lunch so that you can be able to get to the deeper Serengeti for a full day game drive.

Dinner and overnight at the lodge

Breakfast at the Serena lodge then proceed to Ngorongoro Conservancy Area.

Arrive in time for lunch at the Ngorongoro Sopa lodge.

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ABOUT THE NGORONGORO SERENA LODGE.

Perched on the jagged rim of the crater, wreathed in morning mist, camouflaged in river-stone and cloaked in indigenous creepers, the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is a triumph of ecological and architectural fusion.

Sensitively constructed so as to take nothing from its environment whilst affording endless vistas over the heat-shimmering reaches of the crater below, the clustered boulder-built buildings of the Lodge hug the crater rim, linked by rope-lashed timber walkways that skirt the buttressed roots of ancient, liana-hung trees.

The interior, radiating out from the primeval log fire glowing at the heart of the Lodge, blends the concentrated hush of a game-viewing hide with the ochre, rust and charcoal images of a prehistoric cavern.

                 

 Lit by flaming wall-lanterns, clad in gigantic volcanic boulders and decorated by the iron spears, bright-beaded robes and intricately carven artefacts of the Maasai, the Lodge is a unique blend of world-class luxury, timeless volcanic splendour and ethnic style. As for the views, from lilac-streaked sunrise, to indigo star-studded night, the immeasurably ancient Ngorongoro Crater delivers a theatre of vistas, most unchanged since the dawn of time.

12:30 hrs Depart for half day crater tour

Ngorongoro Crater

It is one of the world's greatest natural spectacles; its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthral visitors. It borders the Serengeti National Park to the north and west. A few hours drive to the east takes you to the town of Arusha which nestles at the foot of Mount Meru, within view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Arusha is known as the gateway to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Northern Parks.

Based on fossil evidence found at the Olduvai Gorge, it is known that various hominid species have occupied the area for 3 million years. Hunter gatherers were replaced by pastorialists a few thousand years ago. The Mbulu^[1] came to the area about 2,000 years ago, and were joined by the Datooga around the year 1700. Both groups were driven from the area by the Maasai in the 1800s.^[2] Massive fig trees in the northwest of the Lerai Forest are sacred to the Maasai and Datooga people. Some of them may have been planted on the grave of a Datago leader who died in battle with the Maasai around 1840.^[3]

No Europeans are known to have set foot in the Crater until 1892, when it was visited by Dr. Oscar Baumann. Two German brothers farmed in the Crater until the outbreak of World War I, after leasing the land from the German colonial administration then in control of East Africa. Dr. Baumann shot three rhinos while camped in the crater, and the German brothers regularly organized shooting parties to entertain their German friends. They also attempted to drive the wildebeest herds out of the crater.

A population of approximately 25,000 large animals, largely ungulates along with reputedly the highest density of mammalian predators in Africa, lives in the crater.

The main feature of the NCA is the Ngorongoro Crater, which is the world's largest unbroken, unflooded volcanic caldera. The Crater, which formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself some two to three million years ago, is 610 m (2,001 ft) deep and its floor covers 260 km² (102 square miles). Estimates of the height of the original volcano range from fifteen to nineteen thousand feet (4500 to 5800 metres) high.

The conservation area also protects Olduvai Gorge, situated in the plains area. It is considered the seat of humanity after the discovery of the earliest known specimens of the human genus, Homo habilis as well as early homonids, Paranthropus boisei.

The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley, which stretches along eastern Africa. Olduvai is in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania and is about thirty miles long. It liesin the rain shadow of the Ngorongoro highlands and is the driest part of the region.^[13] The gorge is named after the Maasai word for the wild sisal plant, Sansevieria ehrenbergii, commonly called Oldupaai.

It is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world and research there has been instrumental in furthering understanding of early human evolution. Excavation work there was pioneered by Mary and Louis Leakey in the 1950s and is continued today by their family.

 

Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast you take a drive to Lake Manyara

Arrive at the Lake Manyara Serena Lodge in time for lunch.

ABOUT THE LODGE

Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge stands high on the bluff of a dramatic ochre and terracotta streaked cliff above the flamingo-frosted expanse of Lake Manyara?s gleaming alkaline waters. The Lodge commands panoramic views across the volcano-studded floor of the Great Rift Valley.

The lodge is designed to reflect the brilliance of Lake Manyara?s unique bird life and draw on an inspirational architectural motif that melds swooping avian curves with the gentle concentric patterns of traditional Maasai ? Bomas? (encampments).

The ambiance of the Lodge is a fusion of lakeside tranquility, towering volcanic splendour and adventure-packed sporting activity.

Accommodation:
The circular, closely-thatched rooms echo the traditional Maasai ?Boma? style of construction whilst featuring a vibrant interior design concept that reflects the Maasai peoples abiding love of brilliant scarlet-and-indigo checked *Shukas* (cloaks) and bright yellow, white, blue and orange bead work.
In total the lodge has 54 rooms:

 

 

 

1 executive room 12 triple rooms 41 twin rooms

Each room has telephones and a private veranda and breathtaking views of the shimmering reaches of the flamingo-frosted Lake.

Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast you will then drive to Nairobi.

Have lunch in Arusha and proceed on to Nairobi.

You will be transferred to Sarova Panafric.

About Panafric Hotel

Sarova Panafric, a 4 star hotel in Nairobi, is located 5 minutes drive from the CBD amidst beautifully landscaped gardens in a quiet suburb of Nairobi.. Enjoy leisurely meals at the lively and warm Flame tree restaurant, once the watering hole for freedom fighters, spies and foreign correspondents and named after the Flame Tree that holds pride of place in the gardens.

Sarova Panafric offers state of the art banqueting. Take a dip in the pool or go for a leisurely massage – or simply enjoy a cool drink to the soothing sounds of Africa’s rhythm

Guest rooms at Sarova Panafric offer a comfortable stay with all first class hotel facilities and services. The décor and ambience of the rooms is inspired by African art and culture.

Over night at the hotel.

You will be transferred to the airport at leisure and have a safe flight home.

Cost Inclusions:

• Full board accommodation on safari
• Transport and game drives in specially designed 4 x 4 vehicles driven by professional English speaking safari guides.
• All the park entrance fees.
• Government taxes where applicable.
• Airport transfers.

Complimentary adds on courtesy of traveling with All Seasons Safaris & Tours.

• Mineral water while on safari-1 bottle per person per day 500ml.

• Safari hats while on safari.
• Meet and greet before departure for safari with free visa assistance at the airport.

Cost Exclusions

• Cost of obtaining visas.
• Expenses like laundry, beverages, bar bill, telephone, mineral water, tips etc.
• International departure taxes.
• Travel & medical insurance.
• Other expenses that are of purely personal nature
• Flying Doctor Service. This caters only for evacuation to reputable hospitals but does not cover hospital bills.

Cost of optional activities

Usd 25 pp for an authentic visit to Masai Village.

Usd 450 pp for the BALLON RIDE.

Usd 35 pp for the Carnivore Dinner

Usd 35 pp for the Giraffe center.

-KARIBU KENYA!! HAKUNA MATATA-