The Journey Begins!
Day 1 - Get In and Get Some Rest!
For your added comfort, upon your arrival at the airport, an English-speaking airport representative will greet you at customs and immigration. They will be holding a clearly marked page board with your name on it as you exit the arrivals hall. This representative will walk you through your welcome package documents and itinerary, and they will answer any questions you may have.
The representative will also facilitate the visa process for you. After completing the visa process, you will continue to the baggage claim hall and passenger pick up. Here you will be met by your driver for a private transfer to your hotel.
After arriving at your hotel, you will have the option to visit local shop and restaurants or relax at your hotel.
Where you’ll be staying
- Radisson Blu Nairobi Upperhill
- Superior Room
Day 2 - City Safari
A truly unique safari experience awaits you at Nairobi National Park. Set close to the city limits, this wildlife reserve offers you an opportunity to get close to African wildlife while enjoying the backdrop of Nairobi’s skyline in the distance. With your private guide by your side and traverse the wide-open grass plains of the reserve in search of game sightings. The resident species include giraffe, black rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo, cheetah, and hyena.
Make the trip to the Giraffe Center to learn about the world’s tallest terrestrial animal and to see these wonderful creatures up close and, if you so choose, to feed them by hand! After the Giraffe Center, visit the Karen Blixen Museum – a home once lived in by Karen – and made famous in the film “Out of Africa” featuring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford (consider watching the movie before setting out on your trip). After exploring this landmark, head to Kazuri Beads. An all-woman craft workshop renowned for making handmade ceramic jewelry and pottery, Kazuri – which means “small and beautiful” in Swahili – is a co-operative enterprise founded decades ago by an English woman who wanted to help single mothers become self-supporting. The clay beads, jewelry and pottery are as amazing as the story of its people, making Kazuri Beads the perfect place to round out your day in Nairobi.
Where you’ll be staying
- Radisson Blu Nairobi Upperhill
- Superior Room
Day 3 - A Change of Scenery
A private transfer between your hotel and the airport in Nairobi is provided.
Sit back and relax during this short, scenic flight from Nairobi to Masai Mara today. Approximate flight duration is 45 minutes.
Please note, strict luggage restrictions apply to this flight: 1) Maximum weight allowance of 32 lbs (15 kg) is permitted per person. 2) Baggage must be soft-shelled. 3) Additional baggage allowance can be arranged at additional cost, please speak to your Destination Expert for more information.
A representative from your lodge will pick you up and transfer you between your accommodations and the nearby airstrip.
Head out this afternoon on an exciting game viewing adventure. The locations visited will be determined by your expert guide as they have an intimate understanding of the daily routines of animals and how best to track them. On this afternoon excursion, visit several wildlife hot-spots with an aim to espy elusive animals such as the leopard. These spotted cats blend almost seamlessly into the tall grass and shrubbery, and are even more challenging to spot when in their favorite hangout, the trees. Exploring the region, your guide will take you to nearby watering holes where on a hot day you’ll spot many birds and mammals, including, with luck, the elusive leopard. After a thrilling afternoon game drive, you will be returned to your lodge in time to freshen up for a delicious safari dinner.
Where you’ll be staying
- Karen Blixen Camp
- Tent Room (Package)
Day 4 - Hakuna Matata
Today you will set out on an early morning game drive with your expert guide. The Masai Mara is home to a diverse range of animals. The park is home to the Big Five (Lion, Rhino, Elephant, Buffalo and Leopard) and numerous other species including Thomson's and Grant's Gazelles, Impalas, Topics, Hartebeest, Zebra and Masai Giraffe. It's also home to over 450 species of birdlife; among them are vultures, marabou storks, secretary birds, hornbills, crowned cranes, ostriches, long-crested eagles and African pygmy-falcons.
On today’s afternoon game drive, the possibilities for adventure are endless! Search for the Big 5 or expand your horizons to discover some of the regions lesser known animals. The Masai Mara not only has a rich mix of mammals both large and small, but is also host to an incredible array of birdlife that includes approximately 450 different species, from the fierce bateleur (or short tailed eagle) to the musical sooty chat.
