16 Days 15 Nights Nairobi Kenya Tour Package

Hotel 3

Arrive in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. Meet your Peregrine representative and be driven to your hotel (approximately 45 minutes). There will be an important group meeting at 6 pm this evening. More details about this meeting can be found at the hotel reception. Spend free time today at your leisure.

Lake Nakuru Lodge 3

Depart Nairobi for Elsamere after breakfast and head north, driving along the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley (approximately 4 hours of driving in total). Elsamere is the former home of the writer Joy Adamson, whose 1960 book ’Born Free’ helped bring wildlife conservation into the mainstream. The house is a veritable museum that dedicated to the works of Joy and George Adamson, with many photos of Elsa, the lioness that started it all. You’ll then embark on a boat trip on Lake Naivasha, the highest of all lakes in the Great Rift Valley and home to many a hippopotamus. Later, enjoy lunch with the lake as a serene backdrop. After lunch, continue to your Lake Nakuru lodge, arriving in the early evening.

Lake Nakuru Lodge 3

This morning you will visit Lake Nakuru National Park by 4 Wheel Drive. Mornings can be cold so it’s important to bring warm clothes. You might see why this great soda lake has been described as the world’s greatest ornithological spectacle; it amazingly turns into a sea of pink on occasion. Flooding in recent years has unfortunately caused a decline in bird life. The park boasts substantial numbers of other species, including water buck, reed buck and gazelle. Leopards are also to be found here, and the chances of sighting one is significant. Keep your eyes peeled too, for one of Africa’s most endangered creatures, the elusive black rhinoceros (white rhinos are much easier to spot).

Mara Leisure Camp 3

Today you will head southwest to the Masai Mara (approximately 6/–7 hours), arguably one of the finest game reserves in Africa. Before you arrive, you’ll first cross the Great Rift Valley, Africa’s immense and spectacular great divide.

Pass by the remote region of Loita Hills, home of the traditional Maasai people known for their vibrant red dress and elaborate jewellery. This is one of the key places where the Maasai people still practice their traditional way of life, with little influence from the western world. Make a stop at Tepesua Village, which is known for championing Maasai women/’s health and education. You/’ll be welcomed by Maasai Warriors by way of traditional song and dance. Meet your Maasai hosts and enjoy a fascinating talk, full of insights into this remarkable and ancient culture. Take a walk to the community village which was founded for widows who had lost their cows due to drought, and can never remarry. The village offers support, safety and economic growth through the /‘Tepesua Widows Income Project/’. Here the women are engaged in making handicrafts and sewing eco-friendly handbags, washable sanitary pads, and backpacks to sell to visiting travellers and locals. Learn about village life and be shown around a traditional Maasai home, and their cattle enclosures. We then continue on your journey to /‘The Mara/’. After checking into the park, take a short game drive on the way to camp. Set in what is considered Kenya’s prime wildlife area, Mara Leisure Camp is located along the Talek River, on the northern boundary of the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Facilities at the camp include a swimming pool, gift shop, bar and restaurant.

Mara Leisure Camp 3

Explore more of the park by 4 Wheel Drive today with further game drives in the morning and afternoon. Witness the wonderful procession of wildlife that inhabits the area. Wildebeest, zebra and gazelle are plentiful, and you might even spot predators keeping a casual eye on their movements. Elephants, giraffes and elands are also commonly sighted, along with plenty of bird life. The area is known for its rolling green plains and riverine woodlands, and among st the many species of game, a black-maned lion, leopard or cheetah might appear, with some luck. As dusk falls, a variety of animals might be visible in the vicinity of your camp also.

Mara Leisure Camp 3

Today is a free day. If you wish to continue your exploration of arguably one of the finest game reserves on the continent there are a number of optional activities that you can choose from including half-day or full-day game drives or walking safaris. A morning game drive involves waking at dawn for a light breakfast followed by an early morning game drive, setting off at sunrise and returning to the camp three to four hours later. An afternoon game drive departs around 4 pm and returns after sunset. On returning to the camp, freshen up before joining other guests around the campfire for a pre-dinner drink. An optional balloon ride over the Masai Mara at sunrise is an unforgettable experience. If you have pre-booked this activity you will be picked up from camp before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing with your pilot. You then glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, making the most of the amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you’ll ascend to get an overview of the enormity of the Masai Mara plains and the early-morning movements of the teeming herds. Upon landing you’ll be treated to a bush breakfast before re-joining your group.

Camp 3

Say goodbye to the Mara and head to Kisii (approximately 5 hours). Once arrived stop for lunch (at your own expense) and visit a local soapstone factory in Kisii. This town is home to the best soapstone carvers on the continent. Their products are quite popular around the world. It’s a favorite stopover for travelers seeking a taste of the exquisite Kisii carvings.

Camp 3

Cross into Tanzania before heading to the Serengeti National Park (approximately 8 hours, not including time spent at the border). These ’Endless Plains’ span some 14,700 square kilometers, but their main claim to fame is 3 million or so animals. The game most likely to be seen in the Serengeti are the wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, lion, cheetah, warthog, hyena, hippo and ostrich. You’ll take a game drive en route to your camp and watch the landscape change within the park from the vast treeless central plains to thick scrub and forest in the north. Linking these areas is the savannah, dotted with acacia trees and magnificent rock outcrops. Pull up in the park and enjoy a refreshing sun downer and some nibbles before carrying on to you camp. The next two nights are spent at a mobile tented camp, our feature stay on this trip. Meru-style tents are a great place to relax at the end of the day and have large beds, table, clothes rack, sink, ’bucket’ showers and a toilet. The Eco-friendly camp has a comfortable lounge area, and a cozy mess tent located in the center of the camp where meals are served. The campfire is ready every evening for appetizers before dinner. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy a real safari camp experience with modern comforts.

