Day 1: NAIROBI – MASAI MARA

0800 hrs- Drive to via the Great Rift Valley to arrive at Maasai Mara in time for lunch. Along the way we will have a distant view of Mt. Longonot, Mt. Margaret and the pyrethrum plantations. 1530 hrs- go for an afternoon game drive till dusk. Dinner and overnight at campsite / lodge

The World Re Known Maasai Mara Game Reserve is a northern extension of the Serengeti National Park which is located in Tanzania. Maasai Mara cover an area of 1510km². The Maasai Mara ecosystem is composed of rivers i.e Talek river and Mara river which are the main water supply for the ecosystem. The Mara river is a huddle to the wildebeest migration as the wildebeests have to cross the river from Serengeti most of them perishing in the jaws of crocodiles and big cats. The Western part of Maasai Mara lies the Siria escarpment, loita plains and the rest is the Masai pastoral land.

The Maasai Mara game reserve is owned and run by the county council of Narok which is the richest county council in Kenya due to the revenue collected as park entrance fee. Part of the Maasai Mara which is called the Mara triangle is contracted out and privately run. Park fees are paid by the number of nights one spends in the Mara conservasy.

The Maasai Mara lies at an altitude of 1500 meters to 2100 meters. It rains twice a year in the game reserve that is during the long rains that fall between the month of March and May and during the short rains that fall on the month of October, November and part of December. June and July are the coldest months and January and February the hottest months. Temperatures during the day rarely exceed 85°F (30°C) and during the night it hardly drops below 60°F (15°C). Maasai Mara is a mosquito prone area but camp site are sprayed with mosquito repellants and the tents have treated mosquito nets.

Maasai Mara has a big population of wildlife. All big five can be seen in this reserve, a large number of ungulates are also easily visible they include the wilderbeeast , Thomson gazelles, grant gazelles, buffalos, rhinos, impalas, topis, elands, zebras, giraffes and duikers. The common predators include the lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jackals and foxes. Maasai Mara has over 450 identified species. Some common birds include the common ostrich, secretary bird, Kori bustard, hornbills, storks, eagles and vultures.

The wildebeest migration happens annually, this spectacle is considered as one of the 7th wonder of the world. More than a million wildebeest, accompanied by topis, zebras, gazelles and elands make their journey from Serengeti National Park to Masai Mara Game reserve. Many of them perish while crossing the Mara river where crocodiles and big cats make a kill on the vulnerable ungulates. The migration happens every year during the month of July after the long rains. The grass is big and plenty and for the next three months the wildebeests clear the lush grass of the Maasai Mara. The migration varies annually due to the climate change. If the climate changes and it doesn’t rain as usual the wildebeest may delay to cross over or cross over and go back since there isn’t grass to feed on.

The Maasai people whom by definition speak the Maa language hence the name Maasai have held on to their culture even in these times of modernization. A maasai’s home is called a manyatta where he lives with his wives and children. From childhood boys are obligated to look after their fathers cows while girls are obligated to doing house chores, fetching water and milking the cows. After every fifteen years there is an initiation where boys are circumcised and they become young morans and the existing morans graduate to junior elders. The Maasai enjoy eating meat, milk mixed with blood during rituals such initiation and marriage. The use of herbs as medicine is still embedded in their day to day life. The Maasai are an attraction in Kenya since they managed to stick to their culture.

Day 2: MASAI MARA

0630 hrs – early morning game drive in the Mara. Return to the lodge for breakfast. You spend the rest of the morning at leisure. After lunch at the lodge you proceed at 1530 hrs for an afternoon game drive till dusk. Dinner and overnight at campsite / lodge

Day 3: MASAI MARA – NAIROBI – AMBOSELI

0630 hrs- early morning game drive – if you still want to go for more. This is followed by breakfast.

Take the opportunity to fly over the Mara in a Hot air Balloon provided at extra cost. The balloon package includes a champagne breakfast in the wild! If you can spare the money, viewing abundant game afloat a balloon is an unforgettable experience

0830 hrs- check out and commence drive to Nairobi. You will have lunch in Nairobi. Then drive via Namanga at the Kenya- Tanzania border to Amboseli National Park.

