Africa
Kenya (Amboseli & Maasa Mari),Tanzania (Serengeti & Ngorongoro)
Day 1: After arriving in Nairobi, settle in to your hotel and get some rest so you can be prepared for the amazing adventure that awaits the next morning. Day 2: Your African safari begins after breakfast by driving to beautiful Amboseli National Park, which lies in the shadow of the famed Mount Kilimanjaro. It takes about four hours to drive to the park; there is also an airstrip to fly in to. After checking in to your lodging and lunch, go on your first game drive before dinner. While opportunities to see predators at Amboseli are not as plentiful as at other parks on this journey, the park is known for its large numbers of elephants. The elephant herds are used to close contact with humans, creating very memorable experiences watching the herds tramping through the park. Day 3: Awake early for breakfast and another game drive in Amboseli, which—besides the elephants—has within its boundaries many species of birds as well as zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, and warthogs. After lunch and an afternoon nap, head out on a final evening game drive in this wonderful park. Day 4: Today we must leave Amboseli, but your spirits will rise as you make your way to another well-known Kenyan park, the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It is an all-day drive, although many people fly in from Nairobi. Either choice can be arranged by your operator/lodge. If you fly, there may be time for an evening game drive and your first glimpse of this game-abundant reserve before a late dinner. Day 5: After an early breakfast, make the most of your time in Maasai Mara by going on an early-morning game drive. The reserve supports large numbers of wildebeests, gazelles, zebras, impalas, and many predators—including lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and leopards. After the game drive and lunch, take a tour of one of the Maasai villages in the area, which can be arranged in advance by your lodge. These tours usually involve visits to domed huts made of cow dung where the Maasai live and cook. You also get to see a school where the children in the village study. The tribes will also perform various dances in their brightly colored attire, one of which is performed by the men and involves some incredibly memorable leaps. Handmade tribal trinkets are also available for purchase. After the tour of the village, you will have time for another game drive in this amazing reserve before dinner. Day 6: After another early breakfast, begin the drive across the border into Tanzania and the renowned Serengeti National Park. The logistics of entering Tanzania is something you will need to work out with your operator/lodge. Often, if you are traveling by land, you will transfer to a new driver at the border, but flights are also available. While the drive is long, there are stops along the way, including a hippo pool with many of these enormous beasts soaking in the murky water. As you make your way to your lodging, there will usually be time for short stops to see any interesting game. Day 7: Today’s game drives will be on the vast Serengeti Plain where the animals are abundant, though the massive migrating herds of zebra and wildebeest are sometimes mostly absent depending on the time of year. Nevertheless, the chance to see the big predators exists year round. Day 8: Today you begin the journey to the final destination of the trip and one of the wonders of the world, the Ngorongoro Crater. Your drive will take you through Serengeti National Park and into the bordering Ngorongoro Conversation Area. Along the way, you will make stops whenever there is interesting wildlife to observe and will arrive at your lodging on the misty rim of the crater in the late afternoon. The topography at the rim is quite different from what you have seen so far on your adventure, and you will probably spot monkeys playing amidst the lush vegetation. After the long drive, you should have a chance to relax in the luxury of the lodge and take in the beautiful view of the crater below. Day 9: After breakfast, descend into the crater with your driver and a boxed lunch for an unforgettable all-day wildlife adventure. Although you have already been on many games drives by this point in the trip, the healthy herds of wildebeests, zebras, gazelles and impalas that inhabit the crater will not disappoint, and the crater is also one of the best places on earth to observe a predator catch a meal. Predators at Ngorongoro are found in some of the highest concentrations on the planet and the abundant herds keep them well fed. There are also a number of species of birds that visit the crater including vultures, weavers, and crowned cranes. After an amazing day in the crater, you will ascend the rim in time to clean up for dinner on your final evening in Africa. Day 10: As you make the morning drive to the airport, take time to ponder the incredible journey that you have experienced in this ancient land and the wonderful creatures that inhabit it. |