Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Nairobi, Kenya. You will be met at the airport by our guides, or our outfitter's personnel, and transported to the Norfolk Hotel. While there are daytime arrivals in Nairobi, most people arrive from Europe on an evening flight. Accordingly, we will have a late evening informal meeting in the hotels lounge to introduce each other, relax, and get acquainted after our long flights.

Day 2: A free day in Nairobi, Kenya: probably not so free as we have several exciting places to go and most participants will want to visit these places. Typically, we will visit the David Sheldrock Wildlife Trust for elephants first, then go to the Giraffe Rescue Sanctuary, and finally the Animal Orphanage in Nairobi National Park, which is an incredible zoo, especially at feeding time. These are all locations where you can “get up (very) close” to the animals. In the case of the Giraffe Rescue Sanctuary, the giraffes actually expect you to feed them. We generally leave mid morning after breakfast at the Norkfolk Hotel and do not return until dinner time. (B)

Day 3: After an early breakfast at the Norfolk Hotel, we are driven to the air field for our flight north from Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve. The flight will take about 60 minutes; and had we driven from Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve it would have taken most of the day riding in our Land Rovers! Upon arrival at the air field in the Reserve we will be met at the air field by our guides and driven to Larsen's camp. This is a tent camp located next to a river. An orientation will be given by hotel personnel, we will have lunch and then relax until it is time for the afternoon game drive. The afternoon game drive will begin around 3:00 PM and last until shortly after 6:00 PM. Dinner will be served between 7:30 - 8:00 PM giving you ample time to clean up, and relax at the lounge beforehand if desired. (B/L/D)

Days 4 & 5: Each day will we rise early and leave the hotel shortly before sunrise for our AM game drive. Box breakfasts will be taken along and consumed in our Land Rovers whenever the participants in the respective Land Rover wish to stop photographing and have breakfast each morning. We will return to the Hotel between 11:00 and 11:30 each morning. Lunch will be outside under the trees next to the river at the camp. After lunch, participants are free to relax, go swimming, or shop for the early afternoon. The afternoon game drive will leave between 3:00 and 3:30 PM, and like the day before return to the camp shortly after 6:00 PM each evening. Dinner will be in the camp's dining area between 7:30 - 8:00 PM, and conclude the day's activities. (B/L/D)

Day 6: It is time to head south to Lake Nakuru National Park. After breakfast at the camp we will have a game drive as we drive out of the park. This is the only leg where we drive between parks, but it is deliberate. The drive allows us to see the Kenya countryside and villages between the parks. It is the only time we really get to see “Kenya and its people”. We wills stop for lunch at a very special place. Then, on to Lake Nakuru. We will have a game drive into the park and to the Lake Nakuru Lodge where we will stay.

Lake Nakuru is a very special park. The lake is home to over ONE MILLION Greater and Lesser Flamingos lining the shores of the lake. White Pelicans abound as well. The plains of the park contain herds of White Rhinos, Buffalo, Impalas and other grazing mammals. The Yellow Acacia forests are incredible to drive through and are filled with Giraffe, Zebra, Waterbuck and other game, including the endangered Black Rhinos and the elusive Leopard. The cliffs in the park are home to Baboons and Monkeys. (B/L/D)

Days 7: The day will be filled photographing the fantastic wildlife in the park and incredible scenery. Our schedule will be similar to Samburu, except we will have breakfast at the Lodge and then leave for our morning game drive. We return to the Lodge for lunch around 11:30. We will have an afternoon game drive from 3:00 - 3:30 until shortly after 6:00 PM. Dinner at the lodge around 7:30- 8:00 PM. (B/L/D)

Day 8: Time to head south to the jewel of Kenya's game parks - the Masai Mara. After a breakfast at the lodge, we are taken to the air field and flown by our private charter to the airfield in the Mara adjacent to the famous Mara Intrepids Tent Camp. After our camp orientation, lunch and getting organized, we head out for our first afternoon game drive on the Mara. As usual, we will leave between 3:00 and 3:30 PM and return shortly after 6:00 PM. Dinner will be around 7:30 - 8:00 PM and conclude the day's activities. (B/L/D)

The Mara is the north portion of the Serengeti located in Kenya. The Mara is home to more than 95 species of mammals and over 550 species of bird life! Here is where the predator cats reside - the Cheetah, the Lion, and the Leopard. We should not have any trouble seeing many prides of lions. Cheetahs are loners. The Leopard is elusive, but can be found. The grazing animals abound in herds, including Gazelle, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Topi, Eland, Zebra and more. There are Elephants, Hippos, Warthogs, Hyenas, Foxes, Jackals, Baboons, and more. The Mara should be the most exciting park of our Safari!

Days 9 - 13: Each day we will leave camp shortly before Sunrise and head out into the Mara. Box breakfasts in the Land Rovers. Back to camp usually between 11:00 - 11:30AM. Lunch over the noon hour and then free time until the afternoon game drive, which will begin between 3:00 and 3:30PM and last until shortly after 6:00 PM. After cleaning up and a visit to the lounge if desired, dinner will be between 7:30 and 8:00 PM ending the day's formal activities. (B/L/D).

Day 14: All good things must come to an end, and this too, is the case for our Safari. After a breakfast at the camp, we board our plane which will land at the air strip in front of the Intrepids Camp. Some times the plane must “buzz” the air strip one or more times to get the grazing animals off of the air strip so the plane can land. Our flight takes us back to Nairobi, where we are met and taken back to the Norfolk Hotel. We have reserved day rooms. Participants may eat lunch at the hotel or elsewhere as they please, at their own expense. The afternoon is available for site seeing and shopping. Time to pack and get ready for our flights home. But, we will have a grand farewell early evening dinner at the Norfolk Hotel before leaving for the airport. (B/D)