Camp 3

Enjoy a full day of game drives in the truck in the magnificent Serengeti. Pull up in the park and enjoy a refreshing sun downer and some nibbles before returning to camp. Perhaps the ultimate way to go game viewing is on a hot air balloon safari over the great plains of the Serengeti National Park. Hot-air ballooning in East Africa can be an unforgettable experience, an exceptional way to see this part of the world. We strongly recommend booking this extra activity prior to departure if you’re interested. Tonight we have a private dinner under the stars within our permanent tented camp while listening to the sounds of the Serengeti.

Camp 3

After an early morning game drive, it’s time to leave the park and travel to the Ngorongoro Crater (approximately 5 hours). It’s one of Africa’s most beautiful nature reserves and the world’s largest intact caldera. Upon arrival you will check into your accommodation, which is located just outside of the crater. This small and exclusive lodge faces the Oldeani Volcano and is located approximately 15 kilometers from the Ngorongoro Lolduare gate.

Camp 3

In the morning, climb aboard the 4 Wheel Drive for your descent to the crater floor. Hopefully you’ll see some, or all, of the ’big five’ creatures that rule here. Animals within the Ngorongoro Crater are less shy of people and safari vehicles, so it’s easier to see them up close. Views from the rim of the crater are sensational. On the crater floor, grassland blends into swamps, lakes, rivers, woodlands and hills. The Masai are permitted to water their cattle at the permanent lake and can be seen leading their animals in and out of the crater. The most commonly seen animals are the lion, wildebeest, zebra, eland, bush buck, cheetah, jackal, buffalo, Grant’s gazelle, Thompson’s gazelle and black rhinoceros. The afternoon is yours to spend as you please, perhaps with optional walking activities or a coffee tour.

Camp 3

After breakfast head to Arusha (approximately 4 hours) where some of the group may be leaving the trip, along with your tour leader from the East Africa sector. Those continuing to Zanzibar are transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport for a flight. You will be escorted for the Zanzibar sector, but our local representatives will be on hand to look after you. On arrival you are transferred to your hotel in the atmospheric and historic center of Stone Town. Just the name Zanzibar conjures up images of a remote island paradise where the water is transparent and the air is filled with the heady scent of spices. Only 40 kilometers off the mainland coast of Tanzania lies this beautiful island, known to the locals as Ungudya. It has an area of 1,400 square kilometers and a population of about 100,000, of whom more than half reside in the capital, Stone Town. This evening, maybe get a taste of local flavors at Forodhani Night Markets along the seafront.

Camp 3

After breakfast this morning your guide will take you on the Zanzibar spice tour. This half day tour passes through villages and spice plantations where you can meet the workers and learn about there way of life. They will seek out specific plants and barks for you to touch, smell and taste. We then enjoy a traditional Swahili lunch served in a local house. Afterwards return to Stone Town/’s where you are free to explore the maze of narrow streets with whitewashed coral stone buildings, magnificently carved, brass-studded teak doors, quaint shops and bazaars that all reflect a unique blend of architectural traditions. The market and bazaars are fascinating and are ideal spots for topping up your spice collection at home or shopping for souvenirs. Zanzibar was also one of the headquarters for slave trading and the starting point for many of the famous explorers such as Speke, Livingstone, Burton and Grant. From here they ventured into the vast interior of east Africa. Perhaps learn more about the island/’s history at the Old Fort, the Slave Markets, or at the House of Wonders (so-called because it was the first building on the island to have electricity and running water), which houses the Zanzibar National Museum of History and Culture. Later, maybe enjoy a dawa cocktail as you watch dhows sail along the coastline.

Camp 3

In the morning you will exchange the narrow lanes of Stone Town for the beaches of the east coast (approximately 1.5 hours drive). The interior of the island is covered with clove and spice plantations as well as groves of tropical fruit tree, and the coral reefs, sandy beaches, mangrove and coastal forests are home to rare and endangered species such as the red colobus monkey, the green sea turtle and the blue duiker. On the coast you can run your hands through the perfectly fine white sands and enter the warming embrace of the Indian Ocean /– deep blue in color, filled with marine life, and perfect for swimming and snorkeling. This is the perfect place to climb into a hammock with drink and a book, watch a gorgeous sun set and then relax underneath a blanket of glowing stars.

Camp 3

During your time on the coast you can enjoy swimming or simply relax on the beach /– your wonderful resort is situated along beautiful white sands. There are a number of optional activities to take advantage of, from full or half-day deep sea fishing expeditions, sailing trips on a dhow ship, snorkeling, or a visit to Prison Island (named for its former use but now home to giant land tortoises). There/’s is a swimming pool, water sports, restaurants, bars and shopping bazaar. It’s a perfect place to unwind at the end of your busy African journey.

After two nights on the coast, your tour ends with a group transfer back to Stone Town either at the airport or the hotel. If you would like to extend your stay in Zanzibar, additional accommodation and transfers can be Pre-booked (at additional expense). Please contact your booking agent for more information. Please note flights departing Zanzibar are not included in the tour price. Flights out of Zanzibar should not be booked to depart prior to 3 pm on the final day.