Where you’ll be staying
- Karen Blixen Camp
- Tent Room (Package)
Day 5 - Big Game Galore
The smallest of the four "big cats," the leopard was once found across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its range has decreased radically because of hunting and loss of habitat. It is now chiefly found in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared to other members of the Felidae family, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. The species success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to various habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 36 miles per hour, its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. Ever elusive, these animals are one of the prized sightings within the Masai Mara.
The locations visited will be determined by your expert guide as they have an intimate understanding of the daily routines of animals and how best to track them. On this excursion, visit several wildlife hot-spots with an aim to espy elusive animals such as the leopard. These spotted cats blend almost seamlessly into the tall grass and shrubbery, and are even more challenging to spot when in their favorite hangout, the trees. Exploring the region, your guide will take you to nearby watering holes where on a hot day you’ll spot many birds and mammals, including, with luck, the elusive leopard. After a thrilling afternoon game drive, you will be returned to your lodge in time to freshen up for a delicious safari dinner.
Where you’ll be staying
- Karen Blixen Camp
- Tent Room (Package)
Day 6 - The Mane Attraction
The smallest of the four "big cats," the leopard was once found across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its range has decreased radically because of hunting and loss of habitat. It is now chiefly found in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared to other members of the Felidae family, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. The species success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to various habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 36 miles per hour, its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. Ever elusive, these animals are one of the prized sightings within the Masai Mara.
The locations visited will be determined by your expert guide as they have an intimate understanding of the daily routines of animals and how best to track them. On this excursion, visit several wildlife hot-spots with an aim to espy elusive animals such as the leopard. These spotted cats blend almost seamlessly into the tall grass and shrubbery, and are even more challenging to spot when in their favorite hangout, the trees. Exploring the region, your guide will take you to nearby watering holes where on a hot day you’ll spot many birds and mammals, including, with luck, the elusive leopard. After a thrilling afternoon game drive, you will be returned to your lodge in time to freshen up for a delicious safari dinner.
Where you’ll be staying
- Karen Blixen Camp
- Tent Room (Package)
Day 7 - More to See!
The smallest of the four "big cats," the leopard was once found across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its range has decreased radically because of hunting and loss of habitat. It is now chiefly found in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared to other members of the Felidae family, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. The species success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to various habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 36 miles per hour, its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. Ever elusive, these animals are one of the prized sightings within the Masai Mara.
The locations visited will be determined by your expert guide as they have an intimate understanding of the daily routines of animals and how best to track them. On this excursion, visit several wildlife hot-spots with an aim to espy elusive animals such as the leopard. These spotted cats blend almost seamlessly into the tall grass and shrubbery, and are even more challenging to spot when in their favorite hangout, the trees. Exploring the region, your guide will take you to nearby watering holes where on a hot day you’ll spot many birds and mammals, including, with luck, the elusive leopard. After a thrilling afternoon game drive, you will be returned to your lodge in time to freshen up for a delicious safari dinner.
Where you’ll be staying
- Karen Blixen Camp
- Tent Room (Package)
Day 8 - Until Next Time…
Your guide will pick you up in the morning where you will travel to the nearby airstrip for your return to Nairobi. This short domestic flight departs from Masai Mara and arrives at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. Approximate flight duration is 45 minutes.
Please note, strict luggage restrictions apply to this flight: 1) Maximum weight allowance of 32 lbs (15 kg) is permitted per person. 2) Baggage must be soft-shelled. 3) Additional baggage allowance can be arranged at additional cost, please speak to your Destination Expert for more information.
When you arrive in Nairobi, you will have the opportunity to explore the local markets and shops so you can interact with the local vendors in search for the perfect handicraft or souvenir for yourself or your loved ones. Your guide will let you know what time you will need to be prepared to depart for the airport. Traffic can get tricky so it is recommended to be prepared to arrive at the airport early!
When you are ready to depart your hotel for the airport, a private transfer between your hotel and the airport is provided. Your guide will help you navigate the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to ensure that you have stress free and timely departure. Remember to take plenty of pictures and share them with us!