Dinner and overnight at the Campsite / Lodge

Day 4: AMBOSELI

0630 hrs – early morning game drive in the Amboseli National Park. Return to the lodge for breakfast. You spend the rest of the morning at leisure. After lunch at the l Campsite / Lodge, proceed at 1600 hrs for an afternoon game drive till dusk.

Amboseli sits on the lower slopes of mighty Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest – whose peak lies across the border in Tanzania. It is quite an experience to see Kilimanjaro hovering above the clouds in an early morning. The animal pictures arising against the dramatic backdrop of the mountain will thrill the photography enthusiast. Amboseli is renowned for its huge elephant herds. You will also see buffalo, black rhino, zebra, wildebeest and other plain animals.

Dinner and overnight at Campsite / Lodge

Day 5: AMBOSELI – TSAVO WEST

0630 hrs- early morning game. After breakfast, depart via the Sheitani lava flow for Tsavo West National Park to arrive in time for lunch. At 1530 hrs, you proceed for an afternoon game drive within the park until dusk.At Tsavo West you will see elephants, crocodiles, vervet monkeys, antelope, baboons, giraffes, hippos and lions. The park is a marvel in terms of geo-physical character and plant diversity. You may also be able to view hippo and crocodiles from the underwater glass tank. Dinner and overnight at Campsite / Lodge.

Tsavo West National Park covers an area of 9065 Km2 and is located South Eastern Kenya, 240 km from Nairobi or 250km from Mombasa to Mtito Andei Gate. The park has magnificent scenery, Mzima Springs, rich and varied wildlife, good road system, rhino reserve, rock climbing at Kichwa Tembo Cliffs and guided walks along the Tsavo River. Tsavo West National Park has a variety of wildlife, such as black rhino, cape buffalo, elephant, leopard and masai lion. There are also other smaller animals that can be spotted in the park, such as the bushbaby, hippo, hartebeast, lesser kudu and masai giraffe.

Mzima springs is a natural reservoir under the chyulu hills to the north. The Chyulu range is composed of volcanic lava rock and ash, which is too porous to allow rivers to flow. Instead, rain water percolates through the rock, and may spend 25 years underground before emerging 50 kilometres away at Mzima Springs. The spring produces 450 million liters of water in a day that serves the Tsavo eco system and some of the water serves the coastal region through a pipe. At the spring you will find schools of hippos, crocodiles, fish and water birds like cormorants. During the night hippos come out to grave and during the day they just laze in the fully or half submerged.

The Shetani Lava flow, a black lava flow of 8 km long, 1.6 km wide and 5 meters deep, is the remain of volcanic eruptions which were subject of tales among local communities who named the flow “shetani” meaning evil in Kiswahili after it spewed from the earth 240 years ago. Climbing the flow is not an easy task as the thick black soil is composed of uneven chunks of solid magma. The cave, located near the center of the outflow, has two large opening and one ancient tree is growing between them. Although the cave is only few meters long, the exit is not accessible (although it can be seen) as the place is too narrow.

The Roaring Rocks will give you magnificent panoramic views, usually only seen by the eagles and buzzards that fly around these cliffs, over the plain called Rhino valley and the Ngulia Hills (1,821 m – 5,975 ft.). A panoramic map of the scenery to help you to locate surroundings hills and mountains, is available at the top. The Roaring rocks, located near the Rhino Sanctuary, has been for long an observation point for the protection of black rhinoceros and the fight against poaching. The eerie Roaring Rocks are named after the buzz of cicadas that inhabit them and the howl of wind that hits the bare rocks by producing a roaring sound.

Day 6: TSAVO WEST – NAIROBI.

0630 hrs – early morning game drive. Return to the campsite / lodge for breakfast. 0930 hrs- check out and commence drive to Nairobi with game drive en route. Lunch enroute. You arrive in Nairobi in the late afternoon. Transfer to airport for homebound flight.